It’s going to be a busy second half of the week in Melbourne for Deceuninck – Quick-Step, with the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Criterium and Road Race scheduled in the space of just four days. The first event will consist of 14 laps held on the famous 5.3km-long Formula 1 Grand Prix track and will suit the sprinters, who have travelled here after completing the inaugural World Tour race of the season, Tour Down Under.
Sunday’s event (163 kilometers) will start from Melbourne and travel to Geelong, host of the 2010 World Championships, where the peloton will take on the hard Challambra climb several times, before continuing onto Scenic Road all the way to the finish on the Geelong Waterfront, which in the past years has seen both sprinters and attackers prevail.
First rider to take a World Tour win this season, Elia Viviani will lead Deceuninck – Quick-Step at the Cadel Evans Road Race, where in 2018 he finished a close second, just as the peloton was catching the late attackers with the line in sight. Alongside him will be Rémi Cavagna, Dries Devenyns – who comes here after completing the Tour Down Under in the top 10 overall for the second consecutive season – neo-pro Mikkel Honoré, James Knox, Danish Champion Michael Mørkøv and Fabio Sabatini.
“We have a very motivated Elia, who was runner-up last year, and wants to be again in contention for a solid result. It will not be easy, because the field here is strong, but we have a plan and more than one rider who can be in the mix in the finale. It’s pretty hot at the moment and it looks like the mercury will go up also on Thursday, when we have the criterium, but we hope it will be better on Sunday. Regardless of the conditions, we are ready for the challenge”, said sports director Rik Van Slycke.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
Websites:
Bike World News
Ron’s Bike Garage
Current Bike Quiver:
Bird Bikes Zero 29 29″ hardtail mountain bike
Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
Kona Kilauea vintage 26″ mountain bike
Niner RLT9 700c road/gravel bike
Specialized Stumpjumper vintage 26″ mountain bike
Day Job: Digital Marketing
Night Job: Digital Marketing, eCommerce Consultant, Web Consultant, Bike Shop Operator, Husband, Dad, Tenor