Successful championships weekend for Mitchelton-SCOTT

Before the Mitchelton-SCOTT men and women head off to the Tour Down Under, members of the team raced in the Australian national championships this weekend, racking up wins in several categories.

Amanda Spratt Takes Third Championship

Two-time world championship medallist Amanda Spratt has claimed her third Australian title in emphatic style in Ballarat today.

The 32-year-old went into the race as the sole leader for Mitchelton-SCOTT and her teammates delivered the aggressive race plan to perfection.

Having completed the work for Spratt, Grace Brown finished off the day with the bronze medal, with Justine Barrow finishing between the pair for silver.

Amanda Spratt – 2020 Australian Champion:

“It’s just as special, if not more special (the third time around). I owe my team this one, they rode incredibly well, you saw how much work Grace Brown did in that break.”

“It’s unusual for us, but I did come in here as the sole leader. That comes with a lot of pressure but I’m just so grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity and that I could pull it off for them.

“Grace attacked on that climb, that was the plan to open the race up really early because we didn’t think anyone would expect that; normally there’s an early break. She was so strong and it was just me that could follow before Justine came across, she had an incredible ride too.

“After that, we knew we had a really good group and we just had to keep going.

“I felt confident if it came down to a sprint. Of course I tried on the climb as well but I was very very impressed with Justine.”

Grace Brown – Bronze Medal:

“It was our plan to hit it pretty hard on that third lap. Originally we were just expecting a split in the bunch, but Spratty was on my wheel and she said ‘this is good Grace, it’s just you and I’. Then Justine bridged across and we were in a really good position.

“I worked pretty hard in that group to keep extending the lead and Spratty did the job thankfully.

“I did have that an image of Michael Freiberg in my head. I kept pushing after those last two climbs, but by the time I got to the one-kilometre to go banner, I knew I was too far behind.”

Twelfth Times a Charm for Cameron Meyer

Twelve years after his first appearance at the race, multiple track world champion Cameron Meyer has ‘finally’ won the Australian Championship – the race that has eluded him so many times before.

After finishing fourth on debut, Meyer has been close on several occasions, none more painful than 12months ago when the title slipped through his fingers in the final kilometre.

After a perfect ride by the team, Mitchelton-SCOTT teammate Lucas Hamilton capped off the day with the silver medal ahead of Nathan Haas (Cofidis) who claimed bronze.

The 32-year-old, who celebrated his birthday yesterday, followed the effort of Amanda Spratt who won the women’s event earlier today. The last time the team held both the women and the men’s green and gold jerseys was in 2014 (Simon Gerrans and Gracie Elvin).

Cameron Meyer – 2020 Australian Champion:

“It’s been 12 long years. I fell in love with this race so long ago and I’ve been so close so many times.

“Someone asked me the other day, ‘you’ve got nine world championships why do you want this one so much?’, but my brother has won it, Luke Durbridge one of my best mates has won it, and I just wanted it so badly.

“I want to put that green and gold on and I want to take it to Europe and wear it proudly.

“As soon as the summer comes around and I land on Australian soil, this is one of the races I think about.

“I can’t thank my teammates more. I was given a lot of responsibility today with a bit of leadership and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with that, but my teammates were incredible. We were on the front foot, we always had someone out front and I had someone helping me the whole time. In the end strength in numbers won and today was my lucky day.”

Teams Named for Santos Tour Down Under

Women’s Tour Down Under:

Unbeaten at the event since its inception in 2016, Mitchelton-SCOTT is expecting one of the most open races in history when it arrives in Adelaide for the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under which begins on Thursday, 16th January.

The four-day race is without a major climb in 2020, removing the platform that has seen multiple world championship medallist Amanda Spratt win the last three editions and opening up the options from within the Australian outfit and from rivals.

Mitchelton-SCOTT at the Women’s TDU (16-19 January):

• Jessica Allen (AUS, 26)
• Grace Brown (AUS, 27)
• Gracie Elvin (AUS, 31)
• Lucy Kennedy (AUS, 31)
• Amanda Spratt (AUS, 32)
• Georgia Williams (NZL, 26)

Men’s Tour Down Under:

In anticipation of one of the toughest editions yet, Mitchelton-SCOTT will field one of its strongest line-ups in history at the Santos Tour Down Under next week.

The Australian outfit returns with back-to-back reigning champion Daryl Impey, his fellow 2019 Tour de France stage winner Simon Yates and a well-balanced team with sights set on another overall title, including newly crowned Australian champion Cameron Meyer.

The re-introduction of Paracombe for the third time in history and first time since 2017 gives the climbers another prospect to launch an attack, and its combination with Willunga makes it one of the toughest courses Adelaide has to offer.

Mitchelton-SCOTT at the TDU (19 – 26 January):

• Jack Bauer (NZL, 34)
• Luke Durbridge (AUS, 28)
• Lucas Hamilton (AUS, 23)
• Michael Hepburn (AUS, 28)
• Daryl Impey (RSA, 35)
• Cameron Meyer (AUS, 32)
• Simon Yates (GBR, 27)