Australian WorldTour team Orica-Scott have confirmed its seven-man team for the 2017 Tour Down Under will be lead by four-time and defending champion Simon Gerrans, and Esteban Chaves, with Caleb Ewan to challenge for stage wins.
Orica-Scott won the overall title last year with Gerrans along with four stage wins that were equally shared between the 36-year-old and Ewan.
"It's going to be pretty hard top last year’s results, but the team we have this year is as good as we have ever had at the Tour Down Under," director sportif Matt White explained. "This is an important race for us, our sponsors and our Australian fans and again we are aiming high with general classification and stage ambitions."
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With the re-introduction of the Paracombe finish on stage 2, White expects the one-kilometre climb will play a key role in deciding the overall outcome.
"The changes to the second stage into Paracombe make it the new queen stage and we will have a pretty good idea of how the field is going at the end of it. Instead of a 1.8km climb to finish we will have 20-odd minutes of climbing, and we have two quality options in Gerrans and Chaves depending on how the stage is raced," said White, adding that the stage 5 climb up Willunga Hill will likewise be key.
“The Willunga stage will still be where the Tour Down Under is won or lost, but by the time we arrive at this day the general classification situation will be a lot clearer."
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