Australian WorldTour team Orica-Scott have announced its seven-man team for the 64th edition of the Herald Sun Tour, confirming Esteban Chaves and Simon Gerrans as its two leaders. The team has twice won the race, in 2014 and 2015 with Simon Clarke and Cam Meyer, and with Damien Howson was third to Chris Froome in 2016.
Across the 'summer of cycling', Orica-Scott has enjoyed stage wins at the Tour Down Under and Bay Cycling Classic but is yet to claim a big scalp. Gerrans was runner-up at the Australian nationals and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, while Chaves was second to Richie Porte at the Tour Down Under. At the Herald Sun Tour, the team is aiming to take out the victory with director sportif Matt Wilson explaining he believes the race will be decided on stage 1 to Falls Creek.
"The Falls Creek climb should be spectacular finish to stage one. It's clear that Chris Froome and Team Sky are the ones to watch in the general classification battle and they have a number of guys who can play a role, but we would be naïve not to consider other contenders too," said Wilson.
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"The 2017 Jayco Herald Sun Tour is definitely one of the tougher courses we have seen here for a while and we obviously hope to finish our Australian season strongly."
For Chaves, the race and Falls Creek climb will be an important early-season test against Froome who he could be battling on the French roads in July at the Tour.
"I am really looking forward to the Jayco Herald Sun Tour, particularly the second day. I was at Falls Creek in my first trip to Australia, when I couldn't speak a word of English, and I remember this climb," Chaves said. "The climb is much longer than the short, punchy climbs we have raced in the Tour Down Under and Cadel's race, and it is more like the climbs we have in Colombia so should be a little better for me.
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