Defending Tour Down Under champion Simon Gerrans holds the record for most overall victories since the first edition of the race back in 1999. The Orica-Scott rider first won the title in 2006 with AG2R Prévoyance and has since added three wins with the GreenEdge squad in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
In 2017, the 36-year-old is aiming for his first successful title defence and first victory in an odd-numbered year.
With a lengthy palmares that includes wins at Milan-San Remo and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, stage wins at all three Grand Tours and stints in the leader's yellow and pink jerseys of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, respectively, along with numerous other wins. How does Gerrans rate his wins at the Tour Down Under?
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"They are right up there for me. Obviously, I have won some great races in Europe, but being an Aussie, to perform at what has been up until now our only WorldTour event, is pretty important," Gerrans told Cyclingnews of the personal importance of the wins.
"The Tour Down Under has always been an important race for me and has obviously become more important since I have been racing for GreenEdge. With four wins there now, I have stamped my authority on the race over the years and hopefully I have a few more years racing in me, and I hope to continue to do well there."
2006 Tour Down Under
Simon Gerrans was not a name on many people's list of favourites ahead of the 2006 Tour Down Under, with the likes of Robbie McEwen, Luis Leon Sanchez and Allan Davis tipped for glory. Gerrans, riding for French team AG2R Prévoyance, won the opening stage of the race in Angaston ahead of Sanchez while the peloton crossed the line over 23 minutes later.
2012 Tour Down Under
2014 Tour Down Under
2016 Tour Down Under
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