The first non-European to win the Tour de France, Greg LeMond, will be honoured at the 2015 Tour Down Under's Legends' Night Dinner on January 24. LeMond, a three time winner of the Tour and a two-time world champion, joins a distinguished list of cyclists' to be recognised at the dinner which included Sir Chris Hoy, Bernard Hinault, Anna Meares and Eddy Merckx in recent years
"We love Australia and are looking forward to the visit. You have built a great event and we can't wait to see it for ourselves," said LeMond who retired in 1994
Race director Mike Turtur said that the announcement of LeMond's visit to South Australia will only add to the anticipation of the 17th edition of the WorldTour event.
"Greg is a true legend of our sport and really changed cycling in so many ways," Turtur said.
Six WorldTour teams confirmed for Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
With BMC Racing Team and Orica-GreenEdge already confirming their appearances at the UCI 1.1 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, the addition of IAM Cycling, Trek Factory Racing, Etixx-Quick-Step and Katusha confirms there will be six WorldTour teams for the event which will be final race of Cadel Evans' (BMC) career.
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"It's a really exciting time for Australian cycling. We have such great established riders as well as some really talented up and comers," Evans said of the announcement. "February will see some of the best international cyclists riding against Australians on one of our most beautiful stretches of road. It doesn't get much more exciting for an Aussie than that."
The BMC team roster was also finalised for the race with the addition of Tasmanian U23 Time Trial Champion Campbell Flakemore.
"It will be very exciting. I've never raced with Cadel, so I don't really know what to expect," said Flakemore who will also race the Tour Down Under with the team. "It will also be good to do another professional level race in Australia."
BMC's sport director Fabio Baldato explained the team's goal is to ensure that Evans finishes he career with a win.
"For sure it's to celebrate Cadel's great career. I know that any time Cadel has a number on his back, he wants to win," Baldato said. "I have been with Cadel for almost the last three years and I would also like to be there for his last win. A nice one at home on his last race."
Further team announcements will be made before the race on February 1.
2015 H&R Block Pro Cycling Team roster revealed New Canadian Continental outfit H&R Block Pro Cycling Team have announced its inaugural roster for 2015 with former national champions Garrett McLeod and Stuart Wight headlining the squad. Team manager Luca Segato, who enjoyed a 20 year cycling career, is expecting big things next season.
"This is going to be an exciting year. We have built a strong foundation of talent and will be expecting great results from our guys" says Segato. "I am excited to work with the team to accomplish our goals and objectives".
Segato has targeted the Californian San Dimas stage race in March as the team's first major goal of the 2015 season.
The 10 rider team contains eight Canadians with two international riders in Australian Nathan Elliot and Slovenian Jure Rupnik. Both riders spent this season on Continental teams and have been recruited for their racing experience.
"The riders were chosen based on their skillset to be active in the races. We want to treat every race - or stage - as a new day and have riders establish breaks and not just be passive in the field," team CEO Mark Ernsting said.
2015 H&R Block Pro Cycling Team roster: Adam de Vos, Bailey McKnight, Felix Cote Bouvette, Garrett McLeod, James Piccoli, Jure Rupnik, Nathan Elliott, Ryan MacDonald, Stuart Wight and Travis Samuel.
Edmondson and Ashlea win Australian Omnium titles, Law & Yallouris and Edmondson & Mundy win Madison titles
Two national Australian track titles were decided over the weekend in Melbourne as Alex Edmondson and Ashlea Ankudinoff won the men's and women's omnium events and New South Wales duo Jackson Law and Nick Yallouris claimed the men's madison while South Australian duo Annette Edmondson and Jessica Mundy defended their title.
It was the second straight omnium win for Edmondoson, who is also the reinging individual pursuit world champion, as he collected 242 points, 44 points ahead of second placed Glen O'Shea.
"I'm pretty ecstatic," said Edmondson. "To be able to beat someone like O'Shea - you don’t really have to say anything more than that - to be able to get one up on him is really special. I'm absolutely amazed."
Ankudinoff secured her third omnium title as she finished on 231 points, 26 points ahead of silver medallist Kimberley Wells.
"I'm pretty exhausted now, but obviously I've taken the win for the third time and I couldn't be happier," said Ankudinoff.
In the men's madison, Law and Yallouris held off the likes of Jack Bobridge and omnium world champion Glenn O'Shea to win the men's madison by four points after 200 laps of the Hisense arena.
"There are no words that can describe this feeling right now," said Yallouris after clinching is first national title.
The men's field also included the likes of world champions Miles Scotson, Alex Edmondson and Olympians Leigh Howard and Cameron Meyer.
"It's definitely no slouch field, I'm proud of this guy right here," said Law. "Five days ago he wan't my partner, my brother was but he got sick so Nick came in and filled the spot ten times better.
Annette Edmondson and Mundy went tête-à-tête with the Tasmanian duo of Macey Stewart and Georgia Baker in the women's madison with a fast start by the defending champions securing the win after 100 laps.
"The win last year was so special and to share a podium together, that was definitely a highlight of my year," said Edmondson who together with Mundy was awarded the inaugural Australian women's Madison title in 2014.
"A few things didn't go quite to plan, but we managed to make the most of it and we are quite pleased."
