Domestic sprinters prepare to go against former Milan-San Remo winner
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Points leader Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) isn't pleased with Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) in their sprint to the finish on stage 12.(Image credit: AFP)
Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) wins in Horsens.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Matthew Goss (Orica - GreenEdge) at the start.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Compatriots Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) and Matt Goss (GreenEdge) await the decision from the officials regarding who prevailed on stage four.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEdge)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Orica-GreenEdge's Matt Goss is the fourth rider to be named in the Australian National Team for the upcoming Jayco Herald Sun Tour. Goss will join previously announced team members Simon Gerrans, Simon Clarke and defending champion Nathan Haas when the race kicks off with an individual time trial in Williamstown on 3 January.
The field for the 60th edition of the Sun Tour has been undoubtedly boosted by the likes of the former Milan-San Remo winner Goss, who also shares the accolade with his Orica-GreenEdge teammate Gerrans. Goss made history in 2011 when he outsprinted a select group including Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) and Philippe Gilbert (BMC) to become the first Australian to win the 298km Classic.
While Goss will aim toward goals later in the year including a likely return to the Giro d'Italia, he has signaled his ambitions to hunt for stage wins at the Sun Tour. If the right situation shows itself, the overall classification is not out of the question.
"The Tour has quite a few challenging climbs, so for me it's about waiting to see how the race unfolds to know if I will be in the mix towards the end of some of the more hillier stages and therefore in with a shot at the overall title," said Goss.
Goss' most recent Sun Tour participation was in 2008 when he won the Herald Sun Classic - the preface criterium - before going on to win the opening stage and took out the points classification. That year's edition was won by Goss' now Orica-GreenEdge teammate Stuart O'Grady.
"Stage wins on the two flatter stages are more likely to be my focus or even a stab at the point's jersey again."
"If there is still a big group still together over Mount Macedon and coming into Bendigo, it is definitely one to keep your eye on and will make for a pretty entertaining finish as a bunch sprint on the velodrome," Goss said.
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The addition of Goss leaves two more spots open on the Australian Team which will be announced in the coming weeks.
