Orica-Scott with options for Quebec and Montreal WorldTour GPs
Gerrans, Impey, Albasini and Kreuziger offer avenues to victory for Australian team
Orica-Scott will line at the GP Quebec and Montreal WorldTour races in Canada later this week with a squad full of options for victory. Former winner of both races, Simon Gerrans, has been named in the eight-rider squad alongside Daryl Impey, Michael Albasini, and Roman Kreuziger as riders capable of challenging for the victory.
Gerrans won both races in 2014 and also won the GP Quebec in 2012.
"In both races we are aiming high and looking at a podium spot," sport director Laurenzo Lapage said. "We have a really strong group of guys here with more than one option for different styles of finish and we will be looking to be up there whether there are splits or it’s together for the sprint. After Simon won both races here back in 2014 we know what to expect and also how to get a result."
Impey was key to Gerrans' wins in 2014 and for 2017, the South African will take on a leadership role with Quebec likely suited better to his characteristics.
"Daryl has already shown that he has this kind of challenging final in his legs and he will be the protected sprinter for both Quebec and Montreal. He took a convincing stage victory in the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya back in the spring and that set up what has been a solid season for him," he added.
Kreuziger, whose last race came at the PRO Ötztaler 5500 where he took a solo victory, will be the protected rider for Sunday's GP Montreal due to the hillier parcours as Lapage explained.
"Roman is showing great form at the moment and had a great victory a couple of weeks ago in Austria. We want to give him more of a protected role on Sunday, but if the race looks like ending in the uphill sprint it will be Daryl that we look to," he said.
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Both races are also key warm up events for the World Championships later in the month with Lapage adding he expects an inform and motivated squad in Canada as a result.
"Both of these races are tough, but with the altitude metres Sunday is very similar to a Grand Tour mountain stage only at lower altitude and there are three tough climbs within each circuit," he said. "For sure it will be a hard couple of days of racing. Some of the guys will be going straight into the World Championships for their respective countries so they are in good shape and super motivated for the weekend."
The team is complemented by road captain Mat Hayman with Mitch Docker, Jens Keukeleire and Ruben Plaza providing the muscle for the team.
Orica-Scott for the GP Quebec and GP Cycliste de Montreal: Michael Albasini, Mitch Docker, Simon Gerrans, Mathew Hayman, Daryl Impey, Jens Keukeleire, Roman Kreuziger and Ruben Plaza.
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