Richie Porte (BMC) looks lean and ready to race (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Some Trek-Segafredo riders are on disc brakes(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Richie Porte (BMC) does an interview before his ride(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
New Australian national champion Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
UAE Team Emirates plan their ride (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bahrain-Merida quietly clock up the kilometres(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Bora-hansgrohe riders stop for a drink (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Daniel Oss (Bora-hansgrohe) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Two Bora-hansgrohe rider avoid a crash(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
As the days count down to the start of the 2018 WorldTour with the Tour Down Under, riders have been focusing on final training and race reconnaissance as they also work off the effects of jet lag. All the teams have now arrived for the race and have confirmed their rosters.
The Santos Women’s Tour kicked with a sprint victory for Adelaide local Annette Edmondson (Wiggle High 5), while the men must wait until Sunday for the People’s Choice Classic criterium on Sunday evening. The six-stage Tour Down Under begins next Tuesday.
Riders faced slightly overcast skies on Thursday but sunblock was still vital for the Australian summer and temperatures stayed high. Forecasts expect temperatures to exceed 35°C during the race.
For now, riders are relaxed and enjoying the weather as the days count down to the racing.
World champion Peter Sagan again rode with his Bora-Hansgrohe teammates, even enjoying a coffee stop and cake mid-ride. Sam Bennett revealed to Cyclingnews that he had been hit by a cold. The Irish sprinter trained on Thursday but has missed several days in the saddle. He hopes to race on Sunday and be ready for the Tour Down Under.
Riders gather in the massive tent outside the Adelaide Hilton before training. They often spend time with team mechanics to make final tweaks to their bikes and equipment. Training rides are carefully planned, with a team car almost always following the riders in case of punctures and emergencies.
The UAE Team Emirates riders went koala spotting during their ride, with Diego Ulissi and Manuel Mori happy to have found one.
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EF Education First-Drapac showed off their new pink racing kit as they headed out on Thursday, while Trek-Segafredo trained in their bright yellow kit. Trek-Segafredo will have an all-red jersey for the Tour Down Under and other races, while EF Education First-Drapac also have a bright orange training kit.
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a look at who has been out training and what riders look like in their 2018 kit.
To read the 2018 Tour Down Under race preview, click here. And for the regularly updated start list for the race, click here.
