January 22, Stage 1: Prospect - Lobethal 135km
Stage 1 profile
What Stuart O'Grady says...
Checker Hill never gets any easier. It's a really steep climb and it's very early in the race. Many people will be trying to conserve energy as it's the first proper climb. A lot of guys haven't raced yet this year so the heart rate will be going and it hurts a lot.
It's quite a lumpy ride out to Lobethal. We've done some reconnaissance and it's a lot harder than what it looks on paper. It could be a real little surprise package that day. The final 10km of the circuit is really, really tough. Especially as it's the first main race of the year a lot of guys won't have much racing under the belt. It could come as a real shock to the system and come out with a surprise result.
There are plenty of opportunities for attacks and I don't think it's going to come down to a big bunch sprint. It's tough enough to split the field. Even the final sprint to the line is a slight drag uphill. For the first race of the year it's going to really hurt.
Profile
Image ©: Santos Tour Down Under
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
'Be careful to predict something from the Dauphiné' – Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe staying calm over possible Tour de France revelation Florian Lipowitz
'His performance shows there's a lot in there, but it's just impossible to predict' says team chief of sports as German prepares to support Primož Roglič -
What's coming on Cyclingnews this July
Cyclingnews hits Grand Tour fever and lab testing the latest helmets on the market -
Best women's road bikes 2025: Take to the tarmac with comfort and speed
The best women's road bikes don't necessarily need to be women's specific, but those that come with women's specific touchpoints and sizing options do the job brilliantly -
'Every Grand Tour I do is a learning process but this one especially so' – Matteo Jorgenson on fast track to future team leadership at Tour de France
'The key to this Tour de France is getting through these first 10 days, treating them like Classics and trying to take advantage there' predicts American