#Herald Sun Tour de Australia

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Esteban Chaves

Herald Sun Tour de Australia

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La visite d'Antalya 2021 annulée en raison d'une pandémie de coronavirus

The maillot cyclisme Tour of Antalya will not take place in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 2.1 race was scheduled for February 11-14 and was slated to feature six WorldTour teams, an increase of five on last year’s event.

A spokesperson for the race told Wielerflits that the Turkish cycling federation and ministry of sport had cancelled this year’s edition of the Tour of Antalya.

"It is a drastic decision, but due to the pandemic it may well be the right decision by the cycling federation and the ministry," the spokesperson said.

"It is also a great responsibility. We as an organization do everything we can to organize it as well as possible, but you never know what could happen."

Team DSM, Astana-Premier Tech, UAE Emirates, Israel Start-Up Nation, Deceuninck-QuickStep and Movistar had all been due to send teams to Turkey. First held in 2018,maillot cyclisme Cofidis the Tour of Antalya was set to attract a higher quality field than normal this year following the cancellation of the Tour Down Under and Herald Sun Tour in Australia and the Tour Colombia.

Il y a aussi de l'incertitude sur la Vuelta a San Juan en Argentine, prévue du 24 au 31 janvier. En novembre, l'organisation de la course a confirmé son intention d'organiser l'événement comme prévu, avec Deceuninck-QuickStep, Bora-Hansgrohe, Cofidis et Israel Start-Up Nation parmi les équipes en compétition et Chris Froome un participant probable.

Une bulle de course et un protocole de test ont été prévus pour l'événement, tandis que l'itinéraire a été conçu pour minimiser le risque de COVID-19,ensemble cuissard Cofidis cinq des sept étapes commençant et se terminant à Autódromo El Villicúm.

Les frontières aériennes et terrestres de l'Argentine sont actuellement fermées jusqu'au 8 janvier en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19, et Ciclismo Internacional rapporte que la course pourrait être limitée uniquement aux équipes nationales. Le site Internet argentin a rapporté que l'organisation Vuelta a San Juan devait rencontrer le gouvernement local pour discuter de la question mardi.

[bigyack-com]

Turn Valentine’s Day 2020 into a romantic weekend at one of these lovely hotel properties - travel

If you haven’t yet lifted a finger for your significant other this Valentine’s Day, there’s still time. The holiday falls on a Friday this year, which means it’s perfect for booking a long weekend away.To help you, here are the most romantic new hotels and resorts for a quick escape—places where weeks of stress can melt away in minutes, or destinations that are easy to explore in just a few days.And please, hold the flowers and chocolates. For each of these 14 getaways, we’ve found sweet, easy-to-schedule excursions or amenities that are much more original. No matter where in the world you’re starting out from, at least one will be close by; their romantic appeal, on the other hand, is universal. If You’re on the East CoastShou Sugi Ban House, HamptonsA midwinter trip to the Hamptons may seem backward. But there’s no more romantic way to stroll a beach than in total quiet, wrapped in a blanket with your loved one. Afterward, retreat to the Japanese oasis that is Shou Sugi Ban House, where you can grab a cup of matcha from an onyx-colored bar and sit around an outdoor fireplace set in a Zen garden. There are wooden soaking tubs in the rooms and flax linen robes for lounging. What else could you need?The romantic gesture: The hotel’s expansive spa has hot and cold hydrotherapy plunge pools, a solarium and roof deck, chromatherapy showers, and apt wintertime treatments, like the “Deep Within” hot stone massage, to soften chapped skin and relieve tight joints. (It’s paired with pre- and post-treatment soaks and tonics to extend the “me time” magic.)Maison de la Luz, New OrleansIt’s not yet a year old, but this whimsical hideaway in the Big Easy’s Warehouse District feels like it’s been there forever. Its rooms have a historic, palatial feel reminiscent of Paris’s hôtels particuliers, and the bordello-like Bar Marilou has quickly become a local fixture.The romantic gesture: Do dinner at one of the city’s so-hot-right-now restaurants like Gautreau’s or Coquette, both of which have sexy dining rooms and elegant menus that aren’t overly fussy. Then have the hotel staff draw up a bath and set a bottle of Champagne on ice in your room while you mix your own after-dinner drinks in the living room.Royalton AntiguaThere aren’t many places to get overwater bungalows without flying to the Maldives or Tahiti. But one exception is just a quick hop from most East Coast hubs: the Royalton Antigua. Its thatched-roof pavilions set a new standard for oceanside luxury in the Caribbean when they opened last summer. The setup means you never need to leave your room: Butlers can deliver your meals, and your room includes snorkeling gear and direct access to the water, making it perfectly reasonable to indulge in total privacy.The romantic gesture: As long as you book a day ahead, a personal bartender can set up shop on your terrace and stir you endless G&T’s as the sun dips into the horizon.If You’re on the West CoastFour Seasons Lanai at Koele, a Sensei RetreatThe new prince of Hawaiian pampering is this wellness-oriented offshoot of Larry Ellison’s island estate. Of course you can dive around tropical reefs and zip line across Kaiholena Gulch, but that’s not why you’re here. All-inclusive stays (minimum three nights) cover art and mindfulness workshops, Nobu-created meals with ingredients from the property’s farm, tons of fitness classes, and high-tech spa treatments such as massages that use thermal mapping to pinpoint your tight spots.The romantic gesture: Most people associate Hawaii’s lush interior landscapes with beautiful hiking trails, but in Lanai, you can explore the state’s old ranching country and wooded valleys on horseback.Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Los Cabos, MexicoThe butlers at this exceptional new resort are called Tosoanis, or dream keepers—and it’s a fitting description. They’ll pick up on your interests and leave you thoughtful, customized surprises in your room, whether a rose petal-strewn bath or fresh-baked Mexican pastries. That’s the level of service needed to pull your attention away from the Sea of Cortez views, which are hard to ignore when an entire corner’s worth of walls in your room opens onto a private deck and plunge pool hugging the water’s edge.The romantic gesture: What’s written in the stars for your relationship? That’s a good question for the property’s naturalists, who can help you navigate the night sky with a powerful telescope that offers up-close views of Venus and Polaris. Shooting stars aren’t an uncommon sight, either.If You’re in EuropeSão Lourenço do Barrocal, PortugalTwo hours from Lisbon in the Alentejo countryside is this off-the-grid estate, once the nucleus of a small farming village. It’s been in the same family for 200 years but operational as a hotel for much less time. Holdovers from its agricultural heyday include 220 cows, 600,000 square meters of olive groves, and a 2.5-acre vegetable garden to supply the restaurant; more recent additions include barn cottages and a winery.The romantic gesture: Head out on a hot air balloon ride. The skies in this region are famously clear and sunny, and the staff will pack you a picnic with one of the estate’s sparkling wines.Niehku Mountain Villa, SwedenMaybe you want to heli-ski and never see another soul. Maybe you want to hole up in the luxury equivalent of an igloo. Or maybe you want to spot polar bears north of the Arctic Circle. All those boxes can be checked at Niehku, the fabulous 14-room bolt-hole that straddles Norway and Sweden—even if you’re around for only a three-day stint (the property’s minimum stay).The romantic gesture: Pray to the weather gods for a showing of midnight lights, go dog sledding in untouched terrain occupied primarily by reindeer, or hunker down in the wine cellar, where only top-notch bottles are allowed. There’s no wrong choice.InterContinental Lyon Hotel Dieu, FranceThe building that houses this hotel—a maternity hospital until 2013—is supposedly where one-third of the Lyonnaise population was born. Now it’s heralding a five-star rebirth for a city that’s long been set in its humbler ways. The jaw-dropper is the first-floor bar, set under a 236-foot-high dome, with immaculately restored detailing that glows in the floodlight that pours in from its many monumental windows.The romantic gesture: Lyon will never abandon its zest for traditional, butter-laden meals—the city is often considered the epicenter of classic French cuisine, and it’s worth leaning into the calorie splurge for a night or two. Burn it off the next morning with an urban hike up the many stairs that lead to Croix-Rousse, the bohemian-feeling neighborhood in the north. Along the way you can take in city views from above, wind your way through the old silk merchant storehouses known as traboules, pit stop at Sebastien Bouillet’s phenomenal namesake bakery for a praline croissant (the local specialty), and buy pretty bouquets of flowers (fresh or dried) at the city’s best farmers market.Fife Arms, ScotlandPrince Charles and Camilla personally cut the ribbon at the reopening of this lavish inn in the Highlands a year ago, along with the property’s new stewards, Iwan and Manuela Wirth—owners of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery. The royal status is warranted not just because it’s at the center of Braemar, the town Queen Victoria chose for her vacation home (Balmoral Palace) and where the current monarch goes annually for the Scottish Highland Games, but for its contemporary cultural relevance, too. In its new life, the property is home to 16,000 artworks—bearing signatures as wide-ranging as Picasso to Bharti Kher to Queen Victoria herself.The romantic gesture: You can go for a big wow moment here on a personal tour of Braemar Castle (perhaps make your partner feel like the king or queen they are), or get your hands dirty together on a foraging tour through the estate grounds.If You’re in AsiaAman KyotoFew cities can mimic Kyoto’s blend of quiet contemplation and cutting-edge dining. And within Kyoto, few hotels capture both sides of that coin like the just-opened Aman. Its latticed-wood rooms resemble the carefully crafted boxes locals use for precious gifts; inside they have tatami sitting areas and Hinoki soaking tubs. And since each of them is scattered around an ancient-feeling forest, it’s perhaps no surprise that the property’s chefs can source most of their ingredients within a 10-minute walk from their kitchen.The romantic gesture: The moss-covered grounds make Aman Kyoto’s gardens feel like a lush, movielike setting for a picnic. But if it’s too cold for that, book a personalized tour to Kamishichiken, the oldest of the “flower towns” that have long served the city’s geishas. Getting guided access to these districts is the best way to understand the training and culture behind Japan’s most romanticized profession, whether you visit an ancient ochaya (tea house) or watch an actual performance.Lelewatu Sumba, IndonesiaA puddle hop away from Bali is this comparatively undiscovered and underdeveloped gem of an island, where it’s easy to feel like you’re simply at the end of the Earth. And if the Earth were to end here, under the white canopy beds of Lelewatu’s soaring thatched-roof pavilions, with the sounds of the Indian Ocean lapping just outside, that might be a totally fine way to go.The romantic gesture: Drink coconut water out of a coconut. Sit on your patio and listen for chirping birds in the nearby jungle. Here, the move is simply to let time sit still.Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa, New ZealandWith the fires still raging in Australia, it’s comforting to know that a slice of Eden is thriving just across the Tasman Sea. Take it in from Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa: The property is a cluster of villas within a pinot noir vineyard, all with access to the legendary biking trails of Kawarau Gorge and a “vinotherapy” spa.The romantic gesture: The local pours are elegant and nuanced, so take that as your cue and book a private, candlelit dinner in the property’s wine caves.If You’re in South AmericaCannúa, ColombiaAn hour and a half from Medellín is Cannúa, the first resort ambitious enough to put Colombia’s full biodiversity on display—from the double-height windows in the rooms to the guided birdwatching hikes and the culinary focus on the country’s kaleidoscopic bounty.The romantic gesture: The area around the resort lays claim to Colombia’s two most famous (legal) exports: coffee and flowers. Visit local farmers and sample their very best; this is the stuff that the best dates are made of.If You’re in Africa or the Middle EastOberoi MarrakechMarrakech already lays claim to some of the world’s most over-the-top resorts—nearly one from every luxury brand—and yet the city’s newcomer manages to stand apart. The Oberoi’s architecture, inspired by the 14th century Medersa Ben Youssef, is a showcase for Moroccan craft traditions, ranging from zellige tiles and ornamental plasterwork to magnificent courtyards with petal-strewn fountains. But it differs from the historic theological monument in its unwavering embrace of opulence; here, the central water feature isn’t a shallow reflecting pond but a veritable “grand canal,” which runs the entire length of the resort. And the sleeping chambers aren’t humble student quarters, they’re palatial apartments with their own gardens and pools.The romantic gesture: If you’ve already shopped your way through the city’s epic souks, let the resort take you on a next-level exploration: an aerial survey of the Sahara via private helicopter, culminating in a butler-serviced lunch at a nomadic desert camp.(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Read the full article

[haywoodkolkmann-blog]

As the name suggests

However, it would clash with other UCI events such as the Herald Sun Tour, the new Dubai Tour, the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman. Asked about the date switch this week nfl jerseys, Cookson said: ''I understand the limitation and problems that would cause. That is something that has gone into the next stage of the review.''.

Oh well, there are several things that can break. First thing to die will most likely be the stock piston, the piston catch in the trigger mechanism or something similar. 4000 rounds sounds like forever to me :D as I rarely shoot more than 3 magazines per one all day action.

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[walkerwander-blog]

50cm:Porte could make Tour of California debut as preparation for Tour de France

Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) could ride the Tour of California for the first time in his career as part of his preparation for the Tour de France. Porte is riding a slimmer race programme this season with the hope of having fresher legs for the Grand Boucle.

Porte told Cyclingnews that he might head stateside this May and hang around for a training camp before returning to Europe.

"We'll see it how it all goes, but I'll probably race California and then stay there for a bit of altitude and then the next big goal is the Dauphine," Porte told Cyclingnews. "That's the race where I need to be going and then the Tour. It's a bit of an unprecedented run. Normally, I hit the Tour with more race days in the legs."

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Porte said that he is a bit behind where he'd like to be at this point in the season after falling ill at the start of February, but the Australian is trying to look at the bright side of things. Porte developed bronchitis after finishing the Herald Sun Tour and had to take a week off riding as he tried to recover. It was clear that he was not in top shape as he struggled to match the top guys in the mountains at the recent UAE Tour, where he finished over 17 minutes behind the winner Primoz Roglic.

Having started his season in Australia before heading to the Middle East, Porte had been due to start his European block at Paris-Nice this weekend. However, the team decided to delay it a couple of weeks to give him a chance of recovery and he will now ride the Volta a Catalunya.

"I had a week off the bike pretty much after the Herald Sun Tour because I wasn't very well," Porte told Cyclingnews at the end of the UAE Tour, prior to the decision to skip Paris-Nice. "I'm maybe a bit behind but it doesn’t mean that it's all bad.

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

[teleindiscreta]

Contador, el más ‘tardón’ en debutar: febrero en Andalucía

Fuente original: Contador, el más ‘tardón’ en debutar: febrero en Andalucía Puedes ver más visitando Teleindiscreta - Las mejores noticias de actualidad, famosos, salud, belleza, cocina, motor, música y mucho más.

Este martes 17 de enero arranca la temporada World Tour en Australia, con el Down Under. Peter Sagan, doble campeón del mundo; Esteban Chaves, líder del Orica australiano; y Richie Porte, estrella local, son los tres grandes nombres que debutarán. Simon Gerrans, cuatro veces ganador, defenderá título en compañía de Chaves. El colombiano se lo tomará “con tranquilidad”. Porte aspira a su primera general después de terminar segundo en 2015 y 2016: “Me encantaría vencer al fin. Sin embargo, lo importante llegará en el Tour”. Mientras, Sagan se encuentra “ansioso por estrenar el maillot arcoíris con el Bora”.

En Australia también dará sus primeras pedaladas de 2017 Chris Froome, en la Cadel Evans Race. Un plan similar al que siguió en 2016, con victoria en el Herald Sun: “Entonces funcionó bien, así que… ¿por qué no repetir?”. Vincenzo Nibali comenzará en San Juan, con curiosidad: “Siempre que me coloco un dorsal en Argentina, después conquisto una gran ronda. Ojalá suceda lo mismo con el Giro del Centenario”.

Nairo Quintana y Alejandro Valverde iniciarán la campaña en la Challenge de Mallorca. Como el Movistar no realiza más stage que la reunión de Gorraiz, siempre se aprovecha la estancia en la isla para competir y entrenar en grupo. En España arrancarán Mikel Landa y Alberto Contador, pero en febrero. El vasco, libre de problemas físicos, en Valencia; el madrileño, el más tardón, en la Ruta del Sol andaluza, el 15. Un día antes, el 14, empezarán Romain Bardet y Fabio Aru en Omán. Thibaut Pinot (La Marseillaise, enero) y Tom Dumoulin (Abu Dhabi, febrero), se estrenarán con la mente en el Giro.

Fuente: AS

La entrada Contador, el más ‘tardón’ en debutar: febrero en Andalucía aparece primero en Teleindiscreta.

from Contador, el más ‘tardón’ en debutar: febrero en Andalucía

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50cm:Porte to miss Paris-Nice and ride Volta a Catalunya

Richie Porte has withdrawn from Paris-Nice and will instead line out at the Volta a Catalunya later this month. The Trek-Segafredo rider suffered a bout of bronchitis after starting his season in Australia and has decided to alter his race programme in the wake of a low-key performance at the recent UAE Tour.

Porte started his 2019 season with second overall at the Tour Down Under, where he won atop Willunga Hill for the sixth year in a row. He then took fifth at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour but struggled in the UAE last week, placing 50th overall.

"A bronchitis sustained after the Jayco Herald Sun Tour has caused a setback in Richie’s build-up to the spring races, and his performance in UAE Tour confirmed this. Given these circumstances, Paris-Nice unfortunately comes too early for Richie," Trek-Segafredo team doctor Scott Major said in a statement released by the team on Tuesday.

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On joining Trek-Segafredo from BMC during the off-season, Porte highlighted his desire to remain competitive in week-long stage races through the year rather than treating them as a stepping stone to the Tour de France. The Tasmanian is a two-time winner of Paris-Nice and won the Volta a Catalunya in 2015. He returns to the Catalan race for the first time since 2016, when he placed fourth overall.

"Paris-Nice was an important early-season goal for the team but also for me personally. I’ve won this race in 2013 and 2015 and I was really looking forward to go back there and try to win it for the third time," Porte said.

"I am very sorry that that is not going to happen this year and I would like to thank the team for their understanding. I am confident that with a good block of solid training between now and the end of March, I will be ready to compete at the highest level in Volta a Catalunya."

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

[walkerwander-blog]

50cm:McLay strikes gold at Herald Sun Tour

British sprinter Dan McLay's sprint win on the opening stage of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour at the Phillip Island GP Circuit in Victoria, Australia, on Wednesday could be just what was needed to open the sprinting floodgates for the EF Education First rider.

"I'd been coming up against a brick wall at the Tour Down Under, but I think that after all that racing, I've come out with a bit of form. I had the bit between my teeth today, and the boys did an excellent job," McLay said after his win, praising teammates Mitch Docker and Tom Scully, in particular, for having dropped him off on the final straight, where he beat Team Sky's Kristoffer Halvorsen and EvoPro's Wouter Wippert.

"It was time to pull my finger out," the 27-year-old admitted. "At the Tour Down Under – like here – we also had a GC goal, but I didn't get the ball rolling on stage 1 at Down Under, and then the GC became the focus.

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"I still had my chances, but they didn't come off – and OK, so here it's a little bit of a lower level, but I think I've been soaking up the racing, and I'm ready to go."

McLay truly announced himself to the sprinting world when he finished third behind Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel on stage 6 of the 2016 Tour de France, when riding for the French Fortuneo-Vital Concept Pro Continental team.

But anyone who saw the footage of McLay snaking his way through the bunch at full pelt to win the Grand Prix de Denain earlier that year before getting the better of Cofidis sprinter Nacer Bouhanni to win the Grand Prix de la Somme wouldn't have been overly surprised that McLay is capable of mixing it with the very best.

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

[walkerwander-blog]

50cm:Chris Froome and Team Sky arrive in Colombia

Chris Froome and his teammates arrived in Colombia on Sunday night, making an early trip to South America to start a block of pre-season training ahead of the Tour Colombia 2.1 race in mid-February.

Having started his previous seasons either at the Ruta del Sol in Spain or the Herald Sun Tour in Australia, Froome is kicking off 2019 in Colombia, and is using the trip to fit in a block of altitude training in the Antioquia region.

The Tour Colombia will take place from February 12-17, with Froome in a largely South American Team Sky squad that includes 2018 winner Egan Bernal and new signing Ivan Sosa. Sebastian Henao makes it three Colombians on the start line for Sky, while Ecuadorian new signing Jhonatan Narvaez and Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo round out the six-man team.

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Shortly after the Colombians arrived in the Antioquia region on Sunday from their hometowns, they were joined by Froome and Castroviejo, who had travelled from Europe with direteurs sportifs Nicolas Portal and Zabier Aretxe. Also making the journey were Italians Gianni Moscon and Leonardo Basso, who will not race the Tour Colombia but will nevertheless take part in the training block.

"Many thanks to the people here in Colombia for the welcome, and thanks to the Colombian Cycling Federation for the invitation," Froome said in Spanish in front of the crowds of Colombian media waiting at the airport.

"It's really a pleasure to be out here," he added in English. "I was here for a few days last year for the Giro de Rigo, I had a fantastic time and am really happy to be back now for the Tour Colombia and also to spend some time here training and getting ready for the season ahead."

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

[walkerwander-blog]

50cm:Chris Froome to arrive a week before Colombia 2.1 stage race

Chris Froome and Team Sky are set to arrive in eastern Antioquia region of Colombia on Sunday to prepare for their season debut at the Colombia 2.1 stage race which will be held from February 12-17.

Organisers made the announcement on the event website on Monday, while also revealing Team Sky’s preliminary seven-man line-up of Ivan Sosa, Jhonatan Narvaez, Jonathan Castroviejo, Sebastian Henao, Teo Geoghegan Hart and defending champion Egan Bernal. Only six riders will start the race.

Bernal, Sosa and Narvaez are also set to arrive from Bogotá at 8p.m. on Sunday, while the rest of the staff, including Froome, will arrive from Europe an hour later. Froome has recently been training in South Africa with teammate Salvatore Puccio. 

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Froome announced that he would start his 2019 season at the Colombia 2.1 race last November. During that time, he visited Colombia to take part in Rigoberto Uran's mass-participation ride 'Giro de Rigo', and while he was there he paid a visit to the Federation to confirm his presence at this year’s race.

The event was run for the first time last year under the name Colombia Oro y Paz, where Bernal won the overall title ahead eight seconds ahead of Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and 11 seconds ahead of Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First).

Froome has traditionally started his seasons in February previously opting to begin at either Ruta del Sol in Spain or at the Herald Sun Tour in Australia.

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

[walkerwander-blog]

50cm:Grand Tour rider spotting: Who is racing where in 2019

The 2019 season has begun in earnest this January and the men's WorldTour calendar will kick off on Tuesday with the Tour Down Under. After Australia and trips to South America and the Middle East, it won't be long before we hit the Classics in spring and then the Grand Tours.

The cycling calendar is getting more and more packed as the years go on and it can be hard to keep track of who is going where. To make things easier for you, Cyclingnews has rounded up the top general classification riders so you can keep tabs on your favourites and see where we'll find early-season contests ahead of the major races.

Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo)

The Australian will start his season slightly earlier than his GC rivals after racing for the first time in Trek-Segafredo colours at the Down Under Classic criterium. His real first test will be at the Tour Down Under, followed by the Cadel Evans Road Race and the Herald Sun Tour. After that, Porte will head to the Middle East for the UAE Tour, while his European debut is yet to be confirmed. His major target this season will be the Tour de France.

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Chris Froome (Team Sky)

Having headed to Australia for his season opener, Froome is using the Tour Colombia for his first foray into racing in 2019. After Colombia, he will join Porte at the UAE Tour in what looks to be a strong GC field. Froome's post UAE Tour calendar is a little less clear, though he has indicated that he would like to ride the Tour de Yorkshire. However, he has confirmed that he will miss the Giro d'Italia and focus solely on the Tour de France with the Critérium du Dauphiné as his warm-up.

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)

Like Froome, Thomas will also gear his season around the Tour de France in July, with Egan Bernal set to ride the Giro d'Italia for the team. Unlike Froome, the 2018 Tour de France winner will start his season in Europe. The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana will mark his first outing, with the Volta ao Algarve, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Vuelta al Pais Vasco to follow. Thomas will then go to the Ardennes Classics before a short break ahead of the main part of his season. The Tour de Suisse will provide his final warm-up before the Tour de France.

Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida)

Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)

Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott)

Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)

Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale)

Mikel Landa (Movistar)

Miguel Angel López (Astana)

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

[walkerwander-blog]

50cm:Tour Down Under: Richie Porte leads Trek-Segafredo

The Trek-Segafredo team have revealed their line-ups for the men’s and women’s Tour Down Under, with Richie Porte set to make his debut in the new look red, white and black team colours after his move from BMC Racing. Lauretta Hanson, Elisa Longo Borghini, Lotta Lepistö, Letizia Paternoster, Tayler Wiles and Ruth Winder make up the women’s team for their debut on the road.

The women’s Tour Down Under kicks off the racing in Australia with four stages between January 10-13. The men ride the warm-up criterium on January 13 and the WorldTour race is held between January 10-15.

Trek-Segafredo announced the creation of a women’s team just six months ago and have been working hard to build a strong squad. The team’s roster includes former world champion Lizzie Deignan, Ellen van Dijk, with former sprinters Ina-Yoko Teutenberg and Giorgia Bronzini as directeur sportif.

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"We are all excited about 2019 finally starting. The races come early and it is hard to peak for them but we come with a solid group of riders to the Australian races and for sure we want to be part of the action and will try to go home with at least one win in the bag," Teutenberg said.

Porte has won the Willunga Hill stage at the Tour Down Under for the last five years and won the overall classification in 2017. The South Australian climb hosts the final finish of this year’s race and so will decide this year’s overall winner. Porte will have the support of William Clarke, Koen de Kort, Ryan Mullen, Jarlinson Pantano and USA duo Kiel Reijnen and Peter Stetina.

Porte was initially unsure about targeting the Tour Down Under but made a full recovery after fracturing his collarbone during the cobbled stage of the Tour de France. He is also set to ride the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Herald Sun Tour before travelling to Europe via the UAE Tour in the Middle East.

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com