With the eyes of the international cycling world focused on Australia, the Rabobank Cycling Team looks to continue its early season momentum at the January 18-25 Tour Down Under. Aussie Graeme Brown, winner at last week’s Jayco Cycling Classic in Australia, now leads Rabobank into the Tour Down Under stage race.
As the opener to the season-long ProTour (and the only ProTour event outside of Europe), the Tour Down Under is seen as the first major test of the season and will be televised around the world. Nineteen of the world’s best teams will compete, and the race, now in its 11th year, has been bolstered by the presence of Lance Armstrong, who begins his comeback season at the Tour Down Under.
Brown will lead a Rabobank team that includes fellow Aussie Mathew Hayman and five Dutch riders.
The racing begins Sunday, January 18, at the Down Under Classic, a 51-kilometer one-day race that won’t count toward overall standings. The 802-kilometer Tour Down Under stage race, which typically favors strong all-around talents, begins in earnest on Tuesday, January 20.
Following is the Team Rabobank roster for the 11th Tour Down Under:
Graeme Brown (Aus)
Bram De Groot (Ned)
Mathew Hayman (Aus)
Jos Van Emden (Ned)
Rick Flens (Ned)
Tom Leezer (Ned)
Kai Reus (Ned)