Danish climber to lead Team Saxo Tinkoff in upcoming WorldTour race
The Danish climber Chris Anker Sørensen will spend much of the season riding for team leader Alberto Contador, but he has a chance at his own success this month when he leads Team Saxo Tinkoff in the Santos Tour Down Under.
While the fact that the race will be his first of 2013 means that he doesn’t have the knowledge of comparing his condition to others thus far, he is hopeful that he can show well.
“This is my first time at the Santos Tour Down Under. From what I have been told by other riders, this is a fantastic race so I’m really looking forward to pinning a number on my back and getting off to a good start to the new season,” said Sørensen.
“I don’t exactly know my form, but I feel pretty strong despite a break. I’m definitely going there to try to make something happen.”
The 28 year old rider will be joined by US National champion Timmy Duggan on the team, along with Australians Jay McCarthy and Jonathan Cantwell, fellow Dane Chris Juul Jensen (Denmark), Italian Manuele Boaro and the Japanese rider Takashi Miyazawa.
Their appointed directeur sportif for the race, Fabrizio Guidi, lists what the team wants to achieve. “Chris Anker Sørensen will be our captain for this first WorldTour race of the season. I believe he has a solid chance of making a result for himself and the team on the climbs,” he said.
“We hope for a stage win. If you are right there in a finale of a tough stage, you are also in with a chance of putting yourself up there in the GC. On top of that, we have a fast man in Cantwell for the sprints and some strong riders for breakaways.”
Sørensen was the most aggressive rider in last year’s Tour de France and also placed fourteenth overall. His mountain ability was highlighted when he was crowned best climber in the Volta a Catalunya.
While the event has several flatter stages, Santos Tour Down Under race director believes that he could still be able to use climbs such as Corkscrew Hill, Kersbrook Road and Old Willunga Hill as a platform to grab results. “There are certainly going to be plenty of close finishes as riders vie for ŠKODA King of the Mountain points,” he said. Sørensen has proven he is a rider to watch and I’m sure he’ll take his great momentum of 2012 into the new UCI WorldTour season.”
He also tipped the Australian riders McCarthy and Cantwell, referring to the former as a very promising young rider who will be keen to impress in year one with the team, and stating the latter rode well in his Grand Tour debut at last year’s Tour de France and also won two stages in the Tour de Taiwan.
The Santos Tour Down Under begins on January 22nd, with the People’s Choice Classic circuit race taking place two day’s earlier.
Team Saxo Tinkoff for Santos Tour Down Under:
Chris Anker Sørensen (DEN)
Christopher Juul-Jensen (DEN)
Takashi Miyazawa (JPN)
Jay McCarthy (AUS)
Jonathan Cantwell (AUS)
Manuele Boaro (ITA)
Timothy Duggan (USA)