Dennis part of solid UniSA-Australia team for Santos Tour Down Under

Tour de l’Avenir leader one of seven young Australian riders on squad

World team pursuit champion Rohan Dennis is one of five strong young Australians who have been confirmed for next month’s Santos Tour Down Under, which begins in less than three weeks time.

The 21 year old will be part of a seven man UniSA-Australia team for the WorldTour race. He will be joined by Steele Van Hoff, Jay McCarthy, Lachlan Norris and Tom Palmer. The final two members of the team will be determined after the Mars Cycling Australia national road race championships, which runs between January 5th and 10th.

Dennis rode the race in 2010 and knows what to expect from the first WorldTour event of the year. The Manchester World Cup individual pursuit winner will aim for a strong showing, knowing that it is a good opportunity to show the pro teams what he is capable of.

Cycling Australia CEO Graham Fredericks believes that both he and the rest of the team will seize the chance. “The WorldTour is the pinnacle for professional cyclists and we’re pleased to have a national team flying the flag for Australia,” he said. “Australia continues to punch well above its weight on the world stage and this is a chance for some of our talented younger riders to continue the tradition.”

As a WorldTour event, the race will feature the top eighteen teams in pro cycling. It’s a perfect platform for the riders to attract the interest of the big squads, and as a result the team will take an aggressive approach.

Like Fredericks, Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur believes they will leave a mark on the event. “There is no better feeling for a cyclist then racing at the highest level in his own country,” he said. We look forward to seeing them perform after being awarded such a fantastic opportunity.”

Dennis highlighted his talent with a big performance in the 2011 Tour de l’Avenir. Second place in the prologue and sixth place on stage one put him into the leader’s jersey for a couple of stages, and will have whetted his appetite for the future.

A strong performance on home soil next month will do much to advance his career and the 2013 employment prospects with the top teams.

The UniSA – Australia team for 2011 Santos Tour Down Under:

(Two more riders to be confirmed after Australian national championships)