Russian professional continental team Gazprom – RusVelo’s road to the Giro d’Italia starts at the 2017 Jayco Herald Sun Tour.

The 64^th edition of Australia’s oldest stage race will be held around Victoria from Wednesday 1^st to Sunday 5^th February 2017.

The Russian squad, who have a wild card into the Italian grand tour, will get an early season preview of the form of ORICA-Scott’s general classification hope for the Giro, Esteban Chaves who will go head-to-head with defending champion Chris Froome (Team Sky) when the Sun Tour travels across the Victorian Alps.

“It’s great that we have an opportunity to kick-start the season in Australia,” said Gazprom – RusVelo general manager, Renat Khamidulin.

“The Jayco Herald Sun Tour is our final race in our Australian cycling campaign. It’s a new experience for us, we know that the local riders have great form, all of them just raced their nationals, but we are ready to show our best. Great weather, solid rosters, it looks like a perfect way to start 2017.”

Veteran Pavel Brutt spearheads the team’s ambitions. The former Giro d’Italia stage winner and Russian road champion’s status as an all-rounder should ensure the race leaders are never too far out of reach.

“This season will be very different from my previous experience, I hope to become better than before,” Brutt admitted.

“The Jayco Herald Sun tour is a very special race; it’s the first week-long race on the calendar and riders almost do not have time to get in shape, so you have to be ready for it. The race will be tough and road will define the best. I am happy to be in Australia, it’s always a great to race here,” Brutt said.

While Gazprom – RusVelo’s line-up is sprint focused, with Alexei Tcatevich, Artur Ershov, and Kirll Sveshnikov giving the team plenty of options at the finish of the flatter stages, team captain for the Sun Tour Nikolay Trusov is hoping the long trek to Australia will be fruitful.

Trusov, who previously raced the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in 2011, believes it’s Gazprom – RusVelo’s power which will be crucial to their results.

“I like Australian races… There’s going to be some hilly and windy stages, we are ready for them, and we have great line-up,” the 31-year-old said. “Regardless that fact that it’s just the beginning of the season, I’ll do my best on the Australian roads.

“There is always some sort of uncertainty before the first races of the season and you can only thing about about the preparation process and hard work which is done before help to stay concentrated.“

Rouleur Sergey Nikolaev rounds out the squad. With two stage wins at the Five Rings of Moscow prologue, he could be a man to watch in Melbourne’s CBD.

Sports Director, Sergey Klimov said that the work required for a successful Jayco Herald Sun Tour should pay dividends throughout the year.

“An early start of the racing year is a perfect first step to the long and fruitful season,” he said. “Some of our riders already have had an Australian racing experience and we are confident that all of them will be in a good shape. We are aiming to win some stages and will try to show solid result in GC, it depends on a lot of factors.

“It’s always a pleasure to race in Australia, because there are a lot of cycling fans and great atmosphere along the roads.”

The 2017 Jayco Herald Sun Tour will be presented by Jayco and the Herald Sun, along with the continued support from the Victorian State Government.