Renewed ambition for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling at Jayco Herald Sun Tour
A best-ever performance for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling has resulted in a boost in confidence ahead of this year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour, with the US-based Pro Continental team focused on causing an upset.
The 64th edition of Australia’s oldest stage race will be held around Victoria from Wednesday 1st to Sunday 5th February 2017.
Two Victorians who will spearhead UnitedHealthcare’s assault, Castlemaine’s Lachlan Norris and Melbourne’s Jonny Clarke, the best-placed non-WorldTour rider on last year’s general classification in sixth. Norris is a new face to the team in 2017, having moved from Drapac. The 30-year-old cemented the shift with ninth place in both the road race and time trial at the Australian championships earlier this month.
“It’s been a real refresher for me, joining UnitedHealthcare,” Norris admitted.
“It was time in my career for a change and to join such a strong team with big goals has helped me to set some good objectives for the season. Going into nationals as an individual gave me freedom to enjoy the racing, without the pressure and I hope to capitalise on that form, with the team at the next few races.”
The new and tougher climbs on offer for the peloton at this year’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour play into the hands of UnitedHealthcare, who with the inclusion of Norris, Clarke and experienced Colombian Janier Acevedo are able to boast a genuine triple threat.
“I’m very much looking forward to this years tour, I think it will present more opportunities for me,” said Norris. “I believe we will have a strong team and expect to do well, between our fast guys and Janier, Jonny and myself in the mountains.”
It was 2016’s stage win for UnitedHealthcare by John Murphy, along with the strong performances of Tanner Putt, who returns this year along with Clarke which has prompted the squads ambition ahead of next week’s race which will begin with a Prologue in the heart of the Melbourne CBD. Along for the ride for the team this year, but no stranger to the Jayco Herald Sun Tour is popular Kiwi Greg Henderson.
The 40-year-old with the reputation as one of the world’s best lead-out men, admits that the short 2.1km course could be an attractive proposition.
“On paper it should be a circuit that suits me,” Henderson said. “It’s technical with longish straights to get aero and put down some power. Having said that… it’s one of my first races for the year and it takes a few days until I start to really fire up the old engine these days.
“But no question I’ll give it a red hot one and see how we go.”
Putt will be looking to improve on his second-place stage finish heading into Beechworth or Mitchelton Winery, with Henderson and the big engine of Adrian Hegyvary guiding him to the chequered flag. Rouleur Travis McCabe is also a chance if it’s reduced bunch fighting it out for the win.
Sports Director Hendrik Redant admitted the team is on a mission in 2017.
“We had high ambitions last year and we were able to back this up with the good results we achieved,” he said. “Seeing the much harder race course for the 2017-edition, we knew we would have to take an even stronger team to this race to achieve good results.
“But as we have been making this team stronger for 2017, we strongly believe that we should be capable at giving an awesome fight for victory. Our Australian riders in Lachlan Norris and Jonny
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.
| UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling – 2017 Jayco Herald Sun Tour
@uhcprocycling |
|||
| Janier ACEVEDO @janier_acevedo |
31 | COL | Will be looking to stick with the likes of Froome and Chavez on the tougher stages at the Sun Tour where the Colombian is making his debut. Riding with US-based continental team, Jamis in 2016, he had a solid season in America, finishing third overall at the Joe Martin Stage Race, and fourth at the tough Tour of the Gila. |
|
Jonny CLARKE
|
32 | AUS / VIC | Now in his eighth season with the United Healthcare outfit. A third place finish on Arthurs Seat in 2016 moved Clarke into sixth overall at the Sun Tour. He went on to finish 12th overall at the Tour de Langkawi and 10th at the Tour of the Gila. |
| Adrian HEGYVARY
@ahegyvary |
33 | USA | A key member of UnitedHealthcare’s ‘blue train’ which has dominated the American sprints scene in recent seasons. His best result in 2016 came with his fifth placing on a stage at the Tour of Japan. |
|
Greg HENDERSON |
40 | NZL | Chasing more individual opportunities with the US-based team following a stellar career in Europe steering Andre Greipel to victory. A veteran of 11 grand tours, Henderson, a stage winner at the Vuelta a Espana and Paris-Nice is the oldest man in the peloton at the 2017 Sun Tour. |
|
Travis MCCABE
|
27 | USA | Right at home on lumpy parcours, McCabe was dominant last season on home soil. He won stages at the Tour of Utah, Tour of the Gila and the Joe Martin Stage Race. He was also runner-up at the punishing Philadelphia International Cycling Classic. |
|
Lachlan NORRIS
|
30 | AUS / VIC | Norris finished in ninth place in both the time trial and road race at January’s Australian championships. Claimed eighth overall at 2016’s Tour de Langkawi. In 2015, Norris rode into the top 10 at the Sun Tour and will be looking to impress his new team with a similar result in 2017. |
| Tanner PUTT
@Tannerputt |
24 | USA | One of the very exciting next crop to come out of the States. Twice finished in the top-10 of the Belgian semi-classsics Ronde van Drenthe and Le Samyn in 2015. Two-time US Under-23 Road National Champion. Won the longest stage of the Tour of Alberta in 2016 and was a runner-up to Caleb Ewan on the stage to Moe at the Sun Tour. |
