Three of Australia’s top-ranked cyclists will return to the 2023 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, with Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley set to compete for team Bora-hansgrohe, while Michael Matthews and Alex Manly will ride for Jayco AIUIa.
Hindley, currently Australia’s top-ranked male cyclist, finished 34th in the 2020 edition of the event and said he was keen to better his previous result.
“I’m very excited to be back racing in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, I think it’s a great event and a great way to showcase a different part of Australia to the rest of the cycling world,” Hindley said.
“I think I’ve come a long way since I raced in 2020. I’ve had some results here and there, and grown a lot as a rider. I have a lot more experience and I’ll look to use that where I can in the race.”
Matthews and Manly will represent the Australian-based UCI World Tour team in their respective Elite Men’s and Women’s squads, with the one-day classic format suiting both cyclists’ strengths.
Matthews, a four-time stage winner at the Tour de France, said he is looking forward to returning to the Great Ocean Road.
“I always have great memories returning to Geelong after winning the Under 23 UCI Road World Championships back in 2010. It’s a special place for me to race,” Matthews said.
“Everybody is so motivated, and we have a great team so it’s going to be a good day out and I can’t wait to race again in front of all the fans in Geelong.”
Manly, the second-highest ranked female rider in Australia, said she was thrilled to join top-ranked Aussie Grace Brown on the list of stars competing in the event.
“I’m really excited to be able to race at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, it’s been a while since I last raced there and it was sad that the race wasn’t able to go ahead the last couple of years,” Manly said.
“It’s such a beautiful, yet hard race that has a bit of everything. It’s a hard course that will suit our team well.”
The UCI WorldTour Deakin University Elite Women’s and UCI WorldTour Elite Men’s races are feature events over the three-day cycling showcase, which weaves its way through the scenic roads of the Geelong, Bellarine and Surf Coast regions from Friday January 27 to Sunday January 29.
