Giving riders a chance to begin stage racing even earlier in the season, the Jayco Herald Sun Tour has been confirmed in a new date slot for 2013. The event was previously held in October, but this was complicated by the UCI’s plans to run the Tour of Hangzhou between October 17th and 21st.
That Asian race has now been postponed for a year but rather than remaining with the old slot, the organisers of the Sun Tour have confirmed that the sixtieth edition will be held between January 3rd and 6th.
“Cycling Australia is delighted to assist the development of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour and facilitate a move of the event to January to help create the Australian summer of cycling,” said Cycling Australia president Klaus Mueller. “[It will] allow the cycling community to access elite riders across three prestigious events in Victoria.”
Won in the past by current Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins, former Tour green jersey winner Baden Cooke, strong Australians Simon Gerrans and Neil Stephens plus Garmin-Sharp first-year pro Nathan Haas, the 2011 victor, the race will hope the new slot will boost its long-term development.
More details remain to be confirmed about the lineup. However running it as a national event will introduce restrictions on which teams can take part in 2013.
The race will begin with a 5.36 kilometre prologue in Williamstown on January 3rd. That will be followed by three road race stages; the first will travel 142 kilometres from Sunbury to Bendigo. Stage two covers a similar distance from Michelton Winery to Healesville, then the final outcome will be decided on January 6th with a shorter 86 kilometre stage from Cape Schank to the top of Arthurs Seat climb.
“The Jayco Herald Sun Tour has a long and proud history,” said Mark Gardy of News Ltd, the owners of co-sponsor the Herald Sun.
“It has played a major role in the development of the next generation of Australian riders since it was first held in 1952 and it is the performances of cyclists such as Nathan Haas at last year’s event, and subsequent 2012 season with WorldTour outfit Garmin-Sharp, that forms the foundation of what this event is about.”
The race will be hotly disputed as a goal in itself and also as part of the build-up for the Cycling Australia Road National Championships (Wednesday 9th to Sunday 13th) and the Santos Tour Down Under, running from January 20th – 27th.
60th Jayco Herald Sun Tour:
Prologue: Thursday, 3 January – Williamstown ITT
Stage 1: Friday, 4 January - Melbourne to Bendigo
Stage 2: Saturday, 5 January - Mitchelton Winery to Healesville
Stage 3: Sunday, 6 January - Cape Schank to Arthurs Seat