ALMOST a dozen current or former world champions will contest the fourth Tour of the Great South Coast next week.
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Cycling officials on Tuesday released the field for the five-day, eight-stage National Road Series event, with competitors hailing from Germany and the United States as well as Australia.
Only one former winner – Anthony Giacoppo – is among the 124 riders but officials have described the field as the best yet.
Among those chasing glory is Victorian Alistair Donohoe, who claimed his second para-cycling road world championship in Switzerland last Saturday.
He is joined by nine current or former track world champions – Scott Sunderland, Luke Davison, Mitch Mulhern, Daniel Fitter, Mark Jamieson, Sam Welsford, Josh Harrison, Callum Scotson and Alex Porter.
There are five south-west riders in the field, headlined by Mortlake’s Darcy Woolley. Warrnambool’s Sam Lane, Hamilton’s Chris Kennett, Portland’s Dylan Lindsey and Port Fairy’s Nathan McLaren are also finalising their preparations.
The tour starts with two stages at Mount Gamiber on Wednesday – a 36km criterium and a 65km road race around Blue Lake.
Riders tackle a 136.9km road race from Mount Gambier to Port Macdonnell on Thursday before the action heads into Victoria on Friday, for a 40km criterium at Portland and a 92.9km road race from Heywood to Casterton. A 40km criterium at Koroit and 104.3km road race from Koroit to Peterborough are the Saturday tests. The tour finishes with a 50km criterium at Port Fairy on Sunday.
