Amanda Spratt and Cameron Meyer to debut national champion jerseys during 2020 Tour Down Under
Amanda Spratt and Cameron Meyer smiled as they donned their new national champion jerseys on Tuesday. The pair will take aim at the Santos Tour Down Under this week en route to their long-term goal at the Tokyo Olympics.
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Newly-crowned national cycling champions Amanda Spratt and Cameron Meyer are both dreaming of gold in Tokyo this year, and the next step on that journey is this week’s Santos Tour Down Under.
Spratt is the three-time defending champion of the women’s race, which begins with Stage 1 from Hahndorf to Macclesfield on Thursday, while Meyer won the men’s race in 2011 and is in action in the criterium on Sunday night.
Both are hoping to keep the ochre jerseys in the Mitchelton-Scott camp with Spratt to lead the women and Meyer to help Daryl Impey take aim at a three-peat.
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“I’m not in peak condition, but it’s easy to be in good form here being in Australia, summer, training with my brother a lot at home, so the form is pretty similar (to previous years),” said Spratt, who won her third road race title in Buninyong on Sunday.
“The course has changed quite a bit this year, it’s not that one mountain top finish where you would say ‘that will be where it’s decided’; it’s much more unpredictable.
“We’ve been and ridden Stages 2 and 3 and I think it’s going to be a real race of attrition and a dynamic course.
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“People might chase time bonuses and you’re going to have to have good numbers in the finals as well, especially now that we do an extra lap around Stirling, which will make it even harder.”
Spratt inspected the women’s road racecourse in Tokyo last July and described it as similar to an Ardennes classic, which will suit her characteristics.
Meyer was still pinching himself on Tuesday two days after winning the national road title on his 12th attempt and finally pulling on the green and gold jersey.
“It has sunk in a little bit, it feels strange; being such a long time thinking of the moment, when it does happen it’s a bit surreal,” he said.
“I think when I get into the first race and step out there it will really hit home then, and what better moment to do that than the Santos Tour Down Under.
“I didn’t think our team could get much bigger (for this race) and all of a sudden we start bringing out a Grand Tour winner (Simon Yates) and the two-time defending champion going for the triple.
“We’ve had some big years with Simon Gerrans and Caleb (Ewan), but it seems like this year is pretty big for us and we know there’s responsibility for us with a home crowd and a home race.”
Meyer is targeting Olympic gold on the track this year in either the madison or omnium and will ride the track world championships in Berlin next month.
“I’ll continue to Cadel’s race (after TDU), the Sun Tour is a bit unknown at the moment but then Berlin worlds, take a break in March then a bit of road season and final preparation into Tokyo,” he said.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as Amanda Spratt and Cameron Meyer to debut national champion jerseys during 2020 Tour Down Under