GreenEDGE may look to international stable of climbers to replace injured Simon Gerrans for Tour Down Under

TEAM Sky’s Richie Porte is firming as the new Tour Down Under favourite following the shock news that defending champion Simon Gerrans would miss the race with a broken collarbone.

Tour Down Under - Stage 5 - McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill. Simon Gerrans on his way to finishing third and re-claiming the ochre jesey. PIC SARAH REED.

TEAM Sky’s Richie Porte is firming as the new Tour Down Under favourite after yesterday’s shock news that defending champion Simon Gerrans would miss the race with a broken collarbone.

Retired Australian sprinting great Robbie McEwen believes Porte isthe man to beat in the season-opening WorldTour race after showing what he’s capable of with a devastating stage win on Willunga this year.

“I hear that he’s (Porte) training hard and moving well and he absolutely smashed them up Willunga this year,” McEwen said. “So he’s the favourite for me.”

Retiring great Cadel Evans’ hopes of avenging his second place this year have also risen with confirmation three-time champion Gerrans would miss the race.

“For Cadel Evans it’s his final few races and he’ll try to win and leave no stone unturned,” McEwen said.

“And he’s probably learnt from the last few editions. He was probably the strongest guy (at the race) this year but when he went to put pressure on Gerrans on Willunga he kept the effort going for too long and it cost him.”

McEwen, a former OGE rider, said the Australian team would still be desperate to defend the ochre jersey even without its biggest star.

But he said the team might look to its international stable of climbers including the British Yates brothers and Colombian Esteban Chaves depending on their pre-season conditioning.

“It will be interesting to see what the management of Orica-GreenEDGE do, I’m sure they’re still pretty keen on trying to win overall,” said McEwen, a 12-time TDU stage winner.

McEwen, who retired in 2012, will be in Adelaide for the TDU as part of Channel Nine’s television commentary team.

“Without an absolute favourite I wonder if we’ll see that level of control from Orica-GreenEDGE who have been so used to riding on the front knowing they’ve got Gerrans to finish it off,” he said.

“It may be a more open race now.”

Gerrans’ injury he suffered while mountain biking on Sunday means he will also be unable to defend his national championship in Ballarat.

But OGE director Matt White said the team had plenty of motivated riders who would be in contention for leadership in the two biggest races of the Australian summer.

“In terms of the team this summer, there is no doubt it is a huge hit, but we have some really motivated guys who are looking really strong,” White said.

“Now it is their chance to step up and deliver in a very important period for us and we are really confident they can do that.”

Originally published as GreenEDGE may look to international stable of climbers to replace injured Simon Gerrans for Tour Down Under