Revealed: Five riders to watch at Citroen Bay Crits in Geelong

With the Citroen Bay Crits Cycling Classic just days away, the Geelong Advertiser has looked at five of the event’s top riders. Find out who is expected to win the elite event here.

WARWICK, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Gold Medalist, Georgia Baker of Team Australia celebrates with their medal during the Women's Road Race medal ceremony on day ten of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at on August 07, 2022 on the Warwick, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

The Citroen Bay Crits Cycling Classic will launch in Geelong on Sunday at Eastern Gardens, with the three-day event on the bayside hosting some of the country’s, and the world’s, best cyclists.

Find out who are the riders to look out for during the event here.

Blake Quick

Quick is the defending champion of the Bay Crits after winning the event last year.

The 22-year-old star is riding with Bayside Citroen for the event, securing a contract with the team after his performance in the Bay Crits in 2022.

Blake Quick won the Men's Elite race on last year. Picture: Mike Dugdale

Quick had help from elder teammate Brenton Jones to secure the victory and will race alongside the 31 year old again this year.

Ruby Roseman-Gannon

Roseman-Gannon won the event in 2022 and will race in the Geelong event again.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a successful start to her professional career and will ride with Bayside Citroen after dominating last year, meaning both defending champions will ride with the same team.

Roseman-Gannon is a heavy favourite to win the event again, but she will be challenged by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Georgia Baker.

Ruby Roseman-Gannon won last year. Picture: Dario Belingheri

Brenton Jones

The 2023 Bay Crits is set to be Jones’ swan song, with the 2014 winner retiring from the sport after almost 20 years.

Jones helped Quick win the event last year, with some expecting the young star to return the favour to the retiring veteran.

The 31-year-old rider will expand his coaching career after his final event in Geelong.

Brenton Jones. Launch of the Bay Crits in Geelong on Tuesday morning. Picture: Alan Barber

Georgia Baker

The three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist and two-time Olympian will be Roseman-Gannon’s toughest competitor for the event in Geelong.

Baker will be teammates at Bayside Citroen with Roseman-Gannon, as she is with GreenEDGE, but the pair will be fighting for the title this year.

She won the gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the pursuit, points and road race events.

Georgia Baker won two gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Picture: Alex Livesey

Simon Clarke

Clarke had a whirlwind of a 2022 after winning his first-ever stage on the Tour de France.

He joined the winning breakaway group on a stage that included eleven sections of cobbles, many of which were unfamiliar sections that had never been used in the Tour before.

Clarke is one of cycling’s big names to be at the Bay Crits in 2023, and will provide steep competition for other riders.

WALLERS, FRANCE – JULY 06: (L-R) Michael Woods of Canada and stage winner Simon Clarke of Australia and Team Israel – Premier Tech celebrate after the 109th Tour de France 2022, Stage 5 a 157km stage from Lille to Wallers-Arenberg / #TDF2022 / #WorldTour / on July 06, 2022 in Wallers, France. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

Originally published as Revealed: Five riders to watch at Citroen Bay Crits in Geelong