New Zealand speedster Greg Henderson riding to fight cancer

INJURED NZ fast-man Greg Henderson won't be racing next week's TDU but he's still out on his bike supporting a cause very close to his heart

Injured rider Greg Henderson is coaching some of the riders in the beat cancer tour next week for TDU. Picture: Simon Cross.

INJURED New Zealand fast-man Greg Henderson won't be racing next week's Santos Tour Down Under but he's still out on his bike supporting a cause very close to his heart.

Henderson's wife Katie's mother is terminally ill with cancer in Melbourne which is one reason why he has put his hand up to take part in the inaugural "Beat Cancer Tour" in Adelaide.

The Cancer Council SA will have 16 amateur cyclists riding every stage of the TDU and being treated like the stars with accommodation, meals and massage at The Hilton with the aim of raising thousands of dollars to fight the disease.

Henderson will meet-and-greet the riders and accompany them in riding two stages next week.

"It's pretty close to my heart this bloody cancer, so I think it's a great cause and that's why I've made myself available," he said.

"Katie's mum is terminally ill with cancer at the moment ... she's made her 70th birthday so we're going to have a bit of a shindig (this weekend) so I'll go back to Melbourne and we'll have a nice dinner, then I'll come back (to Adelaide) and do those rides."

Henderson has been in Adelaide this week riding with his Lotto-Belisol teammates at 6.30am to beat the heat.

He had knee surgery last month and expects to be back racing by the end of February.

"I'm just trying to get fit, the guys are doing four and five hours a day and I can tag along but it's when the intensity goes up and they start doing the big-gear stuff on the hills I still haven't really done any of that work yet.

"First I'll get the endurance then work on the intervals later on."

Henderson is usually part of Andre Greipel's formidable sprint train which next week is set to take on the might of fellow German sprinter Marcel Kittel on the streets of South Australia.

"They're the standouts for sure and if those two hit 200m together side by side it will be bloody close racing, no question," Henderson said.

"I think Lotto has brought a very dominant sprint train so it should give Greipel that bike-length head start, and if Kittel has to do too much work on his own to make position it could sway the results.

"(But) it all depends on what sort of condition everyone is in January, it can be hit-and-miss.

"Some people have had a good winter, some a really cold winter, and some prepare differently with more a focus on the Tour de France.

"With Andre he's such a complete athlete, he's ready to go from January and he's such a consistent bike rider he can win races from January to October and there's not many bike riders who can do that."