Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) and Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) will compete in the Women's Tour Down Under, January 15-17.

The event will be in its inaugural year as part of the 2023 Women's World Tour, with a provisional starting list of 78 that includes six of the 15 top teams, five Continental teams, and two national teams from Australia and New Zealand, with two strong riders will participate.

"I'm really looking forward to racing the Tour Down Under again, and I'm even more excited that this year will be my first World Tour race with my new team, Trek-Segafredo," Spratt said.

The Women's Tour Down Under has not been held since 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic and subsequent border closures. This sixth edition will return for the 2023 Women's World Tour opener with a new race director, Stuart O'Grady, and two assistant race directors, Annette Edmondson and Carly Taylor.

Spratt has won three of the last five Women's Tour Down Under from 2017 to 2019. She is a strong contender for her fourth overall win while racing for her new team, Trek-Segafredo.

Despite the fact that less than half of the world teams will participate, more top-level teams will be in attendance than at any previous event. Spratt suspected that the cost of travel to Australia might prevent more WorldTeams from participating.

"We don't know how many teams will attend. I think it would really cost a lot of money in terms of airfare and travel expenses. So I think it's going to be pretty difficult," Spratt said.

Team Jayco AlUla, Human Powered Health, Israel Premier Tech Roland, and EF Education-TIBCI-SVB will be at the starting line along with Trek Segafredo and FDJ-SUEZ. The remaining teams include ST Michel Auber 93, Team Corp Hi-Tech Products, ZAAF Cycling, ARA Skip Capital, Team Bridge Lane, and the Australian and New Zealand national teams.

Brown won the 2022 Australian Championships time trial and was second in the road race, seventh in the Tour of Flanders, second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, won the women's Tour stage and second overall, and won the Challenge by La Vuelta stage, She will lead FDJ Suez against the backdrop of a consistently strong 2022, including a Commonwealth Games time trial gold medal.

Her most stunning performance was the silver medal she won in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong.

"Grace's phenomenal results in 2022 and continued great form will put her in a great position to compete with her Australian and international rivals for the start of the UCI Women's World Tour," said O'Grady.

Other notable Australian riders on the start line include Alex Manley, Georgia Baker, and Ruby Roseman-Gannon of Team Jayco Alura.

The race has traditionally featured four stages, but this year it has been shortened to three. The race begins with a 110.4 km stage from Glenelg to Aldinga, followed by a 90 km second stage from Birdwood to Woolladra, and concludes with a 93.2 km third stage from Adelaide to Campbeltown.

"I expect both riders to rise to the challenge and fight for the win on the steep and thrilling Corkscrew climb of Let's Go Motorhomes stage 3," said O'Grady.

View the provisional start list (opens in new tab).