Amanda Spratt is relishing the opportunity to compete for her fourth overall title in her first Women's WorldTour race Down Under. Spratt, who is with her new team Trek-Segafredo, told Cycling News that her key home stage race is her "time" to officially enter the top series in women's professional cycling.

"I think it's great that the Tour Down Under has been upgraded. Because for years it's been a big race without the World Tour," Spratt told Cycling News.

"We've always said it's a really professional race. I think it's time to move on. Especially now that both the Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans race are World Tours. I think the level of racing will go up."

It took 12 years for the women's Tour Down Under to be upgraded to the World Tour, starting as a series of criteriums in 2011, joining the national series in 2015, and joining the UCI international calendar as a 2.2 event in 2016, It has grown over the years until Katrin Gerhout won the event.

Spratt won her first overall title in 2017 and again in 2019 after being upgraded to the 2.1 level in 2018. It was then upgraded to the Pro Series, and Ruth Winder won the overall title in 2020. The race was then suspended in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon its return, the three-day race will serve as the opening race of the Women's World Tour, which runs from January 15-17, first with the curtain-raiser criterium on January 14, followed by the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on January 28.

The stage race will feature six of the 15 world teams, four continental teams, one national team, and two national teams from Australia and New Zealand.

Spratt suggested that travel costs, which have continued to rise since COVID-19, may have deterred the Europeans from traveling to Australia this year.

"I think the airfare and travel costs are quite high. It costs a lot for the team. So I think it's getting a lot harder," Spratt said, noting that the level of racing remains high.

"Anyway, I think it's going to be a bigger race. It's a World Tour race, so there's a lot of pressure on the teams, and the riders will want to be at the top of the leaderboard early in the season. So it's going to be a fierce race."

It has been a tumultuous season for Spratt due to injuries and illness, most recently undergoing successful surgery for iliac artery endomysial fibrosis ahead of 2022.

However, she got off to a great start in her home country with podium finishes in the Bay Critz and Australian Championship road races. She hopes that continues in the Women's Tour Down Under.

"I haven't had a good January since 2020; I haven't won a race since the Tour Down Under (stage 2) in 2020. I'd love to get my arms around the team. I want to have a good race there, and that's definitely my goal."

It was an exciting time for pro cycling teams in Australia, which just hosted the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong for 10 days last September.

With the summer racing season in full swing, the men's and women's Citroen Baycrit in Geelong on January 1-3, the Australian Road Championships in Ballarat and nearby Buninyong on January 6-10, the Schwalbe Classic in South Australia on January 14, the January The Women's Tour Down Under will be held from January 15-17, and the Men's Tour Down Under from January 17-22. And it all culminates with the women's and men's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Geelong, Victoria, January 28-29.

"I think it's fantastic. Australia is not as big a cycling country as Belgium or the Netherlands. It's really special to have the World Championships there and I think we've seen the spectators along the course grow by the day. Spratt said.

Spratt has been preparing for the January race season since returning home last November. She is staying at her parents' home in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

At the Women's Tour Down Under, Spratt said she expects large crowds to cheer on the women's and men's races, including her family.

"I rarely race in front of family and friends. It is usually very expensive to go to Europe. Spratt said of the fans who lined the roadside at the world championships, where he finished 27th in the road race. [Even though we usually watch the Tour Down Under every January around the Blue Mountains and at local clubs, we haven't been able to watch it the last few years [because of COVID-19].

"Everyone is really excited to be back in Adelaide the week the Tour Down Under takes place. This week of racing really shows the love Australia has for cycling. Everywhere you turn there are people on bikes, sitting for 10 hours a day watching the race and cheering us on. I feel like a bit of a celebrity during that week. For me, that's really special."