There is one race that Amanda Spratt laps every year with a big goal in mind.

The Australian native has won this event three times and will be looking for her fourth title in this three-day race starting January 12.

"I admit I was eagerly awaiting the announcement of this year's course and was hoping there would be an uphill finish instead of a downhill finish like in the past," the Lidl Trek rider told Cycling News in an interview the day before the race.

That hope became a reality, with the final stage finishing on the men's iconic uphill, Willunga Hill.

"As soon as I saw the announcement, I was like, 'Okay, this is really exciting, I'm going to be in the top 10.'

Amanda Spratt last won the Tour Down Under in 2019, but her worst result since then has been third, losing to Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) last year.

In an interview at the Hilton in Adelaide, he did his best to promote his longstanding role as a race hub.

"I go up the stairs and I see my name on the steps and my giant self staring down. 'My parents come, my family friends come a lot.'

It's no surprise that Spratt is filled with anticipation every time he competes in South Australia, given his history, but this year more so than ever.

First, summit finishes are one of her climbing strengths.

"I'm pretty happy with my runs and climbs, so I feel good this week," Spratt said.

"At last week's road national championships, an 11-strong lead group sprinted to the finish after various splits and regroupings.

"We saw some really strong performances there, but everyone is lifting, which makes it harder to work Down Under and in the Australian races," Spratt said of the national strength.

She was joined by Amber Pate (Jayco-Alula), Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Souldal), Emily Watts (Duoral-Chevalmaire), Nicole Frain (Hess), Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM), and race winner Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv-Alula-Jayco), to name a few outstanding riders. Of course, we must not forget last year's winner, Brown. He "will just keep getting better and better."

"It's really cool to see. There are a lot of big WorldTour teams, and I think it's really good progress for the race as a whole," Spratt said

This year's start list includes nine women's WorldTour teams, three more than last year, Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig (FDJ-Suez), international powerhouses like Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health), who won in 2020 and is supported by Audrey Cordon-Lago. Spratt said, "In other years Down Under, it's basically Australia and New Zealand players in the top 10, but this year will be a little different and we'll see a few different players up there." But after Sunday's final stage in Willunga, she hopes it will be a familiar name in the top 10 that wins the title for the fourth time.

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