Brendan Canty looking forward to making his Tour Down Under debut in 2018
Brendan Canty is aiming to kick-start the 2018 season with a strong Tour Down Under appearance next month. The Australian on Cannondale-Drapac was due to start the WorldTour opener in January only for illness to rule him out on the eve of the race.
Back in training after his first season in the WorldTour ranks and a season that stretched from the Australian nationals in January through to Il Lombardia in October, Canty's focus is on starting the well well on home soil.
"Hopefully there is some opportunities to support a rider for a good result or have a chance for something myself for a day or two depending on how the race plays out," Canty told Cyclingnews of his approach to the 20th edition of the Tour Down Under. "There are a few good races here and then we pop over to Europe for a training camp early next year. It is nice that it is not a big block of racing here but it's solid racing and there are opportunities to start the season in a really good way."
Canty will also line out for the Australian nationals a week prior to the Tour Down Under with potentially Mitch Docker, Simon Clarke and Will Clarke for company in the road race. However, despite his sixth-place against the clock in 2017, Canty won't be starting the time trial.
"There is a bit more a mix in the WorldTour teams racing nationals in January assuming they all register to race, will have a very interesting dynamic to the race," he said, pointing to Simon Gerrans' move to BMC and the changes to Orica-Scott's roster. "It will be intriguing but the focus is the Tour Down Under. All of us would hope that someone on the team could win the national title."
At the 2017 edition of the race, Canty finished seventh in the front group as Miles Scotson claimed the win. Recovering from the illness that saw him miss the Tour Down Under, the then placed 20th at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race to close out his Australian start to the season.
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