Herald Sun Tour 2018: Everything you need to know

A mixture of WorldTour, Professional Continental and Continental teams will descend on Victoria, Australia, for the 2018 edition of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour over January 30-February 4.

The UCI 2.1-ranked men's race has attracted an interesting mixture of teams, with WorldTour squads Mitchelton-Scott and Trek-Segafredo coming up against Australian, Japanese, Irish, British, Israeli and Dutch teams.

Team Sky will be absent this year, having provided the 2016 winner of the race in the shape of Chris Froome.

The start list boasts the presence of Colombian Grand Tour contender Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott), making his 2018 stage racing debut. Last year's winner, Damien Howson, returns to accompany Chaves in Mitchelton-Scott's line-up.

British team JLT-Condor are present, as are Irish outfit Aqua Blue Sport.

The two-day women's Herald Sun Tour starts on Tuesday, January 30, and comprises two stages, a road stage and a finish with the same short individual time trial as used for the men's prologue.

The men's Jayco Herald Sun Tour starts on Wednesday, January 31, with a very short 1.6-kilometre individual time trial prologue in central Melbourne. Four road stages then follow, with the race ending on Sunday, February 4.

Stage three to Lake Mountain is likely to be the most decisive of the race, a long 218-kilometre trip with a summit finish.

Previous winners of the men's race include Chris Froome (2016), Bradley Wiggins (2009), Simon Gerrans (2005/2006) and Malcolm Elliott (1985).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KRFsDEtl_s

Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2018: Stages

Women's race

Men's race

Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2018: Recent winners

2017 Damien Howson

2016 Chris Froome

2015 Cameron Meyer

2014 Simon Clarke

2013 Calvin Watson

2012 No race

2011 Nathan Haas

2010 No race

2009 Bradley Wiggins

2008 Stuart O'Grady

Jayco Herald Sun Tour: Last year's top 10 (2017)

1. Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-Scott, in 15-25-13

2. Jai Hindley (Aus) Korda Menthe Real Estate-Australia, at 38 secs

3. Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky, at 53 secs

4. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Korda Menthe Real Estate-Australia, at 1-08

5. Michael Storer (Aus) Korda Menthe Real Estate-Australia, at 1-10

6. Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky, at 1-12

7. Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Korda Menthe Real Estate-Australia, at 1-13

8. Nathan Earle (Aus) Korda Menthe Real Estate-Australia, at 1-15

9. Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott, at 1-15

10. Timothy Roe (Aus) IsoWhey Sports-Swiss Wellness, at 1-17

Jayco Herald Sun Tour men's start list (men)

Mitchelton-Scott

1. Damien HOWSON (AUS)

2. Alexander EDMONDSON (AUS)

3. Michael HEPBURN (AUS)

4. Esteban CHAVES (COL)

5. Robert POWER (AUS)

6. Lucas HAMILTON (AUS)

7. Cameron MEYER (AUS)

Trek-Segafredo

11. Koen DE KORT (NED)

12. Laurent DIDIER (LUX)

13. Niklas EG (DEN)

14. Alex FRAME (NZL)

15. Ruben GUERREIRO (POR)

16. Mads PEDERSEN (DEN)

Israel Cycling Academy

21. Zakkari DEMPSTER (AUS)

22. Nathan EARLE (AUS)

23. Roy GOLDSTEIN (ISR)

24. August JENSEN (NOR)

25. Krists NEILANDS (LAT)

26. Hamish SCHREURS (NZL)

27. Tyler WILLIAMS (USA)

Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij

31. Tim ARIESEN (NED)

32. Martijn BUDDING (NED)

33. Robbert DE GREEF (NED)

34. Etienne VAN EMPEL (NED)

35. Jeroen MEIJERS (NED)

36. Sjoerd VAN GINNEKEN (NED)

Aqua Blue Sport

41. Lawrence WARBASSE (USA)

42. Calvin WATSON (USA)

43. Shane ARCHBOLD (NZL)

45. Lasse NORMAN HANSEN (DEN)

46. Casper PEDERSEN (DEN)

47. Peter KONING (NED)

JLT Condor

51. Edmund BRADBURY (GBR)

52. Matthew GIBSON (GBR)

53. Ian BIBBY (GBR)

54. Thomas STEWART (GBR)

55. Alistair SLATER (GBR)

56. Edward CLANCY (GBR)

57. Graham BRIGGS (GBR)

Interpro Stradalli Cycling

61. Daniel WHITEHOUSE (GBR)

62. Jokin ETXABE-LETURIA (ESP)

63. Jayson ROUSSEAU (FRA)

64. Ken-Levi EIKELAND (NOR)

65. Jonas HJORTH (NOR)

66. Yukinori HISHINUMA (JPN)

67. Kyohei MIZUNO (JPN)

Bennelong SwissWellness

71. Chris HARPER (AUS)

72. Sam CROME (AUS)

73. Dylan SUNDERLAND (AUS)

74. Anthony GIACOPPO (AUS)

75. Joseph COOPER (AUS)

76. Cameron BAYLY (AUS)

77. Steele VON HOFF (AUS)

Mobius BridgeLane

81. Jesse COYLE (AUS)

82. Alistair DONOHOE (AUS)

83. Alexander EVANS (AUS)

84. Brad EVANS (NZL)

85. Peter LIVINGSTONE (AUS)

86. Angus LYONS (AUS)

87. Ethan BERENDS (AUS)

Olivers Real Food Racing

91. Sean WHITFIELD (AUS)

92. Jack SUTTON (AUS)

93. Nicholas REDDISH (NZL)

94. Ryan CHRISTENSEN (NZL)

95. Benjamin ANDREWS (AUS)

96. Rien SCHUURHUIS (NED)

97. Nicholas WHITE (AUS)

Drapac EF Cycling

101. Jesse FEATONBY (AUS)

102. Thomas KAESLER (AUS)

103. Liam MAGENNIS (AUS)

104. Cyrus MONK (AUS)

105. Oliver KENT-SPARK (AUS)

106. Liam WHITE (AUS)

107. Theodore YATES (AUS)

Brisbane Continental Cycling Team

111. Michael VINK (NZL)

112. Calan WHITE (NZL)

113. Mitchell NEUMANN (AUS)

114. Ryan THOMAS (AUS)

115. Jonathon NOBLE (AUS)

116. Oliver MARTIN (AUS)

117. Thomas ROBINSON (AUS)

ACA - Ride Sunshine Coast

121. Stuart SHAW (AUS)

122. Toby ORCHARD (AUS)

123. Aidan KAMPERS (AUS)

124. Michael POTTER (AUS)

125. Ashley MACKAY (AUS)

126. Amarni DRAKE (AUS)

127. Freddy OVETT (AUS)

Team McDonalds Downunder

131. Joel STRACHAN (AUS)

132. Alexander RAY (NZL)

133. Yuan Tang PENG (TPE)

134. Kane RICHARDS (AUS)

135. Nick MILLER (AUS)

136. Cameron LAYTON (AUS)

137. Matthew BICKNEL (AUS)

KordaMentha Real Estate - Australia

141. Callum SCOTSON (AUS)

142. Michael RICE (AUS)

143. James WHELAN (AUS)

144. Patrick LANE (AUS)

145. Mathew ROSS (AUS)

146. Lionel MAWDITT (AUS)

147. Reece TUCKNOTT (AUS)

Jayco Herald Sun Tour team list (women)

Waowdeals Pro Cycling Team

Wiggle High5

Mitchelton-Scott

Ale Cipollini

Cylance Pro Cycling

Team Tibco - Silicon Valley Bank

Trek-Drops

BePink

Team Virtu Cycling

Twenty20 p/b Sho - Air

Specialized Women's Racing

Rush Women's Team

Sydney Uni - Staminade

Mike Greer Homes Womens Cycling Team

KordaMentha Real Estate - Australia

New Zealand National Team