20 riders from Oceania will line up at the 2019 Giro Rosa and Tour de France with riders from Australia and New Zealand heading in as major contenders in both races.

Starting Friday 5 July, seven riders from Australia and two from New Zealand will content the Giro Rosa, the only Grand Tour on the Women’s calendar. The 10 day race starts in Cassano Spinola and covers 920.4 kilomtres before reaching the finish line in Udine.

Last year Oceania’s only registered UCI Team Mitchelton-Scott became the first team from our region to claim a Grand Tour victory and they return with defending champion Annemiek Van Vleuten. Australia’s third place finisher from a year ago Amanda Spratt who also claimed a stage win and the mountains classification returns as part of the strong Mitchelton-Scott team.

Joining Spratt on Mitchelton-Scott is former Oceania Champions Grace Brown and Lucy Kennedy with Sarah Roy completing the Australian contingent on the squad.

Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon SRAM Racing) will start her 12th consecutive edition alongside Shara Gillow (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) who starts her 11th, with both first riding for the Australian National Team in 2008 and 2009 respectively. Experienced Australian Rachel Neylan completes the Australian representation riding for Team Virtu Cycling.

New Zealand will have two riders in action with both making their debut in the biggest race on the calendar. Three time Oceania Champion Mikayla Harvey will line up for (Bigla Pro Cycling) and Deborah Paine for Cogeas-Mettler Pro Cycling.

When the Tour de France rolls from the start line in Brussels, Belgium on Saturday 6 July, 11 riders from Oceania will be present, eight from Australia and three from New Zealand for the 3480 kilometre lap of France

Richie Porte (Trek Segafredo) leads the Oceania charge looking to become the second Australia to claim the final yellow jersey. 2017 green jersey winner and 2010 Oceania Tour winner Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) will be hoping to add more stage wins.

Leading the New Zealand charge is George Bennett (Team Jumbo-Visma) who starts his third Tour and is joined by Patrick Bevin (CCC Team) also in his third and Tom Scully (EF Education First) his second.

Former Oceania Champion Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida), a two time stage winner will be eyeing time trial success. Luke Durbridge, Jack Haig and Michael Hepburn will be hoping to seal the overall title with Mitchelton-Scott and Adam Yates.

Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) will start the Tour for the first time hoping to add a Tour de France stage win to Giro and Vuelta success while former TTT stage winner Simon Clarke (EF Education First) is always a name to watch.

Oceania Riders at the 2019 Giro Rosa
Grace Brown (Mitchelton-Scott)
Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon SRAM Racing)
Shara Gillow (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope)
Mikayla Harvey (Bigla Pro Cycling)
Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott)
Rachel Neylan (Team Virtu Cycling)
Deborah Paine (Cogeas-Mettler Pro Cycling)
Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott)
Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott)

Race Website

Oceania Riders at the 2019 Tour de France
George Bennett (Team Jumbo-Visma)
Patrick Bevin (CCC Team)
Simon Clarke (EF Education First)
Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida)
Luke Durbridge (Mitchelton-Scott)
Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal)
Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott)
Michael Hepburn (Mitchelton-Scott)
Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb)
Richie Porte (Trek Segafredo)
Tom Scully (EF Education First)

Race Website