Luke Plapp and Caleb Ewan to lead Jayco AlUla at Tour Down Under

Jayco AlUla will look to two of their newest signings to lead the line in the first WorldTour race of 2024, with Luke Plapp and Caleb Ewan set to target the GC and sprints at the Santos Tour Down Under this January.

The Australian team confirmed their roster for the six-day race on Saturday evening, with the home riders given leadership roles for the event that combines sprint stages and a GC built around Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty, which may suit either Plapp or teammate Simon Yates.

The two Australians are both new to Jayco’s roster this year - Plapp for the first time after cutting short his contract with Ineos Grenadiers, and Ewan returning after a stint with Lotto Dstny - and will both be looking to kick off their tenures and seasons with a bang in Adelaide.

Read more:

• Luke Plapp signs four-year 'coming home' deal with Jayco AlUla
• Transfer Mechanics: A more mature Caleb Ewan handed career lifeline at Jayco

Ewan, who has won nine stages of the Tour Down Under in the past, will be hoping to add to his tally for the first time since 2020, and also test out his sprint support after departing Lotto Dstny, partly due to a lack of results and opportunities.

Joining the more sprint-oriented portion of the line-up will be Australians Kelland O’Brien and Michael Hepburn, plus New Zealand’s Campbell Stewart.

Plapp, meanwhile, will be focusing on the overall classification, as the 22-year-old looks to build upon the promise he has shown as a young rider. Alongside Yates, the team have options when it comes to the GC and climbing stages, but there is added excitement for the Australian heading home with an Australian team.

“As an Australian the Santos Tour Down Under is such an important and special race. Racing for Team Jayco AlUla the race is even more important as it is an Australian team, I am so motivated and excited for the race, we really want to win and start the season off on a high,” Plapp said in a press release issued by the race.

“For me personally, I want to perform at my best, it will be my first UCI WorldTour race with Team Jayco AlUla, so I want to work well with my teammates. We have an incredibly strong team with Simon Yates, so we are aiming for stage wins with Caleb Ewan, and a strong overall result."

Read more: Matt White: We don’t know how good Luke Plapp can be

Alongside Yates and Plapp, Adelaide native Chris Harper will round out the team’s climbing contingent down under.

Though it’s perhaps not the biggest race on the WorldTour calendar, the Tour Down Under represents a big goal for Australia’s only WorldTour team, and sports director Mat Hayman highlighted how their team selection reflects their ambitions for the race.

“It is one of the most important races on the calendar for us as a team and for 2024, we are lining up with a very strong group and the riders we have can really tackle each stage,” said Mat.

“Having Plapp and Ewan join us will be a huge boost and with Yates returning after he enjoyed a stage win and second place finish overall in this year’s edition, we are coming in with high ambitions to win. It’s a dynamic course and we want to put on a great show for the Australian fans who only get to see us race once a year in January. Hopefully 2024 will be a memorable one.”

The women’s team, Liv Jayco AlUla, also confirmed their squad for the women’s race last week, featuring a similarly Australian-leaning line-up.

2023 stage winner Alex Manly will likely lead the charge for the overall, whilst Ruby Roseman-Gannon will be a contender for the sprints. They will be joined by Georgie Howe, Amber Pate, Georgia Baker and Ella Wyllie.

The women’s Tour Down Under takes place 12-14 January, with the men’s race following from 16 to 21 January.

Jayco AlUla Tour Down Under line-up:

• Luke Plapp
• Caleb Ewan
• Simon Yates
• Michael Hepburn
• Kelland O'Brien
• Chris Harper
• Campbell Stewart

To explore more about the Tour Down Under, including its route, history and all the latest news, head to our dedicated race page.