For the first time, the Cycle Classic is open to professionals. Motorola is the only professional teams to enter, although the composite teams organised by the promoter with Australian companies acting as sponsors contain many professional riders. Jean-Paul Van Poppel, disappointed by losing a Tour de France spot when Le Groupement folded at the last minute is riding for the Websdale Printing Team (made up of Dutch riders).
After a start in Manly, the racing ahead will be by far the toughest race profile in the Classic's 13 year history.
After commencing in Sydney for the first time, it heads north to Newcastle (Oz's 6th largest city of 350,000 some 150 kms from Sydney on the coast). It then loops through the Hunter Valley to Bayswater Power Station (Pacific Power, the principle sponsor runs power stations, no!). Then, the race returns to the Central Coast of NSW for a day up the terribly steep 3.8 km long climb of Bumble Hill (seriously steep!).
It then goes back to Sydney for the famous night time criterium at Darling Harbour. Next day, it heads south from Wollongong to Kiama, then inland to Goulburn and on to Canberra, Australia's National Capital and the home of the Australian Parliament. Canberra has hosted the finish for the past three years.
The 1,176 kilometre nine day race is not the longest version of the Classic but it is the toughest. Previously, the race has followed the east coast in a southward direction and the terrain is undulating rather than steep. Like all Australian tours, the race has to include some criteriums to attract the crowds and give the sponsors their return. The nine day race features some fast stages for the sprinters (Van Poppel, Van Heeswijk, McEwan, Lonergen to name a few), several exciting criteriums and some very tough climbing days. The thing that makes the tour difficult is the many split stage days during the first five days. These days are typically short road stages followed by a crowd-attracting crit later. In the latter part of the week, the riders encounter the tougher road legs. Last year, the lead changed hands crucially on the tough last few days over the hills in the Southern Highlands.