Here are some of the great cyclists who competed in the 2009 Tour Down Under.
Born 18 September 1971.
Achievement: Seven time Tour de France winner (1999-2005). Made his comeback to professional road cycling at the 2009 Santos Tour Down Under. He finished 29th overall, launched his global Livestrong Campaign and was a massive hit with the crowds. Went on to finish third overall at 2009 Tour de France and has joined new team, Team RadioShack, for the 2010 season.
Born 3 August 1977
Achievement: 2006 Tour de France winner. Returning from injury, the Tour de France winner competed in Adelaide for the first time at the 2009 Santos Tour Down Under. He finished 27th overall and will return in 2010 with the Astana team.
Born 27 July 1980
Achievement: 2009 Tour Down Under winner, Bronze medalist Road Race 2006 Commonwealth Games. Davis is the only rider to have competed in every Tour Down Under since 1999.
Born 29 June 1973
Achievement: USA National Champion 1998 and 2006. The 2009 Santos Tour Down Under was the first time Hincapie competed against former team mate Lance Armstrong. He finished 13th overall.
Born 6 August 1973
Achievement: 2007 Paris Roubaix winner, 1999 and 2001 Santos Tour Down Under winner. The winner of the inaugural Santos Tour Down Under in 1999, local star O'Grady is the only cyclist to have won the event twice.
Born: 13 July 1989
Achievement: Current U23 World Time Trial Champion. Jack will make his professional cycling debut with Garmin – Transitions at the 2010 Santos Tour Down Under. He first rode his first Santos Tour Down Under in 2009 as part of the UniSA - Australia team.
Born 16 July 1982
Achievement: 2008 Santos Tour Down Under winner, 2008 Stage winner Giro D'Italia. The 2008 Santos Tour Down Under winner and Stage 1 winner in 2009, Greipel is known in his team, Team Columbia-HTC, as the strongest man on earth.
Born 24 June 1972
Achievement: Tour de France Green Jersey winner (2002, 2004, 2006) and Australian Road Race Champion (2002, 2005). McEwen has won 12 stages the Tour de France and the Santos Down Under. In 2009 he won the Cancer Council Classic.
Born 24 November 1983
Achievement: 2009 Paris Nice winner, 2008 Spanish Time Trial Champion, 2005 Santos Tour Down Under winner. Sanchez won Stage 8 of the 2009 Tour de France and finished 12th overall at the 2009 Santos Tour Down Under.
Born: 9 April 1979
Achievement: Two gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in the Teams Pursuit and Madison. Has ridden the Santos Tour Down Under on multiple occasions, winning the Jayco Sprint Jersey overall classification in 2001.
Born: 23 September 1978
Achievement: 2007 Santos Tour Down Under winner. Finished fourth overall at the 2009 Santos Tour Down Under and third in the 2009 Monte Paschi Eroica.
Born: 14 February 1977
Achievement: Current World Road Champion and will be the first Australian rider to wear the rainbow jersey at an Australian event. Evans was runner up at the 2007 and 2008 Tour de France events, achieving the highest placed finishes for an Australian in the history of the event.
Story Published by:Santos Tour Down Under
Article URL:http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/teams/riders-profiles
Date and Time Published:Thursday, 4 June, 09