Inverell’s Dylan Sunderland and Armidale’s Sam Jenner will represent their country as part of the national under 23 team in the Tour de L’Aviner.
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The 55th edition of the tour runs from August 17 to 26 and will take riders across France, from Brittany to the Alps.
The 10 day challenge could be Sunderland’s chance to secure a professional contract after a strong season in Europe.
“I’m feeling very motivated going into the Tour de L’Aviner!” he said.
“It’s always exciting to pull on the green and gold to race for Australia. The Tour de L’Aviner Is the biggest race for the U23 riders.”
Mimicking the Tour de France format and open to men aged 19 to 23, the race is billed as a chance for the future stars of pro cycling to shine.
Sunderland acknowledged that making his mark will be a battle.
“There are several very strong riders in the tour this year with many of them already obtaining a world tour professional contact. This is going to make it a very hard 10 days of racing,” he said.
“My major goal going into the tour is the overall classification, a top 10 result in that would be unreal!”
With the first five stages relatively flat, the second half of the Tour will test the riders’ climbing ability as they reach the Alps.
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Peter Sunderland was optimistic about his son’s chances, and said he had “done a lot of mountain work” during his months in Europe.
Confident going in, Dylan is keen to continue his upward trajectory.
“This year has been a pretty successful year with several podiums throughout Europe and Asia. I am looking forward to adding to this success during the Tour de L’Aviner,” he said.
