Stuart O’Grady all set to return at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2013
Stuart O’Grady of Team Orica GreenEdge is all se to return to the Jayco Herald Sun Tour 2013 after a disappointing end to his 2012 campaign.
The cyclist crashed at the Vattenfall Cyclassics and has not seen on his bike since then however, 0started training earlier to get enough kilometres for the 2013 season.
He will now be seen in action at the Herald Sun Tour, representing the Australian National Team for the four-stage event.
Grady will be accompanied by the Danish side, Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s neo pro Jay McCarthy along with Nathan Haas, Simon Gerrans, Matt Goss and Simon Clarke to form a strong line-up for the coming race.
The 39-year-old succeeded during the 2008 version of the Sun Tour but the accident really put him behind his racing schedule, a 15 cm plate along with eight screws are being inserted in his body to stabilise the joint.
The Australian is taking full use of the available time before he is finally tested at four-day race starting on January 3rd, 2012.
"At the moment I'm spending every hour on the bike I can, which isn't easy at this time of the year when you've been away for 10 months and everyone wants to see you and you want to see them. So it's a fine balance,” he explained. "
"The head is saying one thing and the body the other. I've still got a funky feeling in my shoulder with the plate but you get used to it".
On the other hand, the youngest cyclist in the Australian line-up, McCarthy who is just 20 is excited to ride amongst some of the best cyclists in the peloton.
"There is a lot of experience in the team and plenty of guys to look at, see how they read the race and get some good tips off," he explained.
Only time will tell, if the Australian team manages to find the right momentum to overcome its competitors in the season ahead and a lot depends on the experience of O’Grady and his fitness level as he sets his eyes to welcome the new season in first week
of January.
"The head is saying one thing and the body the other. I've still got a funky feeling in my shoulder with the plate but you get used to it".
On the other hand, the youngest cyclist in the Australian line-up, McCarthy who is just 20 is excited to ride amongst some of the best cyclists in the peloton.
"There is a lot of experience in the team and plenty of guys to look at, see how they read the race and get some good tips off," he explained.
Only time will tell, if the Australian team manages to find the right momentum to overcome its competitors in the season ahead and a lot depends on the experience of O’Grady and his fitness level.
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