AUSTRALIAN CYCLING'S BIG RACES
January 1-4: Mitchelton Bay Classic criterium series
Geelong, Portarlington and Melbourne
The format of these four races means the Bay Crits are usually the domain of the sprinters - Caleb Ewan, Steele Von Hoff, Brenton Jones and Chloe Hosking are among the prominent names.
January 6-10: Mars Australian road cycling championships
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Ballarat and Buninyong
Event organisers have made a big change to the event schedule, moving the women's road race from Saturday to Sunday. That means the women's and men's elite road races will run back-to-back. The rest of the nationals stays the same - the criteriums on Wednesday night in Ballarat, the time trials on Thursday at Buninyong and the men's under-23 road race on Saturday. All eyes will be on Simon Gerrans in the men's road race after his injury-plagued 2015 season.
January 17-24: Santos Tour Down Under
Adelaide
The opening round of the WorldTour and the highlight of the Australian cycling summer. Gerrans, defending champion Rohan Dennis and his new BMC teammate Richie Porte will headline the field. The women's tour will run from January 16-19, plus former Australian champion Bridie O'Donnell is planning an attempt on the women's world hour record at the Adelaide Superdome on the night of January 22.
January 30-31: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Rd Race
Geelong
The women will race on the Saturday and the men's event is on Sunday. Landing British sprint ace Mark Cavendish as a starter is a major coup for the event in its second year.
February 3-6: Australian track cycling championships
Adelaide
Eleven-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares will feature in a strong start list as riders continue their preparations for the Rio Olympics.
February 3-7: Herald-Sun Tour
Two-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome will start his season at the long-running Victorian stage race.
