Australian sprint rivals Caleb Ewan and Brenton Jones have unfinished business when the Bay Crits cycling series returns on January 1.
The traditional opener for the Australian cycling calendar was not held this year, but it will resume from January 1-3 with three races in Geelong and suburban Williamstown.
At least 18 top-level riders have confirmed they will start, in a massive boost to the Lexus Blackburn series.
All eyes will be on Ewan, who controversially was left out of Mitchelton-Scott's Tour de France team this year and now has switched to the powerful Lotto Soudal squad.
His switch has been one of the year's biggest pro cycling transfers.
Ewan and Jones looked like the riders to beat at the most recent Bay Crits in January last year.
But Ewan, a three-time series winner, crashed on the final corner of the opening race on Geelong's Ritchie Boulevard.
His fall also took out Jones, whose teammate Ian Bibby ended up winning the series.
"I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running on January 1, hopefully I'll try and avoid Caleb taking me out again and then put my hands up in the air (as the winner) on Ritchie Boulevard," Jones cheekily said at Wednesday's series launch.
Other big names confirmed for the Bay Crits include Ewan's new teammate Adam Hansen, world championships silver medallist Amanda Spratt and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Chloe Hosking.
"It should be a World Tour-class event, to have that many guys keen to race - they're not coming here for a holiday," Jones said.
Jones has also received a major boost with his All Stars composite line-up at the Bay Crits featuring Ewan's former Mitchelton-Scott teammate Luke Durbridge.
"Durbo is a quality bike rider, so to have someone who has power, strength, skills, it's going to be fantastic," Jones said.
"It is nice fortune for myself, so hopefully that fortune rubs off from Durbo on to me and I take the yellow jersey off Caleb."
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