The 2016 Tour de France is already a landmark for Australian cycling, even before it starts.
Orica-GreenEDGE were re-branded as Orica-BikeExchange in the week before the race, with Australia's first WorldTour team confident their major sponsorship changes are setting them up for the next three to four years.
That long-term financial security is crucial as they continue the transition to a team that can contend for overall honours in the three-week Grand Tours such as this month's French classic.
A day after that announcement, the Drapac team also used the lead-up to the Tour de France to unveil a large-scale merger.
The Australian team will combine with the Cannondale team to become Cannondale-Drapac.
Drapac race at ProContinental level, one rung below WorldTour.
The American-based Cannondale team are a long-standing WorldTour team.
The five-year agreement will start purely as a sponsorship deal for the Tour de France, but the Drapac team will merge into the Cannondale organisation at the end of the year.
The name change to Orica-BikeExchange came after confirmation earlier last month that Orica would end its backing of the team at the end of next year.
Orica had been the title sponsor since the team formed in 2012.
The mining company's decision to eventually end the sponsorship was seen as a setback for the team, but Orica-BikeExchange general manager Shayne Bannan disagreed.
He said the fact the deal would continue for another year gave them time to look for new major sponsorship without undue pressure.
"We're really excited for the long-term," he said.
"To have Orica on board for another year ... I thought it was pretty good news.
"We have a number of other options on the table as well for 2017.
"I'd say we're in a fairly strong position, both on the field and off the field, if you like."
It has been a year of major highs and lows for the team now known as Orica-BikeExchange.
Mat Hayman won Paris-Roubaix and Estaban Chavez rode to a breakthrough second place overall at the Giro d'Italia.
Chavez' outstanding result was the first podium finish for the team at a three-week Grand Tour, with winning the Tour de France their eventual goal.
But in a major blow for the team, botched anti-doping paperwork also meant their rising British star Simon Yates had to sit out four months.
It means he will not join his twin brother Adam in the Orica-BikeExchange team for the Tour de France team.
Meanwhile, speculation is rampant that this will be Michael Matthews' last Tour de France as an Orica-BikeExchange rider.
Bannan said the team's contract negotiations with Matthews and fellow team leader Simon Gerrans are continuing.
But the likelihood is that Matthews will transfer to another team for next season.
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