Cycling

Santos Festival of Cycling

Team Garmin-Australia has teamed up with AusCycling, announcing a partnership for the upcoming Santos Festival of Cycling to be held January 19 – 24.

Riders representing the team are Richie Porte, two-time Tour Down Under winner, and Annette Edmonson, who recently won the Cycling Super Series.

Stuart O’Grady, men’s race director, said that he is looking forward to the festival thanks to the quality of riders at Team Garmin- Australia’s disposal.

“The quality of both the men’s and women’s teams is testament to the passion each of these riders have for racing and starting the 2021 season at the Santos Festival of Cycling,” O’Grady said.

“We’re really excited that Team Garmin-Australia have committed to racing at this year’s Santos Festival of Cycling and are looking forward to them bringing their experience and energy to the race.”

Porte will be backed by EF Education-NIPPO James Whelan, Commonwealth Games gold medallists Kelland O’Brien, Alex Porter, Sam Welsford and Leigh Howard, along with young-gun Luke Plapp.

Edmonson will lead a stacked female team that boasts the likes of Sarah Gigante, the 2019 Australian road national champion, the 2020 Madison National title winner Georgia Baker and four-time world champion Ashlee Ankudinoff. The team also features rising track star Maeve Plouffe and road rider Neve Bradbury, along with the experienced Lauretta Hanson.

Kimberley Conte, women’s race director, said that the women’s team’s talent will add to the draw and showcase of the event.

“We are eager to showcase the quality of racing in Australia with both the men’s and women’s teams, but I’m particularly excited by the strength, skill and experience of the women’s team,” she said.

“To bring in this quality of athlete and some of our future cycling stars is legacy to the Santos Tour Down Under.”

The Santos Festival of Cycling will kick off with the Adelaide Track League on January 19 at the Gepps Cross velodrome, with the first National Road Series race set to begin January 21.

The first stage for the road series will begin at 9:00am and will be an 80.7km race from Seppetsfield to Tanunda for the women. A 106.8km race is set for the men—later that day—also from Seppetsfield to Tanunda.

The event is replacing the Tour Down Under after many riders and teams travelling from overseas were unwilling to enter a two-week quarantine.

Golf

Blitz Golf Pro Series

Matthew Millar has won the Blitz Golf Pro Series final, pipping former two-time winner Zach Murray at the Glenelg Golf Course yesterday. Millar was up against a competitive field that boasted 28 professional golf players on a scorching afternoon. The result sees Millar make it his second title, having played in every Blitz Golf event nationally.

Athletics

2021 State Multi Champs

Athletes sprinted back into their regular routines after the holiday period, with more than 100 individual athletic events on offer in the State Multi Champs over the weekend. Of many battles during the heat, none were better than the seeded women 200m final—Heat 1, as Karen Long grabbed the win and first place in a time of 26.50, nudging out Sophie Cheshire with a time of 26.69.

Basketball

Adelaide Invitational Challenge

Young South Aussie talent was showcased with 28 matches played in both the U16 and U18 competitions at the Adelaide Invitational Challenge over the weekend. The biggest highlight from those matches was the dominant performance SAM U18 Boys Gold displayed as they thumped SAC U18 Boys Magpies by 56 points, winning 100-44.

People who missed out on the action-packed weekend have another chance with the last games set to be played tomorrow at St. Clair. The U15 competition is set to kick off this Thursday at St. Clair with the U14’s competition scheduled for this Sunday.

International

Boxing

Reports have surfaced that undefeated Aussie George Kambosos Jnr will fight Teofimo Lopez for the rights to be crowned the IBF lightweight champion, with negotiations between the camps expected to begin shortly and conclude by early February. Both fighters will look to keep their undefeated records alive (Kambosos Jr 19-0) (Lopez Jnr 16-0) when they meet to decide it all.