It’s fair to say that Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen know a thing or two about cycling races. So it’s only natural they would be watching out not only for the stars of today, but the stars of the future.

Both Phil and Paul agree that the Santos Tour Down Under is the perfect chance for teams to show off their new recruits to the world.

“The top Pro teams are now using the first UCI WorldTour of the year to show off their new recruits - the guys who are going to be making the Olympic Games next year,” says Phil. 

Paul agrees; the young guns are the always the ones to look out for.

“It was at the Santos Tour Down Under that we first saw a youngster by the name of Peter Sagan.” 

“I remember we were commentating Willunga Hill and there was this bloke in a green jersey, and we were thinking ‘who is that?’”

“And that’s why this race is so good, it gives the youngsters a chance to show themselves off for the first time.”

Phil’s a big supporter of team UniSA-Australia, with their roster of young champions destined for a great future.

“UniSA-Australia have always ridden well in this event – they’ve won it in the past with Pat Jonker,” he says. 

“These are good young kids. Alexander Edmondson’s a world champion on the track, Jack Bobridge’s the world individual pursuit champion and world record holder.”

“Jack Haig won the Cycle Instead Young Rider Jersey last year, Robert Power - they reckon he’s THE star of the future, he finished second in the Tour l’Avenir. 

“Miles Scotson is absolutely flying, he’s a guy that’ll suit this race.”

“That’s a great team this year,” he says.

Paul says the absence of Aussie favourite Simon Gerrans could put a spanner in the works for ORICA-GreenEDGE this year.

“It’ll be an interesting race this year because of the fact that the big favourite Simon Gerrans, who’s made it his race over the last few years, and the fact that he’s not there is going to make it very difficult for ORICA=GreenEDGE,” he says.

“It also makes it difficult for everyone else because when you’ve got a big favourite everybody watches the big favourite and that dictates the race.”  

“I think we’ll see some different racing tactics this year because of that.”

As for another Aussie hero, Richie Porte (Team Sky), Paul and Phil agree that he needs to at least place in this year’s Tour.

“I think it’s important for him because he had a bad year,” says Paul.

“When you look at the pictures of the National Championships, his face, there’s some serious determination.”

“You’ve gotta try hard to win a time trial. That’s a great way for him to start the year.”

"And this year Team Sky have said they want to win more races,” agrees Phil.

“They’ve won the Tour de France twice, they achieved all they aimed at in their first period and now they’re coming out in their second period and they said they want to win more varied races.

“It’s a good place to start here.”

One more favourite of Paul’s is a slightly sentimental one – Luis Leon Sanchez of Astana Pro Cycling.

“He’s a former winner of this race, he’s had a tough year, a tough couple of years because he ended up in a small team last year,” says Paul.

“For him I think he’s got something to prove, and he’s back with Team Astana.” 

“He’s one of those guys that always rides well at the start of the year. 

“And for us it was amazing when he won, a good memory, because he dragged a kid by the name of Alberto Contador up Willunga Hill and gave him a stage victory.” 

“So to me there’s a little sentimental attachment there for me to see if he can produce the form he had when he won the race a few years ago.”