With a wealth of home talent competing down under, it is easy to overlook Spaniard Javier Moreno. But the 29-year-old proved with a runner’s-up spot last year, he should be overlooked only at his rivals’ peril, as he returns to Adelaide with a strong support team and a desire to go one better in 2014. Backed by former Italian champion Giovanni Visconti and new signing Juan Jose Lobato among others, the Spanish team have sent a strong squad for the first race in their defence of the world number one spot.

Moreno, who finished just 17 seconds behind Tom Jelte-Slagter last year and also topped the mountains classification, knows what it takes to compete for the GC in Adelaide and proved he is more than capable on demanding climbs such as Old Willunga Hill – which returns again this year. His strong supporting cast is also geared around success on the rolling parcours and a similarly consistent performance to last year could well see Moreno emerge as a contender for the ochre jersey.