We haven't even reached Christmas yet, and already talks of new races are underway. The Jayco AlUla is the first team to announce its lineup for the Santos Tour Down Under, a race that naturally holds special significance for the Australian team.

Ben O'Connor, who has already won stages in the Tour de France during his career, will lead the Team Jayco AlUla, marking an important return as O'Connor missed the last two editions of the race.

Supporting O'Connor will be the last two Australian road race champions, Giro d'Italia stage winner Luke Plapp and team pillar Luke Durbridge. The new recruit Hamish McKenzie and the returning Rudy Porter will add an Australian touch, along with the powerful presence of Kell O'Brien.

Completing the team will be the only non-Australian, Mauro Schmid. Though not native, the two-time Swiss champion has won the hearts of locals in 2025 with his extraordinary solo victory at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

Ben O'Connor explains: "Returning to Perth for the summer has been an enormous pleasure. I love Australia, I miss its beaches and friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Training here can sometimes be brutal and merciless, but it always provides great rewards. I can't wait to start the Australian summer of racing and raise our jersey high. Around the world, we try to give our best, showcase our talent, and raise our hands to the sky with a victory, but coming to the Tour Down Under with the Team Jayco AlUla will truly mean tackling our home race, which means so much more to us. It will be very fun, and honestly, it's one of the best moments of the year."

Mat Hayman, the team's sports director, adds: "We'll return to the Tour Down Under with a very strong team to tackle a challenging course. We have Ben O'Connor returning, who hasn't raced here since 2023, Luke Plapp, who was among the best this year, and Mauro Schmid, who won the Cadel's Great Ocean Road Race this year and will return to take on the Tour Down Under. These guys will be supported by Luke Durbridge, a team pillar. It's always fantastic to have his expertise and strength as a captain on the road; he's a key rider for the team. We essentially have a complete Australian lineup with a couple of young riders: Rudy Porter is returning to the team, and I'm sure he'll be ready to surprise immediately, Hamish McKenzie comes from the development team, and then there's Kell O'Brien, who will surely be keeping an eye on the prologue on the streets of Adelaide. We have a super strong team and can't wait to bring them to the Tour Down: needless to say, we expect to achieve some results."