Image 1 of 42 Mark Renshaw in his new Omega Pharma QuickStep kit (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 2 of 42 Frank Schleck and Jens Voigt cool down after a training ride in the hot conditions (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 3 of 42 Ice to be here: Omega riders cool down in the heat (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 4 of 42 Yukiya Arashiro looks over his Colnago race bike (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 5 of 42 Elia Viviani (Cannondale) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 6 of 42 Former pro rider Erik Dekker (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 7 of 42 The Cannondale team will look to set up Elia Viviani in the sprints (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 8 of 42 The Astana team ahead of their training ride (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 9 of 42 Marcel Kittel (Giant Shimano) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 10 of 42 The Giant Shimano team will work for Kittel in their debut race (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 11 of 42 Marcel Kittel models the new Giant-Shimano team kit (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 12 of 42 Back in action: Frank Schleck returns from his supsension (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 13 of 42 Mark Renshaw will race in Omega Pharma QuickStep kit for the first time (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 14 of 42 Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 15 of 42 Robert Gesink will lead the Belkin team at Tour Down Under (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 16 of 42 Robert Gesink and a Belkin mechanic check over the rider's race bike (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 17 of 42 Trek teammates Fabio Felline and Frank Schleck (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 18 of 42 The Team Sky riders cool down after training (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 19 of 42 Movistar come into the race as last year's number one team in the World (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 20 of 42 Home favourite Richie Porte (Team Sky) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 21 of 42 Marcel Kittel (Giant Shimano) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 22 of 42 Former World champion Cadel Evans with his BMC teammates (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 23 of 42 The BMC team for the 2014 Tour Down Under (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 24 of 42 Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Racing) (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 25 of 42 (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 26 of 42 (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 27 of 42 Fabio Baldato and the BMC team (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 28 of 42 Team Tinkoff-Saxo (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 29 of 42 (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 30 of 42 (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 31 of 42 Jose Joaquin Rojas will be hoping to win his first stage at the race (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 32 of 42 Team Movistar head into the race as the number one ranked team on the planet (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 33 of 42 The 2014 Tour Down Under starts in just a few days (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 34 of 42 Team BMC tuck into lunch after their training ride (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 35 of 42 Giovanni Visconti on his new Canyon bike (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 36 of 42 Thomas Voeckler before he crashed out with a broken collar bone (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 37 of 42 Japan road champion Yukiya Arashiro (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 38 of 42 Yukiya Arashiro prepares for training (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 39 of 42 Andre Greipel has won 14 stages at the Tour Down Under (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 40 of 42 All eyes will be on Lotto for the sprint stages with Greipel expected to lead the charge (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 41 of 42 Andre Greipel and his Lotto teammates (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 42 of 42 Former Tour de France winner Cadel Evans (Image credit: Sirotti)

Scorching temperatures and a stellar line-up are set to make next week's Santos Tour Down Under one of the most hotly-anticipated openers to the road cycling season in recent years.



