Date: Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Due to illness, Brendan Canty will not be able to take the start at the Santos Tour Down Under on Tuesday. New Zealander Tom Scully will take his place.

On Monday, Canty began to suffer from flu-like symptoms, including fever and chills. He was seen by the race doctor and then by the team doctor Peter Fuller. Both determined Canty has a virus and shouldn’t race.

“It’s gone from starting a WorldTour race on my 25th birthday to being taken out of the race sick. Obviously, it’s disappointing. I spent a fair bit of time preparing for this race, and I think my form’s quite good. It’s definitely frustrating, but it happens,” Canty said.

Leadership of the team is unchanged, with Mike Woods and 2013 winner Tom-Jelte Slagter serving as captains.

“We had to make a quick decision. For Brendan’s own health and his own sake, I didn’t want to put him in the race. We came here to support Mike Woods and Tom Slagter, so the most important thing is to have a rider that’s 100 percent. It’s unfortunate it’s not Brendan,” said sport director Tom Southam.

The Tour Down Under marks Scully’s first race with the Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team.

“I would have liked to get a haircut and have a shave before my first WorldTour race. But at the end of the day there is nothing to worry about,” Scully said. “All I have to do is pin the numbers on tomorrow and get from point A to point B, supporting my new teammates along the way."
 
Cannondale-Drapac for the 2017 Tour Down Under
 
Paddy Bevin
Will Clarke
Alex Howes
Tom Scully 
Tom-Jelte Slagter
Tom Van Asbroeck
Michael Woods

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