ADELAIDE, Australia (VN) – Polite and unpretentious, but clearly possessing a deep intensity within: this pretty much sums up Ryder Hesjedal.

Seventh overall at the 2010 Tour de France, Hesjedal had a change of role at last year’s Tour. First, he helped propel Garmin-Cervélo to the top of the leaderboard in the team time trial in Les Essarts and team-mate Thor Hushovd into the maillot jaune, where the Norwegian remained for another six days.

Canadian GC rider to have a double shot at Giro and Tour this year

In continuation to the plan he set for the sadly defunct HTC-Highroad team in previous years, Allan Peiper took the Garmin-Cervelo team for some wine tasting – not wine drinking, he insisted – in the Barossa valley ahead of the Santos Tour Down Under (January 17-22).

"It's different line up but it will also be a different race this year", Peiper told Cyclingnews at the Jacob's Creek visitor center while his riders Heinrich Haussler, Robert Hunter, Nathan Haas, Andreas Klier, Ryder Hesjedal, Martijn Maaskant and Jack Bauer finished their recce of stage 4 to finish in Tanunda on January 20. Peiper remembers with nostalgia his "fantastic team with [Mark] Cavendish, [Matt] Goss and [Bernhard] Eisel" but he has moved on with the recent changes on the pro cycling scene. The Australian also guided Andre Greipel to his two overall wins (2008, 2010) at the Tour Down Under.

You know you’ve arrived when your name appears above the title.

Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria was unveiled for June 24, even though the cyclist likely won’t be here to take part in the event that is more a community ride than a race.

Cantwell, Haussler, Hutarovich take aim

The first World Tour race of the 2012 season is just weeks away, and the final rosters for the event are coming together. Over the past days Saxo Bank, Garmin-Cervélo and FDJ-Big Mat have confirmed the riders who will toe the line in Adelaide for the Santos Tour Down Under.

Saxo Bank will bring two Australians to the race, Luke Roberts and newcomer Jonathan Cantwell.