(Sydney) 2020 and 2021 cycling world champion Julian Alaphilippe will launch his 2024 season at the Tour Down Under in Australia next month, race organizers announced Tuesday.

“I am very happy to come back to Australia,” declared the French rider of the Soudal Quick-Step team, whose Tour Down Under was the first race on the World Tour circuit (first world division) in 2014.

The men’s edition of the race, won earlier this year by Australian Jay Vine, will take place from January 13-21, 2024 in and around Adelaide, and will finish at the summit of Mount Lofty, which will be climbed two times by the riders during the last stage.

“I remember when I did my first race (in Australia) with my team,” commented Julian Alaphilippe, 31, quoted in a Soudal Quick-Step press release. “I have a lot of good memories: the incredible fans, the beautiful weather, and I can’t wait to get back to the start line and meet our supporters there again,” added the Frenchman, who no longer has raced in this country since the 2022 Worlds.

“I am particularly impatient to use Willunga Hill (which the runners will climb twice during the 5th stage, Editor’s note) and to discover Mount Lofty for the first time”, also commented in the organizers’ press release the runner, who will be among the favorites to don the race leader’s ocher jersey.

In addition to his two world champion titles, Julian Alaphilippe notably won seven stages on grand tours (one on the Vuelta, six on the Tour de France), Milan-San Remo (2019), the Flèche wallonne (2018, 2019 and 2021), the Clasica San Sebastian (2018), the Strade Bianche (2019) and two stage races, the Tour of California (2016) and the Tour of Britain (2018).

The women’s edition of the Tour Down Under will take place from January 12 to 16.