Young Belgian sprinter Jasper Philipsen will lead a seven-man UAE Team Emirates team in the 2020 Tour Down Under later this month, aiming to match, or even surpass, the stage win he earned in last year's race.

Philipsen won last year's stage 5 despite sprint rival Caleb Yuan (Lotto Soudal) crossing the line first in Strathalbyn ahead of Philipsen and Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Ewan used his head to pull Philipsen away from Sagan in the sprint competition, giving the Belgian his first World Tour win.

Philipsen was supported by under-23 time trial world champion Mikkel Bjarg, who moved to the UAE for 2020 from American Hagens Berman Axiom, and veteran sprinter Marco Marcato, the 2012 Paris-Tour winner. Supported by.

Italian climber Diego Ulissi has finished in the top 10 overall for the past three years and won a stage in 2014 when he finished third overall.

"I'm looking forward to starting the season in Australia," he said. Last year I won in Australia, which was a very good start. It's always good to start the season in a good way."

Alan Piper, the team's Australian sporting director, added: "UAE Team Emirates is very much looking forward to opening the season in the Tour Down Under in Australia.

"We have Ulissi for the hilly stage finishes and GC, last year's stage winner Philipsen for the sprint stages, and Bjerg, Markert, Sven-Erik Byström, Vegard Stake Rengen, Alexandre Together with a great support team consisting of Liabushenko, we will have multiple goals."

UAE Team Emirates competing in the 2020 Tour Down Under: Mikkel Bjarg, Sven-Erik Byström, Vegard Stake Lengen, Marco Marcato, Yasper Filipsen, Alexandr Liabushenko, Diego Ulissi