Amanda Spratt is hoping to start the 2020 Women's World Tour with a fourth straight win at the Tour Down Under, the 32-year-old Australian's home tour and the first benchmark for the new season.

Spratt won her third Tour Down Under last year after finishing second behind Sarah Gigante in the Australian road race championships, beating Mitchelton Scott's teammate Lucy Kennedy.

Spratt took the leader's jersey on the 116.7-km second stage of the four-day 2019 race, which finishes with a climb up Mengler Hill to Angaston. He held on to the jersey for the next two days, winning by 50 seconds.

"I've won three times before, and January is a good time of year, and it's a time of year when you always want to be in good shape, so there's no reason why I can't win again next year and make it four in a row," Spratt said.

Spratt's fourth win ties Simon Gerrans for the most overall Tour Down Under wins for men and women, but he is the first to win four in a row.

"I enjoy the pressure of coming back as the defending champion, and I've gotten pretty used to that pressure over the last couple of years. [The Tour Down Under in particular has gotten bigger and bigger every year. The Tour Down Under in particular has gotten bigger and bigger every year. There's always a lot of support, and next year my parents are coming, so it's nice to have the support in my hometown. It's not so much that I feel pressure, it's more that I feel like I'm famous for a week at TDU."

Spratt's previous victories have relied on devastating attacks in difficult mountains, but the 2020 Tour Down Under is a route that includes four stages around Adelaide, and there are no decisive mountains this year. However, the 2020 Tour Down Under will include four stages around Adelaide.

"Next year's course is not as predictable as in previous years," Spratt said. Last year, with the finish at Mengler Hill, you knew it was probably going to be a defining day for GC."

Spratt described the 2020 route as "more dynamic."

"It will still be tough and there will be some surprises.

"There is no one main climb, which will help us to shorten our time. We'll have a strong team again, so we can go into the race knowing we can win."

Spratt said the team is strong and has a lot on the cards, although it will likely be heavily marked in a race that cannot rely on gravity.

"All eyes will be on me, but maybe there will be a scenario where my teammates will come out on top and that will be a plus for us," Spratt said, while admitting that a fourth win "would be great."

"The priority is for the team to walk away with the Ochre jersey again."

The Women's Tour Down Under begins on Thursday, January 6 with a 116-km stage from Hahndorf to Macclesfield. The second stage is 115 km from Murray Bridge to Birdwood; the third stage is 109 km from Nairn to Stirling; the race concludes with a stage in Adelaide on Sunday, January 19.