The team provides a development opportunity for female athletes within the Cycling Australia (CA) National Athlete Pathway, or riders currently either not aligned with, or whose professional team is not contesting the Tour.

Kitchen said it was a privilege to again represent the green and gold.

It will be a busy start to the year for the 28-year-old who will also compete in the nationals at Ballarat the week before.

“For me it's a great chance to get a few extra days of racing in before I head to team training camp the week after in Spain,” she said.

Kitchen was named as captain of a young squad who will face the great unknown, but still harbour ambitions of winning one of the four stages.

“As much as I’d love to win a stage or be right up there with the final results, the main purpose of doing the tour is to get a feel (for the year) and have a good week of racing,” Kitchen said.

“It isn’t an easy race; the first three stages have over 1500 metres of elevation and (go for) about 120 kilometres.

“It means they’re about three and a half hours so they’re a pretty reasonable (distances) for girls that don’t race overseas.

“I am looking forward to being in a mentor role with some of the development riders and also looking for chances for myself as well as supporting the other strong girls.

“I think we have a really well balanced team and I can’t wait to get into it.”

The Port Macquarie product said most teams would face similar challenges as they prepare to start a new season after a European winter.

“You don’t know what level your opponents are going to be at because it will be their first race for the season for a lot of them,” she said.

“There are a lot of unknowns for this race, but I think on paper we have probably one of the best sprint setups.

“We’ve got three who can ride a good final and probably three of the four stages will come down to a sprint or a reduced group of some sort.

“Then there’s one stage that finishes up hill.”

Before heading to the TDU in Adelaide, Kitchen will take on the national championships in Ballarat on January 6.

Finishing second last year in the road race gave Kitchen some extra motivation heading into 2019 where top spot is definitely the goal.

“I have been around the mark a number of times at nationals and would love to win it,” she said.

“I know I have the legs for it but it all comes down to how it is raced and having a bit of luck as well.

“My goal is to be at my best for this period of the year, to give myself the best chance of taking the title.”

She will then travel back to Europe to prepare for the Spring Classics via Spain for training camp with her team FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope.

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