Renshaw will be the team leader for the seven-strong Dimension Data outfit when the tour gets underway on Monday.

The Bathurst rider is part of a group who have big winning ambitions in the opening event of the 2017 UCI World Tour.

Two stage runner-up results came Renshaw’s way in last year’s race but this time around he’s aiming to help his teammates earn a bigger prize.

“I imagine we’ll be going for the overall prize. Nathan Haas and Jacques Janse van Rensburg are personally my guesses for who, of our guys, may be up there,” he said.

“Last year was pretty surprising for me with those two stage results. It will be a pretty good event this year. We’ve got Peter Sagan over, who’s currently the world champion, and Simon Gerrans has won this race before.

“Every day’s a chance for us to win because the riders we’ve got are very good.”

For Renshaw the Tour Down Under is simply the start of his long term plans for 2017.

“It’s an important race for me because I’m in more of a leadership role here. I’m trying to urge on the young guys here, and this race is to help get me set up for the Tour of Dubai. I’ll be riding with [Mark] Cavendish over there and I’ve got to be on my game,” he said.

“My year is still based around preparing for the Tour de France and the build up to June is very important.”

Outside of Haas and Janse van Rensburg, Renshaw’s other teammates are Lachlan Morton, Ben O’Connor, Jaco Venter and Tyler Farrar.

Renshaw believes with every passing year the Tour Down Under becomes a bigger target for the world’s best riders.

“It’s the biggest event in Australia by far and the most prestigious. It’s got a lot of history now and it means a lot to both Australian and international riders because of the points they have on offer,” he said.

The Tour Down Under gets underway from 10.30am AEST on Monday with a 145 kilometre race from Unley to Lyndoch.