Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a prestigious cycling race held annually in South Australia, recognized as the largest cycling festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Governed by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), this event typically spans eleven days each January and includes daily stages that challenge professional cyclists. Initially launched in 1999 to replace the Formula 1 race in Adelaide, it has grown significantly over the years, attracting many elite teams and riders, including several past champions. The event is not only a competition but also a vibrant celebration of cycling culture, featuring live music, food, and recreational rides for participants of all ages. Despite facing challenges in its early years, the Tour Down Under has established itself as an important stop on the professional cycling calendar, achieving UCI WorldTour status in 2008. The event supports local tourism and encompasses a festive atmosphere, drawing cycling enthusiasts from around the globe. However, the 2021 edition was canceled due to health concerns stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Tour Down Under
The Tour Down Under is a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) certified ProTour cycling race that takes place in South Australia, Australia. The race takes place every January, typically over the course of eleven days. Participants traverse one portion of the race each day before returning to their hotels. The Tour Down Under draws a large amount of professional cycling teams and tourists to the region. In addition to the professional race, recreational cycling events are held for both children and adults.
The Tour Down Under is also the largest cycling festival in the Southern Hemisphere. Typically during the timeframe in which the race takes place, large numbers of cycling enthusiasts gather nearby. Live music, food, and alcohol are present, and the area becomes a large party. In 2021 and 2022, the typically annual event was cancelled due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the event resumed in 2023.
Background
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the governing body for professional and competitive cycling events across the world, was founded in 1900 in Paris, France. The organization came into existence as a merger of many national cycling organizations. These various groups came from Britain, Italy, Switzerland, France, and the United States. Over time, many more nations were added to the UCI.
During part of the organization’s history, it broke its competitors down into two smaller leagues: the International Amateur Cycling Federation and the International Professional Cycling Federation. Instead of personally managing the professional circuit, the UCI was responsible for coordinating the International Amateur Cycling Federation and the International Professional Cycling Federation. However, in 1992, the UCI merged its subsidiary organizations, once again directly taking control of both professional and amateur cycling.
In the modern era, the UCI runs and maintains the UCI World Championships and decides which races qualify for ProTour status. ProTour races are worth more to a cyclist’s career than regular races, meaning they draw more famous and elite teams of cyclists for the competition. Prior to the twenty-first century, all ProTour races took place in European nations. However, in 2007, the UCI announced that it had awarded ProTour Status to the Tour Down Under.
Overview
Prior to the founding of the Tour Down Under, Adelaide, Australia, hosted one round of the Formula 1 Racing World Championship. The race was extremely popular in Adelaide and was commonly accompanied by parties and festivals. However, in 1995, due to bureaucratic issues, the race was moved to Melbourne, Australia. This upset the people of Adelaide, spurring the government to look for alternative options.
The South Australian Government established Australian Major Events (AME) to search for a large sporting event that could replace the Formula 1 World Championship. The AME began to field ideas for cycling races, initially planning a race from Melbourne to Adelaide. However, after seeking the advice of famed cyclist Mike Turtur, the organization decided to plan a race that took place solely within Adelaide. The race would take place over several days, with cyclists completing a stage ranging up to 150 kilometers each day. All the cyclists would stay at the Hilton International Hotel, with each returning to the hotel after the day’s racing segment. An area near the hotel could be converted into a Tour Village, where teams stored equipment and trained. Additionally, keeping everything local would provide residents and tourists with opportunities to see the cyclists, increasing the entertainment value for spectators.
The first Tour Down Under was held in 1999. Early on in its history, the race struggled to field competitive riders. The Tour’s structure allowed certain riders to develop an early lead that would be extremely difficult for others to surpass. When this occurred, many of the participants began to treat the later days of the race like an extended holiday, racing at an easier pace instead of competing for the crowd. Additionally, the race took place during the Australian summer, a climate that was unfamiliar to many of the European competitors. It also took place very early in the season, causing even fewer of the most prominent cyclists to treat the race seriously. However, these factors often allowed local Australian cyclists to show their talent and determination. In other races, those cyclists might not have been given a chance to shine.
Over time, more cyclists began to enter the race, and the Tour Down Under grew into one of the largest and most successful cycling events in Australia. Many foreign riders from colder climates began to travel to the race site early, seeking to acclimate themselves to the heat before competing. The race has drawn a wide variety of famous participants, including Lance Armstrong. The race is heavily supported by the South Australian Government due to both the prestige of the event and the large numbers of tourists that it brings to South Australia.
The Tour Down Under is a UCI WorldTour professional cycling team event for men and a UCI ProSeries event for women. In 2008, it was the first event outside Europe to receive UCI WorldTour status. This made the Tour Down Under significantly more important for professional cyclists, leading to the attendance of more prestigious teams. Past winners of the race include Stuart O’Grady, Martin Elmiger, Cameron Meyer, and Simon Gerrans.
In addition to the race, the Tour Down Under is also treated as a party. The event is widely considered the largest Festival of Cycling in the Southern Hemisphere. It commonly features large parties with live music, food, and alcohol. It also features recreational cycling for both children and adults. The 2021 and 2022 annual events were cancelled because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, the race resumed in 2023.
Bibliography
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“Announcement: The 2025 Santos Tour Down Under Unveils Star-Studded Lineup of Australian and International Cyclists.” Cycling Forums, 6 Dec. 2024, www.cyclingforums.com/threads/the-2025-santos-tour-down-under-unveils-star-studded-lineup-of-australian-and-international-cyclists.485377. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
“A History of the Tour Down Under.” The Inner Ring, 15 Jan. 2012, inrng.com/2012/01/tour-down-under-race-history. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
“How a Pro Cycling Team Is Selected.” Active, 9 Sept. 2013, www.active.com/cycling/articles/how-a-pro-cycling-team-is-selected. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Lindsey, Joe. “Coronavirus Will Deal a Serious Blow to Pro Cycling.” Bicycling, 1 Apr. 2020, www.bicycling.com/racing/a31980209/coronavirus-pro-bike-racing. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Soladay, Tom. “Santos Women’s Tour Down Under.” Human Powered Health Cycling, humanpoweredhealthcycling.com/news/santos-womens-tour-down-under-preview. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
"Tour Down Under." Cycling Weekly, www.cyclingweekly.com/tag/tour-down-under. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.