We’re nearing the start of the 2013 professional cycling season and the best tour of all is about to kick it off. If you’re in Adelaide and are looking for ride suggestions and everything else about the race, look no further.
Tour Down Under 2013: Stages
STAGE ONE :: Prospect To Lebethal
Date: Tuesday January 22
Start and Finish: Prospect to Lobethal (map)
Start Time: 11am
Finish Time: 2.34pm ETA
Race Distance: 135km
Ride Suggestion: Start early (7am) and ride some of Adelaides beautiful climbs through the Adelaide Hills. Come home down Gorge Rd and loop around through Cudlee Creek, Lebothal, and Norton Summit to watch the start of Stage One at Prospect at 10:30am. This should be about an 80km ride. Go for breakfast after the start, head for the beach, then watch the last two hours of the stage live on TV at a pub. This is a difficult stage to both ride and watch, but if you're going to head out to watch the race come by, go to Checker Hill. If you're quick you might be able to jump across to Lebethal to see the race come by three times before finishing in the town.
See stage 1 overview map (pdf) with points of interest (start, finish, KOM’s, sprints, feedzones).
STAGE TWO:: Mt Barker to Rostrevor
Date: Wednesday 23 January
Start and Finish: Mt Barker to Rostrevor (map)
Start Time: 11am
Finish Time: 1.59pm ETA
Race Distance: 116.5km
Ride Suggestion: Ride out to Mt Barker to watch the start. It’s 35km from Adelaide CBD, so leave at 8am to get there in time to mingle at the startline. Then make your way through the back roads to the charming town of Handorf and head to the Corkscrew. This is the place to be for the KOM and the finish is shortly after. The guys from Shimano will be hosting a roadside party there so expect a great atmosphere. You’ll be able to catch onto a bunch of pros for a free ride home back to Adelaide.
See stage 2 map here (pdf) with points of interest (start, finish, KOM’s, sprints, feedzones).
STAGE THREE :: Unley to Stirling
Date: Thursday 24 January
Start and Finish: Unley to Stirling (map)
Start Time: 11am (King William Road, Unley)
Finish Time: 2.41pm ETA
Race Distance: 139km
Ride Suggestion: Go for a scenic loop through beautiful Mt Lofty. Watch the race for three laps in the town of Stirling and then catch on the back of one of the Pro Teams and follow back to Adelaide.
STAGE FOUR :: Modbury to Tanunda
Date: Friday 25 January
Start and Finish: Modbury to Tanunda (map)
Start Time: 11am (Civic Park, Modbury)
Finish Time: 2.13pm ETA
Race Distance: 126.5km
Where to Ride? The Bupa Challenge will be the most popular option on this day, but if you want to do your own thing, it might be a good day to do a ride similar to my Stage 1 suggestion and watch the last two hours of the race at a pub near the beach. However, if you’re up for an epic day, climb out of Adelaide through Gorge Rd and through the beautiful Chain of Ponds to Kersbrook. The race will come through there and if you’re feeling energetic, ride up to Tanunda to catch the finish. Keep in mind you’ll need to ride back to Adelaide from Tanunda which is ~75km. Be prepared for a massive day out and save enough in the legs for tomorrow.
Stage 4 map (pdf) with key points of interest (start, finish, KOM’s, sprints, feedzones).
STAGE FIVE :: McLaren Vale to Old Willunga Hill
Date: Saturday 26 January 2013
Start and Finish: McLaren Vale to Old Willunga Hill (map)
Start Time: 11.10am McLaren Vale
Finish Time: 3.02pm ETA, Old Willunga Hill
Race Distance: 151.5km
Ride Suggestion: Cars are not allowed up Old Willunga hill so the best way to get there is by bike. Norwood Cycling Club and Rapha will be hosting the same magnificent ride as last year. The ride out is fantastic, and it's a great ride home with the pros as well. Meeting time and place TBD (it will probably leave from Norwood CC clubhouse), but I will keep you posted via twitter and facebook.
STAGE SIX :: Adelaide City Council Street Circuit
Date: Sunday 27 January 2013
Start and Finish: Adelaide City Council Street Circuit (map)
Start Time: 1.15pm* (King William Road, Elder Park)
Finish Time: 3.15pm* approximately
Race Distance: 90km
Ride Suggestion: Get out early in the Adelaide Hills and enjoy your last day of riding. Your mates will be smashed by this time, so go easy on them.
Tour Down Under Teams
See the full startlist of riders here.
Ag2r La Mondiale
Argos-Shimano
Astana
Blanco
BMC Racing
Cannondale
Euskaltel-Euskadi
FDJ
Garmin-Sharp
Lampre-Merida
Lotto Belisol
Movistar
Omega Pharma-QuickStep
Orica-GreenEdge
RadioShack-Nissan
Saxo-Tinkoff
Sky
UniSA-Australia (wildcard)
Vacansoleil-DCM
Tour Down Under: Jerseys
Red jersey: Winning Team, Green jersey, Most aggressive rider, Black jersey: Best young rider, Blue jersey: Sprint classification leader, White jersey: KOM, Ochre (orange) jersey: Overall race leader
2012 Tour Down Under Top 10
1. Simon Gerrans (Aus) GreenEdge
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar at same time
3. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack-Nissan at 8 secs
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky at 14 secs
5. Rohan Dennis (Aus) UniSA-Australia at 14 secs
6. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan at 16 secs
7. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky at 18 secs
8. Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar at 23 secs
9. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank at 29 secs
10. Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha at 32 secs
Honor Roll
2012 Simon Gerrans (Aus) GreenEdge
2011 Cameron Meyer (Aus) Garmin-Cervelo
2010 Andre Greipel (Ger) HTC-Columbia
2009 Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step
2008 Andre Greipel (Ger) High Road
2007 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Ag2r
2006 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2r
2005 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Liberty Seguros
2004 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA
2003 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2r
2002 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australia Institute of Sport
2001 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole
2000 Gilles Maignan (Fra) Ag2r
1999 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole
2012 Photos
Cancer Council Classic
Stage One
Stage Two
Stage Three
Stage Four
Stage Five
Stage Six
Portraits Of The Tour Down Under
2011 Tour Down Under from cycling tips on Vimeo.