The Tour Down Under is the perfect curtain-raiser for the men's World Tour season.
Gone are the days, however, when six days racing around Adelaide were treated as almost a holiday for the sport's elite. As the 2024 event showed, this is a race full of challenges. It's a race that can give your season an early boost, or dampen hopes, where new stars can emerge and storylines begin to be written for the year ahead.
This year's race included several stand-out moments; like Isaac del Toro's (UAE Team Emirates) perfectly timed attack on stage two, Sam Welsford's (Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinting masterpiece and the measured, unshakeable performance of Stephen Williams (Israel - Premier Tech) to take the overall crown.
Besides, these were the lesser-seen elements that make the Tour Down Under what it is; like wheelies on Willunga, quirky murals and the picturesque Adelaide landscape as the backdrop.
Tour Down Under Stage 1
George Bennett chats with his new Sports Director Sam Bewley on his first day in an Israel-Premier Tech jersey
Nick Schultz of Israel-Premier Tech leads the bunch as they roll through the vineyards near Tanunda, where stage one started and finished.
The peloton cruise past a row of palm trees.
Team Visma - Lease a Bike lead the peloton down a fast descent.
Latvia's Emils Liepns (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) feeling the heat on the first day of racing.
The salt marks on Stefan de Bod's skinsuit looked like they were part of EF Education-Easypost's new jersey design.
Tour Down Under Stage 2
Stage one winner and overnight leader Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) looking confident as he prepares for the second day of racing.
The riders went climbing in the Adelaide hills on stage two.
The lone figure of Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) cuts through another Adelaide vineyard wearing the white jersey as the best young rider.
The peloton swings round a looping left-hand bend, led by the Australian national team.
Young Australian Luke Burns (Australian National Team) in the breakaway. He secured vital points in the battle for the King of the Mountains jersey.
Young Mexican starlet Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) tries to catch his breath after he out-foxed the peloton with a brilliant attack in the final five-hundred metres.
Biniam Girmay in a reflective mood after missing out on the win again.
2023 Tour de l'Avenir winner Del Toro is overjoyed at his first professional win.
Tour Down Under 2024 Stage 3
Sam Welsford won plenty of new fans after his performances over the week.
EF's Stefan De Bod and Axel Mariault of Cofidis were two out of the four riders who formed the breakaway of the day.
The peloton zooms through the town of Mount Pleasant as they make their way towards the finish in Campbelltown.
The peloton going easy on a descent as they chase down the breakaway.
Full power - the sprinters giving it everything on the drag up to the line
Making it look easy - Welsford celebrates as he goes two-for-two in the sprints.
Welsford thanks team-mate Ryan Mullen, who had been part of another perfect lead-out.
Lucas Plapp's road rash after a high-speed crash which would later see him abandon. It was a disappointing race for the home favourites Jayco-AlUla.
A touching moment as Welsford enjoys his second victory with loved-ones after the finish.
Luke Burns of the Australian national team has his efforts rewarded with the King of the Mountains jersey on his back.
Tour Down Under 2024 Stage 4
Isaac del Toro, one of the break-out stars of the race, readies himself ahead of his second day in the leader's ochre jersey.
Cofidis' Simon Geschke, now in his final year as a professional, looks composed as he waits for the stage to begin.
The riders cross the historic Murray Bridge as they begin the day's racing.
Fans take pictures of the bunch as it makes its way towards the stage finish in Port Elliot.
Moo-ving on - Isaac del Toro is well protected by his UAE Team Emirates team-mates as they pass a mural of a curious-looking cow.
The sun beats-down on the riders on another baking-hot day. Bora-Hansgrohe lead the peloton as Welsford looks to take a clean sweep of sprint wins.
Disbelief for birthday-boy Welsford as he takes his third win of the race, just getting the better of Girmay.
Julian Alaphilippe and his young Soudal Quick-Step team-mate Antoine Huby make their way to the bus after the stage.
The Lidl-Trek squad unpick the day's events.
Tour Down Under 2024 Stage 5
Del Toro looking focussed with the prospect of Old Willunga Hill and an important day in the GC battle ahead
Before the iconic Willunga Hill, the route took the riders along the coast
No time for the beach today. Willunga calls.
Alert to the danger, Chris Harper (Jayco-AlUla) chases down Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek)
Up front, Willunga is a fierce battleground for the top contenders. Behind, it's a party. Two riders show-off their wheelie skills.
Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), cloaked in the stars and stripes as USA national champion, takes a high-five from a fan.
More wheelies - this time it's Jayco-AlUla's Campbell Stewart entertaining the crowds.
Luke Burns and Biniam Girmay joke with a fan as they make their way up the famous climb.
A light moment for Harry Sweeny (EF Education - Easypost) as he cools off after the stage.
Tour Down Under 2024 Stage 6
The new ochre jersey, Stephen Williams (Israel - Premier Tech), makes his way to sign on.
The fans use any means necessary to get a good view of the peloton as it comes past.
The early attacks fly as riders know they have one final opportunity to win a stage.
Patrick Bevin (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) gets aero as the peloton hurtles down a descent.
Race leader Williams gets the better of Narvaez (Ineos Grenadiers) and Del Toro in the final sprint to seal the overall win.
A moment to debrief for Michael Storer and the Australian National Team squad.
The four jersey winners: Del Toro, Williams, Welsford and Burns (from left to right).
Isaac del Toro celebrates winning the young rider's classification.
Williams admires his trophy. It's the Welshman's first World Tour stage race win.
