The organisers have claimed that the 2024 Santos Tour Down Under will test the cyclists like never before as they race around South Australia. The six-stage WorldTour race begins in Tanunda on Tuesday, January 16 and ends in Mount Lofty on Sunday, January 21, 2024.
The first four race stages should give sprinters and possibly opportunists ample chances to step up and claim victory. Murray Bridge, about an hour south-east of Adelaide, is hosting the start of stage 4, in order to showcase the region as it recovers from recent flooding. Cyclists will cross the mighty Murray under neutral conditions before the day of racing begins.
The last two stages will deliver the toughest final weekend with the ascents of Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty, a first in the history of Tour Down Under. Each iconic Australian climb will be tackled twice over the final two days of racing before the overall winner is decided.
Stage 1 - Tanunda -Tanunda
Returning to the beautiful Barossa for another blistering sprint stage, riders will tackle three laps of the region, travelling through Seppeltsfield, Greenock, Nuriootpa, Angaston and Tanunda for a total of 144km.
Stage 2 - Norwood - Lobethal
Starting in Norwood, the 141.6-kilometre stage 2 includes twists and turns across the Adelaide Hills, and ends with three 35-kilometre loops and two ascents of the Fox Creek Climb (1.6km, max 17.8%), a short but super-steep climb set to be a launchpad for multiple attacks to take the win in Lobethal.
Stage 3 - Tea Tree Gully - Campbelltown
The 145.3-kilometre stage 3 starts in Tea Tree Gully and tackles the first climb almost immediately, Tea Tree Gully Hill before travelling into the Barossa’s eastern edge before a speedy finish down Gorge Road and into Campbelltown.
Stage 4 - Murray Bridge - Port Elliot
A neutral loop to begin stage 4 at Murray Bridge will see the peloton cross the mighty Murray before pushing east to Langhorne Creek and the only climb of the day, Gemmell Hill near Strathalbyn. The peloton will speed to an uphill finish at Port Elliot towards the ocean on The Strand.
Stage 5 - Christies Beach - Willunga Hill
Fan favourite Willunga Hill (3km at 7.4%) is back in 2024, climbed not once but twice on the 129.3km stage 5. After a new start location at Christies Beach, riders will make their way around McLaren Vale before two laps of the district. King of the Mountain points on Willunga Hill with its maximum gradient of 15.6 percent are on offer the first time up while the second time up promises a climbers' battle for the stage win.
Stage 6 - Unley - Mount Lofty
Mount Lofty (1.3km at 7.3%, max. 13.3%) returns for the final day of racing. After leaving Unley, the peloton will tackle the sharp climb to Windy Point (3.8km at 6%, max. 20%) just under four kilometres into the 128.2km stage. The route then continues into the Adelaide Hills for an extended loop through towns including Mylor, Aldgate, Uraidla, Stirling, Crafers and Bridgewater. A first pass of Mount Lofty forms part of this circuit, while the second is set to deliver the stage winner, and perhaps the overall winner.
