The Tour Down Under men’s stages have plenty of action the the Murraylands, Hills, Fleurieu and Barossa this week.
Stage 1 on Tuesday 16 January, winds its way through the Barossa Valley. The 144-kilometre track includes three laps of a large loop through the wine region’s best-known towns. The start and finish are taking place in Tanunda, while Mengler’s Hill will offer the day’s climbing action.
Stage 2 on Wednesday 17 January is a 141.6-kilometre route from Norwood Parade to Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills. A 35-kilometre loop encompasses sprint and stage finish host Lobethal, along with Kenton Valley, Gumeracha and Cudlee Creek. Vantage points include the Fox Creek climb that riders will tackle twice.
The 145.3-kilometre Health Partners Men’s Stage 3 on Thursday 18 January starts in Tea Tree Gully and travels into the Barossa before heading back towards Adelaide.
Stage 4 is a new 136.2km stage for 2024 from Murray Bridge to Port Elliot, on Friday 19 January. The neutral loop to begin the stage will see the peloton cross the Murray, push east to Langhorne Creek, sprinting past its general store and then setting their sights on Strathalbyn. The one significant climb on this stage is the category three Gemmell Hill. There will be a push towards Goolwa and a finish at The Strand.
On the weekend, riders will tackle a race favourite, Willunga Hill, for Stage 5 on Saturday 20 January. The world’s best will gather at Christies Beach and travel through Port Noarlunga before turning inland. Sprints at Willunga and Aldinga are set to feature before the road grows steeper.Two ascents of Willunga Hill await on this 129-kilometre stage, which finishes atop its summit after the second.
The event finishes on Sunday again in the Adelaide Hills. A 128.2-kilometre track from Unley to Mount Lofty includes a sharp climb to Windy Point, an extended loop through Mylor, Aldgate, Uraidla, Stirling, Crafers and Bridgewater before heading up to Mt Lofty.
For more details head to https://tourdownunder.com.au/.
