Details of the route for the Santos Tour Down Under 2014 – set to run January 19 – 25, in and around Adelaide, South Australia – have been announced. With circuits around the Barossa and Adelaide Hills, tough climbs up Willunga Hill and Corkscrew Hill, cosmopolitan starts in Prospect and Unley and the return of old favourites in Norwood and Victor Harbor, the 2014 race is certainly shape up to be something special. The 2014 event also sees Stage 1 return to Nuriootpa for the first time since the race’s inception in 1999, including the gruelling Menglers Hill climb just 14km from the finish at Angaston.
Tourism Minister, Leon Bignell, says the 2014 course will test sprinters, climbers and all rounders, commenting, ‘Today we are announcing some fantastic new race routes which will really test the riders and maintain this great South Australian event as the best cycling race outside of Europe.’
The Santos Tour Down Under 2014 schedule is:
January 19 People’s Choice Classic City Circuit TBC (50 km)
January 20 Rest Day
January 21 Stage 1 Nuriootpa – Angaston (135 km)
January 22 BikeExchange.com.au Stage 2 – Prospect – Stirling (150 km)
January 23 Stage 3 – Norwood – Campbelltown (145 km)
January 24 Bupa Stage 4 – Unley – Victor Harbor (148.5 km)
January 25 Stage 5 – McLaren Vale – Willunga Hill (151.5km)
January 26 Stage 6 – Route TBC (85.5 km)
For further details see tourdownunder.com.au and for an appreciation of the sense of fun that famously surrounds the Tour Down Under take a look at their TV commercial below…
