Glenelg will feature as a stage start in the 2023 Santos Tour Down Under women's race, it was announced today.
The event will be the first ever UCI Women's WorldTour stage race in the southern hemisphere after being elevated to the top category of racing for next year.
The cyclists will gather at Glenelg on Sunday 15 January 2023 for Stage 1 of the race, which will lead them on a 110km ride south, finishing in Aldinga.
The race, planned by Race Director Stuart O'Grady OAM and Assistant Race Directors Annette Edmondson and Carlee Taylor, was announced at a press conference in Glenelg this morning.
In addition to the race's three stages, the women's team will compete in dynamic criterium through central Adelaide on Saturday 14 January.
"It will be a big moment to have the first ever UCI Women's WorldTour stage race here in South Australia and to see the very best female cyclists competing across our state once again," Annette Edmondson said.
"We have worked to create a race that will excite and challenge the peloton but also deliver an entertaining experience for spectators, and I can't wait to see how the riders tackle each stage."
Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Katrine Hildyard said that having elite female cyclists compete in world class competition on new routes is brilliant for riders and fans.
"Each stage provides opportunities for local fans to enjoy the action and see their heroines racing in a world-class event on home soil," Ms Hildyard said.
The Santos Tour Down Under is taking place in Adelaide and regional South Australia from 13-22 January 2023. It will feature nine days of elite racing for men and women.
For the first time, Brighton is hosting a stage start for the men's race on Thursday 19 January with the with the riders heading south along the Esplanade, bound for Victor Harbor.
THE 2023 SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER WOMEN'S STAGES ARE:
Saturday 14 January, Schwalbe Classic
Central Adelaide
Sunday 15 January Ziptrak® Stage 1
Glenelg to Aldinga, 110.4km
Monday 16 January, Stage 2
Birdwood to Uraidla, 90km
Tuesday 17 January, Stage 3
Adelaide to Campbelltown, 93.2km
