Stage One of the 25th annual Santos Tour Down Under begins in Brighton today, as new figures reveal the race has delivered a billion-dollar economic benefit for South Australia.
Since the race's inception in 1999, total attendance has exceeded 12.5 million people, while more than 2000 individual riders have joined the peloton, travelling a combined distance of 21,505km - the equivalent of a lap-and-a-half of Australia.
Today, the race begins with a starter's gun in beachside Brighton for the Ziptrak® Women's Stage 1.
This is the first time the beachside suburb has hosted a women's race stage, with fans expected to line the 102km race route as the women's peloton passes through Carrickalinga, Normanville and Myponga before a fast-paced finish at Snapper Point.
After a seven-year hiatus, Adelaide's CBD will return as the backdrop for the final day of men's racing.
The President of the global cycling body Union Cycliste Internationale David Lappartient will attend this year's Tour Down Under, along with 35-time Tour de France stage winner Sir Mark Cavendish, who is widely considered the greatest cycling sprinter of all time.
Sir Mark competed at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2011 - the same year he claimed the rainbow jersey as World Champion.
In 2024, the Santos Tour Down Under was judged best sporting event in the nation at the Australian Event Awards.
Eighty-four female riders from 14 teams make up the women's peloton this year, with the race to continue tomorrow at the Health Partners Stage Two: Unley to Willunga Hill, before a new champion is crowned following Hyundai Stage Three: Stirling to Stirling on Sunday.
Then in a historic first, the Schwalbe Women's One-Day Classic will be held on Sunday 26 January on the same city route as Schwalbe Men's Stage 6: Adelaide to Adelaide - offering fans an exclusive opportunity to see the world's best women's and men's riders in one location as Australia's greatest cycling race celebrates its milestone 25th year.
