The Southern Hemisphere’s most talked about professional cycling event, the Santos Tour Down Under is set to take place for the 23rd time next January and will certainly be returning with a bang, following an epic 2020 edition! The incredible event continues to grow and impress each year, increasingly becoming one of cycling’s most favoured events for the professionals and fans alike.
Unique to other World Tour events, with the sole base for the week being South Australia's, Adelaide central. Not only assuring convenience and less travel between stages, but an incredibly lively atmosphere within the city that cannot be compared to. Offering a festival-like vibe city-wide; from the offical ‘City of Adelaide Tour Village’, located opposite the professional team’s hotel base, to the countless ‘cycling related’, humming pop-up shops located sporadically throughout the centre - all there to embrace the Down Under spectacle and the tribes of cycling enthusiasts the week brings. It truly is one big ‘party’ for fans and a consistent stream of entertaining activity throughout the week that only continues to build as the race takes shape.
To add to its stand-out differentials over other events across the season, the Santos Tour Down Under allows a level of access to the professional peloton that cannot be replicated. Perhaps it’s the relaxed nature and attitudes of the riders as their first real test of the season, combined with the laid-back Aussie culture and again, its one central hub for the entire race duration.
For cycling-keen spectators of the race, the experience is truly amplified when setting out on the bike to join the thousands of other like-minded, passionate fans cruising through the stunning, yet challenging surrounding hills of Adelaide, in pursuit of some live stage viewing. To ensure an unforgettable live race experience, the organisation continue to create spectator-friendly courses - many of the races stages, include ‘circuits’, that allow fans to witness the action firsthand - on some days, up to five times. This again, encourages crowds of committed viewers to line the streets in support mode; a constant stream of cheer, delight and excitement in the air.
If it’s not the hills calling, the exceptional coastline surely will be, where the flatland fans can enjoy coastal spins under the Aussie sun throughout the week, also just a short pedal out of the city.
To top a sensational cycling experience, the Challenge Tour provides the perfect platform for riders to tackle the Stage Four race route ahead of the pro peloton in a sportive-like event. Masses of cyclists continue to show up each year, bright and early to contest the challenge and see for themselves just how tough the pros have it. This year should prove no different, with a testing route from Norwood, to Murray Bridge on the cards, totalling 162km, with varying lesser distance options to choose from in between.
To ride or not to ride? It’s certainly not just a week for the avid cyclist, chasing hills and willingly enduring pain. When not watching the world’s best battle it out over Adelaide’s most daring terrain, there’s ample opportunity to scope out some of South Australia’s most reputed wine regions, and their many fabulous eateries. From McLaren Vale, to the world-famous Barossa and all that’s in between. The race will travel across some of Australia's most visually stunning wine country and if you time it right, you could well be kicking back, watching them fly by over a crisp glass of local rosé.
When not wining, dining and race viewing amidst Adelaide's surrounds, the buzzing CBD itself has a lot to offer; from the popular Rundle Mall, to the must-visit Adelaide central market, its charming Botanic Gardens and many highly regarded bars, restaurants and cafes, where great coffee is far from difficult to come by.
At Mummu Cycling, we are huge fans of the Santos Tour Down Under and the incredibly lively race experience it consistently delivers year after year, continuing to surprise us with its valiant efforts to return bigger and better each time. Taking into account the many attributes noted above that assure our love for the race and Adelaide, we are now tentatively planning our 2021 tours to create a truly special Down Under experience!
We will be returning with several immersive experiences that will ensure you are there to truly witness the best of it and make the most of each day on tour. Whether it’s the complete Santos Tour Down Under adventure; from the furiously fast opening criterium around Adelaide’s city streets, through to the the nail-biting dramatic finale up the relentless slopes of the race-famous Willunga Hill. We’ll have you there to witness it all firsthand, at times over that much talked-about glass of SA wine, as well as embracing the best of a spirited Adelaide along the way.
If time is restricted, our 'long weekend' tour will ensure you catch all the race-shaping, thrilling final stage action and beyond within the short span of a long weekend away and assuredly a weekend you’ll be raving home about!
To maximise your cycling experience, in 2021 we will have our custom made fleet of world-class, incredibly lightweight Factor O2 carbon road bikes available to hire. Find out more on our strictly limited Factor bike fleet and hiring options here.