The Santos Tour Down Under women’s race will make history today as it takes place at the highest level of international competition for the first time.
Ziptrak® Women’s Stage 1 will cover 110.4 kilometres between Glenelg and Aldinga, opening the 2023 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Women’s WorldTour.
The Santos Tour Down Under women’s race was elevated to the highest UCI classification last June, making it the only stage race of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
Young girls aspiring to a career in professional cycling are set to join their heroes on the start line in the heart of Glenelg ahead of the peloton leaving at 11:30am.
In a Santos Tour Down Under first, the women’s race will be broadcast by the Seven Network on live, free-to-air television across all stages.
The Santos Tour Down Under women’s peloton features UCI Women’s WorldTour, Continental and national teams, with today’s stage a chance for sprinters to shine.
Two big battles to the line will take place on Main Road in Willunga ahead of the stage finish at Snapper Point around 3pm.
The Santos Tour Down Under women’s race has grown steadily since it began as a UCI 2.2 event in 2016.
In 2018 it became the first cycling event in the world to offer women the same prize money as men, joining the UCI ProSeries in 2020.
Fans can also see the competing women’s riders and teams in the Team Zone within the City of Adelaide Tour Village for the first time in event history.
Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Stuart O’Grady OAM said today’s Santos Tour Down Under stage was a major step forward for female cyclists and teams.
“What a moment! It’s so exciting to join our new Assistant Race Directors Annette Edmondson and Carlee Taylor for the Santos Tour Down Under women’s race,” O’Grady said.
“We are focused on presenting an event at the highest level of competition that provides great opportunities, challenges and coverage of the athletes taking part.
“I expect the women’s peloton will receive a great send-off in Glenelg as not only first event of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, but also as the first Santos Tour Down Under stage since January 2020.”
Amanda Spratt is the most successful rider in Santos Tour Down Under women’s race history, winning the overall classification three times.
Spratt will be on the start line in Glenelg and is facing tough international and Australian competition, including the likes of 2023 Australian National Championships road race winner Brodie Chapman (Trek-Segafredo), time trial winner Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) and criterium champion Amber Pate (Team Jayco-Alula), along with Krista Doebel-Hickok (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Clara Copponi (FDJ-Suez).
The Santos Tour Down Under women’s race will tackle undulating routes during Singapore Airlines Women’s Stage 2 and Let’s Go Motorhomes Women’s Stage 3, including the infamous Corkscrew Road on Tuesday.
The Santos Tour Down Under is taking place in Adelaide and regional South Australia from 13-22 January 2023. It features nine days of UCI WorldTour men’s and women’s racing.
Please visit tourdownunder.com.au for more.
Today’s Cycling Action:
Race: Ziptrak® Women’s Stage 1
Start: 11:30am Mosley Terrace, Glenelg
Finish: Est. 3:07pm Esplanade, Snapper Point, Aldinga
Distance: 110.4km
Ziptrak Sprint Points:
- #1 53.8km Main Road, Willunga at Willunga Main Hall
- #2 93.2km Main Road, Willunga at Willunga Main Hall
Efex Queen of the Mountain:
- #1 34.4km Chaffey’s Climb
San Remo Pasta Feed Zone:
- 71.1km Snapper Point, Aldinga
Today’s Broadcast Details:
2023 Santos Tour Down Under – Ziptrak® Women’s Stage 1
Sydney: 12:00pm – 4:00pm – Watch on 7TWO
Melbourne: 12:00pm – 4:00pm – Watch on 7TWO
Brisbane 11:00am – 3:00pm – Watch on 7TWO
Adelaide: 11:30am – 3:30pm – Watch on 7TWO
Perth: 9:00am – 1:00pm – Watch on 7TWO
Highlights Show Available for the above states: 12:30am – 1:30am – Watch on Channel 7
What’s on Today: Santos Festival of Cycling
Detours: Coast to Coast
9:40am, Meeting point – City of Adelaide Tour Village
In this epic, all-inclusive Sunday-sesh, travel from the iconic Colley Terrace, Glenelg, to the sweeping coastline of Snapper Point, Aldinga for Ziptrak Stage 1 of the inaugural Santos Tour Down Under Women’s WorldTour race event. Join us for a day of delicious food, amazing drinks and prime race viewing. (Note: this is a ticketed event)
Vintage Bike Display
11:00am – 5:00pm City of Adelaide Tour Village
Come and meet a group of local enthusiasts who will be displaying some South Australian made vintage bicycles Some of these bicycles have been completely restored and others are completely original and haven’t changed since leaving the factory, in some cases, over 100 years ago.
Norwood Cycling Club TDU Criteriums
15th – 16th January 1:00pm – 7:30pm, Victoria Park Criterium Circuit
NCC runs weekly criteriums which draw big fields all through summer, regularly attracting more than 200 participants across a huge variety of ages and abilities. The Santos Tour Down Under races will be their biggest events of the season. A little added prize money is set to make racing hotly contested, with big bunches sure to excite onlookers. Watch all the high-speed action of the criteriums from the shade of the historic grandstand.
DJ Ruby Chew
2:00pm – 4:30pm Santos Main Stage, City of Adelaide Tour Village
DJ Ruby Chew’s packin’ array of tantalising tunes – from funk, blues & disco, to 80’s, 90’s & naughties, she’s got it and she ain’t afraid to use it!
DJ Ruby Chew is a born and bred Adelaidian with a passion for all things retro. She grew up listening to jazz from a young age and began her DJ career at one of Adelaide’s most infamous dive bars, Supermild. Her M.O. combines classics we all love merged with soon to be favourites from the past.
Tilly Tjala Thomas
6:30pm – 8:00pm Santos Main Stage, City of Adelaide Tour Village
In the space of about two years, 19-year-old Tilly Tjala Thomas’s soulful take on electro-folk with a strong storytelling bent has already seen her nominated for Best New Talent at the NIMAs after receiving the Unearthed Award at the 2021 NIMAs, enticed regular rotation on triple j with English and traditional Nukunu language-fused track Ngai Yurlku Nhiina, and performed at the Made In Adelaide showcase at BIGSOUND.
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