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It’s been two long seasons since the men’s professional peloton blew off the cobwebs and opened the season on sunny Australian shores. In both 2021 and 2022, the Tour Down Under was cancelled due to restrictions following the Covid-19 pandemic, meaning the WorldTour calendar was without its flagship race in the southern hemisphere. However, in 2023, the Tour Down Under is finally back from January 17 to 22 and it boasts an exciting route as well as a stellar line-up.
After its two year hiatus, the organisers of the Tour Down Under have restarted proceedings with an event first: a city prologue around Adelaide’s central business district. A day later, road racing kicks off in stage one which looks like it should be an opportunity for the sprinters with almost 150 kilometres of racing on the flatlands of South Australia’s Barossa region. Stage two is a hillier affair to the coastal town of Victor Harbor, while stage three will see the riders take on an even more undulating 116 kilometres from Norwood to Campbelltown.
Although the race then passes through Willunga, there will be no inclusion of the race’s famed Willunga Hill in 2023, with stage four looking like another chance for the sprinters. To close proceedings, we can expect fireworks on the fifth and final day as the riders skirt through the Adelaide Hills, including four ascents of the famous Mount Lofty climb. This could be where the general classification winner is decided.
Heading up a star-studded field so far are a couple of big name riders including the 2022 Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), as well as local legend and former time trial world champion Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma). We can also expect to see the likes of Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) in the fight for the overall general classification. Sprinters such as Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) and Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech) will hope to be at the pointy end of the flatter stages.
As we buckle up and get ready for the first showing of the men’s WorldTour in 2023, here is a full preview of the 2023 men’s Santos Tour Down Under.
Route
Prologue
While many of the WorldTour peloton will have been clocking up the miles this winter, the opening prologue of the 2023 Tour Down Under will expose who has been keeping an eye on their technical abilities, too. The 5.5 kilometre time trial around the centre of Adelaide features numerous tight turns and what the organisers describe as a ‘dive bomb…
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