The patience of cycling fans is rewarded every year in the Tour Down Under

We have to wait a while for it every year, but the new road season is really about to start. Many world top riders start their road campaign in the Tour Down Under, in what is invariably the first WorldTour race of the season. CyclingFlits takes you into the history of this competition.

The Santos Tour Down Under has become indispensable for many cycling enthusiasts as the first serious meeting among road cyclists, but we must not forget that the first edition only took place in 1999. That year, the organization, with Stuart O’Grady, immediately received a dream first overall winner. The sturdy sprinter/classics specialist managed to repel a Scandinavian double attack from Jesper Skibby and Magnus Bäckstedt.

The Tour Down Under was born and it soon became apparent that there was a lot of enthusiasm for a cycling race of the highest level on Australian soil. Beautiful cycling stories have been written over the years. We spontaneously think back to January 22, 2005, stage six from Willunga to Willunga. Two Spaniards are heading for the finish line. They are 22-year-old Alberto Contador and 21-year-old Luis León Sánchez. The two teammates of Liberty Seguros-Würth Team can fight it out for victory after a true team demonstration on the way to Willunga.

Because Sánchez is already (more or less) certain of the final victory in the Tour Down Under, Contador can make the victory gesture and cross the line first. It is not just a victory for the young promising tour rider. There’s a story behind it. Just six months before that Tour Down Under in question, it was even questionable whether Contador would ever get back on the bike, let alone return to the peloton.

In the second stage of the 2004 Tour of Asturias, the climber blacked out and had a serious fall. The light goes out. The images of a convulsing Contador go through the flesh. The Spaniard is rushed to hospital, where doctors discover a blood clot in his brain. A serious and risky operation follows, but Contador recovers, gets back on his feet and makes his comeback to the peloton in early 2005.

With his victory in the Tour Down Under, his first since his serious brain surgery, the circle has come full circle. “Everyone thinks that winning the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España are my best victories, but it was that stage victory in the Tour Down Under. There was so much emotion behind it,” looked The gunman in 2016 in an interview with Cyclist.Co back in the day.

Contador’s story is special, but the Tour Down Under has an even richer history. With the introduction of Willunga Hill (the traditional executioner) and the climb to Paracombe the match gained even more prestige. And it became a round for the punchers. Just look at the recent honors list, with winners such as Tom-Jelte Slagter, Daryl Impey and Richie Porte. The record holder is – not surprisingly – an Australian named Simon Gerrans. The retired classics specialist won the Tour Down Under in 2006, 2012, 2014 and 2016. Four times, talk about a great series.

Home country Australia has been extremely successful since the Tour Down Under was founded, with no fewer than fourteen overall victories. Not a bad score, knowing that the 24th edition is already scheduled for 2024. Finally, we should also take a moment to reflect on the achievements of Richie Porte. The now retired tour rider was extremely successful in his own country between 2010 and 2019. His two final victories speak volumes, but perhaps even more impressive is his winning streak on Willunga Hill. Porte was the first to reach the top of this iconic slope no fewer than seven times.

Latest winners Tour Down Under
2023: Jay Vine
2022: Not held due to the corona crisis
2021: Not held due to the corona crisis
2020: Richie Porte
2019: Daryl Impey
2018: Daryl Impey
2017: Richie Porte
2016: Simon Gerrans
2015: Rohan Dennis
2014: Simon Gerrans
2013: Tom-Jelte Butcher
2012: Simon Gerrans

In the 2024 cycling season, the Tour Down Under will be held from January 16 to 21.