Tour Down Under: Extra Race Day Announced For Women’s Peloton
A fourth day of racing has been added to the women’s Tour Down Under – the Barossa Valley will host a thrilling double header during next year’s Santos Tour Down Under.
Wednesday, January 21 will see a one-day women’s UCI ProSeries event, following the three-stage women’s race from January 17-19.
The addition comes after organisers copped criticism over the initial announcement of just three women’s race days compared to six, including the prologue, for the men.
It means fans will now enjoy a full day of action on the Wednesday with the one-day circuit race immediately following Stage 1 of the men’s TDU.
The two races will use the same start and finish line in Tanunda, and the women will complete 12 laps of an 8km circuit, giving spectators plenty of opportunities to see all the colour, action and excitement of the peloton.
The finish is be a bunch sprint after 96km, completing four days of women’s racing.
Race Director Stuart O’Grady said organisers were always look at ways to improve the iconic event.
“Taking a one-day race to regional South Australia to complement the three-stage women’s TDU is another exciting element of the program,” said the former Paris-Roubaix winner.
“Crowds in Tanunda and the Barossa are consistently some of the strongest we see for the whole Tour, and next year spectators can enjoy two world-class races on the same day,” he added.
“The circuit we’ve designed means spectators will have multiple opportunities to see the race go past and enjoy the unique atmosphere the Barossa provides.”
January is expected to be the first time all 15 UCI Women’s WorldTeams will be on the start line in Adelaide.
The 2025 TDU was enjoyed by the biggest crowds since 2018 with 807,900 people attending the race, which achieved an all-time high expenditure of $98 million generating $62.5 million value added to the state’s economy.
Organisers are planning for an even bigger 2026 race, with registrations for participation events including the Adelaide Epic Ride and RADL GRVL are now open and more information is available at tourdownunder.com.au/ride.
Bicycle Network & Ride On will be at the TDU and look forward to bringing you coverage via this website – save www.rideonmagazine.com.au to your favourites and check back for updates.
