Down Under UPS Its Game

What to expect from the Australian WorldTour season opener

The Tour Down Under is like one of those alarm clocks that wakes you up gradually. It increases in volume slowly and soothes you out of slumber, rather than making you jump out of bed with a start. In the 20 years since the Australian race first appeared on the calendar, it has carefully carved out a delicate niche by providing a parcours that challenges the riders and excites the fans, but also eases everyone into the new racing year.

When the race began in 1999 it was largely a showcase for Australian cycling and the country’s professionals before they returned to Europe for the ‘real’ racing. It is still dominated by home riders – there have been 12 home winners in 19 editions – but the competition is now as fierce as anything back on the Old Continent. Since 2008, the six-stage race has also been the curtain raiser for the WorldTour, with an influx of talent from Europe making the trip to enjoy a sunny, hot alternative to the cold, damp European winter.