Sensational-Adelaide.com

Tour Down Under to scale new heights

Organisers of the Tour Down Under are considering including more uphill roads in next year's race to give specialist climbers more of a chance. The race currently favours sprinters along the largely flat stretches of road, with some steep ascents through the Adelaide Hills and Barossa ranges.

Race director Mike Turtur wants the race to be evenly suited to both types of riders.

"There's something we've got in mind that might fit well for the race in terms of making it a better balanced race again so if we're able to implement this element it'll make it interesting again," he said.

The news is bound to please UniSA rider Rohan Dennis, who claimed both the King of the Mountain and Best Young Rider titles. The 21-year-old says his focus now switches to qualifying for the London Olympics.

"The past week was vital for me to get my name out there, and my long term goal is to become a professional on the road," he said.

Veteran commentator Phil Liggett says his future looks bright.

"He came really good at the national championships, he won both the Under-23 road and time trial titles. I think he could well be a world champion again after the track sessions in Melbourne which come at the end of March," he said.

"He's young, so he's going to have to fight, but I'm sure he'll make the Olympics."

crawf wrote:The city looked pretty good in the aerial footage during Sundays race on Channel 9.

Wayno wrote:Well it's come and gone - and there's talk of more hill climbs in 2013. I wonder which routes they are considering? Perhaps a trek up Norton Summit Rd?

Tour Down Under to scale new heights

Organisers of the Tour Down Under are considering including more uphill roads in next year's race to give specialist climbers more of a chance. The race currently favours sprinters along the largely flat stretches of road, with some steep ascents through the Adelaide Hills and Barossa ranges.

Downhill dash in the plans to add finishing touch to future tours
Rupert Guinness
January 23, 2012

THE prospect of the Tour Down Under having a spectacular stage finish in Adelaide with the field racing down from the city's biggest climb - Greenhill Road - was one of several suggestions being considered by race organisers as they plan future routes.

Race director Mike Turtur said that the idea was one of many that were on the table in a bid to tweak the race course every year.

This year, the biggest change was to include a summit finish on Old Willunga Hill for the first time in the 14-year history of the World Tour race.

However, what changes are able to be included for next year's edition will not be known until next month at the earliest after the race organisation have received expressions of interests from towns and regions outside Adelaide that want to host stage starts and finishes.

Several riders have suggested that the Tour Down Under include more selective landmarks in the route to make it more decisive. Australian rider Michael Rogers (Sky), who placed fourth overall at 14 seconds to Australian race winner Simon Gerrans (GreenEDGE), would like a time trial.

Turtur said the idea of a finish in Adelaide with the route including the five-kilometre descent from Greenhill Road had been in their suggestion book for some time. ''We have already looked at those things,'' Turtur said. ''Logistically, it is a bit of a management issue because once you come back into suburbia, there is either [a need for] full barriers or monitoring of every driveway, back street, cat and dog and everything else.''

Turtur is not convinced that a time trial should be added to the race. He said it would bring added costs for timing equipment and extended road closures. And while some races allow for the use of standard road bikes in time trials rather than aerodynamic ones, Turtur is against compromising the discipline.

''I have never considered a time trial without the right equipment,'' he said. ''World Tour is World Tour, and if they do it they should be able to use the equipment they use in every other major tour. I think it is a bit Mickey Mouse when you say, 'Do a time trial, but you can use your normal road bike.'

''Depending on how far, who and when it is, it can be all over red rover as soon as it begins. That could happen here. It is dangerous in my view.''

Maximus wrote:Also, a very complimentary tourist-focussed write-up of the event here:

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/activity/a ... 1qivf.html

It's heaven for MAMILs and it can't be faulted. Sorry, Melbourne, but Adelaide is home to an event that's damn near perfect, writes Simon Morris.

http://www.tourism.vic.gov.au/images/st ... 0final.pdf

Wayno wrote:thanks Maximus - that's a good read. including this opening statement:

It's heaven for MAMILs and it can't be faulted. Sorry, Melbourne, but Adelaide is home to an event that's damn near perfect, writes Simon Morris.

Wayno wrote:The TDU is definitely a winner, but there's still room for improvement. Many of my interstate friends did not even know the event was happening last week

victorious80 wrote:Not sure if these figures are accurate, but according to the two links below, the Tour Down Under (8 day event) had a greater attendance than the Australian Open this year (14 day event).

I think this really gives an indication as to the popularity and scale of this event!

Aus Open 2012 attendance was 686,006 (http://www.thesportscampus.com/20120129 ... sing-notes)

Tour Down Under 2012 estimated attendance was 750,000 (http://www.news.com.au/an-estimated-750 ... 6250813150)

Of course there are some differences between the events, such as the TDU being free to watch, but this is very impressive none-the-less!

jk1237 wrote:apparently the TDU is getting hardly any exposure or publicity outside of SA