Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur awarded Key to the City of Adelaide
MIKE Turtur has dedicated much of his life to cycling and promoting South Australia. It has led to Olympic and Commonwealth gold medals and the birth of Australia’s premier cycling event, the Tour Down Under. Now he has another accolade to add to his growing number, the Key to the City of Adelaide.
MIKE Turtur has dedicated much of his life to cycling and promoting South Australia.
It has led to Olympic and Commonwealth gold medals and the birth of Australia’s premier cycling event, the Tour Down Under.
Now he has another accolade to add to his growing number, the Key to the City of Adelaide.
Mr Turtur has been bestowed the honour on the eve of the 20th Tour Down Under.
It recognises his Olympic and Commonwealth Games cycling career, as well as his contribution to the city as founder of the TDU.
Lord Mayor Martin Haese will present him with the key at a ceremony later this year.
Mr Turtur said he felt “greatly honoured” by the award.
“It’s a significant recognition and I appreciate it very much,” he said.
“I’ve always been a proud South Australian, I have no desire to live or work anywhere else in the world or Australia.”
Through his role as race director of the TDU, Mr Turtur said he and others had tried to create an event that highlights “the great aspects of our state and city” to promote SA the best way they could.
“I think it has worked really well so I am exceptionally proud of that.”
Mr Turtur said over the next couple of weeks during the TDU, he will be catching up with “a lot of people” and thanking them for their help along the way.
“I haven’t been able to do this on my own,” he said.
“I’ve had great support and I thank them all for that.”
A track cyclist, Mr Turtur won a gold medal in the 4000m team pursuit at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, and competed at three Commonwealth Games, where he claimed another four medals.
Mr Turtur went on to become the South Australian Institute of Sport cycling coach, and manager of the Adelaide Super-Drome – the headquarters for the highly successful Australian Institute of Sport’s women’s and men’s track cycling program.
But as founder of the Tour Down Under, Mr Turtur had “well and truly put Adelaide on the map in the world of professional cycling”, Mr Haese said.
“Since the first event in 1999, the Tour Down Under has grown every year to become the biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere and, as race director, Mike Turtur has been integral to this growth,” he said.
“His contribution to the world-recognised Tour Down Under over the last 20 years has seen Adelaide and SA become the centre of the cycling world for two weeks in January.”
The People’s Choice Classic will take place tomorrow night in Adelaide’s East End, where spectators will have the chance to watch the professional cyclists test their skills before Stage 1 of the Tour Down Under begins from Port Adelaide on Tuesday.
Mike Turtur, Gold Class
■ Won a gold medal as a member of the men’s 4000m pursuit cycling team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal and the Key to the City of Tea Tree Gully after winning the medal.
■ Won a further three gold and one bronze Commonwealth Games medals across the 1982 and 1986 games.
■ After ending his pro cycling career, became the South Australian Institute of Sport cycling coach for five years before moving on to manage the Adelaide Super-Drome at Gepps Cross.
■ Became the inaugural race director of the Tour Down Under in 1998 and still holds the role as the event enters its 20th year.
KEY TO THE CITY
■ The Key to the City of Adelaide is the highest honour the Adelaide City Council can grant a group or individual.
■ It is presented by the Lord Mayor and acknowledges and recognises the recipient’s outstanding contribution to the City of Adelaide.
■ Previous recipients include David Hookes, the Dalai Lama, Dame Roma Mitchell, Rupert Murdoch and several of South Australia’s professional sporting teams.