South Australia to keep Tour Down Under for at least two more years

THE Tour Down Under will be held in South Australia for at least the next two years after the world cycling body confirmed the event licence for SA.

Tour Down Under - Stage 6 - Adelaide Street Circuit. Sky Train. PIC SARAH REED.

THE Tour Down Under will be held in South Australia for at least the next two years after the world cycling body confirmed the event licence for SA.

Premier Jay Weatherill will travel to Europe later this month for meetings on the longer-term future of the event.

An International Cycling Union (UCI) hearing was held in Lausanne, Switzerland, late last week and licences for the 2015 and 2016 event were issued to SA.

MORE: Glenelg returns to TDU map for 2015

The UCI is reviewing the international cycling calendar for 2017 onwards and SA’s long-term ownership of the event is under negotiation.

Mr Weatherill said the 2016 event had been “up in the air” as the UCI reviewed “all aspects of professional cycling including the UCI World Tour calendar and team participation”.

Mr Weatherill said he would argue to continue holding the event in January, despite some concerns from riders that it is too early in the year.

“I’ll be making very strong representations to the cycling bodies that ... the beginning of the season, in the (local) school holidays is an absolutely crucial spot for the success of the Tour Down Under here in South Australia,” he said.

The 2015 race will be held from January 17 to 25.

Race routes and stage details will be announced next Monday.

Originally published as South Australia to keep Tour Down Under for at least two more years