Santos Tour Down Under women’s race elevated to UCI Women’s WorldTour status for 2023
The best of the best in women’s cycling will compete at the Santos Town Down Under in 2023, the first time in the event and Australia’s history.
SA News
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Get ready for an influx of elite female cyclists to flock to Adelaide next January as the Tour Down Under women’s race has won world tour event status.
The state government has hailed the elevation of the race to a UCI WorldTour event, announced on Friday, as an exciting move which would also bolster the state’s tourism and hospitality sector.
“Elevation to the UCI Women’s WorldTour will cycling offer fans another reason to holiday in our state and support its $6.2bn visitor economy,” Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said.
“We want to see our young girls and women aspire to be elite cyclists. (This is) a major milestone for an event that shares South Australia with a diverse international audience.”
The Santos Tour Down Under will become the only women’s race in Australia with world tour status.
It the three-stage event will return from January 15-17 after a two-year, Covid-enforced hiatus under a new hierarchy led by race director Stuart O’Grady and assistant race directors Carlee Taylor and Annette Edmondson.
The Adelaide-born duo are both internationally acclaimed riders – Edmondson is a former world champion, Commonwealth Games silver medallist and Olympian.
Taylor, who has ridden professionally on the world tour for more than a decade, said the Tour Down Under had always been her favourite race.
“To be able to help shape the tour for the riders is really exciting,” she said. ‘The women’s depth and strength is so strong and I can’t wait to see that on our roads.”
O’Grady said the team was working hard to deliver the best TDU in history.
“We’ll have eight of the best 18 teams in the world for men and women descending to Adelaide to compete,” he said.
“And to be the first stage race in Australian history for women is a very historical moment.
“Moving to the UCI Women’s WorldTour means elite teams – who increasingly have male and female rosters – can share resources, and it also reaffirms South Australia as the best place to begin each professional cycling season.”
UCI President David Lappartient said the TDU women’s race had delighted fans since its inception in 2016.
“It is a pleasure to see this event join our leading series of races for women’s professional road cycling alongside the biggest and most important events in the world,” he said.
“This Australian race will showcase the depth and strength of the women’s peloton and set the tone for a season of intense and hard-fought racing.”
Santos Tour Down Under will kick start the 2023 international season from January 13 to 22.
Originally published as Santos Tour Down Under women’s race elevated to UCI Women’s WorldTour status for 2023
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