Track cycling to feature as part of the 2019 Tour Down Under festival

Track cycling will form part of the Tour Down Under festival in Adelaide in January with a new event featuring world champions and Commonwealth Games gold medallists.

Stephanie Morton celebrates a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Picture: Scott Barbour (Getty).

Track cycling will form part of the Tour Down Under festival in Adelaide in January next year with a new event featuring world champions and Commonwealth Games gold medallists.

Organisers are aiming to create a night of entertainment and fan engagement similar to the atmosphere of a six-day event in Europe at The Advertiser Track Down Under.

Australia’s top track endurance and sprint riders will race a miniature national championships at the Adelaide SuperDrome on the night of Friday, January 11, which is the eve of the Tour Down Under teams presentation in Victoria Square.

Matthew Glaetzer after winning the sprint final at the Track Cycling World Championships.

Details of the event will be officially announced on Monday and event organiser Mike Turtur said the Track Down Under would complement Adelaide’s festival of cycling as an associated event of the Tour Down Under.

“It’s going back to the old days during the ‘90s when we had those terrific years of international cycling at the SuperDrome, so we’re trying to recapture that,” he said. “We want to recognise the fact we have world class athletes including Matthew Glaetzer and Stephanie Morton and others on our doorstep, they are based here at the best track in Australia as far as I’m concerned.

“We should be very proud as South Australians that the centre of Australian track cycling is here in Adelaide.

“We have the best road event in the country, so we need to celebrate that this is all happening.

“If it is successful we hope it’s something to build on for the future.”

Riders will compete in events including elimination, scratch, sprint and keirin races and the Gary West Medal will be presented by cycling legend Anna Meares to the winning male and female sprinter on the night.

WorldTour riders in Adelaide for the TDU will be there to meet fans and there will be music and entertainment for families.

Next year’s Tour Down Under will run from January 10-20, incorporating an international women’s race alongside the men’s world Tour event.

Triple World champion Peter Sagan is a confirmed starter, as is Australian great Mathew Heyman, who will also be honoured at the legends night dinner.

Originally published as Track cycling to feature as part of the 2019 Tour Down Under festival