The Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans races could be held in September of 2022, just before the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong, according to a Belgian race organiser.
In a report by CyclingNews (opens in new tab)it was said that neither the Tour Down Under nor the Cadel Evans Sun Race - both of which usually take place early in the year but have been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic - would confirm or deny the news reported.
The rumour began when one-day race Eurométropole Tour organiser Louis Cousaert told La DH Les Sports (opens in new tab) that he does not know where his race will be held, with the possibility of the Benelux Tour overlapping with his race as well as the "noises" coming from down under.
"We were happy to have been moved in 2022 to Saturday, September 3, that is to say the old date of the Brussels Cycling Classic, which is rescheduled in June," he said.
"But there is currently a plan to organize the Benelux Tour from September 29 to 4. If it is confirmed, then we could not organize our race on September 3rd."
August and September are exceptionally busy months in the cycling season, with various races including the final Grand Tour of the season the Vuelta a España taking place.
Cousaert wonders if he could have his race on September 3 but with races like the Vuelta as well as the Tour of Britain, the Canadian Classics as well as the Tour of Slovakia, which Cousaert points out Quick-Step AlphaVinyl will be attending, it's tricky to reschedule.
"Not to mention the noises we hear about the postponement of the Australian races at the start of the season in September, just before the World Championships," he added.
The Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Sun Tour, as well as the Herald Sun Tour have all suffered from cancellations over the past two years. The races are being postponed again in 2022, meaning that a move to September would make sense.
With the World Championships taking place between September 18 and 25, riders will need to head over earlier than normal to the Worlds, meaning that warm up races could be ideal for preparation.
The South Australian Tourism Commission told CyclingNews: "Australia’s cycling community meets in South Australia each January and the Santos Tour Down Under is committed to return as the first race on the UCI road cycling calendar in 2023,
"We look forward to seeing everyone here." - So time will tell whether the rumour is true or not."
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