Tour Down Under director 'hopes environmental protesters don’t impede the race'

Stuart O'Grady says he respects environmental groups rights to protest but voices safety concerns

Stuart O'grady gets the riders of the Tour Down Under underway
(Image credit: Tim de Waele / Getty)

Race director Stuart O’Grady hopes environmental protestors campaigning against Tour Down Under naming rights sponsor Santos of the will keep demonstrations friendly and not impede on the safety of riders. 

Santos is one of Australia’s biggest domestic gas suppliers and, according to the company website a leading LNG supplier in the Asia Pacific region. It has sponsored the Tour Down Under as a naming rights partner since 2010.

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Contributor

Sophie Smith is an Australian journalist, broadcaster and author of Pain & Privilege: Inside Le Tour. She follows the WorldTour circuit, working for British, Australian and US press, and has covered 10 Tours de France.