Tour Down Under

Where: Adelaide, Australia

When: 21-29 January 2022

Rank: UCI WorldTour (men's) and UCI 2.Pro (women's)

Tour Down Under 2022 race info

Organisers confirmed that the Tour Down Under won't return in 2022, cancelling the event due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the second year running. 

Instead, an all-Australian event known as the Santos Festival of Cycling will be held in its place, featuring a week of competitions across road, track, paracycling, BMX, mountain bike and cyclocross, and a four-stage race on the National Road Series. 

The festival takes in similar stages to the main WorldTour event.

Organisers introduced the women's Tour Down Under race in 2012, meaning it misses out on what would've been its tenth year anniversary, had it not been for the pandemic. 

The Australian races general heralds the start of an international cycling calendar, but its cancellation means that UCI race organisers will have to find other suitable events to take its place. 

Tour Down Under generally offers a good opportunity for riders to pick up some early WorldTour points, while others find it a useful way to dust the cobwebs off and race competitively again for the first time in a couple of months. 

The Tour Down Under stages are generally flat or rolling, with sprinters picking up the majority of the stage wins, but the overall winner of the men's event is generally decided with the annual summit finish on Willunga Hill.

The women's race also makes heavy use of the Adelaide Hills, though the final stage and the Willunga Hill finish is swapped out in favour of a criterium.

Australian riders have won the men's Tour Down Under 12 times, and the women's four times. Simon Gerrans holds the record for the most overall wins with four of the men's race, and Amanda Spratt has three wins of the women's in its short existence.

Santos Festival of Cycling 2022 stages

The Santos Festival of Cycling has four stages on varied terrain with flat sprint stages, a climb up Willunga Hill and a criterium race.

Criterium race, Wed 26 January, Adelaide - Adelaide, 45mins + 1 lap

Stage one, Thurs 27 January, Stirling - Lobethal, 114.2km

Stage two, Fri 28 January, Mount Lofty - Woodside, 112.9km

Stage three, Sat 29 January, McLaren Vale - Willunga Hill, 113.2km

Women's Santos Festival of Cycling 2021 stages

Stage one, Sun 23 January, Tanunda - Williamstown, 86.1km

Stage two, Mon 24 January, McLaren Vale - Echunga, 85.7km

Stage three, Tues 25 January, Lobethal - Lobethal, 86.9km

Criterium race, Wed 26 January, Adelaide - Adelaide, 45mins + 1 lap

Tour Down Under: recent winners

2021: N/A

2020: Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo)

2019: Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott)

2018: Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott)

2017: Richie Porte (BMC Racing)

2016: Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge)

2015: Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing)

2014: Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge)

2013: Tom-Jelte Slagter (Blanco Pro Cycling)

2012: Simon Gerrans (GreenEdge)

2011: Cameron Meyer (Garmin-Cervelo)

2010: André Greipel (HTC-Columbia)

2009: Allan Davis (Quick Step)

2008: André Greipel (Team High Road)

2007: Martin Elmiger (Ag2r Prévoyance)

Women's Tour Down Under: recent winners

2021: N/A

2020: Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo)

2019: Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton–Scott)

2018: Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton–Scott)

2017: Amanda Spratt (Orica–Scott)

2016: Katrin Garfoot (Orica–AIS)

2015: Valentina Scandolara (Orica–AIS)

2014: Loes Gunnewijk (Orica–AIS)

2013: Kimberley Wells (Specialized–Securitor)

2012: Judith Arndt  (GreenEDGE–AIS)