2019 Tour Down Under Race Preview
The details of this year's 2019 Tour Down Under are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The opening WorldTour race of the 2019 season gets underway in South Australia, offering the first real glimpse of form for many of the sport's biggest names ahead of a long and demanding year. The Santos Tour Down Under has grown into one of the most prestigious races on the early season calendar, and this edition promises to deliver the same sun-soaked drama that has made the event so popular with riders and fans alike.
Defending champion Daryl Impey returns to Adelaide as one of the favourites, having claimed a historic back-to-back victory in 2018 after his 2017 triumph. The South African rider knows these roads better than almost anyone and his ability to read a race tactically makes him a constant threat regardless of the terrain. His Mitchelton-Scott team is one of the strongest in the peloton and will be eager to protect his title.
The race will once again hinge on the Willunga Hill stage, that punishing climb outside of McLaren Vale that has repeatedly proved decisive. Richie Porte claimed four consecutive victories on that famous ascent before injury and bad luck disrupted his seasons, and the Trek-Segafredo rider will be desperate to remind the world of his considerable climbing abilities in front of an adoring home crowd.
Simon Yates arrives with significant momentum following his strong performances in 2018, including stage race victories that demonstrated his growing maturity as a rider. The young Briton has the climbing legs to challenge on the toughest days and will be difficult to shake off.
Among other contenders, Rohan Dennis brings time trial strength and overall ambition, while the experienced Alejandro Valverde gives Movistar a genuine threat. The sprinters will have their opportunities on the flatter stages around Adelaide, with Caleb Ewan and others set to contest those finishes fiercely.
The weather, as always in South Australia in January, could play a significant role, with extreme heat capable of turning a race on its head and opening opportunities for those who handle the conditions best. Six stages of racing through some of the most beautiful countryside in Australia await, and the 2019 WorldTour season is about to begin in style.
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