2026 Tour Down Under Race Preview
The details of this year's 2026 Tour Down Under are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
And just like that, the 2026 racing season is upon us. The Santos Tour Down Under kicks off the men's UCI WorldTour season with a deep, internationally stacked start list, as defending champion Jhonatan Narváez returns to Australia to defend his crown. The 26th edition of the race runs from Tuesday, January 20, to Sunday, January 25, with six days of racing centered on Adelaide and the surrounding hills.
Narváez will lead a formidable UAE Emirates – XRG squad that also includes Adam Yates and Jay Vine, giving the UAE-licensed team multiple options for the general classification. Narváez claimed last year’s race ahead of Javier Romo and Finn Fisher-Black, continuing a recent uptick of overseas riders winning what was once a largely Australian-dominated event.
Bahrain Victorious will bring Santiago Buitrago, a proven stage racer well suited to the race’s hilly finale, while Team Jayco AlUla will look to home hopes Luke Plapp and Ben O’Connor to reignite Australian ambitions on familiar roads. Plapp, in particular, is expected to be aggressive on the climbing-heavy stages, including the triple ascent of Willunga Hill.
INEOS Grenadiers have experience and depth with seasoned riders Michal Kwiatkowski, Jack Haig and Lucas Hamilton, while Movistar's roster includes Javier Romo, last year’s runner-up, supported by Jefferson Cepeda and Gonzalo Serrano. Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe also has a top contender in Finn Fisher-Black, who finished third overall in 2025, alongside sprinter Danny van Poppel.
Visma | Lease a Bike will take the line with one of the youngest but most interesting prospects with Matthew Brennan, whose right-hand man will be Per Strand Hagenes, while Lidl – Trek field has a balanced squad featuring Andrea Bagioli, Matteo Sobrero and Patrick Konrad. Groupama–FDJ’s Guillaume Martin offers another general classification option, particularly on the steeper climbs.
The opening 3.6-kilometre prologue in Adelaide is expected to favour the stronger all-rounders, before stage 1 around Tanunda gives the sprinters their first chance. Riders such as Sam Welsford, Sebastian Molano, Alberto Dainese and Casper Pedersen are likely to contest the finish.
The general classification battle will like kick off on stage 2 from Norwood to Uraidla, where Corkscrew Road’s steep gradients will test early-season form. Stage 3’s rolling run from Henley Beach to Nairne may still suit durable fast men, but stage 4’s triple ascent of Willunga Hill is widely expected to be decisive. The race concludes with an attritional circuit stage in Stirling, where aggressive teams may still attempt late shake-ups.
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