2026 Tour Down Under Stage 5 Live Coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 5 of the 2026 Tour Down Under! Our live profile and commentary are below, followed by a preview of the technical aspects of the route.
Course Preview
It’s up, it’s down, and it’s on as the men chase victory on this final day of racing. Stirling is set to host the stage start and finish, with scenic loops through towns including Mylor and Aldgate, inviting fans to embrace the action. At 169.8 kilometres, this is among the longest closing stages in Santos Tour Down Under history, chosen by race director Stuart O’Grady OAM to keep the world’s best working strategically until the very last moment. We’ll see a two-kilometre climb on approach to Stirling, Ziptrak® sprints in Heathfield, and a weary winner emerge after a huge day in the saddle.
Leafy streets and old stone buildings abound, but riders won’t have time to enjoy Stirling’s charm. Instead, their attention will be on surviving (and perhaps even thriving) across a final stage with a sting in its tail. Mount Barker Road – just near the Stirling Hotel – is set to host the start-finish line, with 170 kilometres of racing to unfold across the Adelaide Hills. Settle in as the peloton tackles eight laps of an undulating circuit that heads south from Stirling, offering Ziptrak® sprints at Longwood and visiting Mylor and Aldgate before it loops around again.
Ziptrak® sprints on this closing stage will be contested on the same stretch of Longwood Road at Heathfield, just near the local high school’s tennis courts. Points are on offer at the 45 and 130-kilometre marks respectively – either a chance for the classification winner to consolidate their lead or the jersey to be decided.
We’ll see seven passes through Stirling before the stage wraps up, and four chances for the peloton to earn the final efex King of the Mountain points on offer. The category two Stirling climb extends along Mount Barker Road on approach to the start-finish line, covering two kilometres and comprising 78 metres of total ascent. Its average gradient is 4 per cent, rising to a punishing 11 per cent.
Stirling has been a feature of the Santos Tour Down Under women’s race over the past two years – the scene of unforgettable wins from Chloé Dygert and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. Now the men have their turn. Expect anticipation to build steadily throughout the day and a big crowd awaiting the peloton as crunch time draws near.
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