South Australia's Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith has announced the route for the Tour Down Under. The January 20-27 event will mark a special milestone for the state-funded event as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. "It's our tenth tour and it will be bigger and better than ever," declared Lomax-Smith at today's launch.
"Today's announcement of race tours and event details give even greater opportunities for the public to become involved in and support the Tour Down Under," continued Lomax-Smith. "Cycling fans will have more chances to cheer on the world's best cyclists at next year's Tour Down Under as the event is expanded to include two weekends of elite cycling action with a program of festivities, which includes an extra day of racing action."
Minister Lomax-Smith returned from the Tour de France start in London earlier this week, where she was helping raise the event's international profile ahead of the UCI's September meeting. Cycling's international governing body will decide the outcome of the event's push to achieve Pro Tour status at that meeting.
"Our aim was to reinforce Adelaide as the cycling capital of Australia and a natural cycling location for a Pro Tour event outside of Europe," she said. "Thousands of people have already seen Oppy the Kangaroo promoting our event and our state at this year's Tour de France and today we unveil a new television campaign aimed at enticing more and more visitors to experience our brilliant Tour.
The event will return to Glenelg for the first time in six years, with the Teams Presentation, the finish of the Mutual Community Fun Tour and Mini Tour for kids presented by UniSA all being held at the Bay.
"The first day of the Tour Down Under (Sunday 20th January) at Glenelg will be a great family day with the Down Under Classic, and in an event first, the Team Presentation will be free to the public," explained Lomax-Smith. "I urge everyone to celebrate a decade of premier international cycling in Australia, and be part of cycling's brilliant party next January."
In addition to the 2008 route launch, the event also launched its new website at today's ceremony.
2008 Tour Down Under race route:
January 20: Down Under Classic - Glenelg, 25 laps of 2 km
January 21: Rest day
January 22: Stage 1 - Mawson Lakes - Angaston, 129 km
January 23: Stage 2 - Stirling - Hahndorf, 148 km
January 24: Stage 3 - Unley - Victor Harbor, 139 km
January 25: Stage 4 - Mannum - Strathalbyn, 134 km
January 26: Stage 5 - Willunga - Willunga, 147 km
January 27: Stage 6 - Adelaide Street Race, 16 Laps of 5.5 km
Total Race Distance: 785 km
