Turtur praises record-breaking Tour Down Under

Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur described the 2010 edition of the Australian ProTour race as the biggest and best in its 12 year history following the release of a preliminary economic impact statement from the South Australian Government. Research performed independently by McGregor Tan found the event had set new records in all of the measured indexes, including delivering the South Australia a $41.5 million economic impact.

“The 2010 Santos Tour Down Under was the biggest and best in the event’s history, with record crowds, public participation and economic impact,” said Turtur. “We’ve been blown away by the success of the race, which this year fielded the strongest group of riders in its history.

“People came out in force to watch the likes of Lance Armstrong, Cadel Evans, Andre Greipel and Robbie McEwen,” he added. “World Champion Cadel Evans didn’t disappoint fans with his attacking ride on Old Willunga Hill during Jayco Stage 5, in what was one of the best races the Tour has seen.”

Initial attendance figures were upwardly revised to 770,500, up 10,000 on the figure from a year earlier when Armstrong made his return from retirement at the event. Event specific visitors had also increased, while numbers in the race’s associated cyclo-sportif grew from 7127 in 2009 to 8099 this year.