SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER

Non-Cycling Options: Adelaide Hills – Mount Lofty Loop

Join the group in our vehicle on a sightseeing loop of the beautiful Adelaide Hills, we’ll pause for coffee and explore the leafy towns of the Adelaide Hills.

You’ll pass through many of the small towns, valleys, orchards, head up to Mt Lofty to meet up with the cycling group to enjoy the best views of Adelaide’s city and coastline, visit the German settlement town of Hahndorf. Alternatively, ask us for some options based on your personal interests – we can generally infuse more of what you like into each day, maybe some wildlife spotting, a bushwalk – hike or explore Adelaide’s popular Museums, Galleries or Rundle Mall shopping district.

Our Ride: Adelaide Hills, Uraidla – Mt Lofty 

We’ll head deep into the Adelaide Hills orchard valleys to connect with the Womens Tour Down Under race. We’ll descend back toward the city via the backside of Mt Lofty. There’s an option to head straight to our hotel or continue onto Glenelg Beach for a well-earned swim in the cool Adelaideian waters before heading for home to our hotel.

 Après Bike:

Free program to explore Adelaide, it’s restuarants, bars and eateries. We’ll be heading out for a social /informal dinner (non-inclusion), we’ll make a plan for dinner – feel free to join us or relax and put your feet up in your spacious apartment and enjoy your favorite home cooking.
Alternatively, we’ve got plenty of great suggestions, we are based in the south end precinct where you can step out the door for great Italian, Greek, Asian, Gastro pub or Australian fusion food. Let us know your preferred food types, budget and dining style! We’ll point you in the right direction for great local places.

 Accommodation:

Our Team Hotels, Adelaide City Centre

Non-Cycling Options: Morning, Adelaide Central Market Tour. Adelaide Hills – See Stage Finish Gumeracha

First up this morning we take you for a tour of Adelaide’s Central Market, the Market has over 70 stalls and is South Australia’s most visited tourist attraction and remains Adelaide’s premier food destination of multicultural cuisine and fresh produce.

The Market is still a traditional fresh produce Market, offering a wide variety of artisan products, fruit and vegetables, smallgoods, eateries along with some of the city’s most popular cafes and eateries.

Adelaide’s central market is a chance to experience the beating heart of the city, It remains Adelaide’s premier food destination for multicultural cuisine, fresh produce and a chance to understand the influences which pull together to create the melting pot of “Australian Cuisine”

Apres, our Adelaide Central Market Tour, join the group in our vehicles on a sightseeing drive through the northern Adelaide Hills, visit the Giant Rocking Horse. You’ll meet up with the cycling group at the stage finish to see the exciting first stage of the 2025 Tour Down Under.

Alternatively, ask us for some options based on your personal interests – we can generally infuse more of what you like into each day, maybe some wildlife spotting, a bushwalk – hike or explore Adelaide’s popular Museums, Galleries or Rundle Mall shopping district.

Our Rides: City – Adelaide Hills – Gumeracha

Options aplenty again today. This morning we’ll traverse the northern Adelaide Hills foothills and ridge roads as we ride on today’s race route ahead of the race. We’ll pass through some of the region’s sleepier historic towns, en-route to today’s stage finish in Gumeracha. Optional extra’s include taking in a loop of today’s finishing circuit, riding the return journey to our hotels via our Adelaide Hills course, and or transferring back to our hotels in our support vehicles.

We have plenty of distance options available depending on how much climbing you’d like to do, our vehicles will be there to support you.

 TDU Race:

Prospect to Gumeracha 150.7km.
A long first day in the saddle will take cyclists from bustling Prospect to deep in the Adelaide Hills. First, though, comes a climb up Gorge Road at Paracombe and a journey to Williamstown on the Barossa’s southern fringe.

The men will pass through new stage finish location Gumeracha twice before setting out on an undulating loop through towns including Lobethal, Charleston, Mount Torrens and Birdwood. From there it’s all about the sprinters – and whether their leadout trains can fire.

 Après Bike:

Welcome Aperitif for 8 Day and 6 Day tours. Meet the staff, your fellow guests and talk about the exciting week of the Santos Tour Down Under ahead .

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre, King William street

Welcome to Adelaide and the Santos Tour Down Under.

About Our Day:

Arrival Day into Adelaide
Take an early flight to the Adelaide Airport. The Ride International team will be there to meet you at the airport at 7am. Alternatively, we’ll meet you at our Team Hotel at 7am or choose to stay a night prior at our hotel  *if you choose to arrive at our Team Hotel the night prior, your welcome to join the full Day 3 program Ride or Non-cycling program to today’s Gumeracha stage [see details on Day 3 of the 8 Day Tour]. or We’ll assist in building up your bike, then head out on the bikes for our standard 6 Day Tour Welcome Ride – starts: 12pm.

Explore our immediate south-end precinct, or we have a tram stop directly in front of our hotel. Take a scenic tram ride in the direction of the Adelaide Oval, Festival Theatre, Museums, Art galleries, Rundle Mall shopping district or in the opposite direction head toward the beachside village of Glenelg, where you can take a swim, work on your tan, shop or relax on the golden sands of the beach.

Ask us for some options based on your personal interests, we have some great recommendations for Adelaide.

Our Welcome Ride:

Adelaide Hills, TDU Village orientation loop
We leave the city and climb into the Adelaide Hills,  we’ll traverse the Adelaide foothills, then descend back into the City of Adelaide Tour Village and onto our Hotel.

 Après Bike:

Meet Hotel Lobby: European Style Aperitif for the 6 Day and 8 Day Tours. Meet up with other guests, staff and talk about the Santos Tour Down Under ahead.

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre, King William street

About Our Day and Non-cycling options:

This morning after a hearty breakfast we take a scenic journey either by bike, or in our vehicles to the Barossa Valley. We take a scenic route via small roads; multiple ride options are available today to the Barossa Valley.

Upon arrival to the Barossa Valley town of Tanunda, we see Stage 2 Santos Tour Down Under, it’s sure to be an exciting day and a chance for the overall race challengers to rise to the top.

Late in the afternoon we’ll see the race finish and presentation of the stage winner in Tanunda. Après race, we head into a rural Barossa Valley setting and taste some of the regions wines. After our wine tasting we transfer back to our Hotel’s in the city in our vehicles [approx 90 mins drive]

or Alternatively, ask us for some options based on your personal interests – we can generally infuse more of what you like into each day, maybe some wildlife spotting, a bushwalk – hike or explore Adelaide’s popular Museums, Galleries or Rundle Mall shopping district.

Our Rides: 25km – 50km – 85km – 105kmCity – Adelaide – Barossa Valley /span>

Options aplenty again today, we take a scenic route to the Barossa Valley. We traverse from the city via the inner north foothills, then ride through the famous vineyards which are home to some of Australia’s most renown wines, including some of the finest Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

We’ll catch the stage finish today, it’s sure to be exciting, we expect the overall race contenders to make their move today on this tough finishing circuit.

 TDU Race: Barossa Valley Stage, Tanunda – Tanunda 128.8

The Barossa has delivered big race moments from the get-go. Ready for more? Look to Health Partners Stage 2, which will loop anti-clockwise through the hills, vineyards and communities that shape this world-famous wine region.

Tanunda remains in the spotlight here, hosting the stage start and finish and two passes from the peloton. Angaston, Nuriootpa and Greenock are among other towns set to welcome riders, while local landmark Mengler Hill will see plenty of action too.

On paper this stage belongs to a sprinter – but the big question is whether they can stay in touch uphill and regroup in time for the line.

 Après Bike:

After freshening up back at our hotel after a great day – it’s a free program tonight to explore Adelaide, it’s restaurants, bars and eateries. We’ll be heading out for a social /informal dinner (non-inclusion), we’ll make a plan for dinner, feel free to join us – or relax and put your feet up in your spacious apartment and enjoy your favourite home cooking.

We’ve got plenty of great suggestions, we are based in the south end precinct where you can step out the door for great Italian, Greek, Asian, Gastro Pub or Australian fusion food. Let us know your preferred food types, budget and dining style! We’ll point you in the right direction for great local places.

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre, King William street

About our Day:

A day of options, Today also marks the return of the Tour Down Under mass participation ride. We’re pleased to hear the Adelaide Epic – Mass Participation Ride [Granfondo] will make a return for the 25th anniversary of the TDU.

“The TDU organisation has just announced to us late on Friday 18th Oct, that they will host a mass participation ride called Adelaide Epic Ride on Thursday 23 January 2025 [more details below].

The announcement from the organisation has taken everyone by surprise, yet we’re pleased the Tour Down Under organisers have the event off the ground again. Thankfully we can offer the mass participation [Gran fondo] style ride as an optional addition to anyone who wants to participate, they’re generally a great experience. Yet thankfully it won’t alter our original plan for the day to ride sections of the day’s stage through the Adelaide Hills, and connect with the TDU race finish. Apres race guests will also have the option to transfer in our vehicles, or ride the return back to the city and onto our hotels.

More about the Adelaide Epic Ride:
Participants can ride the efex Men’s Stage 3 from Norwood to Uraidla, with three route options: 120 km, 85 km, and 20 km.
The estimated start time is 6:00 am. Ride International staff members will ride with guests to the event start location, additionally, we’ll discuss early breakfast options with our hotels

Non-cycling options:

9.30am: Depart our hotel in our vehicle to experience today’s race start, we’ll enjoy morning tea, coffee and a wander around the high street shopping precinct. We’ll see the riders and race teams assembling then cheers off the riders at the start, today is a great inner metro race start location.

After the excitement of today’s race start we’ll take a sightseeing loop of the Adelaide’s Hills. We’ll pause in one of our favourite leafy villages for morning tea, coffee and a explore. Our final destination today is the race finish in Uraidla, it’s a great location and we’ll see the race twice as it completes the day’s finishing loops and finish.

Our Rides:
30km, 50km, 80km, 120km. Climbing: 250m, 700m, 1300m, 1800m.

This morning we depart our hotel and ride straight onto today’s Tour Down Under stage route, we follow the route into the into the Adelaide Hills, Optional extra’s include riding a lap of the days tough finishing loop. We pause for lunch in today’s stage finish town, and take in the day’s final race finish loops and finish, it’s sure to be a rewarding and exciting day.

Apres race you have the option to either ride, or travel in our vehicles to our city hotels.

 TDU Race: Norwood – Uraidla 147.5km

New year, new climb. Meet Knotts Hill climb on Pound Road near Ashton, a fresh challenge for the world’s best. It features on an unrelenting stage that also offers an array of classic elements.

Riders will begin in Norwood and head for the slopes of Norton Summit, then push further into the Adelaide Hills and towards the Uraidla finish. The journey there is anything but cruisy, with two big climbs, tight turns and a rollercoaster last approach in the mix.

There are few certainties in bike racing, and none when the stage’s biggest challenge is making its debut.

Après Bike:

Meet Hotel Lobby: 6.30pm for a European Style Aperitif for the 4 Day, 6 Day and 8 Day Tours. Meet up with other guests, staff, talk about the Tour Down Under ahead. Special VIP Guest: Former professional rider Phil Anderson will talk us through the race as it stands, as well as tell a few tales from his time in the Golden Era of cycling.

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre, King William street

About Our Day: Arrival Day. Welcome to Adelaide and the Santos Tour Down Under & or The Adelaide Epic Mass Participation Ride

A day of options, Join our original program listed below and or The Adelaide Epic Mass Participation Ride

*Please Note: Today marks the return of the “optional” Tour Down Under mass participation ride [more details below]. We’re pleased to hear the Adelaide Epic – Mass Participation Ride [Granfondo] will make a return for the 25th anniversary of the TDU. Should you like to participate in the event, we suggest contacting to us arrange “Pre Tour Accommodation” [non-inclusion], so that you can make the suggested 6am event start.

“The TDU organisation announced to us late on Friday 18th Oct, that they will host the mass participation ride The Adelaide Epic Ride on Thursday 23 January 2025.

The announcement from the organisation has taken everyone by surprise, yet we’re pleased the Tour Down Under organisers have the event off the ground again. Thankfully we can offer the mass participation [Gran fondo] style ride as an optional addition to anyone who wants to participate, they’re generally a great experience. Yet thankfully it won’t alter our original plan for the day to ride sections of the day’s stage through the Adelaide Hills, and connect with the TDU race finish. Apres race, guests will also have the option to transfer in our vehicles, or ride the return back to the city and onto our hotels.

More about the Adelaide Epic Ride:
Participants can ride the efex Men’s Stage 3 from Norwood to Uraidla, with three route options: 120 km, 85 km, and 20 km.
The estimated start time is 6:00 am. Ride International staff members will ride with guests to the event start location, additionally, we’ll discuss early breakfast options with our hotels

Details for our Original Program:
Take an early flight to Adelaide Airport. The Ride International team will be there to meet you at the airport at 7am. Alternatively, we’ll meet you at our hotel at 7am or we recommend to choose to stay a night prior at our Team Hotels, and enjoy the full-day program and or ride the day with our group (see Day 5 of the 6 Day and 8 Day itinerary’s for details).

or We’ll assist in building up your bike, getting you ready for your tour ahead, then head out for our ride.
The “welcome ride” start: 10.30am.

Our Rides:

 Tour Down Under Race Route to Today’s Stage Finish. Distance: 30km-120km. Climbing: 250m-1800m

From our hotel we ride straight to today’s Tour Down Under race route, we’ll ride on the days race route after the race has departed, we follow the course and climb into the Adelaide Hills, we’ll ride straight to today’s stage finish location.

After we’ve experienced all of the excitement of the days Tour Down Under race stage you have the option to either ride or transfer in our vehicles to our city hotels.

 Après Bike:

Meet Hotel Lobby: 6pm for a European Style Aperitif for the 4 Day, 6 Day and 8 Day Tours. Meet up with other guests, staff – and talk about the Tour Down Under ahead.

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre

Non-cycling options:

Join the group in our vehicles on a sightseeing day out to the popular south coast of South Australia, today we visit the popular seaside town of Victor Harbour. Approx 90mins transfer. Early today we pause at the day’s stage finish town, we’re confirming with the local Steam Ranger train for availability and timetable for the day on the Cockle Train historic, and or we’ll travel in our vehicles to take the scenic loop along the coast to the Town of Goolwa.

We’ll return in time to experience all of the excitement of the day’s Tour Down Under race finish.

or Alternatively, ask us for some options based on your personal interests – we can generally infuse more of what you like into each day, maybe some wildlife spotting, a bushwalk – hike, running routes, or explore Adelaide’s popular Museums, Galleries or Rundle Mall shopping district.

Our Rides:
Victor Harbour: Ride Distances: 35km, 65km, 90km. Climbing: 300m, 700m, 1000m  

This morning we depart our hotels in our vehicles, with our bikes loaded up for Adelaide’s far south coast, our destination is today’s Santos Tour Down Under race finish town.

We’ll arrive in plenty of time to experience this coastal gem by bike, we’ll offer various ride distances plus take in a loop of the day’s final race circuit. We’ll return in time to catch all the excitement of the stage finish, it’s sure to be a flurry of excitement for a sprint finish.

After the race finish and presentation, we transfer 90mins back to the city of Adelaide in the airconditioned comfort of our vehicles and back to our team hotels.

 TDU Race:

Glenelg – Victor Harbour 157.2km

We return to longtime Santos Tour Down Under territory on Hahn Stage 4. Its Glenelg start and Victor Harbor finish also featured during the race’s first edition in 1999 – a stage won in emphatic style by none other than Stuart O’Grady OAM.

Now we head back to the coast for a winding route that includes the beautiful Waitpinga Road and a testing ascent of Nettle Hill in Hindmarsh Valley. Are we going to see a breakaway rider first to the line, or a pack fighting it out? All eyes will be on the Fleurieu Peninsula for this crucial day of competition.

 Après Bike:

After freshening up back at our hotel after a great day – it’s a free program tonight to explore Adelaide, it’s restuarants, bars and eateries. We’ll be heading out for a social /informal dinner (non-inclusion), we’ll make a plan for dinner, feel free to join us – or relax and put your feet up in your spacious apartment and enjoy your favorite home cooking.

We’ve got plenty of great suggestions, we are based in the south end precinct where you can step out the door for great Italian, Greek, Asian, Gastro Pub or Australian fusion food. Let us know your preferred food types, budget and dining style! We’ll point you in the right direction for great local places.

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre, King William street

Non-cycling options:

Join the group in our vehicles as we head to todays Santos Tour Down Under stage start. Explore the start village area, enjoy morning tea, coffee, then watch the pro riders prepare for their day. The riders are generally more relaxed later in the race program, pre race start.

Our Rides: 45km, 60km, 115km Climbing: 200m, 750m, 1500m
Adelaide Hills – McLaren Vale Race Start – Willunga Hill KOM

This morning we depart our hotel on the bike, or if you’d prefer a shorter ride you have the option to transfer in our vehicles to today’s Tour Down Under start town, alternatively we’ve designed two ride options to head to the Santos Tour Down Under Stage start.  Ride Option 1 is a more direct route, we depart the city and head south towards the metropolitan coastline, we then join a local bikeway – bike path to arrive to the day’s stage start town.

Ride Option 2, takes a scenic hilly, undulating route into the southern Adelaide Hills and vineyards of the Mclaren Vale wine region to the days stage start.  Both ride options arrive in plenty of time to get up close and personal with all of the riders pre-race and catch all the pre-race action and excitement.

After the race departs we’ll remount on our bikes and follow the days race route to the town of Willunga, we’ll see the race in the town of Willunga as they descend off Willunga Hill, at no doubt terrifying speeds as they race out toward the coast. We’ll then experience one of the highlights of the day and Tour Down Under, we ride up the Willunga Hill KOM.

Once at the top we settle into our Willunga Hill European style picnic area on the race course, here we’ll relax and watch all of the action of the day’s exciting stage finish a top Willunga Hill.

After the stage is complete you have the option to either join the fast-paced 55km return ride back to the city, or enjoy the transfer in our airconditioned vehicles.

 TDU Race: McLaren Vale – Willunga 145.7km

A summer’s day in McLaren Vale is normally a chance to relax. Not so for riders, who face a tough afternoon while touring the district’s most scenic roads.

The formidable Willunga Hill returns – this time with a new twist. First comes a descent of its slopes, followed by a loop that will take cyclists out to the Aldinga coast, past celebrated wineries and up the steep Wickham Hill.

Two ascents of Willunga Hill are set to determine the stage winner, and there’s plenty of potential for a breakaway to call the shots.

 Accommodation:

Adelaide City Centre, King William street

Departure day out of Adelaide – *Late flights out after 8pm* or choose stay an additional night, relax and enjoy the last evening of  TDU festivities

More About Our Day:

This morning we bounce into the day bright and early with our final day pre-breakfast coastal ride and lap of the Adelaide circuit.
Once we return to our hotels we can relax over a long breakfast prior to checking out [if you’re checking out today]. You can store your luggage and bikes securely with our friendly hotel staff while we head out to take in all the excitement of the Adelaide Circuit final stage.

Today we’ll either see the race from the free general admission area, or contact us for VIP Grandstand tickets. You’ll have a priviledged location at the start and finish line with a food and drinks package from 12pm-4pm. The VIP tickets for the Adelaide Circuit a fantastic way to see the final stage $650 AUD [approx USD $435].

Non-cycling options:

This morning if you fancy an early morning sightseeing loop of Adelaide metropolitan coastline and beaches, our vehicle will follow a similar loop to the cycling group, including pausing at Henley Beach for some photos.

After our coastline loop we’ll return to our hotels for breakfast, check out [if you’re checking out today] and prepare for today’s afternoon – Final Adelaide Circuit stage.

Our Rides: Adelaide Metro Coastline and Race Course Loop

Distance:20km – 55km. Climbing:150m – 350m
This morning we depart our hotel bright and early at 6am [pre-breakfast ride] to take in a loop of Adelaide’s pristine metropolitan beach’s, we return to the city and complete a loop of today’s final Adelaide Circuit prior to the roads being closed to traffic.

After we return from our rides, we help you to disassemble your bikes if you need to pack them for flights.

 TDU Race: Adelaide Circuit 90km

Twenty-five years as Australia’s greatest cycling race calls for a celebration. Ours will happen in the heart of Adelaide on this closing stage – a circuit sure to set up a thrilling sprint finish.

It’s similar to routes used from 2015 to 2018, another nod to our history and one with ample vantage points of the action. King William Street, War Memorial Drive and Montefiore Hill will feature, with the city skyline set to provide a sparkling backdrop once again

 Après Bike:

If you are flying out today – when we return to the city from the King of the Mountain late in the day, we’ll assit you to pack your bike and transfer you to the Adelaide airport for your flight home – * Flights out after 8pm*.

If you aren’t flying out tonight – that’s a very good idea, Adelaide Airport will be very busy – Although it’s a free program to explore Adelaide, it’s restaurants, bars and eateries, it’s a great night to relax knowing there’s no early start for a ride, there’s always plenty to do and celebrations to be had on the final night of the Tour Down Under for another year.

We’ve got plenty of great suggestions, we are based in the south end precinct where you can step out the door for great Italian, Greek, Asian, Gastro Pub or Australian fusion food. Let us know your preferred food types, budget and dining style! We’ll point you in the right direction for great local places.

More About Our: VIP Adelaide Circuit Day. Sunday 26th January, 2025

The VIP Adelaide Circuit Finishline Grandstand is the perfect location to complete the 2025 Santos Tour Down Under.

You’ll experience an all-inclusive afternoon in the VIP grandstand at the race start and finishline, with a privileged view of the race circuit, and finish line. You’ll enjoy a food and beverage package as you experience all of the action of the final Adelaide Circuit stage and see the winner of the 2025 Santos Tour Down Under crowned.
$650 AUD per person [approx $435 USD]
Contact us for further details.