Roadmap revealed for Tour Down Under’s 25th year
Race routes for the 2025 Tour Down Under have been announced – and they include some surprises as well as a new climb said to be even tougher than the notorious Willunga Hill.
The TDU will return to the CBD for the first time after seven years, with a 2km circuit announced for the East End in a nod to the event’s 1999 debut.
A descent down Willunga Hill will feature in the men’s race for the first time, with the women’s peloton racing up two climbs on the hill in another first.
But the notorious road may have a competitor: the event will now include Pound Road near Ashton, which has a maximum gradient of 22 per cent – “and word is it’s even tougher than Willunga Hill”, organisers said.
The races will see a total of 1198 kilometres travelled across the 10 days, as the women’s race kicks off the event on January 17 2025 in a race from Brighton to Aldinga.
The 2024 TDU generated over $87 million of economic impact for the state, bringing an estimated 770,600 attendees and 490 full-time equivalent jobs, with Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison saying the event had been a “staple on South Australia’s calendar” since it began.
“It showcases our state’s regions, brings communities together, and boosts our local economy…the longevity of this event is testament to the passion and creativity that goes into each year,” Bettison said.
Race director Stuart O’Grady said the 2025 routes were a “nod to the incredible history that this event holds, but we’ve also managed to find new elements that will test the elite international cyclists”.
“We’ve designed the routes to both challenge the riders and give fans the best possible opportunities to enjoy all the racing action up close,” he said.
“Some of the exciting new elements in the men’s race will see them ride down the face of Willunga for the first time followed by two ascensions, and a brand-new climb up Knotts Hill, Pound Road.”
The 2025 Santos Tour Down Under is taking place from January 17 to January 26.
2025 Santos Tour Down Under routes:
Women’s:
- Brighton to Aldinga, 101.9km
- Unley to Willunga, 115km
- Stirling to Stirling, 105.9km
Men’s:
- Adelaide East End, 55km
- Prospect to Gumeracha, 150.7km
- Tanunda to Tanunda, 128.8km
- Norwood to Uraidla, 147.5km
- Glenelg to Victor Harbor, 157.2km
- McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill, 145.7km
- Adelaide to Adelaide, 90km
