Tag Archives: Tour Down Under

The Diary of a Slow Traveller – Close to Home – The Tour Down Under

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Silver Sands Beach – Willunga Stage

My hometown of Adelaide, South Australia hosts the Tour Down Under each year- race one of the UCI World Road Cycling Tour. Now in its 19th year it is well established and patronised by locals and tourists alike.

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The Tour Village – Victoria Square, Adelaide

In 2017 we are lucky enough to have the Tour Village at one end of our street and the criterium that provides the introduction to the 5 stage race at either end of our street.

The criterium provides an opportunity to see the riders close up as they stretch their legs ahead of the TDU itself. A warm summer’s night greeted the race in 2017 and more than 100,000 people turned out to watch.  What a  thrill to see not just our local heroes, Caleb Ewan, Richie Porte and Simon Gerrans but also the World Champion, Peter Sagan. The sprint finish just a couple of hundred metres from my front door came down to the wire as expected with Ewan first , and Sagan third. Continue reading →

Book Review – Domestique

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The world’s professional cycling season starts literally 250 metres from my home with The Tour Down Under.

Tour Village

Tour Village

It’s January, the weather is awesome and the sense of anticipation about what is about to unfold is evident. As a keen cyclist it is one of my favourite weeks in the year as rather than having to sit up all night to watch the best cyclists on TV, they are literally at my doorstep.

Sellicks Hill - 50kms from Adelaide

Sellicks Hill – 50kms from Adelaide (Stage 4)


As usual the race did not disappoint with Aussies filling the Top 3 positions (and a South Australian winning the race). To see Cadel Evans final race was special and Richie Porte blowing the field away, hopefully sets the scene for a great year.

I watched all of this whilst reading Continue reading →

So near and yet so far …. Second Valley

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We are privileged to have a beach house at idilyc Second Valley just 90kms from the centre of Adelaide. Its a stunning location with a gorgeous beach.

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From our beach house balcony you can see the city. Infact when they used to play night games of AFL at AAMI Stadium you could see the lights, yet try and get anything to it from Adelaide and you would think you were in some remote location on the other side of the world.

You can see the city from here!

You can see the city from here!

Recently we tried to have a bench top delivered and the quote was roughly double the cost of having the same item delivered to Bejing!

There is a point to this…

On Friday I headed out to watch the 3rd stage of the Tour Down Under. Continue reading →

Tour Down Under – Southern Fleurieu

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Today’s stage of Australia’s major bike race was in my favourite part of South Australia. It was a glorious day as I set out for a ride to take in the atmosphere. It was also the stage where the public get to ride the stage, so rather than being a lone ride there were thousands of fellow cyclists on the road.

The stage started in the city and then worked its way down to the Southern Fleurieu with the highlight of the stage being the ride across the Myponga Dam Wall

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I rode to the hill Continue reading →

Italy 2014 – Tour Down Under, Tour de France, Giro d’Italia

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From early January Adelaide builds up to the Tour Down Under, the first event on the UCI World Tour Cycling calendar, a race based in Adelaide South Australia.

I am not sure whether it was the TDU hype, a January free from work travel or a lengthy break from riding during 2012, but my desire to get back on the bike has certainly been certainly increased.

The TDU is fantastic and we are lucky as the Tour Village is at the end of our street

Continue reading →