The UCI WorldTour again begins in Australia in 2015 with the Santos Tour Down Under kicking off the series in late January. First held in 1999, the Santos Tour Down Under has now been part of the UCI WorldTour for eight years and has successfully grown and developed year on year to become a true festival of cycling in Southern Australia. The southern hemisphere’s mid-summer temperatures make the race an ideal start for many European riders who are unable to train so easily in the much colder conditions at home. But it is testament to the race’s difficulty, too, that in its 16 editions, there has never been a Santos Tour Down Under repeat winner from one year to the next. And only three riders - Stuart O’Grady, André Greipel and Simon Gerrans - have won it more than once.
The Santos Tour Down Under is centered around the city of Adelaide making logistics and accommodation easy for everybody. Riders from Europe tend to arrive well before the race to acclimatise and train in the warm conditions. They get the chance to test their legs in the People's Choice Criterium on Sunday January 18, with the Santos Tour Down Under then held between Tuesday January 20 and Sunday January 25.
The six-day event starts with a mixture of flat and rolling stages through the South Australian countryside, ideal for inspiring aggressive and spectacular racing. Rarely longer than 160 kilometres - this is the first top event of the season after all - the early stages usually visit the attractive Australian coastline, world-famous vineyards and local historical sites, taking the racing to the people. Stage five to Willunga Hill traditionally shakes up the overall standings and is very important in the race for overall victory in the Santos Tour Down Under, where seconds rather than minutes separate the top riders. Stage six tends to be based on a city centre circuit through the streets of Adelaide. With the time differences often so narrow, the bonuses in intermediate sprints and the final dash for the line in Adelaide are often crucial to the overall outcome.
In the likely absence of 2006, 2012 and 2014 winner Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge), this year's race will be wide open. The Australian riders, some already in top form after their National Championships in early January, will face serious competition from riders from around the world. The Santos Tour Down Under will also be a celebration of 2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans’ career, as the Australian retires shortly afterwards.