Tour Down Under re-emerges as the world tour calendar opener

The opening event of the world tour calendar in 2023, the Tour Down Under returns to the program after its last two editions were canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The boys’ race starts on Tuesday morning at 8:30am French time with a 5.5km prologue, the first of six stages that will take place this week around Adelaide in South Australia.

It’s a bit like going back to school for the international peloton. As a school bag, brand new bikes to show off all week on the roads of Adelaide and suburbs in the state of South Australia.

Established in 1999, the Australian race quickly gained status as the first major race of the year, as it has been at the start of the World Tour calendar, cycling’s world premiere division, since 2008. As such, it is guaranteed to welcome all the best riding formations The bikes on the planet, even if most of them don’t field their main leaders, are much busier preparing for their main events than during the traditional winter training sessions on the Costa Blanca or Costa del Sol in Spain.

For the first time in his career, French Cofidis sprinter Brian Coquard will line up tomorrow at the start in Australia. He arrived at the site ten days early, and had time to acclimate to the harshness of the Australian summer, its long sunny days, and the mercury sometimes exceeding 35 degrees. “I’ve never run this event before, but its exotic side has always attracted me, Omnium vice-champion was recognized in 2012. It’s also because I’m generally in good shape at the start of the season, so we said with the team it could really suit me.

“Without discrediting them, the French races every year, it’s a little plan”

Like Bryan Coquard, Rudy Molard will also be present at the start of the introduction to this contested Down Under tour in central Adelaide. Marc Madiot, Managing Director at Groupama FDJ, sees a lot of positives in having this race to opposites January for the microcosm of cycling. “Just like the races in the Asian calendar, the races in Australia make it possible to provide work for many riders. I am not in favor of tightening the calendar, quite the opposite. Allowing teams and staff to live off the sport and their passion, I find that very good, especially in this difficult period ” .

Of the approximately 140 starting runners, about forty are Australian or New Zealanders. The rest are the vast majority of cyclists from Europe, the French, the Spaniards, the British, the Italians, the Germans, the Swiss, the Danes or even the Dutch. There is also a way for the latter to make some intense moves from the start of the season without necessarily running into races contested in dark weather. “It transforms everyday life, and, Brian Coquard rejoices, it allows you to break the routine of the calendar. It is true that casually, with all the respect I have for the French races, when you practice La Marseillaise or Bessèges or Provence, every year is a bit of a plan. It allows me to break out of My comfort zone.”

Some decline for environmental reasons

On the side of some teams, we are still excited to see that a race like the Tour Down Under, brings as many points to the UCI ranking (kind of the equivalent to the ATP or WTA ranking in tennis) as other much more famous main stage races like Paris-Nice or the Criterium du Dauphiné or even major monuments like Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders. “It’s the only thing I regret about this Tour Down Under, Marc Madiot gets upset. I want to ask why does this bring so many points?” The question that is undoubtedly worth asking given the difficulty and intensity of the starting roster globally is much weaker than European competitions.

Some contestants have turned down a trip to Australia altogether for various reasons. The length of the ride, necessary acclimatization, and jet lag are all part of this, especially for riders whose goals lie a little later in the season, whether it be the great spring classics or victories over the Tour of Italy or the Tour de France. This is particularly the case with Guillaume Martin, eighth at the Grande Boucle in 2021. But Norman also and above all immediately indicates more environmental considerations in his choice. “It’s a job that I travel a lot, so I have a big carbon footprint. If I suddenly can cut back on very long trips that I don’t do all of them, that’s fine. And obviously that also counts.”

The Tour Down Under was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and is therefore resuming its rights this year. Defending Australian champion Richie Porte, the last winner of 2020, will not defend his title. He ended his career at the end of last season.