Stuart O’Grady expecting an ‘epic finale’ at Tour Down Under

Tour Down Under race director Stuart O’Grady is currently finalising the start list for next year’s races but the Australian is already adamant that both the men’s and women’s 2024 editions will provide a new level of excitement for racing fans.

The men’s race (January 16-21) sees the return of Willunga Hill and a final day summit finish on Mount Lofty, while the women’s edition (January 12-14) will finish on Willunga Hill for the first time in the race’s history.

“It’s all coming together really well. We had our first edition back since COVID in 2023 but it’s coming together really well for 2024,” O’Grady told GCN.

“The women’s race has its own weekend finish this time, and we’ll have the best quality women’s field ever, with a finish on Willunga Hill. For the men, it’s a really well-balanced race with a mix of sprint days and probably the hardest Tour Down Under finale in history with two ascents of Willunga on the Saturday and then the Mount Lofty finish on the Sunday. It should be a really entertaining race.”

Willunga Hill was a staple of the men’s race for many years but was left out of the 2023 race route. The iconic climb’s return for next year’s race will draw huge crowds and provide fireworks as the GC contenders go head-to-head in a battle for the Orche leader’s jersey, and O’Grady believes it will perfectly set up an exciting finish over the final two stages.

“I keep saying that the Alpe d’Huez isn’t in the Tour de France every year and that it’s nice to change things around. Mount Lofty is our most iconic hill in South Australia from a tourism point of view, so it was nice to bring that into the mix, and it worked really well in 2023. We have massive crowds so hopefully with the combination of Willunga and Mount Lofty on the final weekend, it will make for an epic finale.” O’Grady said.

The start lists for both the men’s and women’s races have yet to be finalized and teams will be going through their rosters this month and next in a bid to start the season on the right foot at the first WorldTour races of the season. Caleb Ewan has been confirmed for the men’s race after his switch to Jayco over the winter, while O’Grady is hopeful that the 2023 men’s race winner, Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) also makes the long-haul flight to his home race.

“Obviously, Caleb Ewan was the first to be announced and we can’t wait to see him race here. I believe that Jay will be here. I’ve not spoken to him, and he’s out enjoying his off-season by the looks of his Instagram account, so I’ve not bothered him but I’d be hopeful as a race director, and also as a fan, that he’d come down and try and defend his title. Hopefully, we’ll have more announcements in the coming days.”

The route for the men’s race certainly offers balance and plenty of attractions for different types of riders. There’s enough for the sprinters to flex their muscles, while a difficult stage 2 could blow the race apart. The final two stages will determine the overall winner, with bonus seconds likely to play their part in the final outcome of the race.

“Most of the guys coming down for the Tour Down Under are certainly more prepared than back in my day. WorldTour points are on offer and they’re so valuable with the relegation system in play. There’s a load of points on offer in January in Adelaide but it’s important to keep the race well-balanced, and not make it ridiculously hard. The first four days have three definitive sprint stages and on stage 2 there’s a cracking little climb that makes it more of an all-rounder day,” O’Grady said.

“Willunga Hill lends the race towards the climbers and of course, there are bonus seconds. The climbs here are smaller than the ones in Europe and it’s the guys coming at between 75-80 per cent of their top form who will be aiming for the results.”