Santos Tour Down Under earns major Natoinal Award

The Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) has been named Best Sporting Event at the Australian Event Awards in a major national triumph ahead of its next edition in January.

It’s the second time in three years the TDU has received this award and comes after the 2026 event attracted 749,950 fans, generating $86.9 million of expenditure and $51.2 million in value for the South Australian economy.

The annual Australian Event Awards foster continued excellence, innovation and unity across the nation’s events industry, with tonight’s ceremony held at the Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour.
Minister for Tourism Emily Bourke said the TDU had a proud history of innovation.

“The Santos Tour Down Under is one of South Australia’s great tourism drawcards, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to line our roads, into our regions and through our hospitality businesses,” Minister Bourke said.

“This award recognises the scale and quality of an event that delivers significant economic benefits for South Australia while showcasing our state to audiences around Australia and the world.”

This year’s TDU took place from 16 to 25 January and saw all 14 UCI Women’s WorldTour teams compete for the first time, joining all 18 men’s UCI WorldTour teams to form a truly international peloton.

Australian cyclist Jay Vine became a dual Santos Ochre Jersey winner, while the women’s race was won by Swiss star Noemi Rüegg for the second consecutive year.

Other highlights included a double-header day of men’s and women’s racing in the Barossa which drove a 79 per cent increase in overnight stays across the region as compared to the same period in 2025.

Broadcast figures show the men’s TDU achieved a total TV reach of 1.42 million around Australia, with audiences for the women’s race up 50 per cent to a total TV reach of 757,000.  

The 2027 TDU will make history as the first international cycling event to feature men and women competing across the same day, route and distance.

It continues a tradition of trailblazing for the TDU, which also set the bar in 2018 when it became the first major race to offer men and women equal prize money.

Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Stuart O’Grady OAM said the entire event team was thrilled to receive recognition at the Australian Event Awards.

“The Santos Tour Down Under is much more than a race. It’s a celebration of cycling that brings the world’s best riders to South Australia, takes the action into our regions and gives fans an opportunity to experience the sport up close,” he said.

“We’re always working on ways to make the event bigger and better, and 2027 will be another significant step forward as men and women compete across the same day, route and distance.”

Tonight’s win is the sixth time the TDU has been named Best Sporting Event at the Australian Event Awards, with previous victories in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2024. 

The 2027 Santos Tour Down Under is taking place in Adelaide and regional South Australia from 16-24 January. 

EXPLORE THE 2027 RACE HERE