Tour Talk: The World Champions who have raced at the TDU
It would come as no surprise that some of the biggest names in cycling have visited Australia’s Greatest Cycling race throughout their careers.
But have you ever wondered just how many?
Well, with the 2022 UCI Road World Championships kicking off on the 18th of September in Wollongong, we decided to crunch the numbers for you!
In the 23-year history of the race, we have seen 13 World Champions compete at the Santos Tour Down Under – some more than once. In fact, out of the 13 World Champs, they’ve raced a total of 25 times!
From 1998 World Champion Oscar Camenzind taking part in our inaugural race in 1999, through to three-time champion Peter Sagan in 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2019, we could drop quite the list of names.
Below, you can check out all the former UCI Road World Champions and the years they competed in the Santos Tour Down Under.
Oscar Camenzind - 1998 World Champion
Oscar Camenzind was the 1998 World Champion and donned the rainbow jersey in our inaugural race in 1999.
Oscar Freire – 1999, 2001 and 2004 World Champion
Oscar Freire was World Champion in 1999, 2001 and 2004. He raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2012 for Team Katusha.
Igor Astarloa - 2003 World Champion
Igor Astarloa was the 2003 World Champion and raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2002, 2003 and 2008.
Tom Boonen – 2005 World Champion
Prior to becoming the 2005 World Champion, Tom Boonen raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2003 for Team Quickstep – Davitamon.
Alessandro Ballan – 2008 World Champion
Alessandro Ballan was the 2008 World Champion and raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2011 and 2012.
Cadel Evans – 2009 World Champion
Cadel Evans was the 2009 World Champion and raced in the rainbow jersey at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2010. Before this, he raced consecutively in the event since its inception in 1999 up until 2003, then again in 2005, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2015.
Mark Cavendish – 2011 World Champion
Mark Cavendish was the 2011 World Champion and in the same year competed in the Santos Tour Down Under.
Phillipe Gilbert - 2012 World Champion
Phillipe Gilbert was the 2012 World Champion and donned the rainbow jersey when he raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2013. Prior to this he raced in the TDU in 2004 and 2008.
Rui Costa - 2013 World Champion
Rui Costa was the 2013 World Champion and raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2018.
Peter Sagan – 2015, 2016, 2017 World Champion
Peter Sagan is a three-time World Champion and donned the rainbow jersey at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2017 and 2018. He also raced Down Under in 2010 and 2019.
Alejandro Valverde – 2018 World Champion
Prior to becoming the 2018 World Champion, Alejandro Valverde raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2010 and 2012.
Mads Pedersen – 2019 World Champion
Mads Pedersen raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2017 and 2018 before being crowned the 2019 World Champion and donning the rainbow jersey at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2020.
Annemiek van Vleuten - 2019 World Champion
Prior to becoming the 2019 World Champion, Annemiek van Vleuten raced in the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under in 2018 and 2017.
Julian Alaphilippe – 2020 and 2021 World Champion
Julian Alaphilippe is the current two-time reigning World Champion and raced in the Santos Tour Down Under in 2014.
The 2022 UCI Road World Champion will be held in Australia for the first time in 12 years where Wollongong will play host from 18-25 September. Who will be crowned the new World Champions in 2022 and will they race in the 2023 Santos Tour Down Under? We’ll have to find out.
