17 JUL 2025
Our strongest peloton yet
Racing with extra grit? Look no further. In 2026 all 15 teams on the UCI Women’s WorldTour are set to take part in the Santos Tour Down Under – and that means fiercer battles for ochre across our largest peloton ever. We’ve long welcomed stars of the sport to South Australia, but this changes the game. Get ready.
The longest route on record
Stages in play for this next edition will be the longest ever for our women’s race. Fans can expect 395 kilometres of close-fought competition across the event, from the buzz of Corkscrew Road to beachside sprints, new start locations and gruelling climbs through the Adelaide Hills.
A move to Magill
The eastern Adelaide suburb of Magill is set to host its first start on the second day of women’s racing. Riders will line up near the Tower Hotel on Magill Road before heading for the Adelaide Hills, chasing crucial points – and potentially an overall lead – on a stage that offers plenty of twists and turns. Their first task? Heading straight to the top of Norton Summit.
Seeing double
It’s one of the toughest climbs in town: all relentless incline and dramatic switchbacks. Hyundai Stage 3 from Norwood to Campbelltown will see the 2.4-kilometre Corkscrew Road climb at Montacute makes a comeback in the women’s race, setting out a challenge that could determine overall glory. One pass is a slog. Two? Buckle up. This will be the first dual assault on Corkscrew Road in Santos Tour Down Under history. Be roadside as a new era unfolds.
First up: the Fleurieu Peninsula. And this time it’s not Willunga Hill shaping the story, but rather an opening route that promises to highlight the region at its summertime best. Sprinters will be eager to earn the season’s first UCI Women’s WorldTour win, while GC contenders are set to size up their competition across 137.4 kilometres – our longest women’s stage ever. Coastal vistas at Aldinga Beach and Port Willunga are on the agenda, with riders also set to pass many of McLaren Vale’s best wineries. Racing will start and finish on Willunga’s main street, another ideal vantage point for fans touring the action.
At a glance
Who means business? We’ll find out on the first UCI Women’s WorldTour stage of the new year, a 137-kilometre hitout that starts and ends on central High Street in Willunga. Sprinters and their teams will be eyeing the fast finish and also chasing classification points along the Esplanade at Aldinga Beach. McLaren Vale’s renowned vineyards are another feature of this opening stage, with riders to spend much of their day beside them. Crosswinds could prove to be a challenge as the world’s best test their new-season strength.
Sprints
Both Ziptrak® sprints on this opening stage will take place on familiar territory: the Esplanade at Snapper Point in Aldinga. It’s this smooth stretch of tarmac where young gun Daniek Hengeveld soloed to victory on Ziptrak® Stage 1 of the 2025 women’s race, and we’ll again see sprint stars pushing for points on this opening stage. The first opportunity will come 18.5 kilometres into the action, with the second slated for the 115-kilometre mark.
Climbs
Riders will earn efex Queen of the Mountain points on two passes through High Street in Willunga: the same place they will ultimately finish the stage. This category three climb covers 475 metres, with 20 metres of total elevation and a maximum gradient of 5.6 per cent. And while it’s certainly no Willunga Hill, this relatively modest slope will be enough to sting.
Finish
Willunga’s High Street is no stranger to Santos Tour Down Under action. Often it’s the launchpad as cyclists push for the summit of Willunga Hill, but here it will serve as the finish in its own right. Stand by for a dramatic battle as riders chase the win, digging in for the slight uphill approach. Will it be a big name who takes the opening stage – or a newcomer ready to make their mark?
Stuey says
This opening stage will be the longest in Santos Tour Down Under women’s race history – a milestone we are all very proud of. In previous years the main emphasis of this stage has been Willunga Hill, but this stage is more about McLaren Vale and other parts of the region. The finish is the same as the men’s race in 2023 when Bryan Coquard won. There is a four or five per cent drag up to the finish line, so even though on paper it’s a sprinter’s stage we could see some surprises.”
New year, new start. Magill makes its very first Santos Tour Down Under appearance on day two – seeing the riders off as they head east and towards undulating terrain. Weary legs from Willunga the day before will be put to the test across a 130-kilometre stage that offers sprints at Lobethal and Kersbrook before the mountains loom.
It’s not pure climbers with the best chance of victory here, but rather a cyclist who can set the pace and race aggressively right to the line. No less than five ascents are on the agenda, including a summit finish on the last of three Paracombe climbs. This patch of the Adelaide Hills is known for its rich cycling history, having hosted state and national championships over the years, and offers beautiful backdrops to the fierce on-road battles ahead.
At a glance
Cyclists will gather near Magill’s Tower Hotel to depart for this second huge day of racing, testing their legs almost immediately with a push up Norton Summit and into the Adelaide Hills. It’s the first order of business on a 130-kilometre stage set to illuminate serious contenders for overall victory. We’ll see the peloton race through towns including Uraidla, Balhannah, Woodside, Lobethal and Gumeracha before attention turns to the finish, and how the Norsworthy and Paracombe climbs impact GC standings.
Sprints
Two Ziptrak® sprints are on the agenda for our second stage. The first will take place through the main street of Lobethal at the 43.5-kilometre mark, while Kersbrook will host the second in front of its public hall 79.2 kilometres into the action.
Climbs
We’ll see the peloton tackle 2411 metres of vertical across five efex Queen of the Mountain climbs during the stage – the most ever for our UCI Women’s WorldTour race. First is a category two ascent Ashton, coming just 10 kilometres after the flag drops as the riders make their way up Norton Summit Road. Next? The category two Norsworthy climb on Hill Road at Kersbrook, new to the race, which reaches a maximum incline of 10 per cent and is slated for the 73-kilometre mark.
From there the peloton’s climbing efforts will be concentrated on the category three Paracombe climb, set to be tackled at the 106, 118 and 130-kilometre marks respectively. While its stats might look approachable (average gradient of 2.2 per cent, maximum of 9.5 per cent), four passes are no walk in the park. Fireworks are likely on the summit finish.
Finish
Climbing legs are a prerequisite for success on day two – but so is pace. We’ll see three ascents of Paracombe Road before riders return for their fourth and final push to the top. Look for the finish line beside the Paracombe Recreational Grounds, and be ready to cheer on the peloton as this tough stage wraps up.
Stuey says
This is a fantastic stage focused on showcasing all the Adelaide Hills has to offer. It features an aggressive Paracombe circuit which has a rich history in South Australian cycling, and the finish is a difficult uphill run, so there will be lots of opportunities for attacks and entertaining racing.”
This final day of women’s racing calls for nothing less than full gas. Two ascents of the punishing Corkscrew Road await – representing 434 metres of vertical and insisting GC contenders show their cards. And it’s not only the uphill effort that will test the peloton, but also five-kilometre descents of Montacute Road towards Campbelltown where the best technicians will come into their own. Norwood is among the Santos Tour Down Under’s most popular stage start locations, and this – its 19th appearance and first women’s start – will frame a 126-kilometre day where anything could happen.
At a glance
Who wants it the most? We’ll find out as our women’s race is decided on 126 kilometres of South Australia’s toughest terrain. Start host Norwood will bid the peloton farewell, with climbing to feature soon after the flag drops. Look for sprints in Birdwood and Woodside before athletes steel themselves for a Santos Tour Down Under first: two ascents of Corkscrew Road at Montacute. Daring and determination could well win the day, and maybe even ochre.
Sprints
Ziptrak® Sprint one will take place on Shannon Street in historic Birdwood, home to the National Motor Museum, with 35 kilometres of the stage complete. From there the peloton’s fastest riders will be eyeing their next opportunity to earn classification points: Onkaparinga Valley Road in Woodside at the 60-kilometre mark.
Climbs
A long neutral section out of the city means the first climb for this closing stage comes just 10 kilometres into racing proper. Riders will earn points while ascending the category two Kangaroo Creek Reservoir near Castambul, which extends over 2.2 kilometres and has an average gradient of five per cent. Its steepest section, though, clocks in at 13.3 per cent. From there? It’s all eyes on the category one Corkscrew Road at Montacute. The average gradient for this 2.4-kilometre climb is 9.7 per cent, kicking up to a brutal 16.2 per cent in places.
Finish
Riders are set to charge down Montacute Road after their second visit to the Corkscrew before turning right and crossing the finish line on Maryvale Road beside Foxfield Oval. This scenic stretch of road is where New Zealand star Ally Wollaston sprinted to victory in 2024: flanked by eucalypts and with views to the slopes just conquered. In 2026 we’ll see the peloton heading in from the south: the opposite direction
Stuey says
This is the first time we’ve started the women’s race in Norwood, so are expecting big crowds and a fantastic atmosphere before the riders embark on a stunning race route highlighting the beauty of the Adelaide Hills. An all-out final showdown on the Corkscrew Road climb may deliver our 2026 winner.”
Get ready for the toughest stages yet. Kicking off with a prologue through Adelaide’s heart and peaking with three brutal ascents of Willunga Hill, this 758.9km race will push riders to their limits.
With longer stages, fierce climbs, and unforgiving terrain, the 2026 stages promise non-stop action, strategy, and spectacle. Dive into the details of every 2026 Santos Tour Down Under men's stage.
The Santos Tour Down Under is part of the UCI World Tour
