The Santos Tour Down Under has announced a new mass participation ride in celebration of its milestone 25th anniversary next January.
Amateur riders will have the chance to tackle efex Stage 3 from Norwood to Uraidla on Thursday 23 January, just hours before the WorldTour peloton.
The Adelaide Epic Ride will be run and managed by experienced sports event company NX Sports, which delivers a range of community sporting events across Australia.
The Adelaide Epic Ride will cover some of South Australia’s most iconic cycling terrain, starting in Norwood and winding through the picturesque Adelaide Hills.
Riders will experience a mix of fast flats and gruelling climbs as they pass through Balhannah, Hanhdorf, Lenswood and Ashton, before finishing up in Uraidla.
Participants can choose from three distance options to tackle on the day – 20km, 85km or 120km of the efex Stage 3 route.
The Santos Tour Down Under has a long history of mass participation cycling races and events, with more than 100,000 cyclists hitting the roads of Adelaide to take part in rides over the past two decades.
Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison said the Santos Tour Down Under had worked hard to secure this event for the 25th year celebration next January.
“The return of a mass participation ride provides another reason for cycling fans to visit South Australia during this historic year of the Santos Tour Down Under,” Minister Bettison said.
“We know people love the diversity this festival of cycling offers, and I look forward to seeing the cycling community embrace the Adelaide Epic Ride and help us celebrate 25 years of a beloved South Australian event.”
Executive Director of Events South Australia, South Australian Tourism Commission, Hitaf Rasheed, acknowledged the many cyclists were eager to see a recreational ride return after its one-year hiatus.
“We have responded to our community and are delighted in conjunction with NX Sports, to offer cycling enthusiasts the opportunity to join us in South Australia for a mass participation ride at next year’s event,” Ms Rasheed said.
“In our 25th year it was important for us to return to the program a component that has become an iconic part of the Santos Tour Down Under calendar.”
NXSports Director Mike Crawley said the company was honoured to run a community cycling participation event at the Santos Tour Down Under in 2025.
“We know the cycling community in South Australia, along with many around the country, is looking for participation events like this,” Mr Crawley said.
“To be given the opportunity to conduct a race on a historic stage of the Santos Tour Down Under ahead of the WorldTour peloton is the perfect way to celebrate cycling this summer.”
“Over the past couple of years, we have seen so many participation rides across Australia paused due to rising costs. I’d encourage any cycling fan to vote with their bike and ride this event to ensure it returns for years to come.”
Richard Collis, President of FatBoys, a local cycling club, said he was excited to see the return of a community event at the Santos Tour Down Under.
“It means so much to the cycling community that events like this continue to be held, and that people get out and support it,” Mr Collis said.
“These events are a great thing for Adelaide to showcase how good the cycling is here. A lot of people who come to watch the Santos Tour Down Under from interstate, also want to ride as well while they are here, while many locals use it as a distance goal against which to challenge themselves.”
