Preview Tour Down Under 2024 | Dutch powerhouses, two top favorites, and lots of young talent!

Ta-da! Here we are: the first official road race for men in 2024, and immediately a WorldTour category event. A portion of the peloton embarks on the annual journey to Australia for the Tour Down Under in the southern part of the country, and this season brings a different flavor with IDLProCycling.com hopping through it!

The average cycling enthusiast acknowledges that the Tour Down Under has secured its position in the global cycling landscape. However, in 2024, it is still perceived as a prelude to what lies ahead. This sentiment is honestly reflected in the winners of the last decade—with the exception of the two corona editions, all victors hailed from Australia (Vine, Porte, Gerrans, and Dennis) or rode for the GreenEdge formation (Impey).

The most recent winner with no direct connection to the land of koalas and kangaroos is Tom-Jelte Slagter from the Dutch town of Groningen. He clinched victory in the 2013 edition, making him the sole Dutchman to ever triumph in the race. Notably, no Belgian cyclist graced the podium between 1999 and 2023.

Practical information Tour Down Under 2024

• Tuesday, Jan. 16 - Sunday, Jan. 21
• Participants
• Classification: WorldTour

In this article:

• Latest winners
• Course and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Latest winners Tour Down Under

2023 Jay Vine
2022 Not ridden
2021 Not ridden
2020 Richie Porte
2019 Daryl Impey
2018 Daryl Impey
2017 Richie Porte
2016 Simon Gerrans
2015 Rohan Dennis
2014 Simon Gerrans

Tour Down Under 2024: course, favorites daily wins and times

Stage 1, Tuesday, January 16, 2024: Tanunda - Tanunda (144 km)

This year's Tour Down Under will not commence with a prologue, as was the case last year. A slight disappointment for participants Joshua Tarling and Filippo Ganna, but in this edition, we kick off with a stage in and around Tanunda, a recurring venue for the Australian stage race. Featuring Menglers Hill along the route and a slightly uphill finish, Tanunda typically favors power sprinters, with Phil Bauhaus, Sam Bennett, and André Greipel emerging as the victors in the last three editions held in Tanunda.

Climbs
31.5 km: Menglers Hill (2.1 km a 4%)
81.0 km: Menglers Hill (2.1 km a 4%)
130.5 km: Menglers Hill (2.1 km a 4%)

Favorites
Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious)
Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
Caleb Ewan (Jayco AlUla)

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m. (01:40 a.m. Dutch time)
Finish: 2:52 p.m. (05:22 a.m. Dutch time)

Stage 2, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024: Norwood - Lobethal (141.6 km)

On day two, the riders are immediately confronted with a sort of transition stage, featuring more than 2,400 altimeters in 141 kilometers. The route kicks off with an immediate climb towards Ashton, and three additional ascents of Fox Creek (1.6 kilometers at 8 percent) lie ahead, with a final one in the last ten kilometers. Is it too challenging for the sprinters and too gentle for the true climbers?

Climbs
10.0 km: Ashton (10 km a 4%)
63.5 km: Fox Creek (1.6 km a 8%)
98.5 km: Fox Creek (1.6 km a 8%)

Favorites
Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech)
Danny van Poppel (BORA-hansgrohe)
Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers)

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m. (01:40 a.m. Dutch time)
Finish: 2:52 p.m. (05:22 a.m. Dutch time)

Stage 3, Thursday, January 18, 2024: Tea Tree Gully - Campbelltown (145.3 km)

On day three, another challenging start awaits, this time at Tea Tree Gully. The initial two kilometers feature a steep uphill section, but that's the most demanding part. Similar to last year, the route leads towards Mount Pleasant, though not from the steeper side. Sprinters are likely to come to the forefront in Campbelltown.

Climbs
2.1 km: Tea Tree Guly Hill (2.1 km a 6%)
34.5 km: Whispering Wall (1.6 km a 2%)

Favorites
Sam Welsford (BORA-hansgrohe)
Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ)
Caleb Ewan (Jayco AlUla)

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m. (01:40 a.m. Dutch time)
Finish: 2:49 p.m. (05:19 a.m. Dutch time)

Stage 4, Friday, January 19, 2024: Murray Bridge - Port Elliot (136.2 km)

The fourth stage is unquestionably the easiest leg of this year's Tour Down Under, with only 481 meters of elevation gain. The destination is Port Elliot, situated on the South Australian coast. Could the wind possibly play a role in the dynamics of the stage?

Climbs
86.0 km: Gemmell Hill (4.2 km a 4%)

Favorites
Sam Welsford (BORA-hansgrohe)
Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious)
Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m. (01:40 a.m. Dutch time)
Finish: 2:48 p.m. (05:18 a.m. Dutch time)

Stage 5, Saturday, January 20, 2024: Christies Beach - Willunga Hill (129.3 km)

There's Willunga Hill! For years, it was the focal point of the Tour Down Under, but it took a hiatus last season. In the 2024 edition, however, the well-known hill near Adelaide is 'just' back, and with its three-kilometer length and average gradient of seven percent, it will undoubtedly leave its imprint on the course of the race once more.

Climbs
106.5 km: Willunga Hill (3 km a 7%)
129.3 km: Willunga Hill (3 km a 7%)

Favorites
Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step)
Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla)
Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers)

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m. (01:40 a.m. Dutch time)
Finish: 2:31 p.m. (05:01 a.m. Dutch time)

Stage 6, Sunday, January 21, 2024: Unley - Mount Lofty (128.2 km)

Last season, the Tour Down Under witnessed its first decisive moments on Mount Lofty. However, this season, the organizers are taking it a step further with the Willunga-Lofty combo. While the summit provides a stunning view of Adelaide, the competing riders won't have the luxury to savor it. Mount Lofty has to be conquered three times, and the finish is set atop this challenging ascent.

Climbs
3.8 km: Windy Point (3.8 km a 6%)
70.5 km: Mount Lofty (1.3 km a 8%)
98.5 km: Mount Lofty (1.3 km a 8%)
128.2 km: Mount Lofty (1.3 km a 8%)

Favorites
Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla)
Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious)
Milan Vader (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Times
Start: 11:10 a.m. (01:40 a.m. Dutch time)
Finish: 2:31 p.m. (05:01 a.m. Dutch time)

Favorites final classification Tour Down Under 2024

Anyone perusing the start list for the Tour Down Under will notice two standout figures in terms of achievements. Firstly, there's grand tour winner Simon Yates, leading the home team Jayco AlUla—a squad that is imperative in this race, including the freshly crowned Australian champion Luke Plapp.

The second notable presence is Julian Alaphilippe, a two-time world champion and a prolific winner for Soudal Quick-Step. The Frenchman is entering the Year of Truth and could kick it off strongly Down Under, on a course that should particularly suit his style. Can he leave a lasting impression on team manager Patrick Lefevere and other teams?

Apart from these names, the start list is brimming with young talent. UAE-Team Emirates has paired experienced riders Diego Ulissi and Alessandro Covi with emerging stars like Isaac del Toro (Tour de l'Avenir winner), Antonio Morgado, and Finn Fisher-Black. Meanwhile, Visma | Lease a Bike Baby has flown in Giro winner Johannes Staune-Mittet to Australia. Milan Vader is expected to lead the charge for this lineup, with the support of Robert Gesink and Koen Bouwman.

Jonathan Narváez can rely on the support of INEOS hard riders Filippo Ganna and Joshua Tarling, along with the preliminary criterium winner, top talent Leo Hayter. In that race, he fended off challenges from Oscar Onley, the leader of DSM-Firmenich PostNL, among others. We place them in the same category in terms of chances as riders like Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Ruben Guerreiro (Movistar), and Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech)—all riders who have demonstrated excellence in similar races before. Guerreiro has Gonzalo Serrano alongside him at Movistar, while Williams leads a formidable team with George Bennett, Derek Gee, Nick Schultz, and Corbin Strong, among others.

Lidl-Trek brings a robust team, including Bauke Mollema, Quinn Simmons, Juan Pedro López, Mathias Vacek, and Natnael Tesfatsion, without a clear leader immediately evident. As for outsiders, we are also keeping an eye on Franck Bonnamour (Decathlon AG2R), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), Roger Adria (BORA-hansgrohe), Jason Osborne (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Samuele Battistella, Cristian Scaroni (Astana), and Michael Storer (Australian selection).

According to IDLProCycling.com, who are the favorites for the final classification of the 2024 Tour Down Under?

Top favorites: Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla) and Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step)
Outsiders:Oscar Onley (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla), Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers) and Milan Vader (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Long shots: Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), Isaac del Toro, Diego Ulissi, Finn-Fisher-Black (UAE-Team Emirates), Ruben Guerreiro (Movistar), Roger Adria (BORA-hansgrohe), Johannes Staune-Mittet (Visma } Lease a Bike) and Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech)

TV Tour Down Under 2024

The Tour Down Under runs annually at the same time as the Australian Open, which means we won't see the race live on Dutch TV. Eurosport.nl offers the solution with live footage of the race, which can be seen daily in its entirety on that platform and Discovery+. Arrival is daily around five to six in the Dutch morning.