2007 TOUR DOWN UNDER WILL BE BIGGER AND BETTER
The 2007 Tour Down Under is set to be the biggest yet, with a brilliant blend of new events allowing more people than ever to ‘feel the rush’ of cycling.
Launching the 2007 Tour Down Under today, Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says a new 20km Fun Tour for families and a Night of Stars event at the Adelaide Super-Drome will be added to the event program.
"The Fun Tour allows casual and beginner riders to ride part of the Tour Down Under, while the Night of Stars at the Adelaide Super-Drome introduces track cycling to the program for the first time,” Minister Lomax-Smith says.
These new events, coupled with the Challenge Tour (formerly the be active Tour) and the Powerade Mini Tour for Kids, mean there is now an opportunity for cyclists of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels to participate in a world-class cycling event.
The new Tour Down Under Night of Stars also means that the public will be able to watch the team presentations for the first time.
Some of the best professional cyclists from around the world will converge on South Australia in January to take part in the Tour Down Under, with a new race route set to provide an even greater challenge.
The 2007 Tour Down Under will see the riders set off from Mannum for the first time, along the banks of the Murray River for a stage start, and return to the popular finish locations of Victor Harbor and Tanunda after a one-year absence.
This route will provide some great viewing spots for the 435,000 spectators who line the streets each year to cheer on the cyclists, as well as showcasing some of South Australia’s spectacular regions to the international television audience.
The profile of the Tour Down Under increases each year, and added events in the 2007 program will cement South Australia’s reputation as the southern hemisphere’s cycling capital.
The event is a great tourism drawcard, with the 2006 race attracting 15,330 event specific international and national visitors.
It is also an important economic driver, especially for regional South Australia. This year’s Tour Down Under, for instance, contributed at least $16.25 million to the State’s economy.
The event is set to keep growing in size and stature, as cycling becomes more and more popular among Australians and around the world.
Cycling already rates as the fourth most popular pastime in Australia, more popular than golf and fishing and, over the last three years, more bikes were sold than new cars in Australia.”
The 2007 Tour Down Under will be held from Tuesday 16 January until Sunday 21 January 2007. It is an internationally accredited race, endorsed by the world cycling federation, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and is owned and managed by Events South Australia, a division of the South Australian Tourism Commission.
