Dates confirmed for Down Under

A meeting of the International Cycling Union’s PoTour Council in Switzerland has confirmed the dates for next year’s Tour Down Under, in Adelaide, Australia. The race will be held from January 16 – 23, 2011, as the ProTour’s opening round announced Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur.

“The 2010 Santos Tour Down Under was the biggest and most successful race yet and we are looking forward to another great event in 2011,” he said. “The race has become an integral part of the global racing calendar and continues to grow in popularity.

“Thousands of visitors from across the world came to Adelaide in January to see cycling legends like Lance Armstrong and Cadel Evans compete on our roads,” he added. “I'm sure the 2011 race will generate just as much excitement and anticipation among cycling fans.”

This year the event attracted over three quarters of a million spectators and approximately 40,000 visitors from interstate and overseas, according to South Australian Tourism.

The format remains unchanged for 2011, with a pre-race criterium to be staged on Sunday, January 16, before the UCI ProTour race commences on the following Tuesday.