It's the second edition of the Women's Tour Down at WorldTour level, but somehow it feels like the race is stepping into a new realm again. It may still be just three stages long and still opens the year of international top-tier racing –just like before – but with more Women's WorldTour teams on the start list, a space of its own on the calendar and a weekend finale up an iconic summit finish that is set to delight both the riders who love to climb and fans.
In 2023 Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) won the event after a tight battle with three-time winner Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) but there is definitely a different twist to the friendly rivalry between former teammates heading into this year's event from Friday, January 12 to Sunday January 14.
When Spratt was asked at the race press conference if the summit finish on the last stage on Willunga Hill was the point where she could get back at Brown, there was no hesitation when she answered with a chuckle 'absolutely'.
It was a course announcement which put a spring in Spratt's step as she targets a fourth title but Brown – who mowed down Spratt on the Corkscrew descent to claim victory in 2023 – was perhaps hoping that the finish line of the final stage would be placed a little differently.
"I was looking to see if the descent had been cut off the profile, but it turns out we finish at the top of Willunga," said a jovial Brown at the pre-race press conference. "But I think it is really cool that we get to race up a climb that is so iconic in the men's race and I like a challenge so we will see how I go."
Spratt and Brown may be two of the key riders to watch, but the race of course, contains a far broader list of contenders, with a dynamic road race at the Australian Championships providing a clear demonstration of the strength of the local riders in the field. Plus the start list is also delivering a growing array of international challengers.
A queen of Willunga
There has long been a heavy emphasis on the climb of Willunga in the men's Tour Down Under, with Richie Porte having claimed the mantle of King of the Mountain. The climb, however, has not been in the women's international race before. Still, one member of the WorldTour peloton has managed to carve her name on the sign post alongside Porte that outlines the fastest times and that is Sarah Gigante.
Gigante claimed the Queen of the Mountain on Willunga in 2021 when the climb was included in the Santos Festival of Cycling – the domestic replacement race for the COVID-19 cancelled international event.
Going by her performance at the National Championships where she drove the pace on the climbs and claimed the Queen of the Mountain jersey, she'll be a fierce competitor again on the ascent in 2024. Still, just in case there happens to be a new fastest time on Sunday and it's not her, she made a stop on the way to the race to make sure she had a memento.
There's also a raft of other powerful prospects, from FDJ-Suez's Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig to returning 2020 victor Ruth Edwards (Human Powered Health), the new recruit to Liv-AlUla-Jayco from New Zealand of Ella Wyllie and Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM).
Though of course while Willunga is an exciting addition to the race, the build to it will be just as crucial.
Stage 1 is certainly not flat on the route from Hahndorf to Campbelltown as the 93.9km day of racing contains 1483m of elevation gain, but it is a downhill run through the final stages. Then comes a lumpy stage 2 with 2079m of climbing from Glenelg to Stirling, with an uphill kick before the line of the 104.2km stage. Those two days should set the scene for a final showdown on the 93.4 km stage from the centre of Adelaide right to the top of Willunga Hill and its 3km climb with an average gradient of 7.4% and a maximum of 15.6%.
"I think they have done a really great job with the course this year," said Spratt. "I think there is probably a bunch sprint on the first stage and then Stirling is a bit unpredictable, it could probably go either way and then obviously we have Willunga.
"Time bonuses are going to be really crucial too, so I think we are really not going to know who is going to win until we cross that finish line in Willunga. I think there are going to be a lot of plot twists, things are going to change so I think it is going to be a really exciting race."
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