Latest News from the Race
Date | January 20-25, 2026 |
Distance | 758km |
Start location | Adelaide |
Finish location | Sterling |
Category | WorldTour |
Previous edition | |
Previous winner | Jhonatan Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates XRG) |
Men's Tour Down Under information
The Australian six-stage event, centred in Adelaide, with stages held across South Australia in the height of the southern hemisphere summer, usually delivers a sweltering opener to the new WorldTour season.
The race, which has been part of the WorldTour since 2008, starts in Adelaide with a 3.6km prologue time trial on January 20 and concludes in Sterling on January 25.
Australian riders often impress after spending the winter at home, but with WorldTour status creating a strong international field, there is no guarantee the Aussies will have it all their way.
Previous winners include Simon Gerrans, who has won the race on four occasions in 2012, 2014, 2006, and 2016. Tied for twice winning the overall title are Richie Porte (in 2017 and 2020), Stuart O'Grady (in 1999 and 2001), Daryl Impey (2018 and 2019) and Andre Greipel (2010 and 2008).
Since its inception in 1999, the race was cancelled for two editions due to COVID-19 in 2021 and 2020. The most recent overall winner was Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) in 2025.
Get unlimited access to all of our coverage of the Tour Down Under and Women’s Tour Down Under, including reporting from Australia, breaking news and analysis. Find out more.
2026 Men's Tour Down Under stages
- Prologue: Adelaide - Adelaide TT 3.6km
- Stage 1: Tanunda - Tanunda, 120.6km
- Stage 2: Norwood - Uraidla, 148.1km
- Stage 3: Adelaide - Nairne, 140.8km
- Stage 4: Brighton - Willunga Hill, 176km
- Stage 5: Sterling - Sterling, 169.8km
Races
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Tour Down Under20 January 2026 - 25 January 2026 | South Australia | WorldTour
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Prologue | Adelaide - Adelaide (ITT)2026-01-20 3.6km
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Stage 1 | Tanunda - Tanunda2026-01-21 120.6km
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Stage 2 | Norwood - Uraidla2026-01-22 148.1km
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Stage 3 | Henley Beach - Nairne2026-01-23 140.8km
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Stage 4 | Brighton - Willunga Hill2026-01-24 176km
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Stage 5 | Stirling - Stirling2026-01-25 169.8km
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Latest Content on the Race

‘You can turn your brain off, they’ll do the whole thing for you’: Welsford praises Bora-Hansgrohe Tour Down Under leadout
By Sophie Smith published
News The fight for Welsford’s wheel on stage 3 was more intense than the sprint to the line

Caleb Ewan feeling the pressure ahead of final Tour Down Under sprint
By Sophie Smith published
News Australian lost teammate Luke Plapp to a crash and has a final chance to win a sprint in Port Elliot on Friday

Luke Plapp crashes on stage 3 of Tour Down Under, finishes with 'lots of skin lost'
By Simone Giuliani published
News Australian national champion at bottom of pile of tangled up riders that crashed on Gorge Road

100km out front, sit up, go again – Chasing Tour Down Under KOM points
By Simone Giuliani published
News Australian National Team’s Luke Burns shifts into lead of the climber's competition after 100km two-man break on stage 2

Girmay stalled by Alaphilippe clash in chaotic Tour Down Under finale
By Sophie Smith published
News Eritrean takes fourth on stage to move into points jersey

‘What could have been’ – Luke Plapp’s Tour Down Under attack foiled by presence of Narvaez
By Simone Giuliani published
News Australian told not to work with former Ineos Grenadiers teammate and risk giving GC rival a time advantage

‘Pogacar-esque’: Isaac Del Toro shows he could be cycling’s next big thing
By Sophie Smith published
News The Mexican neo-pro was compared to teammate Tadej Pogacar after winning stage two of the Tour Down Under

‘I was the best from the rest’ - Bauhaus makes most of unlucky situation
By Sophie Smith published
News German sprinter takes second at Tour Down Under opener, relying on Jack Haig to help lead him out after his team took multiple hits
Top News on the Race
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A mountains jersey that could launch a pro career? Fergus Browning dominates Tour Down Under climbers classification
'The exposure I've had has just been exactly what I needed … I'm really looking forward to what's to come' -
Sam Welsford eyes Tour de France berth after trio of stage wins in Tour Down Under
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe sprinter puts his hands up for first maillot jaune -
'It hasn't cost me' - Luke Plapp raced with injured wrist in Tour Down Under
Jayco-AlUla rider says he crashed in training on Mount Buffalo in December and re-aggravated old injury
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Lidl-Trek's Juan Pedro Lopez ejected from Tour Down Under for sticky bottle
Team accepts decision after Spaniard takes a tow from neutral assistance moto -
'In this race, I think this gap is a lot' – Narváez ready to cancel the sting of second place at Tour Down Under
A nine seconds gap before final stage means Ecuadorian champion is set to claim overall victory in first race with UAE Team Emirates-XRG -
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe deliver Tour Down Under podium for Finn Fisher-Black
Team's plan comes to fruition on stage 5 to Willunga Hill but another crash costs points leader Welsford
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'We had big plans and didn't pull it off, but we tried' - Jayco-AlUla go all in at Tour Down Under
Plapp patient after missing crosswind split but not able to top Narvaez atop Willunga Hill -
Tour Down Under GC battle remains poised on knife-edge before key Willunga stage
Javier Romo holds fragile four-second lead on 2024 runner-up Jhonatan Narvaez -
Narváez's battles for bonus seconds bubbles over in contentious stage 4 Tour Down Under sprint in Victor Harbor
UAE Team Emirates protests after Narváez finishes third but still nabs four-second time bonus to close GC gap
Related Features
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The unsigned riders that made a mark this Australian summer season
From Tour Down Under mountains jersey winners Fergus Browning and Alyssa Polites to the victors at the domestic staples -
Five conclusions from the 2025 Tour Down Under
All the key takeaways from the 2025 women's and men's Tour Down Under -
From training race to charged WorldTour battles, the 25-year evolution of the Tour Down Under
Celebrating one era and carving out the next at Australia’s men's and women's WorldTour opener -
A matter of seconds - is the Tour Down Under hard enough for the WorldTour?
Heat and the early season slot limit the potential for tough days in the Australian race, but we speak to teams to see if a harder race would challenge the WorldTour's best and attract more talent

















