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 2022. 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

Tarling, Dygert and Girmay revealed on Tour Down Under start list
By James Moultrie published
News World Champions, homegrown Australian stars and top young talent to feature at the return of WorldTour racing in January

Finding the window to flourish – Luke Plapp comes home to take on the world
By Simone Giuliani published
Interview 'I still think Ineos was the best place for me to start ... it was just the right time now to make that switch to Jayco' says 22 year old Australian

Jay Vine to skip Tour Down Under title defence, later season targets draw focus
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News 'I want to actually be able to compete in Europe this year so we decided it’s not feasible' says Australian of January home races

Plapp and Yates join Ewan at Tour Down Under to create powerful Jayco AlUla trio
By Lyne Lamoureux published
News Stage win targets to combine with GC ambitions for Australian WorldTour team at home race

‘A bit of an eye-opener’ – First WorldTour season ticked off for Cameron Scott
By Simone Giuliani published
News Bahrain Victorious rider cranks up training for Tour Down Under at Tour of Bright

Julian Alaphilippe to return to Tour Down Under with Willunga, Mount Lofty focus
By Simone Giuliani published
News 'I believe both will provide great opportunities for our team to finish strong' says Soudal-QuickStep rider, who last raced at event in 2014

Ineos Grenadiers gather for 2024 team camp in Mallorca
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
news New sports director Imanol Erviti joins squad for first time at Spanish camp

Jay Vine reboots from ‘stop-start’ season for Tour Down Under title defence
By James Moultrie published
Feature ‘I would sum 2023 up as eventful. I secured two major goals of my own - wearing green and gold and winning Down Under’ says Australian
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


















