Tour Down Under Classic - 51 kms
Classy riding to start the tour
Sunday January 18
This
year the Tour Down Under Classic returns to Adelaide's vibrant East End.
The open street circuit will be Adelaide's first glance of the Tour's colour and spectacle for 2009, as we see the world's best riders up close among the buzz and colour of Rundle Street.
The Classic is a showcase event, so while riders like to shine, none want to risk a collision or injury during the Classic. Insiders label this the "show off" stage of the Tour - a chance to warm up to the crowds, weather and the atmosphere of the tour in preparation for a gruelling week ahead.
And what a place to pose!
Rundle Street East is Adelaide's cosmopolitan hub and the heart of the historic East End. Packed with alfresco cafes, restaurants, hotels, wine bars, arthouse cinemas, a range of pubs with live music, stand up comedy and cutting edge boutique fashion and jewellery stores, you won't be short of things to do before and after you have seen this curtain raiser to the tour.
Rundle Street is also the home to frequent street parades, parties, and events such as the Adelaide Fringe and every Sunday plays host to the Rundle Street Markets with more than 100 stalls lining the strip.
This
kick off event is one of the most popular stages of the race and the East End is
sure to turn it on once again with huge crowds expected to line the track.
Circling the city's east parklands - Rymill Park - riders will complete 30 laps of the 1.7km circuit with four sprint sections with prize money awarded to the winners of each of these "Prime" sprints.
The race begins on Rundle Road and the riders head west towards East Terrace until Grenfell Street with a quick veer towards the straight of Bartels Road.
From here they sweep wide onto Dequetteville Terrace and slightly uphill, for what is set to be the fastest part of the track, before hitting the Rundle Road once again.
The hairpin turn around Rundle Rd from last year has been removed so expect a much faster classic leg in 2009.
Insiders
say speeds are likely to consistently reach more than 50kms along both
Dequetteville Terrace and Rundle Rd, with predictions of a whipping 70kms an
hour or more towards the end of the loop.
The turn from Rundle Road to East Tce will be the exciting one to watch as riders hit the turn with high speed.
This will indeed be a classic race of speed and thrills. Make sure you stick around to soak up the buzz once the race is over and enjoy all the East End has to offer.