Stage 2: Hahndorf to Stirling - 145 kms
Uphill and down dale
Wednesday 21 January
Stage
two of the Tour Down Under is one day you'll be glad to be a spectator and not
one of the riders being subjected to 145 kilometres of intense climbs and short,
downhill sprints through the stunning Adelaide Hills.
Home to more than 33 local wineries, the region is known for its heritage towns, abundant wildlife and tight, winding, undulating roads which are sure to provide great spectator action throughout the day.
Stage 2 begins at 11am in beautiful Hahndorf, Australia's oldest surviving German settlement. Here, you can visit the former home and studio of artist Sir Hans Heysen - The Cedars.
Take a guided tour of this gracious old home, still owned by the Heysen family. It houses a fine collection of paintings and drawings displaying Heysen's remarkable versatility in subject and medium. Also on the grounds, see Heysen's working studio, his painting materials and tools, sketches, notes and more.
Near
Hahndorf, you can pick your own strawberries at Beerenberg, and there are
several good winery cellar doors in the area.
Hahndorf is home to a myriad of fine craft stores, art galleries, souvenir shops, cafes and hearty German fare at several renowned Hotels.
Riders certainly won't be in the mood for a German banquet before the race though, with a long day of hard riding ahead.
After setting off, they'll begin a steady 16km climb along the Onkaparinga Valley Road, through the historic towns of Ambleside, Balhannah, Oakbank and Woodside before an early sprint at Charleston.
The sprinters' showcase will be short lived though, as riders pass through the beautiful town of Lobethal (famous for its Christmas light show) and on to Lenswood for the first of the gruelling King of the Mountain stints at Fox Creek Road.
Insiders describe this climb as "an absolute killer", so it will no doubt test the mettle of the riders as they settle in for 100km of additional punishment.
For
spectators though, the trip to Lenswood should not be such a test, with blocks
of apple and cherry orchards, lush farms and quaint towns along the way. Food
and wine are the staples of life around Lenswood, where roadside vendors sell
apples and other produce and you can tap into the nectar of the local grapes in
a string of tasting rooms.
From Lenswood the riders return on the fast downhill through Woodside, home of historic Melba's Chocolate Factory and Oakbank before the second of the sprints at Balhannah.
Having reached the 55km mark riders now make their way along the Strathalbyn Road past the sleepy hamlet of Echunga, once a goldmining town, before settling in to four laps of a circuit that will demonstrate why these riders are the best in the world.
Running between Mylor, Aldgate and Stirling, riders will tackle a circuit of roughly 22km of regular, steep climbs and steady descents that are sure to test their endurance in the lead up to a punishing uphill sprint to the finish in Stirling. All up the riders will have tackled 145km all before the expected finish before 3pm.