Let's Race Down Under!

The Sticky Bottle Team keeps an eye on the UCI World Tour and the season kicks off this weekend in Australia.  For the casual observer we have a quick explanation: the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale formed in 1900 and is based in Switzerland) is the world's governing body for the sport  of bicycle racing. The UCI has a classification system for the races it sponsors.  To keep their system simple the UCI a three category structure: World Tour events (i.e. Tour de France), single day events (i.e. Paris-Tours) and small stage races (i.e. Tour of California).  Each system has a variety of sub-categories based on team size, percentage of professionals riding in the race and so on.  The SBT crew likes to keep its focus on the World Tour, some of the bigger single day events, and what we feel are the top tier smaller stage events.  

The 2013 World Tour season begins Sunday in Adelaide, Australia.  This first event, is the Santos World Tour Down Under (Santos is an acronym for “South Australia Northern Territory Oil Search.”  Founded in 1954, it is one of Australia’s largest natural gas producers and energy suppliers).  The event is first UCI event held outside of Europe.   The race, first held in 1999, became a World Tour event in 2008.  The UCI has since expanded to Canada with the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal each held in September.  The UCI is also in China with the Tour of Hangzhou and Tour of Beijing, both in October.

The Tour Down Under is held over six stages in and around Adelaide, the capital city of the state of South Australia located off the coast of the Indian Ocean.  The course, and the region, is relatively flat with moderate dips and rises.  The tour favors the sprinters and puts climbers at a disadvantage with the highest ascent being a 7.6% climb over 5 miles.  The greatest challenge is the dry heat with the average temperature for each stage day over 100°F.  

Adelaide is known as the “20 Minute City” meaning locals and tourists can get to just about any part of the city: the downtown, the beaches, and suburbs, within 20 minutes.  It is also known as the “city of churches” with the best example being the Holy Trinity Anglican Church circa 1838 (pictured).  Adelaide is unique in Australia as it was the only city founded by free people while the rest of the country served as a penal colony for British subjects.  Some historians believe the churches are significant to Adelaide because the free settlers brought with them an evangelical spirit in an effort to better the lives of the ne’er do well population.       

The Tour Down Under has grown in popularity with familiar teams taking part. This year marks the events 15^th anniversary.  The usual suspects this year will be Astana, GreenEdge, Garmin-Sharp, BMC, Sky, Cannondale and others known to followers of the World Tour.  Last year’s winner was native Aussie Simon Garrans (Stage 15 winner at the 2008 Tour de France).  Garrans has won the tour twice as has German Andre Greipel (2008 and 2010).  The first winner was Stuart O’Grady, a native of Adelaide in 1999.  O’Grady won again in 2001.  Following the Santos World Tour Down Under the tour shifts back to Europe with the Paris-Nice event in March.  Visit our website at www.stickybottleteam.teampages.com for a quick video tour of Adelaide. Follow the action at www.tourdownunder.com.us.