So, don your favourite Lycra outfit, dust off your cycling cleats and drag your bike out of the shed because we’re going for a bicycle ride.

“Riding into Victor Harbor solo and being able to enjoy that first victory [in 1999] was something as a cyclist, I will never forget,” reminisces Santos Tour Down Under Director Stuart O’Grady.

The Olympic gold medallist and Tour de France veteran won the inaugural Santos Tour Down Under in 1999 and repeated the feat in 2001. “It was a very special moment for me to be able to finally race in front of family and friends and for the race – they got a local winner,” O’Grady says.

O’Grady has fond memories of his time competing in the Santos Tour Down Under.

“I trained really hard to win those first few Santos Tour Down Unders, and it was a super proud moment welcoming and hosting the cyclists that made the long journey down to Australia,” he says.

“They instantly fell in love with our South Australian hospitality, and they’ve been fighting to make their way onto the team ever since.”

The renowned cyclist has been the Santos Tour Down Under director since 2020 but has had to wait three years for his chance to make his mark on the race.

He’ll welcome cyclists from around the world as the race returns to the international cycling calendar for the first time since 2020. Both male and female cyclists will take to the streets of Adelaide on 14 January for the Schwalbe Classic, with the women’s tour officially kicking off the following day and the men’s on 17 January.

They’ll race around the city before touring the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and other iconic SA locations.

“It’s really exciting to have one of the world’s most-loved races on the international cycling calendar, back in South Australia,” O’Grady says.

“We not only get to showcase our beautiful state to the world, but we get to see the best cyclists battling it out over nine days on our very own roads.

As a proud South Australian and a passionate cycling fan, this really is the ultimate.”

O’Grady isn’t the only cycling veteran on the Santos Tour Down Under team, with Olympic bronze medallist Annette Edmondson and elite cyclist Carlee Taylor joining him as Assistant Directors.

Edmondson started cycling at 12 after being selected for the South Australian Institute’s Talent Search Program. She’d hoped to be selected for soccer, but after completing several fitness tests it was found she was suited to cycling. Edmondson jumped on a bike and never looked back. At the 2012 London Olympics, she won a bronze medal. Following on from her success at the Olympics, the South Australian cyclist won a world title in the team pursuit, smashing a world record along the way.

Edmondson grew up riding on Adelaide streets and watched several editions of the Santos Tour Down Under from the sideline before competing in the race.

“It’s a race I’m very proud of, so to have the opportunity to play a role in the development of the race is so special,” Edmondson says. It’s made even more special as the Women’s Tour Down Under has been included on the UCI Women’s World Tour for the first time.

“We’ve had some international teams in previous editions, but this will bring out the best of the best,” Edmondson says.

“The media presence will be greater, as will the live coverage and the international reach.

“This will help boost the sport in Australia, inspiring more fans and businesses to get behind the sport, teams to start up, and most importantly, help young Australian girls see first-hand where road cycling can take them.”

Taylor remembers watching the Santos Tour Down Under as a child and seeing O’Grady win the race. Like Edmondson, she competed in the tour on several occasions, including her final retirement race in 2018.

“The Tour Down Under has always been one of my favourite races,” she says. “It’s hard to beat racing over local roads in front of friends and family, especially as the atmosphere around cycling during January in South Australia is just epic.”

Get on your bike or sit back and watch

With such an exciting event taking place in South Australia, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Compete in the Challenge Tour from Norwood to Campbelltown on Friday, 20 January. Ride the full 123.5km stage or a shortened 83km course and take on three hill climbs, including Norton Summit and Checker Hill. Spectators can watch the race from hundreds of vantage points, but Taylor has her favourites.

“It would have to be the Corkscrew Road climb for the women’s race and Mt Lofty for men,” she says.

So, grab your cowbell and ring it loud and proud as you cheer on the cyclists competing in this year’s Santos Tour Down Under.