Santos Tour Down Under 2013 Teams and Stages

The first race of the UCI Pro Tour season always starts in sunny Australia.
In the beautiful state of South-Australia near Adelaide and surrounding wineries of the Barossa valley.

* Start List below Route Details

Heinrich Haussler Pro Cycling Racer Profile

Name: Heinrich Haussler
Nickname: Beans, Barbie, Heini

photo © Fotoreporter Sirotti

Matthew Goss Pro Cycling Racer

Name: Matthew Goss

DOB: 5 November 1986
Birth Place: Launceston, Tasmania (Australia)
Current Residence: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Nationality: Australia
Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight: 70kg (154 lb)
Strengths: Sprinter
Pro Since: 2004
Favorite Race:
Hobbies:
2011 Team: HTC Highroad

2011 Victories:
Paris-Nice Stage 3
1st Overall Bay Classic Series, Stage 1, Stage 4
Cancer Council Helpline Classic
Tour Down Under: Stage 1

Santos Tour Down Under 2011 Teams and Stages

Australia most famous road Race kick off the UCI 2011 big races season.

It is held in the South Australia state (Adelaide) every year. (great food and great wine there!)

LISTEN LIVE TO RADIO ABC Adelaide Here.

18 teams are from the UCI Pro Tour and 1 team got an invitation; the Uni SA-Australia (Australia).

(picture from Santos Down Under race website)

Tour Down Under 2011 Stages Can you pick stage and overall winners?
Sun Jan 16: Cancer Council Classic
Tues Jan 18: Stage 1 - Mawson Lakes to Angaston, 138km (Stage 1 winner: Matthew Goss HTC-Highroad / Overall: Matthew Goss)
Stage 1 summary video


- Weds Jan 19: Stage 2 - Tailem Bend to Mannum, 146km (Stage 2 winner: Ben Swift, Sky Procycling /Overall: Robbie McEwen, Radio Shack)
Stage 2 Video summary


- Thurs Jan 20: Stage 3 - Unley to Stirling, 129km (Stage 3 winner: Michael Matthews - Rabobank / Overall: Matthew Goss - HTC-Highroad)
Stage 3 final kilometer video


- Fri Jan 21: Stage 4 - Norwood to Strathalbyn, 124km (Stage 4 winner: Cameron Meyer - Garmin / Overall: Cameron Meyer - Garmin)
Stage 4 Video Summary


Sat Jan 22: Stage 5 - McLaren Vale to Willunga, 131km (Stage 5 winner: Francisco José Ventoso - Team Movistar / Overall: Cameron Meyer - Garmin)
Stage 5 Video summary


Sun Jan 23: Stage 6 - Adelaide City Council Street Circuit, 90km (Stage 6 winner: Ben Swift, Sky Procycling / Overall: Cameron Meyer - Garmin)

By default, as it is the 1st UCI Pro tour race, all 18 UCI Pro teams are invited by default. Each teams put 7 riders to compete the Santos Down Uner race, which makes a total of 133 racers.

Defending 2010 overall winner is Andre Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto) wears the number one dossar.

Tour Down Under Jerseys colors and 2011 winners:
Ochre (orange) jersey: Overall race leader: 2011 winner is Cameron Meyer - Garmin
White jersey: King of the mountains leader: Luke Roberts (UniSA Australia)
Blue jersey: Sprint classification leader
Black jersey: Best young rider
Red jersey: Most aggressive rider

Tour Down Under 2011 19 Teams
Ag2r La Mondiale (France)
Astana (Kazakhstan)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (Spain)
Garmin-Cervelo (USA)
HTC-Highroad (USA)
Katusha (Russia)
Lampre-ISD (Italy)
Liquigas-Cannondale (Italy)
Leopard-Trek (Luxembourg)
Movistar (Spain)
Omega Pharma-Lotto (Belgium)
Quickstep (Belgium)
Rabobank (Netherlands)
Saxo Bank-SunGard (Denmark)
Team Sky (Great Britain)
Radioshack (USA)
Uni SA-Australia (Australia)
Vacansoleil-DCM (Netherlands)

Great Ocean Road Cycling Classic (Australia)

Have you seen the Rapha video showing the Great Ocean Road?
This is one of the most spectacular road I have ride, it is in Australia, Victoria state (where is Melbourne)


The road is one of Victoria’s major tourist attractions and should be avoided on weekends and major public holidays – especially Christmas and Easter.

If you can avoid these times you will find a tranquil, relatively empty road with stunning ocean and forest views.

To ride this great road, you'll need few days, depending of your riding speed, I did it in 5 days for 403kms, of course you can speed up in much less time, but the whole point is to enjoy local life, deeping in superb sea, enjoy local fish and chips, make friends on the way around good wine.

Started the trip by taking the train from Melbourne to Warrnambool, the trip takes about three hours.
If you there between June and September go look over the cliffs at Logan’s Beach for a glimpse of the Southern Right whales that rest there.

From there Warrnambool to Port Campbell, 69km.
If you’re want to see the coast take the side trip to Childers Cove at around the 30km mark otherwise go on untill 12km from Port Campbell you hit the stunning eroded coastline that has made the road famous.
I planned to stay at Port Campbell camp site (never made any booking anyway), but a friendly guy called Paul stopped by with his car and offered to stay at his house, literraly on top of a cliff, facing the ocean at the entrance of Port Campbell.
Great hospitality and local rose made it a memorable night.
Next morning was hard to start riding but plan was to get to Apollo Bay.

Port Campbell to Apollo Bay, 98km.
The toughest day by far but also some of the best riding. Up the short but steep hill out of Port Campbell it’s only 8.5km to the spectacular Loch Ard Gorge and 12km to the 12 Apostles.
Then you will have the increasingly steep climb up to Laver’s Hill where the small store is your last chance to get supplies before Apollo Bay. There’s a couple of steep descents and climbs out of Laver’s Hill as the road head back toward the coast.

The road flattens as it follows the Aire River for an hour or two before suddenly climbing up into the Otway Ranges going into the rainforest. You’ll eventually find your way into Apollo Bay on the long fast descent that leads into town and the famous shark burgers at Nauti-Gals café.
I stayed at the cabin site there, but keep in mind this is very busy place on week-ends, alternative is the camping ground. (I stayed at my friend house Jim & Lisa where I love to spend time with them surfing and cycling in the past)

Apollo Bay to Torquay, 101km
This is the spectacular part, the road gets a little busier out of Apollo Bay but that’s because it hugs the coast, from cliff top to beach level and the views are spectacular. At 45km Lorne is good stop for lunch. After Lorne the road continues to zigzag into Anglesea (68km) from where the last big climb will show you on the way to the famous Surf Coast. If you’ve got the energy take the right to Point Addis at 80km and then immediately left onto the trail that leaves the first car park and follows the cliff top past Bells Beach and into Torquay. Bells Beach got it fame from the movie "Point Break", it is home of Australia famous surfing brands.

Torquay to Queenscliff, 40km.
Follow the coast on the road to Bremlea. The road is quieter than heading into Geelong and there are some beautiful beaches around Barwon Heads. Stay next to the coast and you’ll be in Barwon Heads for morning tea. Across the river the road winds into Ocean Grove. Head out of town and take a right at Shell Road and follow the signs to Queenscliff. Queensliff has elegant architectural buildings – Victorian era hotels, a military fortress guarding the entrance to Port Phillip, old churches and quiet fishermen’s cottages. The town has grown from fishing village to become a fashionable holiday destination for Melbourne’s elite and it is now filled with art galleries, bed and breakfasts and cafes. Take the afternoon off and have a look around. I stayed at a local bed and breakfast. Enjoyed nice talks and beers in local restaurants.
Great place!

Queenscliff to Melbourne (via Sorrento) 95km
The Searoad ferry departs Queenscliff for Sorrento every hour from 7am to 6pm and the trip takes about an hour. You can see dolphins swimming along the ferry.
From there just keep the beach on your left all the way to Melbourne. The route is simple and easy, turn left at Safety Beach (25km) to stay on the coast.
The Mt Martha shops (35km) are a great place for lunch, and then stick to the coast for as long as you can past Mornington.
Take care as you go through Frankston (51km), traffic is getting heavier.
Cruise along Beach Rd into Melbourne; all the way to Station Pier and then take a right along the bikepath to the city.

That's it!
It is a great road for cycling and it is possible to be enjoyed by anybody (as long as you are fit enough to ride 100km on a day)

People are very friendly all the way, weather is great, the views are spectacular, it is relatively cheap and simple.
I never made any booking prior to this ride, just took the train and gone.

Remeber: wearing helmet on a bicycle is COMPULSERY in Australia.

More cycling tours here.

Lonely Planet Cycling Australia

Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey into Australia

Bike Australia, Cycling Australia From Perth to Sydney

Australia Team Cycling Jersey

Living and Working in Australia: A Survival Handbook (Living & Working in Australia)

In a Sunburned Country

Lonely Planet Melbourne & Victoria (City Guide)