TRAVEL
Ride the
open road
in Oz
Don’t for a minute think we’re taking
anything away from the mighty Tour
de France, but what the Gallic race
offers in the way of calf-busting
altitude and endurance is more
than compensated for in terms of
blistering heat Down Under. The
Australians have been battling to
get their road race recognised by the
cycling fraternity for over a decade
and this year, they finally succeeded:
their event has become the first UCI
ProTour race outside Europe.
Tour Down Under consists of
six days of competition racing with
riders cycling over 800km of South
Australia cheered along by crowds of
more than 500,000. In January next
year, 18 world-class teams will speed
past vineyards and beaches and
through the city of Adelaide, in a bid
to win the ochre leader’s jersey.
Impressively, an advance party of
enthusiasts will be able to sample
the route just before the pros hit the
road. This is where you come in.
WHAT IT’S LIKE
This exclusive trip focuses on
one notably brutal section: the
143km Burnside-Angaston stage.
The inland terrain features two
blisteringly fast sprint sections and a
roller coaster of punishing inclines.
And while the King of the Mountains
climb doesn’t seem particularly
daunting on paper (just over 450
metres), it comes within the final
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1,001
THINGS
TO DO
BEFORE
YOU DIE
YOU’LL RACE THE STAGE JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE PROS,
SO THERE’LL BE CROWDS APLENTY TO LET YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE
THE CHASING PELOTON IS TO PLOUGHING YOU INTO THE TARMAC
50 clicks – or just before you head
into the urban section. You’ll race the
stage just a few minutes before the
pros do, so there’ll be crowds aplenty
to spur you on – or to let you know
just how close the chasing peloton is
to ploughing you into the tarmac.
As mentioned earlier, the heat
will be a major problem – the
temperature has been known to
nudge 40°C at that time of year –
however, the 6am start time
should temper the furnace until
lunchtime at least.
That said, there are periods of
light relief. You’ll be cycling through
the glorious vineyards of the Barossa
Valley and this being an eight-day
The West Coast paper-round
route was highly competitive
excursion, you’ll be able to go back
and sample some of the worldrenowned
wines. In fact, you’ll have
every chance to see more of South
Australia’s outstanding scenery and
indulge in local produce.
The operator has organised a
week of easier-paced pedal-pushing
that will take in the heart of Adelaide,
the city surrounds, the Fleurieu
Peninsula and the Barossa, while also
enabling you to catch up with the
racing action of the ProTour from
great vantage points along the route.
Holiday! It would be so nice
London’s Olympic stadium:
coming on nicely
Sign’s lack of limbs was a
hitch-hike handicap
“OK, which wiseguy’s got
the Spokey Dokeys?”
You’ll also get to go out for a ride with
Olympic gold medalist and Australian
legend Brett Aitken, and meet a flurry
of cycling stars at a VIP Legends
Night dinner. Simeon de la Torre
NEED TO KNOW
The trip costs from £1,195 per
person (excluding flights) for seven
nights. For bookings, contact
Flight Centre on 0870-499 0040
or visit Flightcentre.co.uk
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