Tour Down Under 2015: Route stage 4 - Glenelg – Mount Barker

Friday, January 23 - In 144.5 kilometres the stage leads from Glenelg to Mount Barker. You might think of a top finish with that combination of words – Mount Barker, but no. A short climb with 8 kilometres left and that’s it. The finale is flat or slightly downhill.

Tour Down Under 2015 stage 4: Glenelg – Mount Barker

The climb with 8 kilometres to go is not categorized, but Sellicks Hill is. It’s not exactly an Australian Mont Ventoux given the average grade (2.31%) or the length (5.4 kilometres). Sellicks Hill is crested after 51.4 kilometres of racing.

The final 40 kilometres are marked by two ascents, and one might wonder why these are not categorized. Sellicks Hill is 5.4 kilometres at 2.31%, whilst the road between Strathalbyn till Meadows is a 19 kilometres ‘climb’ at 2%. When reaching the highest point it’s 20 kilometres to the finish line.

At 8 kilometres we’ll find the aforementioned climb - 800 metres at 7%. From there on onwards the road is rolling slightly downwards to Mount Barker.

The finish is expected around 3:20 pm (ACST).