Tour Down Under 2019 Route stage 1: North Adelaide - Port Adelaide

Tuesday, 15 January 2019 - The 1st stage of the Tour Down Under is a 129 kilometres race in Adelaide. The out-and-back leg into the Adelaide Hills features one KOM climb in Snake Gully after almost 40 kilometres before a three time loop around Paracombe.

Last edition's opening stage set out from Port Adelaide, this time the Tour Down Under commences on O'Connell Street, close to the Adelaide Oval. The finish is the same venue as last year's start.

Following the neutralised zone the race ignites in Regency Park and shortly the riders hit the route of the 1st stage of last year's race. A right turn takes them onto the Port River Expressway and into the Adelaide Hills. After One Tree Hill the course leaves last year's route to continue to the first and only KOM climb, which is the punchy Snake Gully with its crest at kilometre 39.3. In Houghton the riders enter a loop via Paracombe and Ingleton, that's ridden three times before returning to Adelaide on the same roads. The last 5 kilometres are different though, as the riders continue straight ahead on the Port River Expressway to Porte Adelaide for a likely fast finishers showdown.

Caleb Ewan is the man to watch. The Australian pocket sprinter is on a roll. Last Sunday he came away with the win at the Down Under Classic.

The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprints (at kilometre 57.6 and at kilometre 79.3) come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.

Another interesting read: results 1st stage.