Tour Down Under 2026 Route stage 3: Henley Beach - Nairne

Friday 23 January - At 140.8 kilometres, the 3rd stage travels from Henley Beach to Nairne, both towns with no Tour Down Under history whatsoever. The undulating route features two KOM climbs and a total elevation gain of almost 2,500 metres.

On paper, the fast men will be licking their lips, as the only climbs come far from the finish line. Wickham Hill at McLaren Flat is the first and Mount Barker’s Summit Road the second - coming 39.8 kilometres and 118.9 kilometres into the race, respectively. Both are punchy ascents at roughly 7%.

The stage concludes on a rolling 19-kilometre loop leading to a final showdown on Old Princess Highway in Nairne. A 1-kilometre stretch at roughly 4% inside the final 4 kilometres is likely to add an extra layer of suspense.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX stage 3 Tour Down Under 2026.

The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprints come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.

Another interesting read: results 3rd stage 2026 Tour Down Under.