Santos Tour Down Under 2012 on Sky Sports

January 14, 2012   ·   0 Comments

The first stop on the world cycling calendar, the Santos Tour Down Under will take place between 15-22 January 2012 with highlights and live coverage of the final stages on Sky Sports. 

The Santos Tour Down Under was first held in 1999 and has grown year on year to become the biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere.

The week-long event brings the top WorldTour professional cycling teams to race on the streets of Adelaide and regional South Australia each January. Up for grabs are important UCI WorldTour points and the Santos Ochre Leaders Jersey.

In 2008, the Santos Tour Down Under joined the prestigious UCI WorldTour; the first event outside cycling’s traditional home of Europe to do so. The UCI WorldTour brings together the most prestigious teams and the best riders in the world to compete in the best races.

Team Sky will be looking to once again make an impact on the race that marked their world debut in 2010.  The team sprinted to a superb 1-2 victory in the opening criterium and backed that up with victory for Chris Sutton on the final stage. The run of success continued into 2011, with Ben Swift taking two stage victories en route to third place overall.

Team Sky will be targeting the top step of the podium in 2012, with Australian Michael Rogers hoping to put a disappointing 2011 season hampered by illness behind him in front of his home fans.

Chris Sutton returns to Adelaide for the third year and will target yet more success, along with double Tour de France stage winner Edvald Boasson Hagen. Brits Geraint Thomas and Alex Dowsett take their place in the seven-man line-up alongside Mathew Hayman and Danny Pate.

Team Sky Principal Dave Brailsford said : “The Tour Down Under is a great race and with the WorldTour points on offer it has become a very important one as well. In the last two seasons we have enjoyed a lot of success there and we will aim to do the same this year.”

Sky Sports will broadcast daily highlights programmes including the Down Under Classic and all six days of the Tour Down Under on Sky Sports at 6.30pm, with the final two stages screened live.

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Santos Tour Down Under Broadcast Schedule

The Tour Down Under Classic

Sunday 15 January 2012 – 6.30pm Sky Sports HD4

The Tour Down Under Classic from Adelaide, Australia. This is a warm-up to the official Tour Down Under race and sees riders tackle a 51km course.

Stage 1 – Prospect to Clare – 149km

Tuesday 17 January 2012 – 6.30pm Sky Sports HD4

The opening stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide. This 149km journey takes riders from Prospect to Clare. Last year, Australia’s Matthew Goss won this stage.

Stage 2 : Lobethal to Stirling – 148km

Wednesday 18 January 2012 – 6.25pm Sky Sports HD2

The second stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide. This 148km journey takes riders from Lobethal to Stirling. Britain’s Ben Swift won this stage last year.

Stage 3 : Unley to Victor Harbor – 134.5km

Thursday 19 January 2012 – 6.30pm Sky Sports HD2

The third stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide. This 134.5km journey takes riders from Unley to Victoria Harbor. Australia’s Michael Matthews won this stage last year.

Stage 4 : Norwood to Tanunda – 130km

Friday 20 January 2012 – 6.30pm Sky Sports HD4

The fourth stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide. This 130km journey takes riders from Norwood to Tanunda. Australia’s Cameron Meyer won this stage last year.

Stage 5 : McLaren Vale to Old Willunga Hill – 151.5km

Saturday 21 January 2012 – LIVE at midnight, Extended Highlights at 1pm Sky Sports HD4

The fifth stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide. This round takes racers on a 151.5km course from McLaren Vale to Old Willunga Hill.

Stage 6 : Adelaide Street Circuit – 90km

Sunday 22 January 2012 – LIVE at 2.30am (Sky Sports HD4) , Highlights 9am Sky Sports HD3

The sixth and final stage of cycling’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide. This round takes place on the 90km Adelaide City Council Street Circuit. Australia’s Cameron Meyer won the 2011 title.

Tags: Adelaide, Alex Dowsett, Chris Sutton, Geraint Thomas, Michael Rogers, Santos Tour Down Under, Sky Sports, South Australia, Team Sky