Tour Down Under 2011: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

Tour Down Under logo

Race fans are in for an early treat this year with three of the world's best sprinters going head-to-head in the opening event in the UCI's 2011 WorldTour calendar, the Tour Down Under.

Kicking off on Sunday January 16 with the stand-alone, one-day Cancer Council Classic warm-up race, the main Tour Down Under features six stages in and around Adelaide, Australia from Tuesday, January 18 to Sunday, January 23.

Sprint aces Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), 2008 and 2010 winner Andre Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) will clash in the bunch sprints for the first time this year.

It's summer in Australia, so the northern hemisphere professionals can swap ice and snow of Europe for warm sun to ease their legs into racing.

With all stages within a stone's throw of each other, teams can set up base in a hotel and stay there for the duration of the race - no lengthy transfers here.

Even the parcours is inviting - none of the stages exceed 150 kilometres in length, and no time trial stages are included. The toughest thing the riders are likely to encounter is the hot weather - but that's not to say that the racing won't be fast.

Two further British riders join Cavendish in the line up for the event: Team Sky duo Ben Swift and British national champion Geraint Thomas.

All 18 ProTeams will contest the race in addition to local wildcard entry, Uni SA-Australia bringing the total to 19 squads with seven riders apiece.

Team Leopard-Trek makes its top-level racing debut at the race, and fields a squad featuring former double winner Stuart O'Grady (1999 and 2001).

The 2011 Tour Down Under is also notable as being the final professional road race outside the USA for seven-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) two years after he made his comeback from retirement at the race in 2009.

Mark Cavendish and Bernhard Eisel, Tour Down Under 2011

Mark Cavendish and Bernhard Eisel warm-up in Adelaide

Tour Down Under 2011: Latest news

Cavendish feeling well after relentless night

Cavendish plans to fight on despite Down Under crash

Swift benefits from Sky's strength and crashes for first win

Armstrong grumpy Down Under due to new doping allegations

Swift settles into Sky's lead-out role

Cavendish holds fire at Tour Down Under

Cavendish-Greipel duel: Let the fun begin

Sky's Thomas keeping covered Down Under

Armstrong faces questions on doping investigation and 2009 payments

Armstrong in Adelaide: One more time

Tour Down Under 2011: Who will win?

Tour Down Under 2011: Start list

Farrar heads Garmin-Cervelo's Down Under assault

Cavendish to face Greipel Down Under with in-form Goss

Cavendish to start 2011 Tour Down Under

Farrar to ride Tour Down Under

Tour Down Under 2011: Stage reports

Stage six: swift wins again, takes third behind Meyer

Stage five: Garmin face final battle at Tour Down Under

Stage four: Meyer holds off sprinters to take overall lead

Stage three: Matthews takes first pro win

Stage two: Swift avoids crashes to take win

Stage one: Goss takes TdU opener

Cancer Council Classic: Goss wins Down Under opener after Sky crash

Tour Down Under 2011: Photo galleries

Tour Down Under stage six gallery

Tour Down Under stage five gallery

Tour Down Under stage four gallery

Tour Down Under stage three gallery

Tour Down Under stage two gallery

Tour Down Under stage one gallery

Cancer Council Classic gallery

Tour Down Under 2011: Stages

Sun Jan 16: Cancer Council Classic, won by Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad)

Tues Jan 18: Stage one - Mawson Lakes to Angaston, 138km, won by Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad)

Weds Jan 19: Stage two - Tailem Bend to Mannum, 146km, won by Ben Swift (Team Sky)

Thurs Jan 20: Stage three - Unley to Stirling, 129km,  won by Michael Matthews (Rabobank)

Fri Jan 21: Stage four - Norwood to Strathalbyn, 124km, won by Cameron Meyer (Garmin-Cervelo)

Sat Jan 22: Stage five - McLaren Vale to Willunga, 131km, won by Francisco Ventoso (Movistar)

Sun Jan 23: Stage six - Adelaide City Council Street Circuit, 90km, won by Ben Swift (Team Sky)

Overall classification: Cameron Meyer (Garmin-Cervelo)

Tour Down Under 2011: TV guide

Highlights and some live coverage of the 2011 Tour Down Under will be shown on satellite channels Sky Sports 2 (channel 402), Sky Sports 3 (channel 403) and Sky Sports 4 (channel 404). Select programmes will also be shown in high definition.

Monday, January 17, 10am. Tour Down Under, highlights (Cancer Council Classic), Sky Sports 3 & 3HD

Monday, January 17, 2.30pm. Tour Down Under, highlights (Cancer Council Classic), Sky Sports 3

Tuesday, January 18, 6.30pm. Tour Down Under, highlights, Sky Sports 2

Wednesday, January 19, 5am. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 2 & 2HD

Wednesday, January 19, 6.30pm. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 2 & 2HD

Thursday, January 20, 2am. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 4

Thursday, January 20, 3.30am. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 2 & 2HD

Thursday, January 20, 6.30pm. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 2 & 2HD

Friday, January 21, 6pm. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 4 & 4HD

Saturday, January 22, 12am. Tour Down Under LIVE, Sky Sports 4 & 4HD

Saturday, January 22, 3pm. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 4HD

Sunday, January 23, 2.30am. Tour Down Under LIVE, Sky Sports 4 & 4HD

Sunday, January 23, 4pm. Tour Down Under, Sky Sports 4 & 4HD

Tour Down Under 2011: Teams

Tour Down Under 2011: Full start list, with race numbers>>

Ag2r La Mondiale (France)

Astana (Kazakhstan)

BMC Racing Team (USA)

Euskaltel-Euskadi (Spain)

Garmin-Cervelo (USA)

HTC-Highroad (USA)

Katusha (Russia)

Lampre-ISD (Italy)

Liquigas-Cannondale (Italy)

Leopard-Trek (Luxembourg)

Movistar (Spain)

Omega Pharma-Lotto (Belgium)

Quickstep (Belgium)

Rabobank (Netherlands)

Saxo Bank-SunGard (Denmark)

Team Sky (Great Britain)

Radioshack (USA)

Uni SA-Australia (Australia)

Vacansoleil-DCM (Netherlands)

Tour Down Under 2011: British riders

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad)

Ben Swift (Team Sky)

Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)

Tour Down Under: Jerseys

Ochre (orange) jersey: Overall race leader

White jersey: King of the mountains leader

Blue jersey: Sprint classification leader

Black jersey: Best young rider

Red jersey: Most aggressive rider 

Tour Down Under: 2010 overall top ten

1. André Greipel (Ger) HTC Columbia 18-47.05 hrs

2. Luis Leon Sanchez (Esp) Caisse d'Epargne at 11 secs

3. Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Sky at 15 secs

4. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Katusha at 17

5. Luke Roberts (Aus) Milram at same time

6. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC at 21 secs

7. Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha at 25 secs

8. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma Lotto at 26 secs

9. Robbie Hunter (RSA) Garmin Transitions at same time

10. Markus Fothen (Ger) Milram at 27 seconds

Tour Down Under: Previous winners

2010 Andre Greipel (Ger) HTC-Columbia

2009 Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step

2008 Andre Greipel (Ger) High Road

2007 Martin Elmiger (Swi) Ag2r

2006 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Ag2r

2005 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Liberty Seguros

2004 Patrick Jonker (Aus) UniSA

2003 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Ag2r

2002 Michael Rogers (Aus) Australia Institute of Sport

2001 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole

2000 Gilles Maignan (Fra) Ag2r

1999 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole

Related links

2011 UCI World Calendar

External link

Santos Tour Down Under 2011: official website

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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.