tour down under recorrido

Tour Down Under 2024: The Route

The UCI World Tour kicks into gear with a virtually flat 1st stage . It’s a cicuit race around Tanunda.

The 2nd stage of the Tour Down Under is a lumpy test between Norwood and Lobethal. The punchy Fox Creek climb – 1.6 kilometre at 8.8% – inside the last 10 kilometres could be decisive.

Stage 3 features 2,211 metres vertical metres, but still, a bunch sprint is the most likely outcome. Caleb Ewan won seven years ago after a similar finale.

The flattest race of the entire Tour Down Under takes place on the fourth day. Stage 4 travels to a slightly uphill home straight in Port Elliot.

The 5th stage sees the return of Willunga Hill after a 3 years hiatus. The finish climb is 3 kilometres long and averaging 7%, while it ramps up to 15.6%.

The Tour Down Under is to be decided on the final day of action. Starting in Unley and finishing on Mount Lofty, stage 6 takes in an elevation gain of 2,821 metres and an uphill finish.

Tour Down Under 2024: routes, profiles, more

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Tour down under 2024: recorrido, etapas, perfiles y últimos vencedores.

El Santos Tour Down Under 2024, prueba inaugural del calendario UCI World Tour, se disputa del 16 al 21 de enero sobre 824,3 kilómetros repartidos en un seis etapas en línea, ésta vez sin jornada prólogo ni prueba contrarreloj.

Recorrido del Tour Down Under 2024

Sin etapa prólogo, el Tour Down Under 2024 propone jornadas cortas y calurosas, trayectos interesantes, con un fin de semana que concentrará toda la atención de cara a la general.

Habrá tres sprints bastante claros si no lo evitan el viento o las caídas, en Tanunda (martes 16), Campbelltown (jueves 18) y Port Elliot (viernes 19).

El primer punto clave llegará el miércoles 17, con casi 3.000 metros de desnivel y varios pasos por Fox Creek Climb (1.600 metros al 9%), el último a solo ocho kilómetros de la conclusión.

Para el sábado 20 queda la habitual -pero ausente en 2023- doble subida a Willunga Hill, 3 kilómetros al 7,4 por ciento con un primer paso a 22 kilómetros de la ascendente llegada. Será un día crucial, pero no decisivo, ya que el domingo 21 esperan otros 2.900 metros de complicado desnivel por el interior y los pasos por Mount Lofty, 1.300 metros al 7,3% con la última ascensión a solo 2 kilómetros de la meta.

Etapas y perfiles del Tour Down Under 2024

Últimos vencedores:

- 2023: Jay Vine (AUS) - 2022: Cancelado por la pandemia. - 2021: Cancelado por la pandemia. - 2020: Richie Porte (AUS) - 2019: Daryl Impey (RSA) - 2018: Daryl Impey (RSA) - 2017: Richie Porte (AUS) - 2016: Simon Gerrans (AUS) - 2015: Rohan Dennis (AUS) - 2014: Simon Gerrans (AUS) - 2013: Tom Slagter (NED) - 2012: Simon Gerrans (AUS) - 2011: Cameron Meyer (AUS) - 2010: André Greipel (GER) - 2009: Allan Davis (AUS).

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Tour Down Under 2024: Recorrido y Perfiles

El Santos Tour Down Under 2024 será una auténtica aventura para los ciclistas que se enfrenten en el sur de Australia, ofreciendo un inicio de temporada del WorldTour muy caluroso.

La carrera, que se disputa desde 1999 y forma parte del WorldTour desde 2008, arranca en Tanunda y concluye de nuevo en la cima del Monte Lofty , donde Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) se coronó como campeón en 2023 .

La carrera es a menudo un escenario donde los ciclistas australianos brillan, dando lo mejor de sí mismos en la carrera de casa, pero con el alto nivel internacional que aporta su estatus WorldTour, no hay garantía de que lo tengan todo de cara.

Caleb Ewan será uno de los que esperan conseguir un inicio triunfal de la temporada 2024 ante la afición de su país cuando se alinee de nuevo con el equipo australiano Jayco-AlUla, tras haber vuelto después de cinco años del Lotto Soudal.

Otra de las estrellas que estarán en carrera es el francés Julian Alaphilippe quien iniciará su temporada 2024 , pero con la ausencia del vigente campeón de la carrera, Jay Vine.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Santos Tour Down Under (@tourdownunder)

Etapas del Tour Down Under 2024

Recorrido del tour down under 2024.

La edición 24 de la carrera australiana cuenta con 6 etapas, que suman un total de 824,6 kilómetros.

En la primera etapa del Tour Down Under 2024 el pelotón regresa a la bella Barossa para una etapa de sprint trepidante, donde los corredores darán tres vueltas a la región, pasando por Seppeltsfield, Greenock, Nuriootpa, Angaston y Tanunda , en un recorrido de 144 km.

La etapa 2 , de 141,6 kilómetros, parte de Norwood y se adentra en las colinas de Adelaide , y termina con tres vueltas de 35 kilómetros y dos subidas al Fox Creek Climb (1,6 km y rampas del 17,8%). La subida será un trampolín para los múltiples ataques que harán los ciclistas que buscarán la victoria en Lobethal .

La etapa 3 , de 145,3 kilómetros, arranca en Tea Tree Gully y afronta la primera subida casi de inmediato antes de dirigirse al borde este de Barossa y a un final rápido por Gorge Road y Campbelltown .

Un circuito neutral para empezar la etapa 4 en Murray Bridge llevará al pelotón a cruzar el majestuoso Murray antes de avanzar hacia el este hasta Langhorne Creek y la única subida del día, Gemmell Hill cerca de Strathalbyn . El pelotón acelerará hasta un final en alto en Port Elliot , junto al océano, en The Strand .

Willunga Hill , la favorita de los aficionados (3 km al 7,4%) vuelve en 2024, escalada no una sino dos veces en la etapa 5 de 129,3 km. Tras una nueva salida en Christies Beach , los corredores recorrerán McLaren Vale antes de dos vueltas al distrito.

Los puntos de Rey de la Montaña en Willunga Hill , con su pendiente máxima del 15,6 por ciento, se otorgarán en la primera subida, mientras que la segunda promete un duelo de escaladores por la victoria de etapa.

Mount Lofty (1,5 km al 6,5%, máx. 13,3%) regresa para el último día de carrera . Después de salir de Unley , el pelotón se enfrentará a la dura subida a Windy Point (3,8 km al 6%, máx. 20%) poco antes del kilómetro 40 de la etapa de 128,2 km.

Luego, la ruta continúa hacia Adelaide Hills para un circuito por ciudades como Mylor , Aldgate , Uraidla , Stirling , Crafers y Bridgewater . Un primer paso por Mount Lofty forma parte de este circuito, mientras que el segundo deparará al ganador de la etapa, y quizás al ganador absoluto.

Perfiles de las Etapas

1ª etapa (16 de enero) tanunda › tanunda (144 km).

2ª Etapa (17 de enero) Norwood › Lobethal (141.6 km)

3ª Etapa (18 de enero) Tea Tree Gully › Campbelltown (145.3 km)

4ª Etapa (19 de enero) Murray Bridge › Port Elliot (136.2 km)

5ª Etapa (20 de enero) Christies Beach › Willunga Hill (129.3 km)

6ª Etapa (21 de enero) Unley › Mount Lofty (128.2 km)

Equipos Inscritos en el Tour Down Under 2024

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Profiles & Route Tour Down Under 2024 - Old Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty to decide overall classification

Profiles . The Tour Down Under is the first major road race of the road season and opens up the World Tour racing. From the 16th to 21st of January the season kicks off with racing in Australia.

The first race of the season when it comes to stage-racing at the highest level features only short stages. The riders come in for the heat, UCI points and reputable victories. The route doesn't change much from it's traditional format with the Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty to decide the overall classification. Furthermore, there will be two stages which should all end in sprints - providing plenty opportunities for the fast men.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 - Simon Yates the favourite for GC; Alaphilippe, Ganna and Tarling among star-studded start to 2024 season

The race begins in Tanunda with a 144-kilometer day. This one features three laps of a large circuit which includes the slight ascent to Mengler's Hill, however as the riders come down back into town they will organize to a bunch sprint.

With 45-kilometer laps, the first stage is not all easy but it's not tough business either. Most of the riders will be on their first competitive day in months and won't be looking to take many risks or tests themselves too much. As usually is the case, this should be a calm day on Australian roads. Menglers Hill is not too hard, a slight rise into 5% which summits with 13.5 kilometers to go. There will be some fight for positioning however as a steep descent follows, but the final kilometers are flat.

Flat and not too technical. There will be a 90-degree turn around the 1-kilometer mark however that, alongside a slight turn right after will be just about it. The finishing straight is still long so it won't be tackled with urgency by some. The finishing straight has a slight gradient but a bunch sprint is hard to avoid.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 stage 1 - Caleb Ewan and Sam Welsford big favourites to win opening big sprint of the year

Stage 2 into Lobethal is a relatively open day. Short on the bike and with another circuit, however the final three-lap circuit features some hilltops where attacks can come. Here the racing will be open, the GC can be played for, but a sprint is also possible. It is a day with a 10-kilometer climb right from the start, although not many are likely to risk it all at this point in the race. However it's an interesting and explosive start for a 141-kilometer day.

Then we have a three-lap circuit around Lobethal, not too different than the previous day. three small ascents to note. 1Km at 5.7% with 20 kilometers to go, 1.6Km at 7.5% with 8.5 kilometers to go, and 600 meters at 5.6% with only 4.5 kilometers to go. Then, a small descent and a slight drag to the line.

All in all, a very open finale. It could well finish in a reduced bunch sprint, however the small climbs offer plenty opportunities for puncheurs, rouleurs and classics specialists to launch attacks. In a race that is often decided by just a few seconds, it can be a key day and specially because it will be the first real climbing test and riders will be unaware of who has the best legs.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 stage 2 - Hilly finale provides opportunity for explosive GC battle

Stage 3 starts uphill however it should be a relatively easy day to control. The race rides into Campbelltown but will not tackle the Corkscrew climb. Instead, a flat day where a bunch sprint will be hard to prevent. However, with such a tricky start and mostly downhill finale, a breakaway could certainly take advantage.

Again, it is a day that immediately starts with a climb. The first 35 kilometers of the 145-kilometer day are very explosive, they feature several climbs. If there are enough riders willing to take the risks, this could lead to a very interesting day. The day is quite rolling, and then the final 25 kilometers have a downhill trend. Speeds will be very high and it is difficult to cut much of a gap in such terrain.

However, a bunch sprint remains the most likely scenario. Campbelltown, in the outskirts of the Adelaide city center, hosts a finale that has a technical approach, but a pan-flat finale.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 stage 3 - Sam Welsford and Caleb Ewan headline sprinter showdown

Stage 4 to Port Elliot will also be short and just as suited to the sprinters. There will be very little obstacles to tackle en route to the finish line. A day that can be exposed to the wind as it takes place quite close to the coast and does not feature this time around the rolling terrain of the previous days.

Instead, the first half is pan-flat. We've got Gemmel Hill that summits with 48 kilometers to go however it doesn't pose much of a challenge, and the final third of the day isn't much of an issue profile wise. In the final few hundred meters there will be a fast approach to Port Eliott, a sharp final corner with just a few hundred meters to go means a race up to that point, and then an all-out sprint in the day that suits the fast men the best.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 stage 4 - Can Sam Welsford make a hattrick of sprint wins?

Stage 5 sees the return of the Willunga Hill. It's the traditional Tour Down Under finale, and a stage that can be decisive. This is the comeback of the race's (and region's) most famous climb. It is a day that is very short and should be very calm all throughout, with the exception of the end. Like Milano-Sanremo, it is a slow buildup towards what should be a very explosive finale.

The riders will climb twice the 3-kilometer ascent at 7.5%, the first of which summits with 22.5 kilometers to go. However here there's rarely action, just positioning towards the base but then the race calms down. It's a non-technical and consistent climb so the riders will likely remain in a calm zone. Then in the run-up to the final climb the fight is serious.

Then, it's a 10-minute effort approximately - including the run-up to the ascent. High speed and big chainring, it's a climb where attacks have to be very powerful to make the difference as it will be raced at high speed. Still, the few seconds, and bonifications at the finish line, often prove vital for the decision of the ochre jersey.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 stage 5 - Old Willunga Hill showdown likely to decide GC

The race ultimately ends in Mount Lofty. After it's success of 2023 the race organizers decided to repeat the formula. On the menu is an interesting finale, with an explosive start to the stage and then a three-lap circuit which ends atop the ascent each time. It's one with slight gradients, but the hilltop finish provides opportunities for attacks and for the ochre jersey to change hands right in the race's end.

Two 3-kilometer climbs provide space for attacks early in the day. A rolling day in the hills, it's not too difficult to image a big breakaway trying to establish itself and threatening the overall classification. A three-lap circuit around Mount Lofty will take place. In total, it's around 14 kilometers of false-flat climbing with a couple of small downhill sections. However as we've been able to observe last year, everything is in preparation for the final 1.6 kilometers.

The gradients here average 6.5%, but at the base of it the grades do go higher. A finale for puncheurs and climbers simultaneously, it's an explosive one. Not a climb to make big differences, but every second matters in such a race.

PREVIEW | Tour Down Under 2024 stage 6 - GC battle reaches exciting climax atop Mount Lofty

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UNDER_ARTICLE

Wed 18 Sep 2024

Tue 17 Sep 2024

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Tour Down Under 2024

6 etapas • 16-01-2024 -> 21-01-2024.

Clasificaciones

Williams, stephen, burns, luke, welsford, sam, del toro, isaac, decathlon ag2r la mondiale team.

Tanunda (AUS) -> Tanunda (AUS)

16-01-2024 • 144.0 kms

Norwood (AUS) -> Lobethal (AUS)

17-01-2024 • 141.6 kms

Tea Tree Gully (AUS) -> Campbelltown (AUS)

18-01-2024 • 145.3 kms

Murray Bridge (AUS) -> Port Elliot (AUS)

19-01-2024 • 136.2 kms

Christies Beach (AUS) -> Willunga Hill (AUS)

20-01-2024 • 129.3 kms

Unley (AUS) -> Mount Lofty (AUS)

21-01-2024 • 128.2 kms

Astana Qazaqstan Team

Soudal - quick step, groupama - fdj, bahrain - victorious, movistar team, jayco alula, ef education - easypost, dsm-firmenich postnl, team visma | lease a bike, ineos grenadiers, lidl - trek, red bull - bora - hansgrohe, arkéa - b&b hotels, intermarché - wanty, alpecin - deceuninck, israel - premier tech, uae team emirates, ¿cuándo se empezó celebrar esta carrera.

Se empezó a disputar en el año 1999 y esta edición es la número 24 .

¿Cuántos kilómetros se recorren? ¿Y etapas?

Se recorren 823 kms en un total de 6 etapa/s .

¿Cuando empieza? ¿Cuánto dura?

Empieza el día 16-01-2024 en Tanunda y termina el 21-01-2024 en Mount Lofty .

¿Cuántos equipos y ciclistas participan?

Un total de 139 ciclistas y 20 equipos . Pincha en este enlace para ver más .

¿Qué categoría UCI tiene esta carrera?

UCI World Tour (Various stages) 2.UWT

¿Qué empresa o organizador la gestiona?

Government of South Australia

Información

Organizador

Carreras relacionadas

Tour Down Under 2020

AUS • 21-01-2020 -> 26-01-2020

Tour Down Under 2023

AUS • 17-01-2023 -> 22-01-2023

Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race 2024

AUS • 28-01-2024

Licencia de la imagen: Image by tourdownunder.com.au

GP Valonia: Roger Adrià bate a Alex Aranburu

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Tour down under: recorrido, perfiles y dorsales.

en Noticias INT 21/01/2023 1 Comentario

Redacción / Ciclo 21

Tres años después por las dos cancelaciones por la pandemia el Tour Down Under australiano volverá a abrir el calendario del World Tour masculino del 17 al 22 de enero sobre un prólogo contrarreloj individual y cinco etapas en línea.

La gran novedad es que la ronda oceánica no se decidirá en el clásico final en la colina Willunga sino que se conocerá al sucesor de R ichie Porte de 2020 en el monte Lofty en una jornada tipo circuito en la que se ascenderá cinco veces la cota.

LAS ETAPAS 2023

Prólogo: Martes 17 enero. Adelaida, 5.5 kms

Perfil del prólogo © Down Under

1ª: Miércoles 18 enero. Tanunda-Tanunda. 150 kms

Perfil de la 1ª etapa © Down Under

2ª: Jueves 19 enero: Brighton-Victor Harbor, 156 kms

Perfil de la 2ª etapa © Down Under

3ª: Viernes 20 enero: Norwood-Campbeltown, 118.5 kms

Perfil de la 3ª etapa © Down Under

4ª: Sábado 21 enero: Port Willunga-Willunga Township, 135 kms

Perfil de la 4ª etapa © Down Under

5ª: Domingo 22 enero. Unley-Monte Lofty, 114 kms

Perfil de la 5ª etapa © Down Under

EQUIPOS PARTICIPANTES

Confirmados:

AG2R: O´Connor, Baudin, Godon, Lapeira, Peters, Schär, Touzé, 

Arkéa: Hofstetter, Gesbert, Costiou, Le Berre, Ledanois, Owsian, Verre

Astana: Moscon, Basso, Boaro, Felline, Sánchez, Laas, Gruzdev

Australia: Ewan, Drizners, Leahy, Frislie, Moriarty, Marriage, Walsh

Bahrain : Arndt, Bauhaus, Bilbao , Gradek, Pernsteiner, Scott, Sutterlin

Bora: Aleotti, Archbold, Haller, Hindley, Lührs, Meeus, Schachmann

Cofidis : Bidard, Carvalho, Cimolai, Coquard, Lafay, Renard, Wood

DSM: Bevin, Combaud, Dinham, Hamilton, Mayrhofer, Naberman, Tusveld

EF Education: Bettiol, Honoré, Keukeleire, Quinn, Rutsch, Scully, Wisniowski

Groupama: Storer, Molard, Germani, Thompson, Pithie, Penhoet, Scotson

Ineos : Hayter, Hayter, Heiduk, Plapp, Sheffield, Swift, Thomas

Israel: Clarke, Froome, Impey, Berwick, Gee, Jones, Strong

Jayco : Durbridge, Hamilton, Harper, Hepburn, Matthews, Stewart, Yates

Movistar: Erviti , Jacobs, Izagirre, Lluís Mas, Romeo, Samitier

Soudal: Cattaneo, Devenyns, Knox, Schmid, Steimle, Svrcek, Van Tricht

UAE: Bax, Bennett, Covi, Fisher Black, Hirschi, Vine, Vink

Por confirmar:

Alpecin Intermarché Jayco Jumbo Trek

Edición 2020: Richie Porte

PALMARÉS COMPLETO

Etiqueta: Tour Down Under tour down under 2023

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Tour Down Under Men etapas y resultados 2024

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Tour Down Under

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• Overview 2025
• Total editions: 27
• Country: Australia
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Tour Down Under 2023: Route, stages, and startlist guide

Taking a look at all the stages for both the men's and women's Australian race

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Key Information

Where: Adelaide, South Australia

When: 14 January (Schwalbe Classic men's and women's)

Women's TDU , 15-17 January Men's TDU , 17-22 January

Rank: UCI WorldTour (men's and women's)

Distance: 672 kilometres (men's) 293 kilometres (women's)

Returning to the WorldTour after a two-year absence, the Tour Down Under lifts the curtain on the WorldTour season once more. Multiple big name riders in both the men’s and women’s peloton will be heading to Australia for the stage-race including the recently crowned Australian national road champion Luke Plapp (Ineos Grenadiers) and Grace Brown (FDJ Suez). 

Both the men’s and women’s action will begin with the Schwalbe Classic, an evening criterium on Saturday 14 January. However the criterium will have no say in the overall general classification battle. 

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The men’s race will get underway on Tuesday 17 January with a 5.5 kilometre prologue, whereas the women’s race will begin the day after the criterium on Sunday 15 January with a flat 110.4 kilometre stage between Glenelg and Aldinga. 

Men's Tour Down Under: Stages, 17-22 January

Luke Plapp will be flying the flag for Australia at this years race

The route for the 2023 men's Tour Down Under has something for everyone. There will be plenty of action in the depths of the Adelaide hills as well as other fast and furious sprint stages which should make for an excellent opener to the WorldTour season. Bringing the race back without its famous Willunga Hill climb was always going to be a brave decision, although race director Stuart O'Grady explained when presenting the 2023 route that he believes it was important to bring some "fresh faces" into the Australian stage race. 

"I think it's important to bring some new, fresh places into the Tour Down Under,” O'Grady said. "I was brought in to bring in some new innovations, some new exciting parcours and also didn't want just the same old kind of stages where everybody knows exactly what's going to happen. The new final stage brings in a lot of excitement. It's a short stage, it's aggressive, it's more central to Adelaide, so I'm guessing more and more people will get there.”

Prologue: Adelaide - Adelaide, 5.5 km

The evening prologue on Tuesday 17 January follows a 5.5 kilometre course through the Adelaide Parks and past the Adelaide Oval cricket ground in what promises to be a fast and furious affair. Unusually, the riders will have to use their road race bikes due to logistical issues with bringing all of their equipment over to Australia for the race. It's also the first time a prologue has been incorporated into the race, with race organisers clearly hoping that Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma), home favourite and time trial expert, can pull off the win and the early race lead.

Stage One: Tanunda - Tanunda, 149.9 km, Hilly

The first road stage of the 2023 men's race covers a 149.9 kilometre circuit around the city of Tanunda and and the Barossa wine area. It also features four smaller circuits which involve the Menglers Hill climb, making for a total of 2,050 metres of elevation gain. Menglers Hill isn't so challenging that the best sprinters in the world won't get over it, meaning that the likes of Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Dstny) could still be in contention towards the stage finale. 

Otherwise, a rider of the likes of Plapp could look to use the final climb with just 10 kilometres to go as a launch pad for a solo move to the finish. 

Stage Two: Brighton - Victor Harbour, 154.8 km, Hilly

The longest stage of this year's edition, stage two from Brighton to Victor Harbour is all about the coast. Riders will get to enjoy the spectacular coastline for the first portion of the route before things ramp up in the stage climax. 

The final 60 kilometres involve two challenging, categorised ascents although the flat run in could also mean a day for the sprinters once more. In 2020, Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech) grabbed the victory. Ewan will be another name to watch or a rider like EF Education-EasyPost's Alberto Bettiol. The Italian can more than hold his own on short, punchy climbs and packs a devilish fast finish.

Stage Three: Norwood - Campbell Town, 116.8 km, Hilly

Stage three to Campbelltown is short but will pack a mean punch with three of Adelaide's toughest hills roped into the equation. Norton Summit, Checkers Hill and Corkscrew Road are all on the menu, providing plenty of staging posts for the high profile overall contenders to make their moves. Corkscrew Road features challenging pitches of 6.8% average gradient, with one section ramping up to more than 9%. Perhaps homegrown hero and Giro d'Italia winner Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) will look to test his early season form on the hills of Adelaide.  

Stage Four: Port Willunga - Willunga Township, 133.2 km, Flat

Normally on a stage in and around Willunga, you would expect the infamous Willunga Hill to feature somewhere in the route but this year's race misses out the legendary climb. Stage four gets underway overlooking the beach and ends in Willunga Township after 133 kilometres of mainly rolling, undulating roads. Stage four is definitely a day for the sprinters once more before the race reaches its finale on Mount Lofty the day after. 

Stage Five: Unley - Mount Lofty, 122.5 km, Hilly

Stage five to Mount Lofty will make for a spectacular finish to the 2023 edition of the race. The stage is just 112.5 kilometres long but features five ascents of Mount Lofty, which is almost certainly going to provide drama on the races final day in the heart of the Adelaide Hills. All four ascents of the devilish climb will make for more than 3,000 metres of climbing. The whole climb is 2.6 kilometres long with an average gradient of 7%. At two and then one kilometre to go there are two much more severe, steeper sections which is where the GC favourites will be expected to attack. Many talented climbers feature on the expected start list which should make for a thrilling and aggressive stage five to end the race. 

WOMEN'S TOUR DOWN UNDER: STAGES, 15-17 JANUARY

FDJ-Suez's Grace Brown will be a strong favourite for the women's race

Stage One: Glenelg - Aldinga, 110.4 km, Flat

The opening day of the women's race is a relatively flat affair along the South Australian coastline. 

With just one categorised climb on the menu, the category four Chaffey's climb, it promises to be a fast run into the finish which could provide an opportunity for the likes of Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) to start as they mean to go on, with an opening day stage victory. 

Stage Two: Birdwood to Uraidla, 90 km, Hilly 

Stage two will be a punchy affair through the Adelaide hills, a reverse of the route taken in stage five of the men's race. The women will ascend the back of the Mount Lofty climb which is certainly set to cause some major splits in the bunch. 

If after day one Brown has taken an early lead in the GC, she will have to be well on her guard to prevent climbing experts like Brodie Chapman (Trek-Segafredo) from wrestling the overall lead from her grasp. 

Stage Three: Adelaide - Campbelltown, 93.2 km, Hilly

The grand finale for this year's women's Tour Down Under will be one for the climbers with more than 1,500 metres of elevation on offer. 

Corkscrew Road - one of the toughest climbs in the Adelaide hills - will play a starring role on the races final day and will more than likely cause some major splits. 

With sections of up to 24.4% gradients, the Corkscrew will provide a menacing test and potentially the perfect setting for the overall leader to launch an attack, and claim a final day stage win to cement their advantage. 

MEN'S START LIST

 Jayco-AIUla

Michael Matthews  (AUS) Simon Yates (GBR) Luke Durbridge (AUS) Lucas Hamilton (AUS) Michael Hepburn (AUS) Chris Harper (AUS) Campbell Stewart (NZA)

AG2R-Citroën

Ben O'Connor (AUS) Alex Baudin (FRA) Dorian Godon (FRA) Paul Lapeira (FRA) Nans Peters (FRA) Michael Schar (SWI) Damian Touze (FRA)

Arkéa-Samsic

Ewen Costiou (FRA) Mathis Le Berre (FRA) Elie Gesbert (FRA) Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) Kevin Ledanois (FRA) Łukasz Owsian (POL) Alessandro Verre (ITA

Astana Qazaqstan

Luis Leon Sanchez (SPA) Manuele Boaro (ITA) Leonardo Basso (ITA) Fabio Felline (ITA) Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ) Martin Laas (EST) Gianni Moscon (ITA)

Bahrain-Victorious

Pello Bilbao (SPA) Nikias Arndt (GER) Kamil Gradek (POL) Hermann Pernsteiner (AU) Cameron Scott (AUS) Jasha Sutterlin (GER)

Trek-Segafredo

Tony Gallopin (FRA) Filippo Baroncini (ITA) Marc Brustenga (SPA) Asbjorn Hellemose (DEN) Emils Liepins (LAT) Natnael Tesfazion (ERI) Antonio Tiberi (ITA)

Bryan Coquard (FRA) Francois Bidard (FRA) Davide Cimolai (ITA) Wesley Kreder (NED) Victor Lafay (FRA) Alexis Renard (FRA) Harrison Wood (FRA)

Soudal Quick-Step

Mattia Cattaneo (ITA) Josef Cerny (CZA) Dries Devenyns (BEL) James Knox (GBR) Mauro Schmid (SWI) Jannik Steimle (GER) Martin Svrcek (CZA)

Alpecin-Deceuninck

Kaden Groves (AUS) Jenson Plowright (AUS) Robert Stannard (AUS) Samuel Gayze (NZA) Senne Leysen (BEL) Oscar Riesebeek (NED) Michael Gogl (AUS)

Groupama-FDJ

Michael Storer (AUS) Miles Scotson (AUS) Lorenzo Germani (ITA) Reuben Thompson (NZA) Laurence Pithie (NZA) Paul Penhoet (FRA) Rudy Molard (FRA)

Ineos Grenadiers

Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ethan Hayter (GBR) Kim Heiduk (GER) Luke Plapp (AUS) Magnus Sheffield (USA) Ben Swift (GBR)

Intermarche-Circus-Wanty

Sven Erik Bystøom (NOR) Julius Johansen (DEN) Hugo Page (FRA) Gerben Thijssen (BEL) Taco van der Hoorn (NED) Boy Van Poppel (NED) Dion Smith (NZA)

Jumbo-Visma

Rohan Dennis (AUS) Robert Gesink (NED) Lennard Hofstede (NED) Timo Roosen (NED) Milan Vader (NED) Timo van Dijke (NED) Jos van Emden (NED)

Gorka Izaguirre (SPA) Imanol Erviti (SPA) Johan Jacobs (SWI) Oscar Rodriguez (SPA) Ivan Romeo (SPA) Sergio Samitier (SPA) Luis Guillermo Mas (SPA)

Chris Hamilton (AUS) Matt Dinham (AUS) Patrick Bevin (NZA) Romain Combaud (FRA) Tim Naberman (NED) Marius Mayrhofer (GER) Martijn Tusveld (NED)

UAE Team Emirates

Jay Vine (AUS) George Bennett (NZA) Marc Hirschi (SWI) Sjoerd Bax (NED) Alessandro Covi (ITA) Michael Vink (NZA) Finn Fisher-Black (NZA)

EF Education-EasyPost Alberto Bettiol (ITA) Mikkel Honoré (DEN) Jens Keukeleire (BEL) Sean Quinn (USA) Jonas Rutsch (GER) Thomas Scully (NZA) Lukasz Wisniowski (POL)

Bora-Hansgrohe

Jai Hindley (AUS) Marco Haller (AUS) Shane Archbold (NZA) Luis-Joe Luhrs (GER) Jordi Meeus (BEL) Max Schachmann (GER) Giovanni Aleotti (ITA)

Israel Premier-Tech

Chris Froome (GBR) Daryl Impey (RZA) Simon Clarke (AUS) Corbin Strong (NZA) Taj Jones (AUS) Sebastian Berwick (AUS) Derek Gee (CAN)

Australian National Team

Caleb Ewan (AUS) Jarrad Drizners (AUS) Graeme Frislie (AUS) Connor Leahy (AUS) Zac Marriage (AUS) James Moriarty (AUS) Liam Walsh (AUS)

WOMEN'S START LIST

Jayco- AIUla Ruby Roseman-Gannon (AUS) Alex Manly (AUS) Amber Pate (AUS) Georgia Baker (AUS) Georgia Howe (AUS) Jessica Allen (AUS)

Amanda Spratt (AUS) Lauretta Hanson (AUS) Brodie Chapman (AUS) Tayler Wiles (USA) Lisa Klein (GER) Ilaria Sanguineti (ITA)

Grace Brown (AUS) Loes Adegeest (NED) Clara Copponi (FRA) Eugenie Duval (FRA) Victorie Guilman (FRA) Gladys Verhulst (FRA)

Human Powered Health

Lily Williams (USA) Daria Pikulik (POL) Antri Christoforou (GRE) Kaia Schmid (USA) Henrietta Christie (NZA) Nina Buijsman (NED)

Israel Premier Tech Roland

Caroline Baur (SWI) Silvia Magri (ITA) Mia Griffin (IRE) Thi That N'Guyen (VIE) Claire Steels (GBR) Elena Pirrone (ITA)

EF Education-Tibco-SVB

Lauren Stephens (USA) Emma Langley (USA) Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Abigail Smith (GBR) Georgia Williams (NZA)

COOP-Hitec Products

Mari Mohr (NOR) Josie Nelson (GBR) Tiril Jorgenson (NOR) Sylvia Swinkels (NED) Kerry Jonker (RZA) Georgia Danford (NZA)

ZAAF Cycling

Danielle De Francesco (AUS) Elizabeth Stannard (AUS) Nikola Noskova (CZA) Michaela Drummond (NZA) Debora Silvestri (ITA) Maggie Coles-Lyster (CAN)

ARA Skip Capital

Sophie Edwards (AUS) Chloe Moran (AUS) Isabelle Carnes (AUS) Alex Martin-Wallace (AUS) Georgia Whitehouse (AUS) Rachael Wales (AUS)

Emily Watts (AUS) Gina Ricardo (AUS) Jessica Pratt (AUS) Keely Bennett (AUS) Lillee Pollock (AUS) Mia Hayden (AUS)

Nicole Frain (AUS) Rachel Neylan (AUS) Josie Talbot (AUS) Anya Louw (AUS) Haylee Fuller (AUS) Alli Anderson (AUS)

New Zealand National Team

Ally Wollaston (NZA) Bryony Botha (NZA) Ella Wyllie (NZA) Prudence Fowler (NZA) Rylee McMullen (NZA) Annamarie Lipp (NZA)

St Michel - Mavic

Roxane Fournier (FRA) Coralie Demay (FRA) Simone Boilard (CAN) Dilyxine Miermont (FRA) Sandrine Bideau (FRA) Camille Fahy (FRA)

HOW TO WATCH

We've produced a full guide detailing how to watch all of the action from the first WorldTour races of the season. Depending on where you are in the world, you may want to consider downloading an ExpressVPN to ensure you can gain access to your home broadcaster. 

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Tom has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine. 

Since joining the team, he has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest races and events including the Tour de France and the World Championships in Glasgow. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world. 

As well as on the ground reporting, Tom writes race reports from the men's and women's WorldTour and helps with coverage of UK domestic cycling. 

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Así quedó la clasificación general del Tour Down Under 2024, tras la etapa 2

Tras las dos primeras jornadas del tour down under, el nuevo líder de la competencia es el mexicano isaac del toro, que se quedó con el triunfo de este miércoles..

El joven mexicano Isaac del Toro, del equipo UAE Team Emirates, logró por sorpresa el miércoles su primera victoria como profesional al imponerse en la segunda etapa del Tour Down Under en Australia, primera carrera de la temporada ciclista.

Isaac del Toro, considerado como una de las futuras estrellas del pelotón mundial y primer ciclista mexicano en ganar una etapa en el Tour Down Under, pasó a encabezar la clasificación general delante del neozelandés Corbin Strong y el eritreo Biniam Girmay.

Cuando el desenlace de la etapa, de 141,6 km de recorrido y final en Lobethal, parecía encaminado a un ssprint masivo , el joven de 20 años sorprendió a los equipos de los velocistas lanzando un intrépido ataque en el último kilómetro, para terminar imponiéndose al dúo del Israel-Premier Tech, el neozelandés Corbin Strong y el galés Stephen Williams.

"Estoy tan feliz, estoy tan cansado, pero disfruto cada momento. El último kilómetro fue muy duro", dijo Del Toro, vencedor de la última edición del Tour del Porvenir, una competición reservada a los jóvenes ciclistas y que han ganado en el pasado estrellas como Miguel Indurain (1986), Laurent Fignon (1988) y más recientemente Egan Bernal (2017) y Tadej Pogacar (2018).

"Aproveché la última oportunidad en la subida del tramo final y pude rematar la faena", agregó el joven nacido en Ensenada, cerca de la frontera con Estados Unidos.

Tras las dos próximas etapas con un recorrido llano, la carrera australiana, la primera por etapas del calendario ciclista internacional , debería decidirse el fin de semana, con dos jornadas de perfil más montañoso, sobre todo con las subidas de Willunga Hill y el Mount Lofty.

Clasificación general del Tour Down Under 2024, tras la etapa 2: 1. Isaac del Toro | México | UAE Team Emirates | 6:55:22 2. Corbin Strong | Nueva Zelanda | Israel Premier Tech | a 2" 3. Biniam Girmay | Eritrea | Intermaché Wanty | a 7" 4. Stephen Williams | Gran Bretaña | Israel - Premier Tech | a 7" 5. Georg Zimmermann | Alemania | Intermaché Wanty | a 8" 6. Finn Fisher-Black | Nueva Zelanda | UAE Team Emirates | a 8" 7. Louis Barré | Francia | Arkéa - B&B Hotels | a 9" 8. Caleb Ewan | Australia | Jayco AlUla | a 10" 9. Jhonatan Narváez | Ecuador | Ineos Grenadiers | a 10" 10. Danny Van Poppel | Países Bajos | Bora Hansgrohe | a 11" 121. Álvaro Hodeg | Colombia | UAE Team Emirates | a 5' 01"

Tour Down Under men’s race 2023 - The Essential Preview

Hindley, Froome, Thomas and Dennis opt for summery start to new season as Australia's WorldTour opening race returns

The men's Santos Tour Down Under returns as a major international race next week, kicking-off the 2023 WorldTour with some of the biggest names in the peloton starting their season with some intense in the warmth of Adelaide and South Australia.

The women’s Tour Down Under is also back on after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, and is part of the WorldTour for the first time, further elevating the quality of the combined week of racing. Cyclingnews will also have a full preview of the women’s Tour Down Under in the coming days.  

The week of racing begins with a lung-opening evening criterium on Saturday January 14 for the women and men, which may not be part of the GC competition for the Tour Down Under but are always a show and always end with a fiercely contested sprint.

The men’s Tour Down Under then officially starts with a 5.5km prologue time trial around the parks to the north of Adelaide on Tuesday January 17 and ends with a hilltop finish, not on Willunga Hill where Richie Porte so often triumphed but on Mount Lofty overlooking Adelaide, on Sunday January 23.

The changes to the men’s race should create a more open and thrilling tour, with the prologue time trial making local resident Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma) an overall favourite without ruling out other riders during the race before the final showdown on Mount Lofty. Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla), Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Caleb Ewan, who leads the Australian national team, will also fly the flag for the nation, while Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech), Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost), Geraint Thomas and Ineos Grenadiers teammate Ethan Hayter have all opted to travel down under to start their season early as part of the 20-team peloton.

The Tour Down Under was last held as an international race in 2020, when Richie Porte won for a second time. Race director Stuart O’Grady and his organising staff bravely kept the event alive as a national-level competition during the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus has not disappeared but Australia has opened its doors and will again welcome an international WorldTour peloton for the first major race of 2023.

European-based riders and teams began to arrive last week so they could recover from the 24 hours of flying and the significant time and meteorological differences. Arriving early allows them to acclimatise and complete a final block of training before the racing starts.

Temperatures are currently above 32°C and expected to climb to 37°C for the criterium on Saturday according the official forecasts, though some of the longer range forecasts are pointing toward a chance of some cooler weather in some of the earlier stages but then possibly a return of the fierce Australian summer.  

Simone Giuliani and Stephen Farrand will be in Adelaide to cover the race for Cyclingnews, gathering all the important news, rider reaction, race analysis and the new 2023 bike tech.  

How the new route could impact the 2023 Tour Down Under

Stage races are about every second won or lost but the opening prologue in the 2023 Tour Down Under will immediately create time gaps that are likely to shape the subsequent five road race stages.

The winner of the time trial won’t automatically go on to win the 2023 Tour Down Under but everyone else will have to go on the attack on the other stages to pull back time. Three, two and one second advantages can be taken at the two intermediate sprints on each stage and then ten, six and four seconds are awarded at stage finishes.

If Stuart O’Grady’s script for the route goes to plan, the overall winner will be decided on the final climb up to Mount Lofty.

The evening prologue time trial on Tuesday January 17 covers a 5.5km course that starts near the Adelaide Oval cricket ground and then twists and climbs around the Adelaide Parks and Torrens River with a sweeping descent testing the riders’ nerve and bike skills.

The riders will have to use their road race bikes rather than time trial bikes to ease logistic and equipment issues. Aero bars are also not permitted but disc wheels and aero helmets are, perhaps offering some a slight marginal gain to the brave and talented time trialists.  

It is the first time a prologue time trial has been included in the Tour Down Under and race organisers are clearly hoping Dennis can use his proven time trial skills to win and pull on the first ochre-coloured leader’s jersey.

The first road stage on Wednesday January 18 covers a 149.9km loop around Tanunda and the spectacular Barossa valley wine area, with four smaller circuits and the short climb of Menglers Hill producing a total of 2,050 metres of climbing.  

A section of this stage also appeared in the 2021 Santos Festival of Cycling men’s race, where Luke Durbridge took victory with an 80-kilometre solo break on day one, and could inspire other attacks this year in an attempt to catch out the peloton.  

The last climb comes just 10km from the finish and so is a launch pad for attacks but the best sprinters will also be determined not to miss out.

Stage 2 from Brighton to Victor Harbor is over 154.8km and the longest stage of this year’s race follows the spectacular coastline for half distance before a hillier finale.

The final 60km includes two categorised climbs and crosses the Myponga dam wall before a fast road to the finish. In 2020 Giacomo Nizzolo won here, beating a 50-rider group and so Ewan and other sprinters should be contenders in 2023.

The finish overlooks the beaches of Victor Harbor and so if it is hot, riders are likely to continue the tradition of taking a cooling dip in the sea in their skin shorts.

Stage 3 is relatively short at 116.8km but includes 2442 metres of climbing and tackles three of Adelaide’s toughest ascents, navigating Norton Summit, Checkers Hill and Corkscrew Road in the Adelaide hills before finishing in Campbelltown. It is a day for the overall contenders to battle.

Corkscrew Road is 3.6km long and climbs at an average of 6.8% with a section at over 9%. It peaks just five kilometres from the finish, with the road all downhill to Campbelltown. Anyone targeting overall victory will have to climb well, descend well and fight for the time bonuses on offer at the finish line.

The stage around Willunga to the south of Adelaide traditionally decides the Tour Down Under but this year things are different. Stage 4 starts in Port Willunga overlooking the beach and ends in the nearby Willunga Township after 133.2km of racing without climbing the now legendary Willunga Hill, where Richie Porte so often secured overall victory.    

Rather than heading up Willunga Hill, the riders go deep into the McLaren Vale wine area. There are some rolling roads but this stage is definitely one for the sprinters.

The overall winner of the 2023 Tour Down Under will be crowned on Mount Lofty, in the Adelaide Hills that overlook the host city skyline, with the finish at the top of the 710-metre climb.

The stage is again short at just 112.5km but includes five assaults of Mount Lofty. It should be a tough and intense final stage, deep in the Adelaide Hills.  

The riders roll out from the south suburb of Unley with the neutral section cruelly ending at the foot of the Devil’s Elbow climb. Once over Mount Lofty the first time, the stage covers four 25km laps in the hills via Summertown, Uraidla, Carey Gully, Bridgewater, Aldgate, Stirling and Crafers. That will add up to 3131 metres of climbing in just 112.5km of racing.

The Tour Down Under stage route avoids a steeper early back road section and heads up to Mount Lofty via the main road up from the Freeway and Crafers. The whole climb is only 2.6km long at an average of 7.3% but includes two steeper sections with two and then one kilometre to go. One is measured at 13.3% and so a perfect place for the better climbers to attack and open a gap on their GC rivals.

The stage will be a battle right until the finish line, with any time gaps and the time bonuses all likely to play a part in deciding the final overall winner. The 2023 Tour Down Under could be decided by a single second.

"I think it's important to bring some new, fresh places into the Tour Down Under,” O’Grady said when he presented the 2023 race route, clearly hoping for a thrilling race.

"I was brought in to bring in some new innovations, some new exciting parcours and also didn't want just the same old kind of stages where everybody knows exactly what's going to happen. The new final stage brings in a lot of excitement. It's a short stage, it's aggressive, it's more central to Adelaide, so I'm guessing more and more people will get there.”

While the Vuelta a San Juan entices several big-name riders to travel to Argentina for their season debut, the Tour Down Under is a far more serious affair, with all 18 WorldTour teams on the start list and all fighting for the early WorldTour wins and a haul of UCI ranking points.

We are at the very beginning of a new three-year WorldTour cycle but the changes to the UCI points scales make WorldTour stage races like the Tour Down Under more valuable than ever and every team will want to get some points on the board early to avoid an early spell in the relegation zone.  

Few riders have travelled all the way to the Tour Down Under for an easy season debut. The race has been on riders' programmes since the end of October and most will have specific goals and roles and will have trained to be on form in mid-January.  

The Australian riders will of course be out in force, with many spending the winter training in Europe after two enforced stays through the off season. Of the 140 riders, 28 are Australian, spread across 14 different teams.  

New Australian national champion Luke Plapp will stand out in the peloton in his green and gold and could even emerge as Ineos Grenadiers’ team leader if Thomas and Hayter are not on his best form. He can count on the experience of Ben Swift and the youthful support of Magnus Sheffield, neo-pro Leo Hayter and Kim Heiduk.

Everyone in Adelaide will be hoping local rider Rohan Dennis is at his very best after opting to miss the National Championships. The new course suits Dennis much more, with the prologue time trial offering him a chance to earn a haul of seconds on his rivals and so take the first race lead. Defending the ochre-coloured jersey for six days may be a big task for Dennis and Jumbo-Visma but he will surely be up for a fight on the final stage to Mount Lofty.  

Of course he is not alone. Ben O’Connor (AG2R Citroën), Jay Vine and (UAE Team Emirates) and Michael Storer (Groupama-FDJ) all have the talents to be overall contenders on this year’s course. So does Kiwi George Bennett (UAE Team Emirates), who has enjoyed the benefits of passing the summer in the southern hemisphere but can race without home nation expectations.  

Jayco-AlUla missed out on the intrinsic benefits and points haul of a home WorldTour race for the last two years and will be looking to use home advantage more than ever.

Michael Matthews has travelled to Australia in January for the first time in years and Jayco-AlUla have also sent Simon Yates down under to double-up their overall hopes. His aggressive climbing style seems ideal for an assault on overall victory if the Briton has anticipated the race in his training and worked on peaking in January and February. The Jayco-AlUla team also includes Luke Durbridge, Lucas Hamilton, Michael Hepburn, Chris Harper and Kiwi Campbell Stewart.

Jayco-AlUla face some serious rivals with so much at stake in the first WorldTour race of 2023, with a number of teams sending riders who will be real contenders.

Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) has the finishing speed and climbing skills to be a factor, as does Italy’s Antonio Tiberi, who will be part of the Trek-Segafredo team hoping to follow on from Richie Porte when he gave the US-registered team victory in 2020 ahead of Diego Ulissi.

Groupama-FDJ will back Storer all the way for an Aussie-French victory, while Chris Hamilton and Kiwi Pat Bevin could be a threat for Team DSM. Veteran Gorka Izagirre and talented young Ivan Romeo lead Movistar, while Mattia Cattaneo, Mauro Schmid and perhaps even James Knox could do well for Soudal-QuickStep in the absence of Remco Evenepoel.

Hindley is now one of Australia’s headline riders after winning the Giro d’Italia in 2022 and leads Bora-Hansgrohe along with former Paris-Nice winner Maximilian Schachmann, while UAE Team Emirates will be counting on new signing Jay Vine and road captain Bennett and perhaps even Giro d’Italia stage winner Alessandro Covi.  

EF Education-EasyPost have already shown off their new pink kit and new Cannondale bikes on the roads of Adelaide, Bettiol and new signing Mikkel Honore could both be overall contenders if they have an early peak of form.  

Chris Froome is part of the Israel-Premier Tech line-up, with 2018 and 2019 winner Daryl Impey also racing in what he recently announced will be his final season in the pro ranks.  

Caleb Ewan will of course be a rider to watch in the sprint stages, with Matthews, Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious), Boy van Poppel (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty) his biggest fast finishing rivals. Kaden Groves will no doubt be out to make a mark on home turf after his surprising but opportunistic move from the comforts of Jayco-AlUla to Alpecin-Deceuninck.

Teams will be looking to score UCI points by placing multiple riders in the expected sprints in Tanunda, Victor Harbor and Willunga township, with the prologue time trial, stage 3 to Campbelltown and the final stage to Mount Lofty deciding the final overall winner.

Each stage should produce some exciting early-season racing in the heat of the Australian summer, with each stage telling a different story, while producing an emphatic start to the new UCI WorldTour season.

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Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters , Shift Active Media , and CyclingWeekly , among other publications.

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Down Under Classic

• Ziptrak® Men's Stage 1

Health Partners Men's Stage 2: Tanunda to Tanunda

• efex Men's Stage 3
• Hahn Men's Stage 4
• THINK! Road Safety Men's Stage 5
• Schwalbe Men's Stage 6

Men's Stages

The 2025 stages pays homage to the events history while exploring new landscapes, promising thrilling challenges for the riders.

Men's combined stage map

Explore the 2025 stages:

Saturday, 18 January 2025

• Start: 7:00 PM, Rundle Road, Adelaide
• Finish: 8:06 PM, Rundle Road, Adelaide
• Distance: 1.8km (1 hour + 6 mins)km

Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Ziptrak® Men's Stage 1: Prospect to Gumeracha

• Start: 11:10 AM, Prospect Road, Prospect
• Finish: 3:26 PM, Albert Street, Gumeracha
• Distance: 150.7km

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

• Start: 11:10 AM, Murray Street, Tanunda
• Finish: 2:23 PM, Murray Street, Tanunda
• Distance: 128.8km

Thursday, 23 January 2025

efex Men's Stage 3: Norwood to Uraidla

• Start: 11:10 AM, The Parade, Norwood
• Finish: 3:01 PM, Greenhill Road, Uraidla
• Distance: 147.5km

Friday, 24 January 2025

Hahn Men's Stage 4: Glenelg to Victor Harbor

• Start: 11:10 AM, Colley Terrace, Glenelg
• Finish: 3:21 PM, Esplanade, Victor Harbor
• Distance: 157.2km

Saturday, 25 January 2025

THINK! Road Safety Men's Stage 5: McLaren Vale - Willunga Hill

• Start: 11:10 AM, Main Road, McLaren Vale
• Finish: 2:53 PM, Brookman Road, Willunga Hill
• Distance: 145.7km

Sunday, 26 January 2025

Schwalbe Men's Stage 6: Adelaide - Adelaide

• Start: King William Road, Adelaide
• Finish: King William Road, Adelaide
• Distance: 90km

The Santos Tour Down Under organisers, advises that there will be low level helicopter and small drone operations between 17 and 26 January for the purpose of broadcast and media operations for the event. 

The flight plans have been reviewed and approved by both the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Air Services Australia and will occur strictly for the purpose of broadcasting the 2025 Tour Down Under.

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« On y est allé étape par étape » : Rudy Molard, de la chute au Tour Down Under au podium au GP de Québec

Victime d'une violente chute et d'une commotion cérébrale en janvier, le coureur de groupama-fdj, 3e au grand prix de québec vendredi dernier, a retrouvé toutes ses sensations..

« Détonant ». Le terme utilisé par l'équipe Groupama - FDJ au moment de commenter la troisième place de Rudy Molard lors du Grand Prix de Québec vendredi dernier, disait à la fois l'étonnement et la fulgurance de sa performance, bien calé derrière les pointures Michael Matthews, le vainqueur, et Biniam Girmay. Car, à 34 ans, le Français n'était pas forcément attendu, en tout cas pas neuf mois après une chute qui lui a meurtri le corps et l'âme.

Visiting Russia - Nalchik, Capital of Kabardino-Balkaria

By Koryo Tours

Nalchik, capital of Kabardino-Balkaria

Visiting Russia – Nalchik

Yoshkar-ola | cheboksary  |  astrakhan | elista | stalingrad (volograd)  | abakan  |  nalchik  | validkavkaz  | makhachkala  |  grozny.

Nalchik is a small city of around 240,000 people and serves as the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, one of the lesser-known republics spread across the beautiful North Caucasus area of Russia, the mountain range that separates the former soviet states of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan from the Russian Federation.

This region has incredible diversity in ethnic groups and is a melting pot at the edge of empire. While there have been civilisations in the Caucasus for millennia Nalchik as a city is only a century old, having been a Russian fort since 1724. Today’s Nalchik is a mostly peaceful and relaxing place, being in the foothills of the mountains it has many areas of great beauty and multiple sanatoria for people looking to take the waters, over the last century it has certainly had its share of turbulence though, being occupied by Romanian troops fighting on the side of the Nazis, who embarked on an effort to exterminate the ancient community of Mountain Jews in the area (unsuccessfully), plus a 2005 Islamic militant attack on Russian security forces.

These days Nalchik is known as a clean city, a place for relaxing, and the starting point of expeditions to summit Mt. Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe, which lies within Kabardino-Balkaria.

Kabardians make up the largest ethnic group at just under 50% of the city’s population, followed by Russians, Balkars, other Caucasian nationalities as well as Ukrainians, Mountain Jews still live in the area but in very small numbers now, most having emigrated to Israel.

Arriving/Departing

Nalchik Airport (NAL) is a small one but is fully functional for getting in and out, usually the foreigners arriving here will be mountaineers heading for Elbrus.

The Airport is only 3km from the city centre so you could even walk into town from here, otherwise, there are taxis and marshrutkas waiting for arrivals. Flights arrive only from Moscow and St. Petersburg usually, the Caucasus has other larger airports for other international flights (such as those to Sochi). Nalchik has a railway station, dating from 1915, with links to Moscow and across the Caucasus. A good option for travelling around the region in a relaxing manner (usually slower than taking a marshrutka between cities though) For getting around inside Nalchik there are public buses all over the place, easy to use and very cheap. Otherwise most of the centre is very walkable, the main ‘high street’ is Lenin Avenue, which runs for several km through the centre of the city.

Concord Square

The centre of Nalchik and a good place to start a walking tour of the city, with the Kabardino-Balkaria parliament building on one side and Lenin stands at the other, fountains in the middle and Lenin Avenue cutting through the square

Religious Buildings

The central buildings of the main religions practised in Nalchik are both fine examples of their respective architectural styles; the Central Mosque and the Cathedral of Mary Magdalene are both worth visiting. Dress codes apply.

Not actually in Nalchik, but only 50km or so away so the city is the ideal base for starting an expedition. This is Europe’s highest mountain and a dormant volcano. There are cable car/chairlift options to get t the top for those who don’t wish to do it the hard way. It is possible to get up and down this mountain n a single day, making it certainly the simplest of the 7 continental highest peaks to climb.

Museum of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic

Great for explaining where you are and the history of the area. Mostly in Russian only though and does tend to assume some knowledge in advance. Still a good stop to get some intro into the complex history of this city and area in general.

Atazhukin Garden

A large park complex running for more than 2km along the eastern side of the city, alongside the Nalchik River. A very pleasant place with so much to see and do. The basic Nalchik Zoo is here, walking trails, restaurants and cafes, theatres, a very retro funfair, and a rickety but reliable cable car running up to a lovely viewpoint to see over the city and out to Mt. Elbrus.

Topped by a restaurant building built in the shape of a Kabardian warrior. An excellent few hours can be spent exploring this park and mingling with the locals of all ages who do their relaxing here.

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Travel Tips to Kabardino-Balkaria: More than Mt. Elbrus!

If you’ve traveled to the North Caucasus before, there is a good chance you’ve already been to Kabardino-Balkaria, and you didn’t even know it!  Kabardino-Balkaria lies in the center of the North Caucasus region, is home to Mt. Elbrus, but more than that is a treasure chest of travel possibilities.  Here is our guide to traveling through the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, or 9 travel tips to this beautiful land:

1. How do I get there?

Kabardino-Balkaria hosts a large number of both foreign and Russian travelers every year, and has an improving infrastructure able to handle the incoming masses.  Let’s start with the obvious.  You might be a mountain climber or skier coming to enjoy the slopes of Mt. Elbrus.  That means you’re likely arriving on an airplane to Russia.  Here are your travel options:

A. Plane – We advise you fly into the Mineralni Vodi (MRV) airport in the Stavropol Region, which is about 45 minutes from the border of Kabardino-Balkaria.  MRV is the largest airport in the North Caucasus, and has daily direct flights to and from all 3 airpots in Moscow (SVO, DME, and VKO), direct flights from St. Petersburg, and several international flight routes as well, including from Istanbul, Dubai, Greece, Tel Aviv, and Bishkek.  The MRV airport has a growing infrastructure and is the most obvious choice to fly into if going to Elbrus.  From MRV, it’s a 2 hr. drive to Nalchik, and a 3.5 hr. drive to Mt. Elbrus.

That being said, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, Nalchik (NAL), also has a small regional airport with a daily flight to/from Moscow as well as weekly flights to Istanbul. As is to be expected in most smaller, regional airports around Russia, the service standard at a small airport like this will be minimal.  As a result, we recommend you flying in and out of MRV if able.  It’s a 2 hr. drive to Elbrus from Nalchik.  You can also fly into other regional airports which are 2 hrs. from Nalchik, such as OGZ in North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz) or IGT in Ingushetia (Magas).

B.  Car/Public Transport – If you have a car, are using a taxi, or are hitch-hiking your way to Kabardino-Balkaria, the region is accessible by a variety of roads and vehicles.  A major Russian federal highway E50 runs through Pyatigorsk into Kabardino-Balkaria, and can take you towards Mt. Elbrus, Nalchik, and deeper into the North Caucasus.  There are daily mini-buses, or “marshrutkas”, that travel to Nalchik from Pyatigorsk, Vladikavkaz, Grozny, and Magas, if you’re coming from a neighboring republic.  From the main Nalchik bus station, there is a marshrutka that goes to Terskol (i.e. Mt. Elbrus) daily around 12:30 pm; for that matter,  marshrutkas run daily into every valley of this beautiful republic.  For the seasoned international traveler, you can drive from the country of Georgia up the famed “Georgian Military Highway” through the heart of the Caucasus Mountains, cross the border into Russia at the “Verkhni Lars” border stop, and be in Nalchik in about 2.5 hours as well. 

Anyone traveling on their own should download the “Yandex” taxi app, which is Russia’s version of Uber, and has a very user-friendly app with affordable prices.  In smaller villages/towns where Yandex’s service doesn’t reach, just ask a local and they’ll direct you to a friend or relative who can taxi you where you need to go!

C.  Train – Kabardino-Balkaria is also very accessible by the famous cross-country Russian train system if that’s your preferred method of travel.  Almost all trains to the North Caucasus pass through Mineralni Vodi in the Stavropol region to the north, so make sure wherever you are coming from, Mineralni Vodi is one of the stops.  Despite Nalchik having a train station, the city is about 45 minutes from the main railway route that runs diagonal through the North Caucasus, and as a result it’s a bit convoluted to get a train directly to Nalchik.  That being said, the town Prokhladni is a regular stop on trains going to/coming from Baku, Makhachkala, Grozny, Nazran, and Vladikavkaz, so you can always hop off there and find your way by public transport or taxi.

2.  What are the best places to stay?

This list could get exhaustive, fast. 🙂  Let’s first look at an overview of the republic’s geography, followed by hotel recommendations:

A. Nalchik – This is the capital city of Kabardino-Balkaria, with a population of around 250,000.  Nalchik is growing and new, modern hotels are being built regularly.  Here are some of our recommendations:

-Modern and comfortable:  Azimut , Butik Otel

-Budget with less frills:  Hotel Rossia , Korona

You could comfortably spend a week in Nalchik, while doing day trips into Kabardino-Balkaria’s beautiful mountain valleys.

B.  Baksan Valley – This is the most traveled road in Kabardino-Balkaria, the road to Mt. Elbrus.  If you have questions about its safety because of travel warnings, please see our detailed blog here of the drive to erase any doubts or fears.  Needless to say, because of the draw of Mt. Elbrus, there are a huge variety of lodging options at the end of this valley, from 4-star to mid-range to budget to hostel.  Here are just a few we’ll recommend from our experience:

-Modern and comfortable 4-star-ish:  Azau Star , Kristall 139

-Budget with less frills 3-star-ish:   Laguna , Povorot

If you’re a mountain climber with your sites set on the summit of Elbrus, you’ll have to spend at least 3-4 nights at Elbrus’s famous base camp at 13,000 feet.  The “barrel huts” are not easy to book directly with, and we highly recommend you do your climb (and hence, have your bookings handled) through a trusted climbing company.  Here are two shelters at base camp we recommend:

-Modern and comfortable:  Leaprus

-Budget with less frills:  Heart of Elbrus Lodge

If you’re interested in climbing Mt. Elbrus and staying in these barrel huts, click  here  to see our climbing itineraries, pricing, and group dates.

C.  Chegem Valley – Chegem Valley is the adjacent valley to Elbrus’s Baksan Valley, and is famous for its beautiful waterfalls as well as being Russia’s top paragliding location.  The “ Paradrome ” has modest accommodations for those wanting to get to know this beautiful valley for a longer period of time.

D.  Upper Balkaria, or Cherek Valley – This is another beautiful mountain gorge not too far from Nalchik.  There is an authentic lodging complex in Upper Balkaria called Tau-El, with amazing local food for meals as well.

E.  Border Zone lodging – Several of Kabardino-Balkaria’s mountain gorges run into the border zone with neighboring country Georgia, i.e. an area that foreigners cannot enter without a special permit from the local government (often taking 2 months to receive).  There is a famous mountaineering lodge in Bezengi Valley, where several generations of Russian mountain climbers have honed their craft in the Caucasus Mountains.  Perpendicular to Baksan Valley (about 25 minutes from the base of Mt. Elbrus) is Adyr-Suu Valley, where there is a lodge for back-country skiers to stay, while trying their hands (and feet!) on the untouched snow of that valley.  Both these valleys require border permits for foreigners, but are possible to access for the more adventurous!

3.  Top cities to visit?

Most locals would agree that Nalchik is the main city of significance to visit in Kabardino-Balkaria, but let’s be honest, even more would say, “Just go to the mountains!”  Tirnauz is the capital of the Elbrus district, and is an interesting town to spend some time in, with its unique location in the mountains and place in Soviet history as a once-booming mining town.  The main thing to consider in visiting Nalchik and other cities in the lowlands, is the chance to experience Kabardian culture and food.  Whereas the deeper you go into the valleys, the more you’ll encounter Balkar culture and food.

4.  Best local foods to try?

There are 3 types of food that come to mind, when spending time in Kabardino-Balkaria:

A. Khychiny – This is one of the staple national dishes of the Balkar people, and what you’ll inevitably be served if guests of local Balkars.  It’s a thin buttery flat bread, sometimes cooked with fillings of cottage cheese, fresh greens, or potatoes.  It is often slathered in butter, but wow is that some tasty greasy goodness! 🙂

B.  Shashlik – Shashlik is a MUST for any visit anywhere in the North Caucasus!  Most people would agree that it’s the national food of the entire region.  Shashlik is meat shish kabobs; while pork and turkey can be found in some parts of the Caucasus, lamb or chicken are the preferred shashlik meats of choice in Kabardino-Balkaria. 

C.  Soup – No matter where you are in Russia, you’re sure to find a local soup that people love.  Kabardino-Balkaria is no different.  Especially in the winter months in the mountain valleys, there’s nothing better than to come inside from the cold weather and warm your body up to a bowl of hearty Caucasus soup.  Whether Georgian kharcho or local Balkar lakhman, make sure to try your hand at one of these soups with a side of fresh baked bread/lavash!

5.  Top Hole-In-The-Wall restaurants:

Of course, for a republic of this size, we’re bound to leave at least a few great local joints off our list, but here are a few to get you started. ***Note:  Restaurants in the North Caucasus are much better known for their food than their service, so prepare for tasty food, but manage your expectations about service:

-Elbrus – Kogutai Restaurant at Mt. Cheget – While this isn’t a hole-in-the-wall restaurant per se, it’s one of many to choose from in the Cheget tourist village, and we have found them to provide consistently good food and service.  Kogutai has a nice interior, and maybe most important, an English-language menu with good pictures. 🙂  There also is a nice outdoor patio with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains.

-Nalchik #1 – Tameris Restaurant – This is a cafe with a relaxed atmosphere in the capital Nalchik.  Local tour company Elbrus Elevation has taken foreign groups there on multiple occasions and always had good experiences.  Address is ul. Kuliyeva 3. 

-Nalchik #2 – Cafe-Bar Oasis – You have to know where this restaurant is to find it, but once inside, you won’t regret it!  There is a unique cafeteria-style ordering process, that includes several dishes being cooked on the spot once ordered.  You can sample local Kabardian dishes here.  The seating area is very modern and a pleasant atmosphere to have a meal in.  Address is ul. Kuliyeva 2. 

-Upper Balkaria – Tau-El Restaurant – This is the restaurant part of the Tau-El Tourist Complex in Upper Balkaria.  Whether spending the night or just passing through, make sure to stop here for a meal!

6.  Must-See Sites

This republic is so chock full of “must-see” destinations, it’s impossible to narrow the list down.  Here are just a few suggestions to get you started: (***Mt. Elbrus is a no-brainer and we’re assuming that’s on your list)

A. El-Tyubu and Paradrome – This is an amazing area towards the end of Chegem Valley.  Many tourists visit the famous Chegem Waterfalls and don’t drive any further down this gorge, which really is a shame.  El-Tyubu is a picturesque Balkar village with several historical sites to see, including some ancient mausoleums.  The real gem of the area, though, is the Paradrome , which is Russia’s premier paragliding destination.  The combination of the scenic surrounding mountains and constant winds produces almost daily conditions to sail through the beautiful Caucasus sky.  Highly recommend!

B.  Upper Balkaria – Also known as Cherek Valley, the entire drive to the actual village of Upper Balkaria is one big destination.  First, you can spend time at the 3 consecutive “ Blue Lakes ”, one of which is one of Russia’s deepest lakes with an underground spring.  Then, the drive itself becomes an adventure, as you pass by steep rock walls with a huge drop-off on the other side.  If you’re able to walk this part of the road, that is a bonus!  Once you’ve made your way through the valley walls, the region opens up into a beautiful panoramic view.  Many years ago, there were multiple villages in this region, but they’ve since been condensed into one main village.  You can see some of the ancient Balkar towers that their ancestors used to live in as well.

C.  Djili-Suu – Although hard to pronounce and not easy to get to, Djili-Suu is one of those places in the North Caucasus that people rave about that you “have to” visit.  It’s actually on the North side of Mt. Elbrus, and more accessible from the Mineral Waters region (2 hrs. from Kislovodsk).  The base camp for Elbrus climbers summiting the mountain from the North side is at Djili-Suu.  This area is famous in Russia for its numerous natural healing springs, as well as unique climate conditions that make for beneficial, long holidays for seeking a respite from their daily grind.  There are wide swaths of land available for camping, with probably the most unrivaled views of Mt. Elbrus in the North Caucasus.  Make sure to check this out!

7.  Off-the-beaten path destinations

A. King’s Waterfalls (Tsarskie), or Gedmisht – Probably the valley in Kabardino-Balkaria with the least amount of hype is the Malka Valley, which is the northernmost valley and mainly runs through the Kabardian lowlands.  At the point where the villages end, though (Khabas), the asphalt turns into dirt and the hills start to rise, culminating with the incredible King’s Waterfalls, or as one friend put it, Avatar Waterfalls.  These stunning waterfalls are best visited in the early summer, when everything is lush green and the water flow is strong, with many streams of water flowing down the earth’s surface.  The different colors are incredible and it’s hard to look away.  Once you’ve enjoyed the waterfalls, enjoy a meal of shashlik at one of the nearby lunch huts.  Having an off-road vehicle is ideal to visit these falls, but worth the time and effort!

B.  One-seater chair lift at Elbrus – As the infrastructure at Mt. Elbrus has modernized, some of the more “authentic” experiences have gone to the way-side.  This is one experience still available, though!  From the 2nd (11,000 ft.) to 3rd level (12,500 ft.) of Mt. Elbrus (whether skiing, going to base camp, or just touring), there is a single-seater chair lift for 100 rubles each way (less than $2).  This is an amazing experience if you have the time.  It’s 8-10 minutes each way, and a surreal experience of the majestic Caucasus mountain range surrounding you, skiers silently passing you by underneath, and in general enjoying the silent expanse of nature all around.  The chair lifts are from the Soviet times and so it feels like something from a different era.  For mountain climbers, the newer group cable car gives better access to most of base camp, but several huts are pretty close to this chair lift, so it still may be a good option for you.

C.  Abandoned Mines above Tirnauz – Tirnauz is about 1 hr. from Mt. Elbrus, and a town everyone drives through to and from the mountain.  Although today it looks old and half-abandoned, it was a booming mining town in the 20th century.  About a 45-minute drive above the city with an off-road vehicle, you can see the remains of the mining operations.  Learning about this history combined with the breath-taking views of the Baksan Valley and even into Georgia, you’ll wonder why more people aren’t visiting this place.  This is a great spot to see eagles soaring in the sky, as well as admire the Soviet city plan of Tirnauz from above.

8.  What do I need border zone passes to visit?

In Russia, any area within 5-10 km of a neighboring country, without a clearly delineated border (i.e. in the mountains) is considered a special border zone, and patrolled by Russian border guards.  This area IS accessible to all Russian citizens with their passports, but is NOT legally accessible to foreign citizens UNLESS you have a special permit from the FSB (Federal Security Bureau).  These permits are accessible, either through a tour operator or local friend, but require you to submit your application 45-60 days in advance.

Areas in Kabardino-Balkaria that are worth a visit if you have a border zone pass:

A.  Bezengi Wall – This is at the end of the Bezengi Valley, and holds a place of lore among Russian mountain climbers.  Many mountain guides go through training in this valley.  Five of the Caucasus Mountain’ range’s highest seven peaks are a part of the Bezengi Wall, so you can imagine the draw it has for climbers. There are great areas for trekking and camping in this area. 

B.  Adyr-Suu Gorge – This remote valley runs perpendicular to Baksan Valley and is about 25 minutes from the base of Mt. Elbrus.  It’s marked at the entrance by a relic of the past, a car lift from Soviet days that auto-cranks your car (and you) about 50 meters up the mountain.  After 45-60 minutes of driving on gravel road, the gorge opens up into a flat valley with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.  The Adyr-Suu Alpine Lodge is at the end of this valley and where back-country skiers base out of during the acclimatization phase of their Mt. Elbrus ski tours.  This is truly a place where you can experience untouched powder!

C.  Mt. Cheget (Elbrus) – Cheget is a neighboring mountain to Mt. Elbrus and where many climbers will acclimatize, both at its base and while doing some hikes.  It also is famous in Russia for its free-ride terrain for more experienced skiers.  Standard access to the chair lifts and mountain are available to all (i.e. mountain climbers don’t need to worry about accidentally crossing into the zone), but anyone wanting to summit the peak of Cheget OR visit the beautiful Cheget Lake needs a border permit. 

Foreigners violating the border zone areas is considered a serious offense in Russia; make sure to do your due diligence if wanting to visit one of these areas!  We highly recommend using a local tour operator and always traveling with a local person if visiting one of these areas.

9.  Any cultural “do’s” or “don’t’s” to be aware of

Kabardino-Balkaria is a fascinating republic with a combination of traditional and modern society.  The more you interact with local people, the more you’ll see a mixture of Muslim faith, post-Soviet mentality, and ancient local traditions all wrapped together.   

Kabardians mainly live in the lowlands (Nalchik, Baksan, and lowland villages), while Balkars primarily live in the mountain valleys (Elbrus, Chegem, Upper Balkaria, etc.).  There is a large population of Russians in the region as well.  Foreigners visit every area of the region regularly, and so local people are used to and will welcome your presence.

Come with an open mind to learn about these peoples, their traditions, and their land.  You won’t regret your trip to Kabardino-Balkaria!

***Want to learn more?  Here are several self-published resources from the podcast “ CaucasTalk ” related to Kabardino-Balkaria:

– Travel Tips to Kabardino-Balkaria (audio version of this blog)

– History of Mt. Elbrus (Part 1)

– History of Mt. Elbrus (Part 2)

– Interview with Local Elbrus guide

– Climbing Elbrus: Interview with American guide

– Who are the Kabardians? (Part 1)

– Who are the Kabardians? (Part 2)

– Skiing in the North Caucasus (Elbrus and more)

READY TO EXPERIENCE KABARDINO-BALKARIA FOR YOURSELF?

Where to find us.

• +1 704-810-4296
• [email protected]
• 1578 Pine Creek Rd., Gastonia, NC 28056

Travel Information

• We no longer offer travel services to Russia. See Caucasus Quest Tours for new destinations
• Is it Safe to Travel to the Caucasus in 2024?
• Climbing Kazbek & Kilimanjaro: Comparing two 5,000+ meter peaks
• How to Train to climb Mt. Kazbek in Georgia

Our Elbrus Climbing Tours

• Climb Elbrus South Route
• Climb Elbrus North Route
• Climb Elbrus & The Capitals
• Climb Elbrus & The Caucasus

Russia Cultural Tours

• Capitals of Russia
• Lake Baikal on Ice
• Delightful Dagestan
• Heart of the Caucasus

ALL Travel Services to Russia and Mt. Elbrus have been indefinitely suspended as of Feb. 2022.

Explore our new tour branch Caucasus Quest to climb Mt. Kazbek (5,054 meters) in Georgia or for immersive cultural touring experiences in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.