The Santos Women’s Tour Down Under has undergone a remarkable transformation since its inception in 2016. Once a 2.2 UCI-ranked event, it began as a collection of criteriums accompanying the men’s race. Predominantly featuring riders from Australia and New Zealand, few European teams participated, allowing the Australian team—now Liv-AlUla-Jayco—to dominate the early editions, winning consecutively from 2016 to 2019 with Amanda Spratt.
Gene Bates, Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s women’s team manager and sports director, remarked to Cyclingnews, “We had a nice stranglehold on the event and it was good for us, right. But yeah, in realistic terms, it shouldn’t be like that. No team should have a monopoly on racing like that, and it is better for women’s cycling in general that the event grows and the field gets stronger. It just means we have to be better and work harder.”
Growth and Expansion
The stages have become more challenging, with longer routes and the iconic Willunga Hill climb added. The race achieved Women’s WorldTour status in 2023, after a two-year COVID-19 break. Additionally, 2019 saw equal prize payouts for men and women, attracting greater attention from the media. Now, more than two-thirds of participants are international, thus increasing the event’s prestige.
A fourth race day was introduced, with the Tour running from 17th to 19th January, and the Schwalbe Women’s One Day Classic on 26th January. This one-day event, ranked 1.Pro, offers 200 points, compared to 50 points for a Women’s WorldTour stage win, making it a strategic choice for many teams to come during a promotion/relegation season.
Assistant Race Director Annette Edmondson mentioned at a pre-race conference, “It’s really important. We need more opportunities. We want to have more teams coming out. We want higher-level teams, and it’s showing… we’ve got 10 Women’s WorldTour teams out here this year, so that’s the strongest field ever for our women’s race. And it just means that the progression of the racing is just going to keep lifting, and we’re going to be able to hopefully continue to progress and add perhaps another stage into our WorldTour event.”
Challenges and Highlights
Edmondson, who competed in the event three times and secured two stage victories, noted, “Changes don’t happen overnight. We’re very proud that Santos, our major sponsor, is really prioritising the growth of the women’s race. It’s exciting to have a fourth day of racing.”
The 2024 edition features demanding stages, including a challenging stage 2 with 115 kilometres of racing under forecasted hot conditions, starting in Unley and climbing Windy Point within 5km. The peloton faces Willunga Hill twice, while stage 3 offers five ascents of the Stirling climb, with over 2,000 metres of elevation over 105.9 kilometres.
Bates observed, “This is the hardest tour that we’ve seen for the women. With two ascents of Willunga Hill, it is certainly going to create some significant GC gaps.” Notable climbers in the line-up include Neve Bradbury, Justine Ghekiere, and Niamh Fisher-Black, recently moving to Lidl-Trek, alongside Amanda Spratt and Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s Ella Wyllie.
The Women’s Tour Down Under continues to progress steadily, unlike other women’s races that faced cancellations. Its thoughtful expansion ensures a sustainable future, with the potential for more stages and growth. For the latest insights, subscribe for unlimited access to our comprehensive coverage of the 2025 season-opening Tour Down Under for men and women.
