The Tour Down Under will start with a prologue in 2026, only the second time the race has ever done so. This individual time trial is only 3.6 kilometres long and takes place in Adelaide's Victoria Park.
The intense opening is just an appetizer for what organisers are calling the toughest course on record for the TDU that includes three ascents of Willunga Hill and a finish in Stirling with four trips over the Mount Barker Road climb.
There is no Down Under Classic in 2026.
Prologue: Adelaide-Adelaide (ITT), 3.6km
The prologue starts out with a straight, flat run-out to a twisting conclusion in Victoria Park. The violent effort will be a stark wake-up call for the riders' legs after months away from competition.
"A prologue is a great way to kick-start the first UCI WorldTour race of the year because it shakes up the dynamic of the Tour, throwing man and machine against the clock straight away," race director Stuart O'Grady said.
"It should create a more aggressive style of racing for the rest of the week because there might be guys who find themselves 10 or 20 seconds behind – and they need to get that time back somewhere."
Stage 1: Tanunda-Tanunda, 120.6km
The first road stage of the 2026 Tour Down Under circles through wine country, starting and ending in Tanunda with three ascents of Menglers Hill and a flat finish after a wickedly fast descent.
In last year's stage here, Sam Welsford survived a late crash to win the bunch sprint when the circuit was run in the opposite direction. This year, the climb is gentler but the descent will have some white knuckles for the run-in to the final 13km.
Stage 2: Norwood to Uraidla, 148.1km
The feared Corkscrew Road ascent features prominently on stage 2 from Norwood to Uraidla, but before they get there, riders will tempo their way up the Norton Summit climb and tackle Mount Lofty before turning their attention to the 9.7% average gradient of the aforementioned ascent.
The climb features midway through the stage and then as the last climb with about 14km to go. An undulating approach to Uraidla will test any solo riders' wills and the downhill run-in to the finish offers one last chance to catch any escapees.
Stage 3: Henley Beach to Nairne, 140.8km
The third stage from Henley Beach to Nairne is no holiday beach trip. The Wickham Hill climb is three kilometres long and averages 7%, but kicks up to 11% in places and rises 207 metres. It comes only 32.2km into the stage, so perhaps not one for the GC contenders to attack on.
The ascent at Mount Barker after 115 kilometres is short but tough, and possibly not enough to dislodge the sprinters if they're still around.
Stage 4: Brighton to Willunga Hill, 176km
The longest day of the race is also the hardest, with stage 4 punishing the peloton with over 2,500 metres of climbing. First is Chandlers Hill in the first 15km, then the first of three ascents of Willunga Hill topping out after 50km.
The route skirts the big climb and tackles the smaller Willunga climb twice mid-stage before the grand finale - two Willunga Hill climbs in the final 26km.
"This is all about putting a new twist on an old favourite where we always see huge crowds on Willunga Hill," O'Grady says. "Riders go into McLaren Flat and McLaren Vale before the initial climb up Willunga Hill, which will be great for those cycling fans who have camped out early to see the action. It's hard to know how the stage will play out. It's certainly going to be a day for the climbers and the winner will really have to earn it."
Stage 5: Stirling to Stirling, 169.8km
The last day around Stirling adds even more up and down, with a saw blade profile and four classified climbs before the finishing ascent on Mount Barker Road.
The climb is 2km long and rises only 78 metres, averaging 4%. But the average is deceptive as some pitches of 11% will weigh heavily on tired legs.
"This is going to be the best final stage we've ever had," O'Grady says. "In previous editions of the race the script has typically been decided by Willunga Hill, but a Stirling circuit on the final day is a whole new ball game. It's almost like a world championship or national championship-style circuit where there will be so many opportunities to attack.
"Even if you're within a minute of the lead, if the racing is hard and smart enough, you have the potential to destroy the ochre jersey because it's going to be very hard for a team to control the peloton for eight laps around Stirling. Stirling provides a perfect viewing platform with great food and drink options and lots of shade, so it should be a cracking day."
