It attracted 750,000 fans, generated $87 million in expenditure and injected $51 million into the South Australian economy.
And now the Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) has been crowned Best Sporting Event in Australia.
It’s the second time in three years that the TDU has received the title at the Australian Event Awards (external site), held this week at the Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour.
Taking place from 17 to 25 January, the 2026 event saw all 14 UCI Women’s WorldTour teams compete for the first time, joining all 18 men’s UCI WorldTour teams to form a truly international peloton.
Australian cyclist Jay Vine became a dual Santos Ochre Jersey winner, while the women’s race was won by Swiss star Noemi Rüegg for the second consecutive year.
Other highlights included a double-header day of men’s and women’s racing in the Barossa which drove a 79 per cent increase in overnight stays across the region as compared to the same period in 2025.
Broadcast figures show the men’s TDU achieved a total TV reach of 1.42 million around Australia, with audiences for the women’s race up 50 per cent to a total TV reach of 757,000.
The 2027 TDU will make history as the first international cycling event to feature men and women competing across the same day, route and distance. It continues a tradition of trailblazing for the TDU, which also set the bar in 2018 when it became the first major race to offer men and women equal prize money.
Santos Tour Down Under race director Stuart O’Grady OAM said the TDU was much more than a race.
"It’s a celebration of cycling that brings the world’s best riders to South Australia, takes the action into our regions and gives fans an opportunity to experience the sport up close," Mr O'Grady said.
"We’re always working on ways to make the event bigger and better, and 2027 will be another significant step forward as men and women compete across the same day, route and distance."
The 2027 Santos Tour Down Under (external site) is taking place in Adelaide and regional South Australia from 16-24 January.
