The Tour Down Under will be the first non-European event to be included on the UCI ProTour calendar.
The tenth edition of the Tour Down Under will be held from January 22-27, starting from Adelaide, capital of South Australia.
The Prime Minister of South Australia, Mike Rann, welcomed the fact that the best cycling teams in the world would soon be in the State. This would increase the event’s international visibility and help the region to attract more visitors.
Rann also said that, to celebrate the UCI's decision, event organisers and local authorities would join together to bring a festival atmosphere to the Tour Down Under, including an official ceremony of welcome in Adelaide before the race.
UCI President Pat McQuaid said: "The Tour Down Under fully deserves to be part of the UCI ProTour. Australia has definitely become one of the leading nations in international cycling. It is only fair that it should host a top-class competition from now on." McQuaid also considered that "The incorporation of the Tour Down Under in the UCI ProTour is also excellent news for cycling: it shows that the sport is continuing to develop, including outside Europe."
