Tour Down Under in Murray Bridge: Your guide to stage four of Australia’s biggest bike race
Here’s your guide to what’s happening in Murray Bridge, Jervois and Wellington in 2024, when riders will go past, which roads will be closed and more.
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Excitement is building ahead of the return of Australia’s biggest bike race to the Murraylands this Friday.
Thousands of people are expected to line the streets in Murray Bridge, Jervois and Wellington to watch stage four of the men’s Tour Down Under.
It will be the first time the race has passed through the region since 2020.
Murray Bridge Mayor Wayne Thorley said he was thrilled to welcome it back.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for our community to come together, celebrate and witness top-tier cycling talent in action,” he said.
“We take pride in displaying our resilience and extending an invitation to visitors to experience the revitalised Murray River.”
The biggest celebration will be on Bridge Street, Murray Bridge, which will be closed from 6am ahead of the stage start at 11.10am.
However, there will also be a number of other events around the district:
- Devonshire tea: 10.30am-12.30pm at the Round House, Murray Bridge. The race will be shown on a big screen and Sam Hissey will perform live music.
- Barbecue, bridge and bikes: 10.30am-12.30pm at Murray Bridge RSL. There’ll be live acoustic music and a barbecue provided by local service clubs.
- Barbecue lunch: 10.30am-12.30pm at Geisler Reserve, Jervois. There’ll be live acoustic music here, too.
- Wheels in Wellington brunch: 10.30am-12.30pm at Wellington Hall. Live acoustic music and a barbecue will be on offer here, too.
Scroll down for a guide to viewing points, road closures, race times and more.
What route will the Tour Down Under take?
Riders will start by following a pace car across the old Murray Bridge and around a loop on the east side: up Ross Road, onto Thiele Road and back via Siesta Drive and the bridge again.
The pace car will then lead them down Bridge Street, turning left on Swanport Road and heading south.
It will pull away, and competitive racing will start, just after the hospital roundabout.
Riders will then travel south along Swanport Road and Jervois Road, passing through Swanport, Riverglen, White Sands, Woods Point and Jervois.
As they pass the hall at Wellington, they’ll turn right onto Langhorne Creek Road and roll on towards their eventual finish at Port Elliott.
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When will roads be closed, and when will riders go past?
Rolling road closures will apply during the Tour Down Under – police will close the roads along the race route as riders approach and reopen them after the peloton has passed.
Below are the times riders are expected to reach some of the locations along the route:
- 11.10am: Start on Bridge Street, Murray Bridge
- 11.19am: Second pass down Bridge Street, Murray Bridge
- 11.27-11.28am: Swanport
- 11.55-11.59am: Jervois
- 12.11-12.16pm: Wellington
Murray Bridge’s main street will remain closed from 6am to 2.30pm.
Both police and the RAA have warned motorists to be extra mindful of amateur cyclists, who may be out and about on our roads in greater numbers during the period around the race.
Eight were killed on South Australian roads last year, more than in any year since 1995.
SA Police Chief Superintendent John De Candia warned drivers to keep at least a metre away from cyclists in built-up areas, and 1.5m away at other times.
Do I need to put up decorations or anything?
No – but race organisers will be handing out best dressed awards for towns, businesses and homes along the route.
Hahndorf, Echunga, McLaren Vale and Tanunda won the honours for the three days of the women’s tour and stage one of the men’s tour.
If you want to get into the spirit of the whole thing, it couldn’t hurt.
Who are the riders to look out for?
If you want to sound smart when you catch up with people on Friday morning, you’d better do a bit of research beforehand.
A bloke named Julian Alaphilippe is one to watch for – he’s a Frenchman riding for Soudal Quick-Step, and was road cycling’s world champion in 2020 and 2021.
Two of the best sprinters in the world will be in the field, too, both of them Italians riding for Ineos Grenadiers: Filippo Ganna, a former time trial world champion, and Elia Viviani, the road race winner at the 2019 European championships.
Simon Yates, the Brit who was last year’s runner-up, will be back for another go.
Leading Australians will include Luke Plapp, the reigning national road race champion; and former Tour de France stage winner Caleb Ewan.
They and Yates will all be in the orange and blue of Team Jayco-AlUla, unless they can claim a jersey of a different colour.
On any given day, the overall leader in the Tour Down Under wears an ochre jersey.
The leading sprinter gets a blue jersey; the king of the mountain – best at all the hill climbs – gets a pale green one with white spots; and the fastest young rider gets a white one.
- More information: tourdownunder.com.au.
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