Article: Tour goes global

[Bulldozer]

Yeah I suppose I do have a chip on my shoulder. If you were around in the days when it happened you would probably have a chip on your shoulder too.

I think you can trace back SA's hatred of Victoria to the border dispute. If you look closely at a map, the Victoria-SA border is actually a few kilometres further west than it should be

Yes the Clipsal 500 race is a great, popular event but if you think it even comes close to the F1 in terms of international coverage you are deluded. It is far more profitable and successful than the F1 was, but the international coverage we got in tiny old Adelaide was huge.

I met a few toursists from Brazil in the late 90's, so not long after the race left Adelaide in 1995, and they said they only knew of Adelaide through the F1 event and most Brazilian's new of Adelaide via that coverage. It was the same for many other people overseas. When we lost the F1 we lost a lot of international exposure which was very valuable

Indeed, the F1 was miles better than the V8's ever will be. The V8's are a domestic competition while F1 is international. We should fight to get F1 back, and once again hold the last race of the season. Adelaide needs to space out events a bit more through the year rather than cramming everything into a few weeks like what happens with the Fringe, Womad, Clipsal, etc.

[Ho Really]

...I met a few toursists from Brazil in the late 90's, so not long after the race left Adelaide in 1995, and they said they only knew of Adelaide through the F1 event and most Brazilian's new of Adelaide via that coverage. It was the same for many other people overseas. When we lost the F1 we lost a lot of international exposure which was very valuable

Spot on. International exposure is invaluable. Some countries such as Brazil - who normally have several drivers in F1 - would know Adelaide only by the F1 coverage or the occasional soccer match with a Brazilian team. Not all foreign countries follow F1 like the Brazilians, that's why it is good to have a variety of international sports events in SA and supporting media coverage. Cycling is very popular in many countries and now that our event has been elevated it can only give us more exposure. One tourism spin-off could the possible expansion of bicycle tours around SA.

Cheers

P.S. I lament the loss of the Men's Hardcourt Championships (SA Open) and the SA Golf Open (Jacob's Creek Golf Open).

[SRW]

One tourism spin-off could the possible expansion of bicycle tours around SA.

Hopefully, another spin-off will also be to cement Adelaide as the nation's centre for cycle sport.

[stelaras]

[Adelaide needs to space out events a bit more through the year rather than cramming everything into a few weeks like what happens with the Fringe, Womad, Clipsal, etc.

Or be instrumental in attracting new things which fill up the events calendar. Elevating the tour down under to a pro circuit status is awesome news!

The US and other countries have been trying to do this for years and have failed!! we need to rejoice in that major feat!

[Bulldozer]

The US and other countries have been trying to do this for years and have failed!! we need to rejoice in that major feat!

Oh I am. I've always found the amount of attention the TDU attracts locally to be phenomenal - something like half a million spectators come out to watch it and it spreads the wealth around local communities. I'd just like to see Adelaide get back the F1 (and the tennis) as well because it's a high-profile international event, just like the TDU will now be.

I'm also hoping that the increased profile of the TDU will lead to more investment in making cycling a safer and more attractive option for transport.

[stelaras]

The US and other countries have been trying to do this for years and have failed!! we need to rejoice in that major feat!

Oh I am. I've always found the amount of attention the TDU attracts locally to be phenomenal - something like half a million spectators come out to watch it and it spreads the wealth around local communities. I'd just like to see Adelaide get back the F1 (and the tennis) as well because it's a high-profile international event, just like the TDU will now be.

I'm also hoping that the increased profile of the TDU will lead to more investment in making cycling a safer and more attractive option for transport.

I cant see us getting either of those back. The F1 is a possibility but the state will have to cough up a fair bit of money to Mr Ecclestone which may not make the race as viable as it was when we had it!

As for the Tennis, we really need to have a world class Tennis Centre in order to attract it again. Memorial drive really doesnt cut it anymore. It isnt big enough and there are not enough courts in the surrounds for the big time pro players to practice on.

[Ho Really]

I cant see us getting either of those back. The F1 is a possibility but the state will have to cough up a fair bit of money to Mr Ecclestone which may not make the race as viable as it was when we had it!

As for the Tennis, we really need to have a world class Tennis Centre in order to attract it again. Memorial drive really doesnt cut it anymore. It isnt big enough and there are not enough courts in the surrounds for the big time pro players to practice on.

In my opinion a round of the F1 World Championship would be harder to obtain than the tennis. There are also several emerging nations - new markets - vying for a F1 round on top of the costs you mentioned. Adelaide doesn't need to attract an ATP tournament to have tennis here. Perth did it with the Hopman Cup and we used to have the Rio Challenge. If we had a better tennis stadium we would be halfway there. Prizemoney and a high profile sponsor are also big issues. Unfortunately they go hand in hand. As for Memorial Drive it does have plenty of outside courts and it also has the Next Generation gym, pool and other player facilities next door. The problem is that part of the site is heritage listed and not much can be done to encircle it with large permanent stands (and covering it). What Adelaide needs is a multifunction stadium such as Rod Laver Arena. We all know that. We can only hope that our mining boom and increasing population will be the catalyst for change in this area.

Cheers

[toby1]

i lament the loss of the F1 at least as much as anyone (only missed one race while it was here - the kids in meb just don't do it justice) but i am over it and i think we should all be aswell. it was a great event but it has been gone for over 10 years now so let it go!

the tour going pro is another example of the world at large recognising that we here in adelaide can do anything at least as well as any other city, and we have all the benefits of not being overexposed like some eastern-seaboard cities. I have been given some idea of the popularity of cycling around the world, and i think alot of locals who enjoyed the Tour Down Under in recent years have no idea how big it will get now that it is Pro. Cyclists in europe are treated like rock stars and some can barely walk down the street without getting mobbed - and they will all be coming down to Adelaide to stay on Vic Sq and ride around our fair state.

The global exposure this will give us will be comparable to the F1, and as has been mentioned in this age of increasing awareness of climate change - who needs fossil fuels machines anymore? two wheeled action FTW!

[frank1]

I can't wait for the race to start tommorow. I know i will be going into the city stages to watch the race. What about any one else? This pro status race is just what SA needs to lift spirits around town.

[Diamond]

I'm hoping to make it to the last stage on Sunday (Adelaide East End Circuit), should be a great spectacle. I hear there's a King William Road street party on Wednesday evening/night so I might give that a go as well.

In opening day action, Team High Road's Andre Greipel of Germany took out the Tour Down Under Classic at Glenelg.

[Bulldozer]

Saw on SBS earlier that they're showing a highlights package at 6pm every night that it's on. I know that's nothing new, but it's new to me seeing as I'm in Brisbane and they're showing it here.

[sam]

Pretty Bad Traffic this morning with King William Closed for the parade.

Bus route changes, tram cancellations. Did any one get a txt message from Adelaide Metro this morning regarding the changes? I'm subscribed to a few, such as M44 which detoured down Pultney and Wakefield, which didn't effect me as it still stopped at Victoria Square but heaps of people were pretty annoyed!

[stelaras]

And thats traffic????????


Thats what you see at 11pm in Melbourne!!

[Howie]

Not so sure about 11pm Melbourne, i can still drive from one end of the melb cbd to the other relatively quickly at night. But this morning most of the western suburbs was diverted to port road due to a train crossing accident.. that caused havoc to morning traffic along with the TDU road closures. Ended up almost an hour late for work.

[Norman]

Looks like I will have to leave early for work