The countdown to the southern hemisphere�s leading cycling event officially begins today, with the launch of the 2009 Tour Down Under UCI ProTour event and the unveiling of its race routes.

Andrew McEvoy, South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Executive,says that the six days of competition racing will see riders traverse over 800km of South Australia, with crowds of more than 500,000 expected to cheer the riders on along the routes.

�The riders will be battling it out along routes that take in the heart ofAdelaide, the city surrounds, the Adelaide Hills, the Fleurieu Peninsula and the Barossa,� Mr McEvoy says.

�New routes this year include Norwood to Mawson Lakes and Burnside Village to Angaston �and the new finish at Mawson Lakes is only the second time that a Tour stage finish has been held in the Adelaide metropolitan area.

Mr McEvoy says another new feature of the 2009 race will be additional �koda King of the Mountain climbs, to further test the riders and add to the event�s excitement.

�As in past years, each stage of the race will include one �koda King of the Mountain climb, but now there will be an additional second �koda King of the Mountain climb held during stages one, three and five,� he says.

�Celebrations by local councils and communities are planned for each race start and finish, and we�re expecting an influx of interstate visitors for the event to share in South Australia�s �festival of cycling�.

�Cycling enthusiasts can get on their bikes and ride Stage 4 of the Tour Down Under race route on Friday 23 January, by registering now to be part of the Mutual Community Challenge Tour.

�Holiday packages are available combining the full experience of the Tour Down Under and a brilliant South Australian holiday.�

Details of the official Tour Operators of the 2009 Tour Down Under and the official race routes follow on the next pages.

Visit www.tourdownunder.com.au for all the latest news.

Melissa Humphrey, Media Relations Manager, South Australian Tourism Commission Mob: 0414 317 913