It’s party time in the Clare and Gilbert Valleys with less than a week to go before the long-anticipated Santos Tour Down Under sets off from Clare.
For the first time in its history, the Tour has been taken to the beautiful Clare and Gilbert Valleys, which will be showcased to millions of people worldwide.
The race will be broadcast in Australia and on television networks in New Zealand, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
ABC Local Radio in Adelaide will broadcast every stage of the 2010 Santos Tour Down Under - a first for both Australian radio and the event. Each stage will be broadcast in full to a national audience on ABC Digital Radio and streamed around the world on the internet.
SBS?Television will broadcast a highlights package at 5.30pm on each day of the Tour, which will be repeated on SBS2 at 8pm.
Because of the anticipated coverage, many local businesses in the region have spruced up their shopfronts with new signage and paint, while communities are gearing up to have the time of their lives.
Towns along the route are holding a series of events beginning on Saturday, January 16.
On Monday evening, January 18, the night before the start of the event, Clare’s main street will be closed for a street festival featuring activities, stalls and entertainment from roundabout to “roundabout”.
A highlight of the pre-tour events will be the Clare Valley Breakaway Festival’s Breakfast of Champions in the town hall on the morning of the start.
The breakfast will showcase exquisite regional food, matched with local wine, and entertainment by Tracey Rains and Danny Hooper.
Guests will include State Premier Mike Rann and Leader of the Opposition Isobel Redmond, while Olympic Cycling coach (1980 to 2001) Charlie Walsh will be the dynamic guest speaker at the breakfast.
Mr Walsh has motivated athletes to be the best in the world and now plays a major role with the Adelaide Crows Football Club working closely with coach Neil Craig as a fitness advisor and inspirational mentor.
As a cycling competitor Mr Walsh crossed the line first more than 1000 times in more than 25 years of competitive racing at National and State level.
A powerful and passionate speaker, Mr Walsh believes success will come with the right organisational skills and planning, and he places a huge emphasis on self-discipline.
Breakfast guests will then have exclusive views of cyclists leaving Ennis Park for the rolling start on the southern side of the Clare roundabout. There are still some places available at the fundraising breakfast, with tickets at $110 and available from the Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council.
There are 133 cyclists competing in races over seven days along city and country roads through some of the State’s most beautiful locations, including the Clare Valley.
Mintaro resident Andrew Mitchell has been selected to participate in a ride with International team Rabobank, together with some other South Australian cycling enthusiasts on Sunday as part of the Tour’s peripheral events, while a number of local cyclists will pull on their Tour Down Under Mutual Community Challenge Guernseys on Friday, January 22, to ride from Norwood to Goolwa (or parts of that tour).
More information on the Santos Tour Down Under can be found in the 20-page souvenir magazine inserted into today’s Northern Argus.
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