Today’s Blog comes to you from the Tour Down Under in Adelaide, South Australia - it is a little more personal than normal. We have known an Aussie couple who hail from Adelaide for some 45 years - we have visited each other many times over the years. We have known their kids since they were born, and have been introduced to their friends such that we are now part of that circle. One of the family lives in the Adelaide Hills where much of the Tour Down Under takes place. While the Victoria Peloton was out on their bikes, we visited their home and walked 400m to occupy a spot right on the roadside. The setting is magnificent - it is heavily vegetated with local flora.

Tour Down Under Stage 2 - at the Pump Hotel at Aldgate in the Adelaide Hills

The Stage starts in Adelaide before winding up into the Hills where they complete the loop 6 times

Our spot was adjacent to the Aldgate Pump Hotel on Strathalbyn Road. The Peloton completed 6 laps of the circuit to complete Stage 2 of the race. To organize a race of this size and significance is a mammoth task - police on bikes, motor bikes, cars and trucks, media, fire services as well as all the sponsors. Many amateur riders come from across Australia and NZ as well as overseas to ride the course - indeed the sponsor has a web page devoted to catering to cycling enthusiasts whether as spectators or riders. Wherever you go when the TDU is on, there are hordes of cyclists - there is a huge Velo Park in the downtown which is a magnet for everyone and everything cycling. All in all it brings in millions to the State coffers.

Party time as the crowds await first lap

The sponsors' vehicles

Five to ten minutes in advance of the Peloton, many police motorbikes and cars with flashing lights and sirens “clear the track”. Then comes a fleet of Subarus [the vehicle sponsor] with each vehicle covered in ads for other sponsors of the tournament. It also builds the excitement as it signals the arrival of the “action”. Riding just in front of the cyclists is the motorbike with the TV cameraman/woman sitting facing backwards riding pillion - they do have a grip handle, but all looks very precarious. At the first lap, the leader is several minutes ahead, then 99% of the riders came through followed closely by the support vehicles with spare bikes and wheels on top. The tail end of the Peloton are the ambulances and fire trucks [fire danger is extreme in the Adelaide Hills]. After a gap of a few minutes, a lone police motor bike with lights and siren going escorts a lone rider who has fallen behind early. With each succeeding lap, the gap between the lead rider and the Peloton became shorter and shorter, while “tail end Charlie” didn’t gain, but didn’t fall further behind on the other riders over the successive laps. Meanwhile overhead is the helicopter providing more TV coverage.

As the Peloton approaches, spectators get up out of their picnic chairs to cheer and ring cow bells, bang on the railings. With the Peloton past, everyone resumes their seats to enjoy a nibble and a drink.

The speed of the Peloton is quite amazing and the riders are closely bunched together - it looks more scary in real life than on TV. When they are so close together, it is easy to see how one cyclist can bring down many fellow riders in a spill. We were 2 kilometres from the finish line - with 500m to go there was spill that included the rider who had been leading for 99.5% of the race. The winner today won by the thickness of the rim of the front wheel.

The Stage winner is presented with the ochre jersey and of course gets the glamour kisses! No yellow jersey here - ochre being emblematic of the colour of much of the Australian bush. No Maillot Jaune here, mate!

Yesterday, a friend is riding in the amateur race from downtown Adelaide to the resort town of Victor Harbour.

Stage 5 - Adelaide to Victor Harbour through the Adelaide Hills.