Destination guide: Adelaide, South Australia's cycling haven

Adelaide is best-known for the Tour Down Under – the annual curtain-raiser for the pro cycling season – but there’s a cornucopia of pristine, tightly packed gravel roads awaiting fans of the discipline in this area of South Australia.

It’s not a part of the region you’ll have seen in the Tour Down Under, which has become part of the furniture here during its long run. But cycling in this area runs much deeper.

As Adelaide is, by some distance, the smallest of Australia’s five biggest cities, its cyclists benefit from their proximity to the countryside, most immediately the Adelaide Hills, which loom large over this pan-flat metropolis. From Victoria Square, in the centre of Adelaide, it’s just a 14km ride along broad, often bike-laned boulevards to the top of Norton Summit, the long road climb high above the city that featured in the 2025 TDU.

The Adelaide Hills sit around 300m above the shops, offices and houses below – sometimes more – and have a noticeably cooler climate. That difference is instrumental to the characteristics of the wine made here, particularly Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Bring a gravel bike, as the huge network of unsurfaced roads connects you to these vineyards, allowing for a full tour by bike without having to worry about much motor traffic.

Further afield, around an hour’s drive from the city, are more acclaimed wine regions. The Barossa Valley to the north and McLaren Vale to the south are best known for Shiraz, but not exclusively. Both are fixtures of the TDU and, if you’ve watched the race, you’ll have seen the peloton careering through acres of vineyards.

What you need to know

Big dates

It’s hard to overstate how big the TDU (which begins in mid-January each year) is to Australians. With so much of the global racing calendar taking place while they sleep, the arrival of the WorldTour is fully embraced, and the city becomes awash with riders on their bikes as the race travels across Adelaide’s hinterland.

Old Willunga Hill (3.7km at 7%), the best-known TDU climb and the location of the race’s decisive showdown, is a particularly popular spot. Cyclists ride out to Willunga to see the action unfold. They benefit from the Patrick Jonker Veloway, a segregated bike path that runs alongside the Southern Expressway from the city all the way to McLaren Vale – one of the best examples in the world of integrating bike lanes into major road infrastructure.

RADL GRVL takes place alongside the Tour Down Under, during race week, as does the Adelaide Epic road sportive.

Don’t miss

For those with more time, the 900km Mawson Trail is a must. It runs from Paradise, in Adelaide’s suburbs, all the way to the Outback town of Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. Home to South Australia’s largest mountains, the region’s little-used roads and trails are ideal for gravel bikes.

Activities

Bike About, a second-generation bike-touring company, offers guided tours – on e-bikes or mountain bikes – of the Adelaide Hills and beyond, showcasing the region’s homespun produce. More advanced riders wanting to prioritise mountain biking over gastronomy could try Escapegoat Adventures, run by British expat Ian Fehler.

Tourist information

Visit southaustralia.com for more information.

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