Although the Tour Down Under has been canceled for 2021, organizers of this season's men's and women's World Tour events have launched an alternative event, the Santos Festival of Cycling, which will run from January 21 to 24.

This four-day event may not have as big a presence as the World Tour, but Stuart O'Grady, a former athlete and the new director of men's racing, believes that this national event will be a stepping stone for young domestic athletes looking to showcase their talents on a larger stage He believes it will be a stepping stone for young domestic athletes looking to showcase their talents on a larger stage.

Thirteen men's WorldTour riders, including Richie Porte, will compete for the Australian national team, while GreenEdge will send six riders to the race, including the iconic finish on Willunga Hill.

"When one door closes, another opens. For many national teams and young riders, this is a big deal," O'Grady told Cycling News.

"For many national teams and young riders, this is a big opportunity," O'Grady told Cycling News. It's a similar atmosphere to the Tour Down Under, with the same teams and infrastructure behind them. It's a great opportunity for young riders. One week we'll be riding small courses in rural Australia, and the next week we'll be riding Willunga with Richie Porte."

O'Grady had already established himself as a European rider on Roger LeGay's Gyan team when he won the 1999 Tour Down Under. He also won this event in 2001, and he knows well that a good result in Australia's biggest race can help a young national rider expand his horizons and potentially attract the attention of European WorldTour teams.

"When I was younger I trained every weekend at the Australian Institute of Sport. Hopefully this will be a stepping stone for young Australian riders as well as an opportunity for new kids to try the World Tour," he added.

While the Tour Down Under no longer taking place in 2021 is a blow to Australian racing with the cancellation of the men's and women's Cadel Evans races and the Herald Sun Tour, the approval of the Santos Festival of Cycling will ensure that southern hemisphere cycling, ensuring some continuity in cycling.

"It's super important to have this race. Not just for the cycling fans, but for the sport fans, the community, the economy, and everyone. It's important to keep the heart beating for the race. It's been going on for almost 20 years now, it's a tradition, and I want to start the year on a happier note."

"A lot has happened this past year. The dream continued and we hoped that somehow a World Tour race would happen, but reality and what is happening in Europe made it impossible to proceed with a World Tour race. Challenges are still ongoing, and just a couple of days ago they occurred in New South Wales. Several states have already closed their borders, and there are more problems that need to be jumped over every day.

"I don't think this will stop and we will have to adapt. I think what matters now is not whether the race has all the main objectives. It's about organizing events and making sure the fans come to see them."

O'Grady's appointment as men's race organizer came after the 2020 Games, when former race director Mike Tarter stepped down. O'Grady has plans to "shake up" the race route, and the Paris-Roubaix and Tour de France stage winner is eager to do so in 2022, even if his plans are frozen for a year.

"I'm coming back even better; I wanted to show off the new course design for 2021. I think this helped everyone understand how much we miss this race and how focused everyone is on Adelaide with all the European racers running around the beaches and hills of Adelaide. We are very proud of that and it was an honor to entertain everyone."

One possibility is that the race may move away from a summit finish on Willunga Hill and instead be determined by other climbs in the Adelaide hills and surrounding countryside.

"There are some changes. In the past, the finish was at the foot of Willunga. I think the next World Tour will show that there are a lot of hills in South Australia that have not been run yet. I want to explore some of them and shake up the race a bit."

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