The iconic Willunga Hill will be taken out of tomorrow’s Tour Down Under stage because of the local bushfire threat and forecast temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius.
The Tour’s Queen stage will also start from suburban Brighton an hour earlier than scheduled, at 10:10am.
Originally ending with three laps of the Willunga climb and a summit finish, the 176-kilometre fourth stage will be shortened to 131km and finish in the Willunga township at the base of the climb.
The final fifth stage on Sunday, a circuit race at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills, is scheduled to go ahead as planned.
Emotional Welsford claims sensational seventh TDU stage victory
The decision was taken after race director Stuart O’Grady and other organisers met this afternoon with local emergency services, riders and race judges.
There is an extreme fire danger rating tomorrow for the Mt Lofty Ranges, with the temperature set to hit 43C.
“While the removal of the famous Willunga Hill climb is disappointing news for cycling fans, ultimately rider and spectator safety is always the No.1 priority for our event,” O’Grady said in a statement.
There had been speculation earlier today that the whole Willunga stage might be cancelled, a first for the Tour that started in 1999.
The last stage of the 2014 Herald Sun Tour in Victoria was called off because of a bushfire threat.
Earlier today, stage three winner, Sam Welsford, said he hoped Willunga would go ahead as planned — despite the climb not suiting his sprinting prowess.
“Everyone knows Willunga is such an iconic part of this race and everyone loves racing up there in the crowds,” he said.
“But obviously there’s a safety part of it as well.”
Welsford secured his seventh Tour stage win with the triumph, taking out a high-speed finish in the Adelaide Hills town of Nairne.
AAP