The Santos Tour Down Under has announced the Seven Network will retain domestic broadcast rights to the renowned race with an extended agreement to bring the action-packed event to viewers for another year.
The longstanding partnership, in place since 2019, ensures the Seven Network will continue to hold the exclusive domestic rights to broadcast every stage of the Santos Tour Down Under in its entirety, both on the screens of Seven and 7plus.
The 2023 broadcast made history as the first time that every stage of the Santos Tour Down Under women’s race was broadcast in full on free-to-air television both nationally and internationally.
Network head of sport and managing director, Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin, said the network was rapt to extend the partnership and continue to bring cycling to Australian audiences live and free.
Martin said: “Our extended partnership with the Santos Tour Down Under will take the Australian summer of cycling into a new era, reach new audiences across our digital platforms, and bring fans all the exciting competition, exceptional entertainment and world-class talent they love, all live and free on Seven, Australia’s Home of Sport.”
The 2024 race routes were announced in June and include a stage start in Murray Bridge to highlight flood recovery across river communities, the first time Union Cycliste Internationale WorldTour women will tackle Willunga Hill, and the hardest final weekend in Santos Tour Down Under history with both Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty set to feature in the men’s race.
Executive director, Events South Australia, South Australian Tourism Commission, Hitaf Rasheed said she was excited the partnership with the Seven Network would continue:
“The 2024 race routes will test elite international cyclists like never before and we want to ensure as many Australians as possible can see each stage in full detail, in a way that suits them.
“We are seeing an increasing number of fans tuning in across Australia each year to watch the race, with cycling’s popularity continuing to grow. We are excited to attract more fans to our great race through its high-quality broadcast.”
Cycling fans can enjoy a broadcast of a combined 1,116 kilometres of action across nine days of racing. The women’s race will be in the spotlight on weekend one, kick-starting racing on Friday 12 January with a fast-paced stage from Hahndorf to Campbelltown.
The men’s broadcast will begin on Tuesday 16 January and return to the Barossa for an opening stage that starts and finishes in Tanunda.
See Also: Gravity Media Australia partners with Events South Australia to deliver Santos Tour Down Under