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Airdate: 2012 Tour Down Under

New broadcaster of the Tour Down Under, Channel Nine will feature late-night packages but finals aired live around the country.

Nine’s coverage of the Tour Down Under will feature late-night highlights packages and 2 finals live to air.

This contrasts with the prime-time coverage given by previous broadcaster SBS.

But the good news is the final stages will be live around the country as well as live, streaming coverage of the Down Under Classic.

The world’s top cyclists will compete in Australia’s premier international cycling race when Wide World of Sports presents the Santos Tour Down Under from Adelaide and regional
South Australia from January 15 to 22 on Channel Nine.

As the first event on the UCI WorldTour calendar, the 2012 Santos Tour Down Under will showcase Australia and open the cycling year with adrenaline-charged battles on the streets of Adelaide.

Hosted by Andrew Voss, the Nine Network coverage will present extensive daily highlights and broadcast the final two stages live.

The international voices of cycling – Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen – will provide expert roadside commentary.

The penultimate stage on Saturday, January 21, will be shown live on Nine from 11.30am AEDST while the final stage on Sunday, January 22, will be live from 1.00pm AEDST.

There will also be a dedicated page for the event on the Wide World of Sports website, www.wideworldofsports.com.au– which will include news, interviews and video content. In a first for the event, the site will stream live coverage of the Down Under Classic, Jayco Stage 5 and Stage 6. Highlight packages will also be available each evening for Stages 1-4.

Viewers can expect to see reigning Santos Tour Down Under winner and Australian National Time Trial Champion Cameron Meyer, as well as Australian cycling heroes such as Stuart O’Grady and Jack Bobridge.

In 2012, five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx, known as the world’s greatest cyclist, will be a special guest of the Santos Tour Down Under.

2012 Santos Tour Down Under
January 15-22 on Nine’s Wide World of Sports

Broadcast Schedule
Sunday, January 15
Down Under Classic
90 Minute Highlights
10.30pm on Channel 9

Monday, January 16
No telecast

Tuesday, January 17
2012 Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 1- 1 Hour Highlights
11.30pm on Channel 9

Wednesday, January 18
2012 Santos Tour Down Under
Colemans Group Stage 2 – 1 Hour Highlights
11.20pm on Channel 9

Thursday, January 19
2012 Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 3 – 1 Hour Highlights
11.30pm on Channel 9

Friday, January 20
2012 Santos Tour Down Under
Bupa Stage 4 – 1 Hour Highlights
11.00pm on Channel 9

Saturday, January 21
2012 Santos Tour Down Under
Jayco Stage 5
Sydney/Melbourne:
11.30am Live on Channel 9
Brisbane:
10.30am Live on Channel 9
Adelaide:
11.00am Live on Channel 9
Perth:
8.30am Live on Channel 9

Sunday, January 22
2012 Santos Tour Down Under
Stage 6
Sydney/Melbourne:
1.00pm Live on Channel 9
Brisbane:
Midday Live on Channel 9
Adelaide:
12.30pm Live on Channel 9
Perth:
10.00am Live on Channel 9

NOTE: Subject to change

21 Responses

  1. I hate to say it but channel 9 you have just lost the respect of the cycling community.
    Who in his right mind is going to watch 11.30 p.m. highlights. You have embarrassed yourselves.

  2. This is so absurd. SBS had done such a great job with their 6.30pm highlight packages. On nine we get repeats of repeats of Big Bang Theory.
    Put it on their second channel if they won’t show it at a decent time.

    This will hurt the race. I hope the organisers learn something from this!

  3. Another non viewer due to CH IX’s programming times.

    Andrew Voss !! For heavens sake he can’t even do a good call of the RL !! Still at least it’s not “Rabs” or Eddie Everywhere !!

  4. Hitaf Rasheed, General Manager Events South Australia. The cyclists of Australia are not happy with channel 9 getting the rights to the Tour Down Under. I’m appalled.
    I fail to see how the move to Ch9 will boost the national audience when they are showing 1 hr highlight packages at 11.30pm (I won’t be staying up to watch these) and only showing the last 2 stages live (filled with ads no doubt). They feel they are taking the event forwards but in reality it is going backwards.

    Ch9 are committed to the cricket at the same time and are showing it on 2 stations. Their 3rd station has 30-40yo TV shows repeated for the what ever’th time when the TDU stages are being run. They have nothing but contempt for cycling fans.

    SBS do cycling very well and it should stay with them. They care about their audience and the sport of cycling.

    Another opportunity blown because of money.

    Steve.

  5. Who didn’t see this coming, seriously they have 3 channels, surely they could have put it on one of them live for the whole event. I hope those in charge of the TV rights are proud of them selves for once again screwing the fans for more money!

  6. What a disgraceful way to treat an event that has been built up magnificently by SBS! The lack of respect to the event and cycling fans is astonishing and once cycling officials clear away the piles of Nine’s dirty money they will realise their mistake of leaving SBS.

    Nine have 3 channels – surely they could put the early stages on Go or Gem (probably Go as the nation needs its daily fix of black and white classics). Why do they see the need to kill every sport?? Surely a 7.30 package on a multichannel could be shown. 11.30??? That’s pointless.

    There should be conditions on every new sporting contract that the coverage exceeds what was previously presented.

    So will Nine avoid reporting the early stages’ results on their nightly news to coax people to wait 6 hours after the event finished to see it?

    Shame Nine, shame.

  7. Wow I’m shocked Eddie isn’t hosting it.

    I predict serial bandwagon jumpers Nine will have this for a few years and then give it back to SBS once Australian’s stop winning the tour de france.

  8. Nowhere near good enough, Channel Nine! With the success of Australian professional cycling over the past few years, Nine should be showing every stage live.

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