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Cycling tourism For many years he was the referee of the Tour Down Under, and therefore also the first annual measuring point for professional peloton climbers: Willunga Hill. Albencol is not very difficult, but it is a slope you can easily tackle in the Ardennes.
The village of Willunga is located just south of Adelaide, and is a fairly small place with a population of just over 2,000 people. However, it will ring a bell for many cycling fans, due to the slope of the same name that has graced the track at the WorldTour's seasonal introduction for years.
Although Australian racing often has a mountainous course, Willunga Hill is often the arbiter of where the final standings are recorded. The downhill has been included in the route every year since 2008, except for 2022. It is often the final climb of the final stage. Winning Willunga Hill is often equivalent to winning a stage race.
Eucalyptus trees along the road provide a typically Australian view – Photo: Cor Foss
Richie Porte in particular has done so, because from 2014 to 2019 he won no less than six years in a row at Willunga Hill. In those years he also won the general classification of the Australian stage race. In 2020 he also managed to win the classification despite being defeated by Matthew Holmes at Willunga Hill.
Climbing the tropical Ardennes
Strava confirms it's a popular climb. At least 71,063 climbs have already been logged on the app, by 13,790 different people. KOM is owned by… Exactly: Richie Porte. Sarah Gigante, who was the first to reach the top of the climb in this year's women's race, owns the QOM.
Anyone who just sees the climbing statistics might think it's the Ardennes slope. The climb on the Tour Down Under is 3km long, with an average gradient of 7.4%, meaning you're climbing 222m along the way.
Ancient Willunga Hill, Willunga, Australia
• Distance: 3 km, Altitude: 222 m, average. Score: 7.4%
However, on Willunga Hill you are navigating through a very different environment than in the Ardennes. In the Lofty Mountain Ranges, as the mountain range to which the Willunga Hill belongs is called, is a relatively arid environment. The eucalyptus trees that surround the road also reveal that you are dealing with a different environment to that of the Ardennes.
You have to be careful around Willunga Hill to cross the wildlife – Image: Cor Vos
If you look around carefully on the slope, you may be able to see a few kangaroos or koalas. A typically Australian setting that instantly gives the climb a character of its own. The pros probably won't even notice, because they'll be flying at full speed again this year on Australia's most famous bike ramp.
