Teams will almost certainly have to undergo quarantine in order to compete in the 2021 Santos Tour Down Under.

Organizers are confident that the women's and men's tours will run from January 14-24 as originally scheduled, but have indicated that the "traditional format" of the event will change as protocols for the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic are ever-changing. The Santos Women's Tour Down Under will be held January 14-17, while the men's race will begin with the Schwalbe Classic Criterium on January 17, followed by a six-stage road race from January 19-24.

Australia's summer calendar begins with the Lexus of Blackburn Bay Crites and the now blockaded Victoria National Road Championships in January, followed by the South Australian Down Under and the Cadets in February. Le Evans Great Ocean Road Race and the Herald Sun Tour, also in Victoria.

The 2021 Herald Sun Tour has already been rescheduled for February 2022, and Cycling News understands that the Tour Down Under quarantine protocol and the associated movement of riders and teams may change the dates of the Bay Crit and national championships

The event will be held at the same time as the Tour Down Under.

Event South Australia Executive Director Hitaf Rasheed said Down Under organizers, who have yet to announce the 2021 race route, are reviewing aspects of the popular World Tour opener.

"With the border as it stands, teams definitely need to go through quarantine. We are still reviewing what the quarantine will look like and how it will work for the teams, including their training needs during this period."

"We are still reviewing how the quarantine will work for the teams,"

"We are still reviewing how the quarantine will work for the teams.

"As much as we love the Santos Tour Down Under, we want to make it clear that the health and safety of South Australians and our community is our absolute priority."

Fan access and the set-up of the event, which is usually run from one central hotel to accommodate all teams, race officials and selected media, will also be reviewed.

"While everyone involved wants to see the event progress, there are equally threshold issues that could impact the ability to deliver the event in its traditional format, as well as threshold issues based on the needs of teams to participate in the first UCI World Tour race of the year," Rashid said.

"For example, the ability to provide the necessary density, distancing, and contact tracing at the start and finish of a stage, or the ability to meet the needs of teams preparing for their first race of the season in an isolated environment. All of these items have been reviewed and are being worked on with key stakeholders."[21

Rashid said Down Under organizers will apply the learnings from the Tour de France and UCI Road World Championships, which were held without disruption, to the event.

"There will certainly be different ways to deliver and run stages, participatory events, and event festivities, and in 2021 there will be changes to the known format. We are reviewing our race stages, our participation events, and how we accommodate competitors in order to be COVID compliant."

"Our goal is to provide a COVID safe event for competitors, teams, South Australia, and fans of the Santos Tour Down Under. Information regarding race stages, smaller public events, international race guests, and community participation will be announced when ready.

"Any event will require a COVID management plan approved by SA Health and we are currently working on those along with scenario planning"

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Some World Tour teams typically arrive in Australia several weeks before Down Under to adjust to the time difference and train in the warmer climate. However, they are often looking to stay longer than a month, including Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, which is also a World Tour event.

Due to the pandemic, travel to and from Australia and within Australia is currently restricted.

Cycling Australia Sports Manager Kip Kaufman expects an announcement regarding the national road championships and summer calendar to be made later this month.

"CA will continue to work with the South Australian and Victorian governments to identify the best possible outcome for cycling's summer and will make an announcement in late October," Kaufman said.