Changes to Tour Down Under

Sydney - Australia's Tour Down Under cycling race will have an equal number of stages favouring sprinters and all-rounders for the first time next year, organisers said on Monday.

The 2013 tour, to be held over six stages in and around Adelaide in South Australia, will also have a grass start to one stage and a King of the Mountain climb at Corkscrew Hill, they said.

The UCI WorldTour event, which runs from January 20-27, is the most high-profile cycle race in the southern hemisphere and the first stop on the world cycling calendar.

"We've built the Tour Down Under successfully over 15 years and it now brings in more than A$42 million of economic activity, but we're always looking at ways to keep the event dynamic and constantly evolving," said race director Mike Turtur.

Australian champion Simon Gerrans won the last Tour Down Under in January.