The 2025 SBS Bank Tour of Southland is set to deliver a thrilling week of racing, with a reshaped course that blends tradition with innovation. Running from 2nd–8th November, the 69th edition of Australasia’s longest-running stage race will test riders’ tactics and endurance like never before as they battle for the coveted SBS Bank Tour leader’s jersey.
After several years of stability, organisers have re-ordered the stages and introduced new elements to the classification battles, ensuring teams must think strategically from day one.
Stage Highlights:
- Day 1 – Sunday 2 November, The tour begins with the traditional Team Time Trial Prologue, followed by the spectacular Queens Park Street Race, where fans can experience the action up close in the heart of Invercargill.
- Stage 2: From Invercargill to Gore, this fast-paced stage is notorious for crosswinds that fracture the peloton. A new finishing circuit down Hokonui Drive and turning onto surrounding streets adds fresh intrigue.
- Stage 3: Riverton to Te Anau, Minor alterations take riders through Tuatapere and Pukemaori before tackling the Blackmount Hill, setting up an unpredictable finale in picturesque Te Anau.
- Stage 4: The queen stage from Mossburn to the Remarkables. This stage will see the peloton heading up the iconic Remarkables which returns to its traditional finish point, around 6km up the brutal ascent, cementing its place as the race’s ultimate test.
- Stage 5: After recent gravel sections, the Invercargill to Lumsden stage returns to sealed roads. Riders will still face the rolling terrain of Balfour before finishing in one of the event’s most historic host towns.
- Stage 6: The infamous Bluff Hill climb remains a stable diet over the years of the Tour. The 2025 edition sees it being tackled on the penultimate day, perfectly positioned to shake up the general classification before the finale.
- Final Day: A 13km Individual Time Trial sets up a decisive morning in Winton before the tour concludes with the high-speed Winton to Invercargill stage, a fitting end to a week of racing drama.
Alongside the course revamp is the introduction of increased points and time bonuses. The Jesco’s King of the Mountains will see extra points awarded on both Category 1 and 2 climbs which will make the polka-dot jersey battle fiercer than ever.
Whilst the fight for the Harcourts Sprint Ace sees the introduction of the ‘Golden Kilo’. This new feature will offer up to 9 bonus seconds within a 1 kilometre section of road if a rider was to win all three of the sprints on offer. This sort of offering could encourage bold attacks from both general classification contenders seeking a buffer before the mountains and those chasing the green sprint ace classification. There will also be an increase in other intermediate bonus sprints across the week which will force teams to carefully manage breakaways and rival moves.
Tour Director Waine Harding said the changes are designed to keep riders – and fans guessing, “The reshaped course and revised points system will demand tactical thinking from every team. We expect the fight for orange, and for every jersey, to be more unpredictable than ever.”
With a rich legacy and a new design, the 2025 SBS Bank Tour of Southland promises to be one of the most captivating editions yet – a must-watch for riders, supporters, and cycling fans across Australasia.