The Tour Down Under has had to put aside international events due to border closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and concentrate instead on domestic cycling festivals. However, this situation will change in 2023.

With the reopening of the borders, organizers of the Tour Down Under have announced that women's and men's stage races will once again be on the international calendar. [Race director Stuart O'Grady said, "I can say very excitedly and emphatically that we are ready.

"We look forward to seeing familiar faces we haven't seen in South Australia since the 2020 Santos Tour Down Under, as well as athletes experiencing this event for the first time."

O'Grady is currently in Europe, meeting with a number of teams that will be in South Australia in 2023. Australia has not hosted an international race for a long time, but many top riders will be participating in the Tour Down Under for the first time in six months as the UCI Road World Championships will be held in Wollongong, New South Wales, this September.

The 2020 Tour Down Under was one of the few races held before the season was interrupted by the rapid spread of COVID-19. Richie Porte won the six-stage men's World Tour event that finished on Willunga Hill, and Ruth Winder won the four-stage 2. pro women's event.

Race details were not released, but when Cyclingnews discussed the possibility of a shift to the women's World Tour level with women's race director Kimberly Conte in Adelaide in January, she said it was a possibility.

"Whatever the status of this event, we are fortunate to have so many top international teams wanting to come back," Conte said.

International races in Adelaide and surrounding areas may have been cancelled for the past two years, but the Australian summer focus on races in South Australia has not changed for many riders. Nationally based riders took part in the women's and men's four-day National Road Series, along with returning Australian World Tour pros.

The event was a valuable showcase for many domestic riders, such as Luke Plapp (starting his first professional season with Ineos Grenadiers this year) and Sarah Gigante (now shifting up to the world team level with Movistar), whose international racing opportunities were limited due to the pandemic. The event was a valuable showcase for many national riders, including Sara Gigante (now shifting up to the world team level with Movistar). Gigante won the women's competition in 2021, and Ruby Roseman-Gannon got her professional start in 2022 with her new team BikeExchange-Jayco. In the men's NRS, Luke Durbridge took the top spot for BikeExchange in 2021, and James Whelan (Team Bridge Lane) won the first stage solo in 2022.