Four courses across two days — one event for every age group. The Southern Tour brings together time trialling, hill climbing, criterium racing, and a road stage through the heart of Marlborough.
Individual effort against the clock
Riders start at 30 second intervals and race on a 3.4 km course which starts at the Marama Road / Camerons Road intersection and finishes on Foster Street just past Seddon School.
Anti-clockwise around the Domain · 1.2 km per lap
Every grade races the same 1.2 km anti-clockwise circuit around the Seddon Domain — the difference is in the number of laps. Grades assemble in the Hall car park and are released onto the circuit by the marshal. A service pit is available at the northeast corner. Lapped riders may be withdrawn from the event by an official but will be deemed to have completed the stage.
| Grade | Laps | Distance | Sprint Laps |
|---|---|---|---|
| U13 Boys & Girls | 6 | 7.2 km | 2, 4, 6 |
| U14 Boys & Girls | 6 | 7.2 km | 2, 4, 6 |
| U15 Boys & Girls | 8 | 9.6 km | 2, 5, 8 |
| U16 Boys & Girls | 8 | 9.6 km | 2, 5, 8 |
| U17 Boys & Girls | 9 | 10.8 km | 3, 6, 9 |
| U20 Boys & Girls | 12 | 14.4 km | 3, 6, 9, 12 |
Uphill time trial · individual start
Riders start at 30 second intervals and race alone up Wakefield Street and Seaview Road — approximately 1.6 km of unrelenting climbing against the clock. Parking is available at Gill Constructions yard on the corner of Marldene Ave and Weld Street. Riders must not warm up on the course.
In 2026 we are moving to a new road race course on Awatere Valley Road, partly to be less exposed to the weather conditions and partly to reduce the amount of climbing especially in the younger grades. Each grade will contest a sprint prime (marked with a gold dot) and a K/QoM (marked with a purple dot). Riders must stay as far left as possible and must never cross the centre line. All roads are open to traffic at all times. Note that both this year's course and the 2025 course maps are available below so you can compare distances and elevation.
| Grade | Distance | Climbing | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| U14 & U13 | — | — | Undulating |
| U16 & U15 | — | — | Undulating |
| U20 & U17 | — | — | Challenging |
| Grade | Distance | Climbing | Laps / Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| U13 & U14 | 16 km | 152 m | Turn 2 km from start (near Hill Climb top) |
| U15 | 20 km | 245 m | 1 full lap |
| U16 | 32 km | 370 m | To sea, return, then 1 full lap |
| U17 & U20 | 40 km | 489 m | 2 full laps |
Stage results and the general classification, updated through the weekend as each stage is confirmed. Provisional results are posted first and can change once protests close.
View 2026 stage results ↗The U20 Boys and U20 Girls General Classification winners since the event's return in 2004. The other grades will be added as records are compiled. A number of past winners have gone on to perform at a high level in New Zealand and internationally — where we have a Pro Cycling Stats profile for them, their name links to it.
| U20 Boys — General Classification | U20 Girls — General Classification | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | School | Winner | School |
| 2025 | Josh Davies | Christchurch Boys' High School | Neve McKenzie | Saint Kentigern College |
| 2024 | Callum McGrail | Cashmere High School | Kyra Marett | Geraldine High School |
| 2023 | Finn McKenzie | Marlborough Boys' College | Kirsty Watts | Te Aho O Te Kura Pounamu |
| 2022 | Max Preece | St Peter's College (Auckland) | Bonnie Rattray | Baradene College of the Sacred Heart |
| 2020–21 | No contest — Covid | No contest — Covid | ||
| 2019 | Josh Rivett | Christchurch Boys' High School | Henrietta Christie | Lincoln High School |
| 2018 | Josh Rivett | Christchurch Boys' High School | Hannah Bartram | St Margarets College |
| 2017 | Cambell Pithie | Christchurch Boys' High School | Niamh Fisher-Black | Nelson College for Girls |
| 2016 | Hugo Jones | Christchurch Boys' High School | Emma Smith | Villa Maria |
| 2015 | Ethan Batt | Te Kura | Michaela Kerr | Waimea College |
| 2014 | Max Jones | Christchurch Boys' High School | Georgia Catterick | Marlborough Girls' College |
| 2013 | Max Beckert | Christ's College | Georgia Catterick | Marlborough Girls' College |
| 2012 | Sam Friend | Christchurch Boys' High School | Alice Hay | Rangi Ruru Girls' School |
| 2011 | Olly Marshall | Christchurch Boys' High School | Kayley Murdoch | Waimea College |
| 2010 | Simon Acker | Cashmere High School | Philippa Sutton | Waikato Diocesan School |
| 2009 | Will Bowman | Christ's College | Courtney Grenfell | Chilton St. James |
| 2008 | Michael Vink | Christchurch Boys' High School | Cara Smith | Villa Maria |
| 2007 | George Bennett | Waimea College | Ali Davies | Burnside High School |
| 2006 | T Pearce | Cashmere High School | Rachel Mercer | Wellington Girls' College |
| 2005 | Elijah May | Marlborough Boys' College | Rachel Mercer | Wellington Girls' College |
| 2004 | Sam Reed | Marlborough Boys' College | Lauren Webb | Villa Maria |