The Tour Down Under, originally a men's race started in 1999, has significantly evolved to become a premier event for both men's and women's cycling, showing its status as a WorldTour event. With additional races and a festival atmosphere, it attracts thousands of visitors yearly and has a substantial economic impact on South Australia. Former racer Michael Rogers noted the shift from a training-focused event to a competitive race that influences rankings and points, highlighting the race's growth in importance and prestige in the cycling calendar.
"In its first years, it was such a big step in Australian cycling but maybe it was seen as a race that was a wonderful holiday... it's just evolving each year."
"The teams come here to race now, to get points, whereas probably in its first years, it was considered more of a training race to get used to the European season."
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