23 May, 2018

Mike Turtur Presented with the Key to The City

As we celebrated the 20th Santos Tour Down Under, the City of Adelaide announced that it had awarded the Key to the City to South Australian cycling great Mike Turtur OAM.

Mr Turtur was awarded the key in recognition of his Olympic and Commonwealth Games cycling career and contribution to the city as founder of the Tour.

The only problem was that when you’re managing a huge race like the Tour Down Under, you have no time to accept your Key to the City! Therefore tonight, Lord Mayor Martin Haese will present Mr Turtur with the key at a civic reception.

“As an Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold medallist and founder of the Tour Down Under, Mike Turtur has helped to make Adelaide a beacon of professional cycling,” said the Lord Mayor.

“Since the first event in 1999, the race has grown every year to become the biggest cycling race in the southern hemisphere, and we recognise Mike Turtur for his vital role in this and for his significant contribution to the sport in South Australia.”

Mr Turtur represented South Australia with distinction as a track cyclist, winning an Olympic gold medal in the 4000m Team Pursuit at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

He competed at the Olympic Games as well as three Commonwealth Games, winning a total of five medals.

Following his cycling career, Mr Turtur became the South Australian Institute of Sport Cycling Coach and has managed the Adelaide Super-Drome – headquarters for the highly successful Australian Institute of Sport’s Women's and Men's Track Cycling Program.

His contribution to the world-recognised Tour Down Under over the last 20 years has seen Adelaide and South Australia become the centre of the cycling world for two weeks in January.

This year’s event was yet another huge success, contributing a massive $63.7 million to the South Australian economy.

The City of Adelaide congratulates Mike Turtur on how well the event was managed and it is a tremendous honour to present him with the Key to the City at Adelaide Town Hall this evening.

Tonight’s event will be held in the Queen Adelaide Room and media are welcome to attend.

Matt Halliwell