The classic climb of Arthurs Seat on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula makes a welcome return to the route of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in 2019, having last featured in the race in 2016. New race director Scott McGrory, who takes over from long-time director John Trevorrow for 2019, is ensuring that the riders will know all about how tough the climb is by increasing the number of times the race will go up it in February. "This particular stage will include the riders travelling five times up Arthurs Seat," said McGrory in a press release. "On previous occasions, it's been three times, which has been tough enough, but five times. Well, the riders are going to be shocked when they hear that, and certainly more shocked when they're riding up it."ADVERTISEMENT Spectators will have easy access to the top of Arthurs Seat thanks to the new Eagle gondola, which goes from the start of the climb in Dromana to the summit. "It'll be great for the public with the roads covered with spectators," added McGrory, "with plenty of activity on the hairpin corners and a real festival of cycling at Arthurs Seat to showcase the best riders in the world." The stage that finished on the three-kilometre-long climb in 2016 was won by Team Sky's Chris Froome, 17 seconds ahead of Damien Howson of Orica-Greenedge (now Mitchelton-Scott). The victory on what was the final stage of that year's race was enough for Froome to take the overall race victory, having taken the leader's jersey from teammate Peter Kennaugh.
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