With Willunga Hill returning to the Tour Down Under's route for 2024, after a one-year hiatus in 2023, it comes as no surprise that several of the world's best cyclists are tackling the climb in preparation. However, when
Valtteri Bottas posted the 15th-fastest time up the climb's Strava segment for 2024, it raised more than just one eyebrow.
So, should we expect the F1 driver to step up to the professional peloton any time soon? Probably no. Bottas recorded a time of 12:28, whilst the current best performance of 2024 is set by Owain Doull at 9:00. Current record holder, the Willunga Hill champion Cadel Evans was nearly two times faster than the Finn. Nevertheless, it's still an impressive performance for a hobby cyclist such as Bottas.