It was not a scenic ride through the countryside, but the Tour Down Under cycling event continued to race through fire-ravaged South Australia.

On Wednesday, stage two of the event saw cyclists riding through parts of Adelaide Hills that were scorched by bush fires last month.

Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan surged past defending Tour Down Under champion Daryl Impey to win the second stage and seize the overall race lead.

Stages two and three will take teams and spectators through areas where properties were destroyed in recent bush fires.

Agence France-Presse reported that organisers were working to ensure that the route was safe.