Noemi Rüegg excels on Willunga Hill and takes Tour Down Under lead with stage win
CyclingSaturday, 18 January 2025 at 09:38
Noemi Rüegg has won the queen stage of the women's 2025 Tour Down Under on Willunga Hill. The Swiss rider of EF Education-Oatly demonstrated on the toughest ramps of the Australian climb to finish 10 seconds ahead of Dutch rider Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco).
Behind the two strongest riders came a group of five riders 26 seconds behind the winner: Mie Bjorndal Ottestad, Neve Bradbury, Dominika Wlodarczyk, Justine Ghekiere and Elise Chabbey. Former race leader Daniek Hengeveld was dropped on the first ascent of the Australian climb, and the differences at the finale were huge which gives Rüegg a very high chance of sealing the ochre jersey tomorrow.
The overall before the third and final stage with a hard circuit in Stirling (105.9 km) is commanded by a Rüegg who is 15 seconds ahead of Smulders and 33 seconds ahead of Ottestad. It will be difficult for her to escape given her strength today, although the terrain gives rise to the possibility that someone may try to surprise her.
| 1 | Rüegg Noemi | EF Education-Oatly | 03:10:03 | |
| 2 | Smulders Silke | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 10 | |
| 3 | Ottestad Mie Bjørndal | Uno-X Mobility | + 26 | |
| 4 | Bradbury Neve | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 26 | |
| 5 | Wlodarczyk Dominika | UAE Team ADQ | + 26 | |
| 6 | Ghekiere Justine | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 26 | |
| 7 | Chabbey Elise | FDJ-SUEZ | + 26 | |
| 8 | Spratt Amanda | Lidl-Trek | + 29 | |
| 9 | Fisher-Black Niamh | Lidl-Trek | + 35 | |
| 10 | Van De Velde Julie | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 39 | |
| 11 | Towers Alice | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 40 | |
| 12 | Edwards Ruth | Human Powered Health | + 44 | |
| 13 | Haugset Sigrid Ytterhus | Team Coop-Repsol | + 48 | |
| 14 | Van Dam Sarah | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 48 | |
| 15 | Ciabocco Eleonora | Team Picnic PostNL | + 53 | |
| 16 | Magnaldi Erica | UAE Team ADQ | + 01:06 | |
| 17 | Grangier India | Team Coop-Repsol | + 01:11 | |
| 18 | Marturano Greta | UAE Team ADQ | + 01:11 | |
| 19 | Dixon Emily | Australia | + 01:18 | |
| 20 | Swinkels Karlijn | UAE Team ADQ | + 01:29 | |
| 21 | Malcotti Barbara | Human Powered Health | + 01:33 | |
| 22 | Simpson Ella | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 01:40 | |
| 23 | Wyllie Ella | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 01:52 | |
| 24 | Kraak Amber | FDJ-SUEZ | + 01:57 | |
| 25 | Pate Amber | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 02:02 | |
| 26 | Miermont Dilyxine | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 02:04 | |
| 27 | Storrie Becky | Team Picnic PostNL | + 03:05 | |
| 28 | Cadzow Kim | EF Education-Oatly | + 03:23 | |
| 29 | Dygert Chloé | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 03:23 | |
| 30 | Dale Stine | Team Coop-Repsol | + 05:12 | |
| 31 | Armitage Megan | EF Education-Oatly | + 05:12 | |
| 32 | Lind Magdalene | Team Coop-Repsol | + 05:12 | |
| 33 | Boilard Simone | Uno-X Mobility | + 05:19 | |
| 34 | Nelson Josie | Team Picnic PostNL | + 05:38 | |
| 35 | Frain Nicole | Australia | + 06:08 | |
| 36 | Le Net Marie | FDJ-SUEZ | + 06:08 | |
| 37 | Anderson Alli | Australia | + 06:08 | |
| 38 | Masetti Gaia | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 06:08 | |
| 39 | Ragusa Katia | Human Powered Health | + 06:08 | |
| 40 | Manly Alexandra | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 06:08 | |
| 41 | Cromwell Tiffany | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 06:08 | |
| 42 | Holden Elizabeth | UAE Team ADQ | + 06:08 | |
| 43 | Christie Henrietta | EF Education-Oatly | + 06:08 | |
| 44 | Hengeveld Daniek | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 06:08 | |
| 45 | Louw Anya | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 06:08 | |
| 46 | Roseman-Gannon Ruby | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 06:08 | |
| 47 | Roy Sarah | EF Education-Oatly | + 06:08 | |
| 48 | Polites Alyssa | Australia | + 06:08 | |
| 49 | Watts Emily | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 06:08 | |
| 50 | Wollaston Ally | FDJ-SUEZ | + 06:59 | |
| 51 | van der Duin Maike | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 06:59 | |
| 52 | Bertizzolo Sofia | UAE Team ADQ | + 07:25 | |
| 53 | Greve Alberte | Uno-X Mobility | + 08:11 | |
| 54 | Duval Eugénie | FDJ-SUEZ | + 08:13 | |
| 55 | Mohr Mari Hole | Team Coop-Repsol | + 08:37 | |
| 56 | Fityus Lucie | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 09:46 | |
| 57 | Barbieri Rachele | Team Picnic PostNL | + 09:51 | |
| 58 | van der Wolf Babette | EF Education-Oatly | + 09:51 | |
| 59 | Normand Adèle | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 09:51 | |
| 60 | Burlova Kristyna | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 09:51 | |
| 61 | Schweinberger Kathrin | Human Powered Health | + 09:51 | |
| 62 | Bates Lauren | Australia | + 10:09 | |
| 63 | Talbot Josie | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 10:40 | |
| 64 | Hanson Lauretta | Lidl-Trek | + 10:40 | |
| 65 | Baker Georgia | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 10:40 | |
| 66 | Avoine Alison | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 10:58 | |
| 67 | Steigenga Nicole | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 10:58 | |
| 68 | Copponi Clara | Lidl-Trek | + 11:39 | |
| 69 | Wilson-Haffenden Felicity | Lidl-Trek | + 11:39 | |
| 70 | Zanardi Silvia | Human Powered Health | + 11:39 | |
| 71 | Alonso Sandra | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 12:37 | |
| 72 | Fiorin Sara | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 12:37 | |
| 73 | Raby Coline | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 13:59 | |
| 74 | Plouffe Maeve | Australia | + 18:34 | |
| 75 | Bader Silje | Team Picnic PostNL | + 21:10 | |
| 76 | Martins Maria | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 22:59 | |
| 77 | Sharp Isabel | Lidl-Trek | + 26:01 | |
| DNS | Rayer Eglantine | FDJ-SUEZ | ||
| DNS | Roldan Mara | Team Picnic PostNL | ||
| DNS | Beekhuis Teuntje | Uno-X Mobility | ||
| DNF | Greenwood Monica | Team Coop-Repsol | ||
| DNF | Koerner Rebecca | Uno-X Mobility |
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