Swiss winter the key for Noemi Rüegg's victory at the Tour Down Under? "I never thought it would turn out like this"
Cycling
EF Education - Oatly are entering the season with a bang and most likely they will take the victory at the women's Tour Down Under after Swiss rider Noemi Rüegg put in a stellar performance today at the Old Willunga Hill. The new ochre jersey expressed her happiness after taking the win on the mythical climb.
"To be honest; I can't find the words to describe how this feels. It was really a team effort; my teammates put me in a perfect position all day, kept me safe and did a great lead-out for the first climb," she said in a post-race interview.
On the first ascent there was already some meaningful damage to the peloton, including Daniek Hengeveld who surprised the peloton on the first day to take over the race lead. It was then a direct fight between all those who finished in the peloton on the opening day, and although the climb was only 3.4 kilometers in length, the differences were big.
The 23-year old proved to be the strongest, pushing the pace and eventually managing to drop the entire competition, with Silke Smulders being the one to have been able to match her the best, but still unable to follow. Rüegg won with 10 seconds of gap over her rival and 26 over the first chasing group, securing herself a comfortable race lead.
"We went into this stage with ambition and I knew I had a strong winter in Switzerland. I felt good, but I never thought it would turn out like this. I am speechless and incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me over the years". Tomorrow's hilly stage in Stirling can prove to be tricky, however she has gotten herself a solid lead that may be enough to seal the deal on the GC.
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Noemi Ruegg takes Stage 2 of the @tourdownunder 💯🚴♀️💪
— John Casey 🎙️ (@JohnCasey2880) January 18, 2025
More @7NewsAdelaide 5pm & 6pm #TourDownUnder pic.twitter.com/OIW7V565cb
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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