"We're going to try to win the race again": New world champion eyes successful start of 2026 at Tour Down Under

At the end of the 2025 season, Magdeleine Vallieres appeared out of blue to upset the women cycling's biggest stars by becoming the first Canadian road world champion. In Kigali, the 24-year-old wasn't afraid to attack from far out and while favourites hesitated, she made a quick work of her breakaway rivals to secure the (by far) biggest victory of her career. Understandably, all eyes will be on the fresh rainbow jersey holder in the new season.

While Vallieres is committed to EF Education-Oatly for two more seasons until the end of 2027, she has now got two years to prove doubters that her world title wasn't just a fluke, and that she truly belongs among the household names of the female peloton.

It's an uneasy task, but the Canadian won't waste any time admiring the rainbow jersey in her display cabinet as she sets her sights on a first race on the calendar - the Santos Women's Tour Down Under. The Australian stage race serves as a traditional season opener of the WorldTour calendar for both; men and women.

Ladies will take on three stages in the surroundings of Adelaide. Already the first day will visit the iconic Willunga Hill, but unlike men, ladies won't do the entire climb, starting off lightly with a drag sprint finish. The same can be expected of the following stage. The decisive day will therefore be the final one, with a double ascent up the Corkscrew Road (2.5km at 8.3%) followed by a quick downhill finish on the outskirts of Adelaide.

The name of Vallieres might resound the most of the American team's selection for the race, but in her own words, she's unlikely to be the ProTeam's main champion for this challenge: "I've only just started my first training block, but I'm already doing heat training," she said on the Domestique Podcast about her fast run-up to the race.

Vallieres highlights that there's another "expert" on the race in EF's ranks - last year's Tour Down Under winner Noemi Ruegg: "Our team includes Noemi Ruegg, the winner of the Tour Down Under, so we're going to try to win the race again. So we definitely have a few cards to play."

The world champion herself will be aiming more towards the Ardennes and spring classics in general. Tour Down Under should be more a springboard towards another great season for the young cyclist. "We'll have to wait and see how my form will be. My goals are later in the season, so I certainly won't be in top form yet."