Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026: Start date and times, locations, how to watch and more
FAQThursday, 22 January 2026 at 16:40
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is an early-season UCI World Tour one-day cycling classic held in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It features both men’s and women’s World Tour races, scheduled for late January 2026 (women’s race on Saturday, January 31 and men’s race on Sunday, February 1). This year, the race's full official title is Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
The event is raced around the scenic Great Ocean Road and Bellarine Peninsula, starting and finishing on the Geelong waterfront and including coastal sections and the challenging 'Challambra' Crescent climb.
FAQ about the 2026 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race:
1) When does the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
2026 begin?
2) Where in Australia does the race take place?
3) What does the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race mean for cycling?
4) Why does it matter that it is a World Tour race and that it has a women's event?
5) Activities beyond the races and key dates
6) Stages, route and schedules Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026
7) How to watch on TV and follow the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race live online
8) List of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race winners
9) List of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race classifications and jerseys
2) Where in Australia does the race take place?
3) What does the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race mean for cycling?
4) Why does it matter that it is a World Tour race and that it has a women's event?
5) Activities beyond the races and key dates
6) Stages, route and schedules Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026
7) How to watch on TV and follow the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race live online
8) List of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race winners
9) List of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race classifications and jerseys
1. When does the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026 begin?
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026 race week runs from Wednesday, January 28, through Sunday, February 1. The schedule opens on Wednesday, January 28, with the women’s Surf Coast Classic, followed by the men’s Surf Coast Classic on Thursday, January 29.
The elite women’s one-day World Tour race is on Saturday, January 31, 2026 and the men’s on Sunday, February 1, 2026. In other words, the main races begin on January 31 (women) and February 1 (men).
2. Where in Australia does the race take place?
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is based in the Geelong region of south-west Victoria. Both the men’s and women’s races start and finish in Geelong. From Geelong, the route heads west along the Bellarine Peninsula and then south through the Surf Coast, before returning to Geelong via inland country roads, making for a very scenic route. In short, the race is a loop through Geelong and along the scenic Great Ocean Road corridor in Victoria.
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3. What does the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race mean for cycling?
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race has become a high-profile one-day “classic” on the global calendar. It was launched in 2015 as a farewell for Tour de France winner Cadel Evans, and quickly joined the UCI World Tour (men in 2017, women in 2020). In 2025, the race celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The event now attracts elite international teams and riders, and in Evans’ words, it was “inspired by Milano–Sanremo and Strade Bianche” to create Australia’s own spring classic right after the Tour Down Under. As one of the first one-day races of the season, it plays a significant role in launching the pro cycling year. The race highlights the Great Ocean Road region and brings world-class cycling to Australia, elevating the sport’s profile in the Southern Hemisphere.
4. Why does it matter that it is part of the World Tour and has a women's event?
World Tour status means the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is one of cycling’s top-tier events. As a UCI World Tour race, all leading teams and stars are required to attend and compete for valuable ranking points. This guarantees a deep, international field and extensive media coverage.
The addition of a women’s World Tour race (since 2020) further amplifies the event’s importance. It puts the women’s race on equal footing, ensuring that top female teams also participate and receive full TV coverage. In effect, it doubles the race’s impact and reflects the sport’s push for gender equality.
5. Activities beyond the races and key dates
Aside from the main World Tour races, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race week features several community events and fan activities. The idea behind these is to help cycling grow in popularity in the local communities, both the competitive sport itself and the activity from a fitness perspective. Key events by date include:
- Wed, Jan 28: Women’s Surf Coast Classic.
- Thu, Jan 29: Men’s Surf Coast Classic.
- Fri, Jan 30: GeelongPort Family Ride (Twilight family cycle around Geelong, 5:30 pm).
- Sat, Jan 31: TAC People’s Ride mass-participation events (7:00 am), followed by the Women’s World Tour race (Geelong circuit, 12:40 pm start).
- Sun, Feb 1: Men’s World Tour race (Geelong circuit, 11:10 am start).
6. Stages, route and schedules Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026
Men’s Race: 182 kilometers on Sunday, February 1, 2026. It starts on the Geelong waterfront at 11:10 am and follows a roughly figure‑eight course: west to Barwon Heads, south to the Surf Coast and Bells Beach, then back to Geelong. The finale is four laps of a 21 km finishing circuit around Geelong, each featuring the steep 1-kilometer-long Challambra Crescent climb (8–11% gradient, maximum 17%), before ending on Eastern Beach Road.
Women’s Race: 141 kilometers on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The race starts at 12:40 pm. The route is similar and covers the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast, as well as the infamous Challambra Crescent climb. There is also potential for crosswinds at Thirteenth Beach.
7. How to watch on TV and follow the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race live online
In Australia the race is broadcast live and free on SBS (TV and SBS On Demand). SBS’s coverage covers both the women’s (Saturday) and men’s (Sunday) races, including pre-race build-up and commentary.
Internationally, broadcast partners carry the race in various regions (for example, Discovery+/Eurosport in Europe and FloBikes in the USA). Fans can also follow online via the race’s official channels: the official website and social media (Twitter, Instagram) provide live updates and final results. You can follow the action along here on CyclingUpToDate with race report, preview, startlist, TV Guide, prize money distribution and all information relevant to the race.
8. List of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race winners
Past winners of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (men’s and women’s editions) are as follows (source: official records).
Men’s Race Winners:
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| 2025 | Mauro Schmid | Aaron Gate | Laurence Pithie |
| 2024 | Laurence Pithie | Natnael Tesfatsion | Georg Zimmermann |
| 2023 | Marius Mayrhofer | Hugo Page | Simon Clarke |
| 2022 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2021 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2020 | Dries Devenyns | Pavel Sivakov | Daryl Impey |
| 2019 | Elia Viviani | Caleb Ewan | Daryl Impey |
| 2018 | Jay McCarthy | Elia Viviani | Daryl Impey |
| 2017 | Nikias Arndt | Simon Gerrans | Cameron Meyer |
| 2016 | Peter Kennaugh | Leigh Howard | Nicolò Bonifazio |
| 2015 | Gianni Meersman | Simon Clarke | Nathan Haas |
Women’s Race Winners:
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| 2025 | Ally Wollaston | Karlijn Swinkels | Noemi Rüegg |
| 2024 | Rosita Reijnhout | Dominika Włodarczyk | Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig |
| 2023 | Loes Adegeest | Amanda Spratt | Nina Buijsman |
| 2022 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2021 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2020 | Liane Lippert | Arlenis Sierra | Amanda Spratt |
| 2019 | Arlenis Sierra | Lucy Kennedy | Amanda Spratt |
| 2018 | Chloe Hosking | Gracie Elvin | Giorgia Bronzini |
| 2017 | Annemiek Van Vleuten | Ruth Edwards | Mayuko Hagiwara |
| 2016 | Amanda Spratt | Rachel Neylan | Danielle Rowe |
| 2015 | Rachel Neylan | Valentina Scandolara | Tessa Fabry |
9. List of Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race classification and jerseys
As a one-day classic, the Cadel Evans Road Race does not award an overall (general classification) or points-leader jersey (those apply to stage races). Instead the race recognizes the following classifications with jerseys/awards:
- King/Queen of the Mountain (mountains points jersey): Awarded to the rider accumulating the most mountain points on the race’s climbs. In 2025, the winner was Rudy Porter.
- Best Young Rider (under-23 classification): The highest-placed rider under age 23. In 2025, the winner was Laurence Pithie.
- Most Combative Rider (Mapei combative rider): Awarded to the most aggressive or breakaway rider of the day. In 2025, the winner was Chris Harper.
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