A Women's WorldTour reboot at the Cadel Evans Road Race – Preview

When the women's race at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, also known as the Deakin University Elite Women’s Race, first stepped onto the Women’s WorldTour in 2020, it was a lauded move but the warm welcome of the fans wasn’t matched by the weather. 

Filthy conditions greeted the riders, with rain and heavy clouds that interrupted the broadcast, sent spectators scurrying and worst of all contributed to a crash in which much of the field was caught up. 

That meant that after Liane Lippert sprinted to her first Women’s WorldTour victory, many soigneurs from other teams were left waiting anxiously at the finish line hoping their riders would not be on injured list. Almost a third of the field ended up with a DNF beside their name. 

It was not the Women’s WorldTour debut the organisers hoped for, but there was always next year, right? But it turns out there wasn’t, or the year after for that matter given the two years of COVID-19 pandemic cancellations. But now finally in 2023, on January 28, the chance to hit refresh has come again.

This time the event will be the second Women’s WorldTour race of the season. The Women's Tour Down Under opened the series with its debut, where FDJ Suez’ Grace Brown swept to victory ahead of Trek-Segafredo’s Amanda Spratt.

The 143km Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, which starts and finishes in Geelong, could again prove to be a battle among two of the world’s strongest teams, or perhaps a chance for redemption for those with a summer of racing in Australia that hasn’t lived up to hopes so far.

Cyclingnews will be in Geelong to cover the race, gathering all the important news, rider reaction and delivering race analysis.

The route - More Challambra

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There have been some changes to the course since the last edition in 2020. The start runs in the opposite direction, providing some hillier sections earlier to get attacks away. There is also more of Challambra Crescent, the short but steep climb which came to prominence in 2010 when riders like Cadel Evans and Marianne Vos delighted fans on the crowd-lined rise as they pushed the pace in the World Championships road races. The two local loops for the women also mean the race is longer, extending from 121.5km in total to 143km, making it the longest day of UCI racing in the Australian summer calendar for the women. 

The course starts and finishes by the waterfront in Geelong, taking riders out past the rolling farmland hills, before heading toward the Surf Coast, Bells Beach and back to Geelong via the Great Ocean Road. That's where the crosswinds could strike, potentially splitting the field or even just wearing the legs down with the battle to hold wheels before the riders come back into Geelong where they tackle the steep Challambra climb.  

This year the women's field will take on two loops of the local circuit, opening up the opportunity for spectators to see multiple passes of the field and for riders to amp up the degree of difficulty on the race by pushing the pace on the climb.

If history is any guide, its bound to be a split field by the final run to the line, perhaps even more likely this year given the increased distance and multiple Challambra ascents. The final dash then takes riders back to the waterfront, where after 143 kilometres of racing the winner of Australia's final Women's WorldTour race of the 2023 season will be crowned.

The riders

This year the Deakin University Elite Women's Race marks the final chance to snag one of those sought-after international top results in the Australian summer – that can either launch a career or send it to new heights – as the Herald Sun Tour will not run in 2023. Liane Lippert will not be there to defend her title, with her new team Movistar not making it out for the Australian summer racing.

Given there are no more chances left, there is bound to be aggressive racing with those who have come into January with top form but not yet found the opportunity to show it fighting to grasp that last chance. 

For some it could be crucial, with those at the start of their careers lining up with domestic or national teams and battling to attract the notice that could get them a professional career or, in the case of Chloe Hosking, to keep it. The 2018 winner of the event, who was caught out by the B&B Hotels collapse, will be racing with the national team and fighting to deliver a result that will deliver the contract for 2023 that one of Australia's most successful sprinters deserves.  

Grace Brown (FDJ SUEZ) has clearly been on song right from the Australian National Championships and is one of the key riders to beat, even without the pulling power of Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) on the climbs at Tour Down Under she showed all too well on the final stage that all she needs is a sniff of a chance to make the chase back on work. 

She'll also have to watch out for Spratt's teammate Brodie Chapman, though, in Geelong who would stand out as one of the key riders to watch even without the stripes of the national champion on her back. Chapman has a strong history at the race – having finished in the top ten in the last two editions – and she's come a long way since she last lined up in Geelong.

Then there is also Georgia Williams and her EF Education-TIBCO-SVB teammates, who with both the rider from New Zealand and Krista Doebel-Hickok finishing in the top five of the GC at the Tour Down Under have proven what a formidable combination they are. Danielle De Francesco (Zaaf), who has joined her new team in her first year as a professional, is in firing form. She was fifth at the Australian Championships in both the road race and time trial then going on to finish just one spot off the podium in both stage 2 and stage 3 at the Tour Down Under.

Last, but far from least, there is the Jayco-AlUla duo of Alex Manly and Ruby Roseman-Gannon, both who are bound to be formidable on the course with their combination of climbing ability and a fast finish. Manly won stage 2 in South Australia but the home Women's WorldTour squad was looking for more from the Australian summer racing, perhaps they will get it in Geelong.