Key Takeaways:
– The Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic is a new one-day race in women’s peloton in 2025.
– It will be organised by the Santos Tour Down Under and be held in Adelaide, Australia.
– The race will, importantly, provide an additional opportunity for riders to earn vital UCI points.
– The 90-kilometre race will be a Pro Series event.
– The event offers equal prize money to the Villawood Men’s Down Under Classic.
An Exciting Addition to Women’s Peloton
Australian women’s cycling is set to get an exciting new addition to the peloton in 2025. This will come in the form of the Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic. It will indeed present a golden opportunity for the riders to kickstart their season on a high. This one-day race could give them a valuable head start with a chance to secure crucial UCI points.
Organised by the Santos Tour Down Under, the race will take place on Sunday, January 26th. The striking thing about this race is that it will follow the same city route in Adelaide, used for the final stage of the men’s race. This will allow fans to witness both global men’s and women’s cyclists at the same locale. This fond gathering will be part of the celebration in light of the 25th anniversary of Australia’s greatest cycling event.
Comments from the Santos Tour Down Under Race Director
Adding weight to this latest development, Stuart O’Grady, the Tour Down Under Race Director, revealed how the women’s peloton was seeking more opportunities. The chance to accumulate valuable UCI points was particularly alluring. Unlike the men’s branch, women’s UCI WorldTeams are not obligated to attend the Santos Tour Down Under. With the inclusion of this race, women’s teams will have four unique opportunities to secure UCI points. This move is expected to energise competition within the women’s field.
Impact on the Riders
Three-time Tour Down Under winner Amanda Spratt welcomed this new addition. Racing since the event’s inception, Spratt felt that the inclusion of the one-day race was a progressive stride. She mentioned that it gave riders another chance to gain points early in the season. She also expressed hope that this addition could lead to more stages being added to the women’s Santos Tour Down Under in the future.
Pro Series Event: The Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic
Classified as a Pro Series event, the one-day classic race will stretch over 90 kilometres and 20 laps around Adelaide. This race will be held following the completion of the three-day Women’s Tour Down Under scheduled from January 17-19.
UCI Points, Prize Money & Competition
The Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic offers stark reward – a cool 200 UCI points and equal prize money to the Villawood Men’s Down Under Classic. This race will maintain the same peloton composition as the Women’s Tour Down Under, supplemented by domestic teams. This is going to be a golden opportunity for budding riders to compete with the best in the globe.
Taking on the Challenge
Sarah Gigante, the overall winner of the 2024 Women’s Tour Down Under, was quite excited about this new challenge. She remembers having raced the Tour Down Under in 2020 and witnessing its phenomenal progression since then. She was thrilled about the new opportunities this would bring to the women’s peloton and saw the addition of the one-day race as a significant step forward. The sentiment was echoed by her fellow competitors, who are also thrilled to have another opportunity at the Women’s Tour Down Under. All in all, there’s a general sentiment that this one-day race is a great leap forward for women’s cycling globally. The common cry is “bring it on!”