Switzerland’s Noemi Rüegg held on to the Santos Tour Down Under leader’s jersey to take 2025 general classification honours in a huge Stirling stage on Sunday.
The pocket dynamo claimed the ochre jersey after a brilliant Health Partners Stage 2 win on Saturday and refused to let the golden opportunity slip.
Rüegg rode a near-perfect race.
The reigning road champion battled hard to stay out of danger during a hot stage and became the first Swiss woman to claim the Santos Tour Down Under’s major prize.
Rüegg finished Hyundai Stage 3 Stirling to Stirling race in third place behind the stage winner: US star Chloe Dygert of Canyon-Sram zondacrypto.
Liv-AlUla-Jayco’s Dutch sensation Silke Smulders was runner-up.
“It’s amazing. I’m super happy and in disbelief and it takes a few days to really sink in what I have achieved here,’’ Rüegg said.
“I have been working really hard for this for two or three years and it’s so nice and it pays off now.”
With Rüegg spending more time in South Australia before returning to centre stage for next Sunday’s Schwalbe Women’s One-Day Classic road race, Dygert, 29, said her team had targeted a stage win and GC.
And the 2024 US Olympic team pursuit gold medallist was content with one of the two major prizes.
“It was a huge team effort today and we’re really happy,’’ Dygert said.
“The most frustrating part for me was how many people (riders) were still there right at the end (of the race).
“I was surprised.
“I’m really happy to hold on to the end.”
The race took shape early, with Rüegg upstaging plenty of favourites over the course of three stages.
She looked out for threats and wasn’t fazed when Australia’s Ella Simpson (St Michel -Preference Home -Auber93WE) soloed to the front to open a 1 min 12 sec gap with 60km before the Stirling finish line.
But Simpson, 22, was a definitive threat to the order of the general classification after finishing second at the national road race titles in WA eight days ago.
Simpson started Hyundai Stage 3 1min 51sec behind Rüegg.
The Swiss national champion was well protected by her team EF Education-Oatly, keen to stave off rivals from taking control of the race as the main peloton was approaching the uphill Stirling finish line for a second time with an impressive 37km/h average speed despite the 33C heat.
Simpson surged 2min 06 sec ahead of the chasing group with just 44km before the finish as Rüegg’s team continued to control the race.
Simpson’s brave solo attack ended about 30km from Stirling when the main peloton swallowed the Australian.
Lidl-Trek’s Australian Amanda Spratt – a three-time Santos Tour Down Under winner – launched her third attack of the stage in a bid to unsettle rivals before Italy’s Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) decided to solo ahead.
That forced a response from Australia’s Ella Wylie (Liv AlUla Jayco) who worked hard to pull in the peloton.
Key Points
Ziptrak® Sprint #1 Longwood Road, Heathfield near Heathfield High School Tennis Courts 45.1km
Ella Simpson (St Michel -Preference Home -Auber93WE) became the virtual race leader after a brave solo breakaway ride saw her earn valuable bonus seconds when she claimed the first Ziptrak intermediate sprint of the stage at Heathfield.
Dutch rider Nicole Steigenga, 26, (AG Insurance –Soudal) arrived in second place before FDJ-SUEZ’s Swiss rider Elise Chabbey.
Ziptrak® Sprint #2 Longwood Road, Heathfield near Heathfield High School Tennis Courts 66.4km
Simpson and Steigenga earned the major prizes again.
efex Queen of the Mountain #1 — Stirling Climb 2 3.7% 11.1% 2083m 20.8km
UAE Team ADQ’s Karlijn Swinkels immediately put her team’s intentions on the rival peloton’s radar when she claimed the maximum seven points after the first lap of Stirling.
The Dutch rider was backed by her Italian teammate Sofia Bertizzolo who claimed five points.
Another Italian, Lidl-Trek’s Clara Copponi, earned three points.
efex Queen of the Mountain #2 — Stirling Climb 2 3.7% 11.1% 2083m 84.6km
ARA Australia’s Alyssa Polites did her chances of returning to the UCI Women’s WorldTour no harm when she upset Polish rider Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) who was wearing the efex QOM jersey.
Polites wore the QOM jersey on Saturday after a brilliant Ziptrak Stage 1 but now owns the efex Queen of the Mountain jersey.
Polites earned 24 QOM points throughout the race, two points ahead of Włodarczyk and 10 points clear of Ruegg.
All the jerseys
Hyundai Stage 3 Winner: Chloe Dygert (Canyon-Sram zondacrypto)
Santos Ochre General Classification: Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly)
Ziptrak Sprint classifications winner: Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly)
efex Queen of the Mountain winner: Alyssa Polites (ARA Australian Cycling Team)
Zwift Young Rider: Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic PostNL)
Yamaha Most Competitive Rider: Ella Simpson (St Michel-Preference Home – Auber93)
Wilson Parking Team: UAE Team ADQ
Best South Australian Rider: Amber Pate (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)
