Rainbow jersey and defending champ heading to Adelaide
10 DEC 2025
Photo: Chris Auld
The Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) is set to make even more history in January when it hosts the women’s rainbow jersey – worn by the current UCI Road Race World Champion – for the first time.
In a major coup for Australian cycling fans and the event, Canadian Magdeleine Vallieres who claimed the world title in Rwanda in September, will be on the start line in South Australia in January.
And in a powerful one-two punch, her team EF Education-Oatly has also confirmed Vallieres’ teammate Noemi Rüegg will be returning to Adelaide to defend her TDU title.
Rüegg rode solo to victory on the Tour’s queen stage up Willunga Hill this year then finished third in Stirling to clinch the Santos Ochre Leader’s Jersey by 13 seconds.
While Mads Pedersen (2020), Peter Sagan (2017 and 2018), Philippe Gilbert (2013), Cadel Evans (2010) and Oscar Camenzind (1999) have all opened their new season as men’s world champion at the TDU, Vallieres will become the first current women’s road race world champion to do so.
The 24-year-old who started out racing mountain bikes and cyclocross is entering her fifth season as a road professional and January will be her TDU debut.
She has competed in major stage races the Vuelta a Espana Femenina, the Giro d’Italia Women, and Tour de France Femmes as well as Classics including Milan-San Remo Donne, Liege-Bastogne-Liege Femmes, La Fleche Wallonne Feminine, Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Strade Bianche Donne, Amstel Gold Race and Gent-Wevelgem.
Rüegg is a two-time Swiss national champion across the road and time trial, whose victory at the 2025 women’s TDU set her up for a big season.
She followed her triumph Down Under with a podium in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, top 10s at Strade Bianche and Trofeo Alfredo Binda, and third in Sanremo women. The year before, Ruegg was seventh in the women’s road race at the Paris Olympics.
Quotes attributable to World Champion Magdeleine Vallieres:
“The first race of the season will be great to show the new kit early and kick things off on a positive note. I’m excited to race in the world champion jersey in front of the Australian crowd. After the GC win last year, it would be nice to come back with the team and try to defend the title.
“I’m excited to race in Adelaide because it’s special to compete somewhere outside of Europe, coming from another continent myself, it’s nice to go a bit farther afield, explore different places, and bring cycling to new audiences.”
Quotes attributable to reigning TDU champion Noemi Rüegg:
“I’m excited to go back to Tour Down Under because it’s such a great race with a unique vibe. The racing is great, the crowds and atmosphere are amazing, and the courses are always fun and varied. It’s the first race of the year, so there isn’t too much pressure, it’s just a really nice way to start the season.
“It’s the first time in my career that I’m returning to defend a race like this, so having the number one on my back will feel meaningful.
“I’m hugely motivated because I have so many great memories from last year. Going back will bring all of that back and give me a lot of positive emotions. That race was a bit of a breakthrough moment in my career, so I’m incredibly thankful for everything I experienced there. I can’t wait to go back and hopefully have just as much fun and as great a time as last year.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison:
“Having the reigning world champion on the start line in January speaks volumes to the credibility of the race and the growth of women’s cycling in South Australia.
“Already the first race in the world to offer equal prizemoney for men and women, next year’s edition is the longest and hardest women’s race in TDU history.
“The Santos Tour Down Under has become the race of choice for the world’s best riders to open their new season, and we look forward to welcoming world champion Magdeleine and defending champion Noemi back to Adelaide next month.”
Quotes attributable to TDU Race Directory Stuart O’Grady:
“It’s huge to have both the world champion and defending TDU champion here, and even more significant is they both race for the same team so it’s a really clear show of intent from EF Education-Oatly that they are coming back here to win.
“The rainbow jersey is synonymous with cycling, it’s a mark of respect for the current world champion and stands out in the peloton, so to have Magdeleine open her 2026 season at the Santos Tour Down Under is fantastic.
“Likewise it’s very exciting to see Noemi coming back to defend her title after she rode so aggressively up Willunga to set up her overall victory this year.”
The women’s TDU will be the longest in its history at 395km, showcasing new stage starts in Willunga, Norwood and Magill, and also feature two ascensions of the Corkscrew as well as a new one-day race in the Barossa. It will also be the first time in TDU history that all women’s WorldTeams will be on the start line alongside ALL top-tier men’s teams.
