11 Riders Who Can Win The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
11 Riders Who Can Win The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
As the first one-day race on the World Tour calendar, the Great Ocean Road Race offers the classics riders and climbers a chance to test their legs.
First held in 2015 as a farewell to Australian Tour de France champion Cadel Evans, the Great Ocean Road Race is now in its third year as a World Tour event for the men, and a UCI 1.1 for the women. The women’s race is 70 miles long, while the men’s race covers 108 miles, culminating with three laps of a 17 kilometer circuit in Geelong.
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The race’s large opening loop passes through the hometown of Cadel Evans, Barwon Heads, as well as the surf town of Bell’s Beach. Once on the circuit in Geelong, the racers face the 1.2 km ascent to the Challambra Crescent, at an average gradient of 8.4 percent.
The weather for the 2019 edition of the race is scheduled to be in the mid-70s, following the arrival of a cold front, which is expected to lower temps from over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. (The gran fondo, scheduled for the Thursday preceding this weekend's races, was cancelled due to extreme temperatures.)
Top Contenders
Defending champion Chloe Hosking (Ale Cipollini) is on fine form, having just won the final stage of the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under. She will face competition from fellow Australian Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton Scott), the 2019 TDU winner and 2016 Great Ocean Road Race champ, and South African Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio in her new CCC-Liv colors.
How To Watch The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Americans Ruth Winder (Trek Segafredo) and Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (Rally-UHC) both had strong rides at the TDU and are strong climbers for the finale on Saturday.
Elia Viviani was runner-up to Jay McCarthy at last year’s Great Ocean Road Race after an all-out chase, followed by a blitz to the front of the lead group in the final kilometer. He’s already tasted blood in 2019, winning the opening stage at the TDU. He’s the quickest guy in the field and is the outright favorite for a bunch finish.
Astana’s Luis Leon Sanchez can climb and has a strong sprint out of a small group. Sanchez is certainly on form, placing top 10 at nearly every stage of the Tour Down Under, including two podiums and fifth in the general classification. The finish of the Great Ocean Road Race lends itself to someone with great tactical intuition and timing. Watch for Sanchez to make the selection over the final ascent of the Chalambra Crescent and attack on the flat run to the line.
Underdogs
Sarah Gigante recently rode to an upset victory at the Australian Road Race National Championships. Just 18 years old, Gigante was one of the world’s best juniors last season. She placed second in the points race at the 2018 Junior Track World Championships, just a few months after fracturing her elbow in a club race. At Elite Nationals, Gigante attacked breakaway companion Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott), then held off Roy’s teammate Amanda Spratt on her way to a solo victory. Gigante will be riding with the Australian National Team on Saturday, and could again surprise the World Tour riders.
Mike Woods of EF Education First didn’t have the Tour Down Under that he had hoped for, but he put the work in to be on form. He’s got the legs right now and if the race fractures enough the final time up the Challambra Crescent, he could find himself in the right move to win.
Also watch for Woods’ teammate, 25-year-old Italian Alberto Bettiol. Bettiol was on EF in 2016 and 2017 before moving to BMC last year. When BMC folded, EF resigned Bettiol. Bettiol had multiple World Tour podiums during his previous stint with EF, including third overall at the Tour of Poland and second at the Bretagne Classic. In stage three of the Tour Down Under, Bettiol rode through the breakaway in a solo bid for victory. Watch for a move from Bettiol if Woods falters.
The top U.S. rider to watch will be Kiel Reijnen of Trek-Segafredo. The Great Ocean Road Race course is tailor-made for Reijnen, who favors hard circuits leading to reduced bunch sprints. Reijnen recently scored a top 10 at the TDU, showing he’s on form. He will likely be riding in the service of TDU winner, Australian teammate Richie Porte. However, should the race culminate in a group sprint, Reijnen will likely be the team’s designated finisher.