BA is thrilled to be trackside for every stage of this year’s Tour Down Under and will provide rolling coverage here, as well as regular social updates on Facebook and Instagram.
Overall classification: The Queen of Willunga claims the Ochre jersey
Swiss National Champion Noemi Rüegg held on to the ride leader’s ochre jersey to take 2025 general classification honours in a huge Stirling stage on Sunday.

The pocket dynamo held on to the ochre jersey riding a near-perfect race. She stayed out of danger during a hot stage and became the first Swiss woman to claim the Tour Down Under’s major prize.
Rüegg finished in third place on Stage 3 which started and finished in Stirling, behind US rider Chloe Dygert of Canyon-Sram zondacrypto.
“It’s amazing. I’m super happy and in disbelief, and it takes a few days to really sink into 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.”

Overall Winners of the Women’s Tour Down Under
Santos Ochre Leader’s Jersey and GC Winner – Noemi Rüegg (Ef Education – Oatly)
Ziptrak® Sprint Classification Winner – Noemi Rüegg (Ef Education – Oatly)
Efex Queen Of The Mountain Classification Winner – Alyssa Polites (ARA Australian Cycling Team)

Zwift Best Young Rider – Eleonora Ciabocco (Team Picnic Postnl)
Yamaha Most Competitive Rider – Ella Simpson (St Michel – Preference Home – Auber93)
Wilson Parking Winning Team – UAE Team Adq
Best South Australian Rider – Amber Pate (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)
Stage 3: US star Dygert wins uphill finish in Stirling
Chloe Dygert of Canyon-Sram zondacrypto roared up the hill into Stirling in hot conditions to win Stage 3. The 105.9km stage started and finished in the Adelaide Hills town of Stirling, with the riders completing five laps of the same course.
“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.”


Stage 2: The Queen of Willunga is crowned
The temperature is rising in Adelaide in more ways than one, and today, Switzerland’s Noemi Ruegg created Santos Tour Down history by winning Stage 2 from Unley to Willunga.
The 23-year-old reigning Swiss road champion became the first female from her native country to win a stage, and the general classification after compatriot Martin Elmiger was the first to claim a stage of the Santos Tour Down Under 18 years ago.
Ruegg’s EF Education-Oatly team used their tactical nous to lead the climbing specialist to the top of the Willunga Hill summit in a stunning finish, where she dropped her serious rivals.

“I still can’t believe what happened today,’’ Ruegg said, revealing she left Switzerland’s freezing temperatures seven days ago.
“I’m also a bit surprised as back in Switzerland it’s cold. I didn’t spend weeks in Spain (to adjust to the heat), but I also think this preparation is good. I trained a lot in the cold, and I also asked for some heat training. I always stayed healthy and had some good rides.”

Poland’s UAE Team ADQ climber Dominika Włodarczyk claimed the efex Queen of the Mountain after a hard day in the saddle.
The reigning national road Polish champion was ecstatic with the rewarding accolade in the heat in her second Santos Tour Down Under appearance.
“I was here in Adelaide a week earlier. It was a good time to adapt and the change of the time zone, and I really, really like Adelaide,’’ she said.

With several riders wearing ice packs on their way to sign on, 79 riders started the race. Still, France’s Eglantine Rayer (FDJ-SUEZ), Canada’s Mara Roldan (Team Picnic Post NL) and Netherlands Teuntje Beekhus (Uno – X Mobility) did not start.
Stage 1: Tour Down Under begins with surprise winner
The Tour Down Under 2025 began today with Stage 1 of the women’s three-day race setting off from the Adelaide beachside suburb of Brighton. The 101.9km stage, dubbed one for the sprinters was won on the iconic Aldinga Beach Esplanade in a solo break, by a little known Dutch rider Daniek Hengeveld of the new Ceratizit-WNT team.
Hengeveld, 22, claimed the victory after launching a solo attack about 50km from the finish.

The Dutch rider admitted doubt had consumed her thoughts as to whether she would return to bike racing after a horrendous crash at the Tour of Britain last June when she broke her jaw, her collarbone and fractured several ribs.
“This is so different because it’s my first race after my crash last year on a new team and I lost a little bit of confidence after last year,’’ Hengeveld said.
“I was finally racing like I was 18 and I thought this is why I race. I struggled a lot, especially with the mental part of it.
“It was hard to see if I actually still like to ride my bike and how it is to ride with a team that believes in me. It’s nice. It’s a good feeling.”
Hengeveld takes control of the Ochre Leader’s jersey and holds a 43-second gap over last year’s Ziptrak Stage 1 winner: New Zealand’s Ally Wallston (FDJ-Suez).

