The Allan Labor Government is bringing another world-class cycling event to Victoria, with the Surf Coast to host a pair of spectacular mid-week races as part of the 2025 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos today announced the return of the Surf Coast Classic as part of the 2025 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - backed by the Allan Labor Government's Regional Events Fund.
Cycling fans who live near the Great Ocean Road will be able to see world class cyclists up close, as the race takes elite men's and women's teams to some of the most challenging and scenic roads in the state.
The men's and women's mid-week races will act as a precursor to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race to be held across Geelong, Ocean Grove and Torquay on the weekend of 1-2 February.
The races are offering up equal prize money for men and women, with the women's race now only 100 days away on 29 January, followed by the men's race on 30 January.
Both will start in the picturesque town of Lorne and finish with a sprint along The Esplanade in Torquay - with the men's race spanning 157 kilometres and the women's covering a demanding 118-kilometre route.
The 2025 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race will mark the 10th edition of the iconic Australian cycling event, which has become a cornerstone of Victoria's packed major events calendar - providing a major boost for regional businesses and tourism operators.
Since it was first held in 2015 the race has continued to grow in numbers and prestige, attracting the world's top cyclists and tens of thousands of spectators each year. In 2024, more than 140,000 people attended the event, injecting millions into the economy and supporting local jobs and communities.
The Surf Coast Classic is part of Victoria's stellar spring and summer major events schedule, which includes the MotoGP, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Matildas friendlies in Melbourne and Geelong, the Boxing Day Test, the Australian Open Golf and the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the NGV.
As stated by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos
"Victoria is home to world-class cycling events and the return of the mid-week races in 2025 is fantastic news for regional communities and cycling fans."
"The Surf Coast Classic will deliver a major economic boost to the region, drawing thousands of visitors and showcasing our great state on the world stage."
As stated by Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney
"The Surf Coast community is so excited to welcome back world-class cycling, with the Surf Coast Classic bringing elite competition and a boost for local businesses and tourism."
As stated by Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements
"This is part of a great pipeline of major events drawing people to Victoria over summer, including Matildas friendlies in Melbourne and Geelong, the Boxing Day Test and the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the NGV."
As stated by Cadel Evans
"It's great to see the Surf Coast Classic return and for our Elite Men's and Women's teams to race on the beautiful roads from Lorne to Torquay."
"Point-to-point races are exciting to ride in and even more exciting to watch, and it'll be another blistering finish along the Esplanade in Torquay to see who can cross the finish gantry first."
"Join me on the course to watch the world's best ahead of another action-packed weekend of cycling."
As stated by Scott Sunderland, Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race Director
"The Surf Coast Classic was well-received by the international Elite Men's teams in 2024 and we're delighted to now offer the same experience for the international Elite Women's teams."
