THE Surf Coast Classic will return to the Surf Coast’s roads in 2025, with the men’s and women’s midweek races officially confirmed as part of the coming Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race today (Tuesday, October 22).

Cycling fans who live near the Great Ocean Road will be able to see world-class cyclists up close, as the race takes place along some of the most challenging and scenic roads in the state.

Both races will start in Lorne and finish with a sprint along The Esplanade in Torquay, with the men’s race spanning 157km and the women’s covering a 118km route.

The two races will offer equal prize money for men and women and are precursors to the Elite Women’s and Elite Men’s races, to be held across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coasty on the weekend of February 1 and February 2.

Since it was first held in 2015, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race has continued to grow in numbers and prestige, attracting the world’s top cyclists and teams from the UDI WorldTour and tens of thousands of spectators each year.

In 2024, more than 140,000 people attended the event, injecting millions of dollars into the economy and supporting local jobs and communities.

“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.”

This year, the Elite Women’s riders competed in the Geelong Classic, held on a criterium course through the Geelong Waterfront and Eastern Park.

“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,” race director Scott Sunderland said.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said the return of the Surf Coast Classic was backed by the Victorian government’s Regional Events Fund.

“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 is part of Victoria’s 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.

More information on the Surf Coast Classic and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

Image credit: Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) (third from right) celebrates winning the Surf Coast Classic in 2024. Photo: TIM DE WAELE/GETTY IMAGES