Here’s how you can be part of it.
Every January, Geelong, the Surf Coast and the Bellarine become the beating heart of the world of cycling. For five days, this corner of Victoria hosts world-class racing, mass participation events, and a community atmosphere unlike anything else in the country.
Some people come to watch the best riders on the planet. Some come to ride the same roads as the pros alongside Cadel Evans. Some come with the kids, a picnic rug and a cowbell. And plenty come for all of it.
From 27 to 31 January 2027, The Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race returns and here’s every way you can be part of the action.
1. Surf Coast Classic — Watch the men and women race along the spectacular Surf Coast
Women’s Surf Coast Classic: Wednesday 27 January
Men’s Surf Coast Classic: Thursday 28 January
Race week starts mid-week, and it starts fast. The Surf Coast Classic is a UCI ProSeries race from Lorne to Torquay, pairing some of the most beautiful coastline in the country with genuinely tactical racing.
The route throws in a challenging inland climb before a high-speed run into Torquay, which makes it a favourite for sprinters and breakaway specialists alike. Do the teams control it for a bunch finish, or does a brave move stick all the way to the line?
How to be part of it: Pick a spot on the coast road, or set up in Torquay for the finish. Spectating is free. Make a mid-week escape of it and you’re already in the right place for the rest of the week.
2. GeelongPort Family Ride
Friday 29 January · Free
GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 30: A kid rides during the Geelong Port Family Ride 2026 on January 30, 2026 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Con Chronis/Getty Images)
The GeelongPort Family Ride is where race week belongs to everyone. It’s a free event bringing kids & parents together on a closed 2km circuit along the Geelong waterfront — no traffic, no pressure, just a safe and genuinely exciting way to ride and be part of the action
Training wheels, tag-alongs, the bike that’s been sitting in the shed since last summer — all welcome.
How to be part of it: Register the family (it’s free), pump up the tyres, and have a great afternoon with your kids
3. TAC People’s Ride — Ride the same roads as the pros
Saturday 30 January 2027 · 63km Hometown Ride or 114km Classic Ride
This is the one thousands of riders circle on the calendar. The TAC People’s Ride puts you on the same spectacular roads as the professionals, rolling through the Bellarine, Barwon Heads and along the stunning Surf Coast, hours before the world’s best riders take them on.
Choose your challenge:
- Hometown Ride — 63km. A flatter route touring Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, with around 420m of climbing. A brilliant first event or a fast social spin with mates.
- Classic Ride — 114km. Around 1,157m of climbing, with the option to take on the mighty Challambra Crescent — the same climb that decides the pro races — or skip it if the legs aren’t there.
Both courses are fully supported, both finish back in the village on the waterfront, and the on-road atmosphere is electric. It’s an experience that brings riders together in the best possible way.
Register for the TAC People’s Ride
4. Women’s Road Race — World-class talent on world-class roads
Saturday 30 January 2027 · UCI Women’s WorldTour
GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 31: Ally Wollaston of New Zealand and Team FDJ United – SUEZ celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 10th Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026, Women’s Elite a 141.2km one day race from Geelong to Geelong / #UCIWWT / on January 31, 2026 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Con Chronis/Getty Images)
Once you’ve clipped out from The TAC People’s Ride, stick around because the afternoon belongs to the best women in the sport.
The Women’s Road Race is a showcase of world-class talent and tactical racing. The course winds through the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast before the decisive Challambra Crescent climb and a fast finish on the Geelong waterfront. As part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, drawing top teams and riders from around the globe.
And there’s a storyline to follow: New Zealand’s Ally Wollaston has won the last two editions. Can anyone stop the three-peat?
How to be part of it: Head to Challambra for the climb, or grab a spot on the waterfront for the finish. Free to watch.
5. Men’s Road Race
Sunday 31 January 2027 · UCI WorldTour
GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 01: Santiago Buitrago of Colombia and Team Bahrain – Victorious aduring the 10th Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race 2026 – Men’s Elite a 182.3km one day race from Geelong to Geelong / #UCIWT / on February 01, 2026 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Con Chronis/Getty Images)
The week finishes with the big one. The Men’s Road Race is an unpredictable modern one-day classic and Australia’s only UCI WorldTour one-day event.
The course winds through coastal towns, farmland climbs and the iconic Challambra Crescent before finishing on the Geelong waterfront. Fast flats, technical descents and punchy climbs mean this race rewards both tactical brilliance and raw power and it rarely plays out the way anyone predicts.
How to be part of it: Line the course, find your crew on Challambra, or soak up the finish-line atmosphere in the village. Free to watch.
Come for the ride. Stay for the region.
Five days of cycling is the perfect excuse to make a week of it. The racing moves across our corner of Victoria
The Surf Coast Wild coastline, world-class surf, and a race that tears through it all. Catch the peloton on the coastal roads, then trade the bike for a board, a coastal walk or a long lunch in Torquay or Lorne.
Geelong Waterfront dining, laneways and breweries, and a community in full celebration mode all week long. The village on the waterfront is the hub of race week, the start and finish for the major events, and the place to be once the racing’s done.
The Bellarine Peninsula Boutique wineries, fresh seafood, and the kind of coastal charm that makes you want to extend your stay. Base yourself in Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove or Queenscliff and you’re minutes from the course and a world away from the rush.
Watch the Surf Coast Classic unfold. Ride the waterfront with the kids. Take on The TAC People’s Ride. Cheer the world’s best up Challambra. Then stay a little longer.
However you choose to be part of it, we’ll see you in January.