The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is excited to announce the return of the mid-week races for its 2024 edition.

Last held in 2020, the mid-week races will see teams compete across the Surf Coast and Geelong as the official precursor to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

In 2024, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is thrilled to feature mid-week races for both Men’s and Women’s teams, held across separate days for the first time.

Kicking off festivities on Wednesday 24 January, the Geelong Classic will follow a criterium format with the Elite Women set to race 25 laps of a 2km circuit around the Geelong Botanical Gardens and Waterfront.

The twilight race offers a small climb each lap that will make for dynamic and aggressive racing, and the circuit will offer multiple viewing locations for spectators to enjoy the action.

Held on the following day, the Surf Coast Classic will see the elite men’s teams race from Lorne to Torquay and has been granted a 1.1 classification under UCI sanctioning.

The course is a challenging 10km uphill climb from the Lorne start towards Dean Marsh townships across the 150km race, ensuring fast-paced and entertaining racing.

Click here to see the course maps for the elite men’s Surf Coast Classic.

Click here to see the course maps for the elite women’s Geelong Classic.

Watch the highlights of the 2020 Towards Zero Race Torquay

Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race Director, Scott Sunderland is excited to re-introduce mid-week races into the event offering for elite riders.

“The mid-week races will be a perfect tune up for the teams and riders ahead of an action-packed weekend of cycling,” Sunderland said.

“Sure to be exciting and exhilarating, the Geelong Classic will offer just over an hour of relentless, aggressive street-style racing.

“The six percent gradient uphill over 250 metres in each lap offers ample opportunities for a solo victory. The sprinters will need to race intelligently to conserve their strength and speed to be in with a chance of race victory.

“Obtaining an impressive 1.1 classification from the UCI, the Surf Coast Classic offers an excellent opportunity for aspiring riders to earn highly coveted world ranking points.

“With an incredible and breathtaking view throughout the course, team tactics will not only focus on grabbing the victory, but also on winning the maximum points possible which is sure to make for a thrilling finish.”

Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements welcomed further elite events for attendees to enjoy.

“These boosted events will provide even more reasons for visitors to extend their stay in the region and soak up the excitement of this elite major event,” McClements said.

“The mid-week races will challenge the best riders in the world while providing a glorious backdrop for spectators, showcasing Geelong and Surf Coast to riders and fans from across Victoria, interstate and the world.”

“We’re proud to support these events and it’s fantastic that men and women riders will be competing for equal prize money.”

The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is an initiative of Visit Victoria, endorsed by the Victorian State Government and a pillar of Australia’s major events calendar.

Please see below for the full event schedule:

Wednesday 24 January

  • Geelong Classic (Women’s mid-week race)

Thursday 25 January

  • Surf Coast Classic (Men’s mid-week race)

Friday 26 January

  • GeelongPort Family Ride

Saturday 27 January

  • TAC People’s Ride
  • Deakin University Elite Women’s Road Race

Sunday 28 January

  • Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race Elite Men’s Race