Cadel Evans Road Race 2026
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The 2026 Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race takes place on Saturday 31 January 2026, beginning and finishing in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The route is 182km in length and marks the first men's WorldTour one-day race of the season. Who will succeed Mauro Schmid?
How to watch?
Curious about how to watch the 2026 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race Men's? Discover it in our complete how-to-watch guide, featuring a full overview of all broadcasters and streaming options.
Route
Starting and finishing at Steampacket Gardens in Geelong, the peloton sets off eastward on fast, exposed roads toward Curlewis, then south past the biodiverse Lake Connewarre wetlands, through Ocean Grove, over the Barwon Heads Bridge, and along Thirteenth Beach, where crosswinds could test the bunch.
The route sweeps into Torquay along The Esplanade, then westward past Jan Juc, descending and climbing around the Bells Beach before a steady ascent to Moriac and Barrabool. These tranquil countryside roads provide ideal terrain for attacks as the race approaches its midpoint.
Returning to Geelong, elite men face four intense 21km finishing circuits. The highlight is the infamous Challambra Crescent climb, 1km in length at 8.7% (peaking at 11%), where the King of the Mountain points are fiercely contested.
Fast descents hit nearly 85km/h, interspersed with short pinches through Queens Park and residential streets, before looping past the scenic Geelong waterfront, Botanic Gardens, and Kardinia Park.
The finale combines brutal climbs, technical turns, and a high-speed downhill run to the iconic waterfront finish line, offering multiple opportunities for the world's top riders to seize victory in a thrilling conclusion.
Read our preview here.
Favourites
Only two riders have ever won the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race solo: Peter Kennaugh in 2016 and defending champion Mauro Schmid. Schmid returns in strong form after finishing second at the Tour Down Under and may try another long move, though he will be closely watched. Behind him the field looks wide open.
If it ends in a reduced sprint, Matthew Brennan and Tobias Lund Andresen stand out as favourites thanks to their climbing resilience and fast finishes. Pure sprinters like Sam Welsford and Ethan Vernon are less likely to survive if the climbs make it selective.
Other punchy contenders include Andreas Kron, Danny van Poppel, Laurence Pithie, Edoardo Zambanini, Corbin Strong and Aaron Gate. Climbers who could force selection include Adam Yates, Nicholas Prodhomme, Santiago Buitrago and Javier Romo. Simon Clarke will retire after this race.
The full startlist can be found here.
