Symbol 1 of 9
![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 Noemi Ruegg of Switzerland and Team EF EducationOatly celebrates at finish line as stage winner during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Noemi Rüegg (EF Schooling-Oatley) wins level 2(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 Noemi Ruegg of Switzerland and Team EF EducationOatly attacks during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Lidl-Trek was once very lively on the entrance(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 Ally Wollaston of New Zealand and Team FDJSuez Blue Sprint Jersey competes in the breakaway during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Best friend Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) bridged as much as solo breakaway (Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 A general view of the peloton competing during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Peloton making their means against Willunga Hill(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 LR Emily Watts of Australia and Team St MichelPreference HomeAuber 93 and Alberte Greve of Denmark and Team UnoX Mobility compete in the breakaway during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Emily Watts (St Michel-Desire House-Auber 93) and Alberte Greve (Uno-X Mobility) took section in a short-lived unhealthy spoil(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 Marie Le Net of France and Team FDJSuez attacks in the breakaway during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Marie Le Internet (FDJ-Suez) jumped to bridge as much as early solo spoil(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![WILLUNGA HILL AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 Alli Anderson of Australia and ARA Australian Cycling Team competes in the breakaway during the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Willunga Hill Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Alli Anderson (ARA Australian Workforce) introduced the primary temporary solo breakaway(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![UNLEY AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 LR Daniek Hengeveld of The Netherlands and CeratizitWnt Pro Cycling Team Orange Santos Leaders Jersey and Ally Wollaston of New Zealand and Team FDJSuez Blue Sprint Jersey prior to the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Unley Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Degree 1 winner Daniek Hengeveld (Ceratizit Wnt) within the chief’s ochre jersey and Best friend Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) initially of level 2 in Unley(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)![UNLEY AUSTRALIA JANUARY 18 Dominika Wlodarczyk of Poland and UAE Team Adq wearing a cool vest prior to the 9th Santos Womens Tour Down Under 2025 Stage 2 a 115km stage from Unley to Willunga Hill 370m on January 18 2025 in Unley Australia Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images]()
Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Workforce ADQ) dressed in a cooling vest initially(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)
Swiss champion Noemi Rüegg (EF Schooling-Oatley) dropped Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco) after a one-kilometre drag race at the higher slopes of Willunga Hill to win level 2, the Queen Degree of the 2025 Ladies Excursion Down Underneath.
Rüegg survived all assaults on the second one ascent of the enduring climb to stick within the decreased peloton bidding her time till the crowd was once right down to 4 riders with Smulders, Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) and Neve Bradbury (Canyon-Sram zondacrypto)
With one kilometre final, the Swiss rider introduced her decisive transfer. Smulders controlled to stick with her in brief however sooner or later needed to let cross, completing 10 seconds at the back of to assert 2d position.
Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Uno-X Mobility) led a small chase workforce to the road, taking 3rd, 26 seconds at the back of the winner. Bradbury was once fourth.
“Honestly, I cannot put in words how this feels. It was really a team effort; the team put me in perfect position all day, kept me safe, and did this super leadout into the first climb. We went with this goal into this stage, and I knew I had such a good winter back in Switzerland. I felt so good, but honestly, I didn’t think that it would turn out so speechless. I just want to thank everyone who supported me towards this in the last few years,” Rüegg stated after claiming the victory.
“It means really a lot, because I know I am strong, but I always struggle a bit with my confidence. I always feel like, Oh no, I’m not so strong. So I really need a team that supports me, and I have to believe in myself and to win gives me so much confidence and gives me the proof that I did everything right the last few weeks and years. So yeah, really makes me proud, and super happy.”
Rüegg takes over the ochre chief’s jersey with 15 seconds on Smulders, and 33 seconds on Ottestad. 5th at the level, Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Workforce ADQ) sits in fourth position, 36 seconds down and just one 2d forward of trio Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance coverage-Soudal), Bradbury and Elise Chabbey (FDJ-Suez).
In a single day chief Daniek Hengeveld (Ceratizit-WNT) misplaced contact with the peloton the primary time up Willunga Hill, and dropped to thirty third total, over 5 mins down.
The 2025 Ladies Excursion Down Underneath concludes the 105.9km level 3, that includes five-and-a-half loops round in Stirling, handing over consistent undulation with slightly a second of flat terrain within the combine.
Rüegg “definitely” intends to protect her chief’s jersey.
“In reality level 3 was once the only I used to be concentrated on maximum. After which after I did the recon of this climb, I assumed, neatly, that is if truth be told additionally beautiful just right for me. However if truth be told, to start with, we stated that is extra for Megan, the next day could be extra for me. So I feel we simply have to stick sturdy the next day and likewise simply revel in. That is my first win at the WorldTour stage. I additionally simply wish to revel in it. And, the next day we will be able to see, however lately was once superb.”
Effects
Effects powered through FirstCycling
Noemi Rüegg (EF Schooling-Oatley) wins level 2(Symbol credit score: Getty Photographs)
