Melbourne to Warrnambool: A Key Benchmark for World Tour Potential
The Melbourne to Warrnambool has long been a key event for identifying the future stars of Australian cycling. Looking back through the honour roll, it’s clear that many previous victors have gone on to make a mark in the World Tour shortly after finding success on the roads of Victoria’s South West Coast.
Among the men, names like Simon Gerrans stand out - he claimed victory in 2003 before stepping up to the World Tour in 2004. More recently, Cameron Scott won the 2022 edition before joining Bahrain Victorious in 2023, while Jensen Plowright, the 2021 winner, now rides for Alpecin-Deceuninck.
The women’s race has produced similarly impressive talent, with current Lidl - Trek rider Loretta Hanson, who won in 2015, securing a pro contract the following year with UCI team Colavita Bianchi. Maeve Plouffe, the 2022 winner, signed with Team DSM for the 2023 World Tour season.
The Melbourne to Warrnambool is often seen as an important indicator of a rider's potential, providing teams with one of few opportunities to see how riders perform over a comparable distance and duration to what they will see at a World Tour classic.
With this in mind, riders understand the significance of this race as they line up at Avalon Airport on the weekend. The event offers them a unique platform to showcase their abilities, and significant preparation goes into what is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most iconic cycling events.
Tune into the LIVE broadcast on SBS and SBS On Demand from 12noon daily.
