Naomi Rüegg wins Tour Down Under queen stage to defend overall title

Naomi Rüegg wins Tour Down Under queen stage to defend overall title

Swiss climber turns numerical disadvantage into a winning lead-out on the double-Corkscrew queen stage, securing back-to-back overall victories at the WorldTour season opener.

By Peter Stuart · · 2 min read

Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) won stage 3 of the Women's Santos Tour Down Under and claimed her second consecutive overall title, outsprinting three UAE Team ADQ riders in a four-up finale after the decisive double ascent of Corkscrew Road.

Results

Norwood - Campbelltown • Jan 19 • 126.5km

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Noemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY3:24:02
🥈
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM ADQ+01
🥉
Paula Blasi Cairol
UAE TEAM ADQ+01
4
Dominika Wlodarczyk
UAE TEAM ADQ+02
5
Sarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+12
6
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+12
7
Ella Wyllie
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+12
8
Mireia Benito Pellicer
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+12
9
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+12
10
Lotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+12
11
Lauren Dickson
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+12
12
Anouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+12
13
Maud Oudeman
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+14
14
Josie Nelson
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+27
15
Alessia Vigilia
UNO-X MOBILITY+27
16
Olivia Baril
MOVISTAR TEAM+27
17
Justyna Czapla
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+27
18
Rosita Reijnhout
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+27
19
Erica Magnaldi
UAE TEAM ADQ+27
20
Julie van de Velde
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+27
21
Ruby Roseman-Gannon
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+1:18
22
Mikayla Harvey
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:18
23
Claire Steels
MOVISTAR TEAM+1:18
24
Léa Curinier
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+1:18
25
Neve Summer Bradbury
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+2:43
26
Mackenzie Coupland
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+2:48
27
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:01
28
Alice Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:26
29
Gaia Realini
LIDL - TREK+3:26
30
Sophie Edwards
Unknown+3:34
31
Marta Lach
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+3:34
32
Marie le Net
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+3:34
33
Paula Ostiz Taco
MOVISTAR TEAM+3:36
34
Loes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+4:19
35
Carina Schrempf
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+4:43
36
Teuntje Beekhuis
UNO-X MOBILITY+4:53
37
Lucia Ruiz Perez
MOVISTAR TEAM+4:53
38
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+5:55
39
Tiffany Cromwell
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+6:04
40
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+6:04
41
Tully Schweitzer
Unknown+6:56
42
Alexandra Grace Manly
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+7:03
43
Xaydee van Sinaey
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+7:03
44
Sofia Bertizzolo
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:03
45
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+7:03
46
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+7:03
47
Margaux Vigie
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+7:03
48
Floortje Mackaij
MOVISTAR TEAM+7:03
49
Anya Louw
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+7:03
50
Julia Kopecký
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+7:03
51
Femke Gerritse
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+7:03
52
Amber Kraak
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:03
53
Ally Marée Wollaston
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:03
54
Ricarda Bauernfeind
LIDL - TREK+7:03
55
Nicole Steigenga
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+8:06
56
Lucie Fityus
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+9:25
57
Juliana Londoño David
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+9:25
58
Flora Perkins
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+9:43
59
Fien van Eynde
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+9:43
60
Fauve Bastiaenssen
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+9:43
61
Wilma Aintila
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+9:43
62
Henrietta Christie
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+9:43
63
Stina Kagevi
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+9:43
64
Barbara Guarischi
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+9:43
65
Alena Ivanchenko
UAE TEAM ADQ+9:43
66
Josie Talbot
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+9:43
67
Alyssa Polites
Unknown+14:37
68
Julie de Wilde
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+15:20
69
Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Bjerg
LIDL - TREK+15:20
70
Lauretta Hanson
LIDL - TREK+15:20
71
Francesca Pellegrini
UNO-X MOBILITY+15:20
72
Ella Heremans
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+16:26

UAE placed Mavi Garcia, Paula Blasi and Dominika Wlodarczyk in the final selection but did not take the win. Wlodarczyk attacked before the final climb, forcing EF to commit world champion Magdeleine Vallieres to the chase. The trio regrouped with Rüegg over the top and launched successive attacks on the five-kilometre descent, but the Swiss rider sat tight, conserving energy in the wheels.

In the final 200 metres, UAE led out from the front. Rüegg waited, then came over the top to win by a second from Garcia, with Blasi third at the same gap and Wlodarczyk two seconds back.

Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com - 19/01/2026 - Cycling - 2026 Women's Tour Down Under Stage 3 - Norwood to Cambelltown - Noemi Ruegg, EF Education Easypost, wins Stage 3 and the overall classification.
Image 1 of 4
Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com - 19/01/2026 - Cycling - 2026 Women's Tour Down Under Stage 3 - Norwood to Cambelltown - Magdeleine Vallieres, EF Education Easypost.
Image 2 of 4
Riders climbing an ascent on the Santos Women's Tour Down Under
Image 3 of 4
Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com - 19/01/2026 - Cycling - 2026 Women's Tour Down Under Stage 3 - Norwood to Cambelltown - Noemi Ruegg, EF Education Easypost, wins Stage 3 and the overall classification.
Image 4 of 4

Image credits: Zac Williams/SWpix.com

"Honestly, I can't believe it," Rüegg said following the race finish. "I'm totally overwhelmed. We wanted to defend the title but it is always harder to defend. My team was amazing."

GC reshaped on the first ascent

Ally Wollaston (FDJ United-Suez), who entered the day in the ochre jersey after back-to-back stage wins, was dropped on the first Corkscrew ascent as Lidl-Trek and EF set a hard pace. The New Zealander finished over seven minutes down, and lost the overall lead.

Blasi secured the Queen of the Mountain classification, while Rüegg added the points jersey to her ochre. Justyna Czapla (Canyon//SRAM Zondacrypto) took the best young rider award.

The 2026 edition marked the first time the women's race tackled Corkscrew twice, on a longer, harder route with more climbing than previous editions. Rüegg's successful defence gave her a second overall title at the event.

On Tuesday the men's Santos Tour Down Under will begin, and we expect to see a redesigned course there generate similar drama.

Cover image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com

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Peter

Peter Stuart

Editor

Peter is the editor of Velora and oversees Velora’s editorial strategy and content standards, bringing nearly 20 years of cycling journalism to the site. He was editor of Cyclingnews from 2022, introducing its digital membership strategy and expanding its content pillars. Before that he was digital editor at Cyclist, and then Rouleur. Before joining Cyclist in 2012, he completed freelance work for titles including The Times and The Telegraph. He has reported from Grand Tours and WorldTour races, and previously represented Great Britain as a rower.