ADELAIDE: Switzerland’s Noemi Ruegg powered up Willunga Hill to win the second stage of Australia’s Tour Down Under and claim the leader’s ochre jersey on Saturday.

Ruegg (EF Education-Oatly) broke free of Dutch rider Silke Smulders to surge to the finish atop the second climb of the gruelling 3.2km Willunga Hill in hot temperatures to take out the second 115km stage.

No rider could make a decisive break on the final climb until Ruegg attacked, taking Smulders (Liv Jayco AlUla) with her.

Ruegg kicked away to win by 10 seconds from Smulders with Norway’s Mie Bjorndal Ottestad (Uno-X Mobility) third, 26 seconds behind the winner.

“This win really means a lot. I know I’m strong but I always struggle a bit with my confidence, so I really need a team that supports me and give me the belief in myself,” said Ruegg.

She leads Smulders overall by 15 seconds heading into Sunday’s final stage, another day for the climbers in the Adelaide Hills.

Ruegg won her first professional race at the Trofeo Felanitx-Colonia de Sant Jordi last year, but this was her first win on the UCI World Tour.

It is the first time in the Tour Down Under that the women have had two climbs up Willunga in a stage.

New Zealander Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl Trek) won the first queen of the mountain climb up Willunga but she was a spent force halfway up the second ascent.

Overnight race leader Daniek Hengeveld (Ceratizit-WNT) lost contact with the peloton in the first ascent and lies 33rd overall and out of race contention.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2025