No Race Torquay in Cadel’s race in 2023

THE Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (CEGORR) will return in 2023 after a two-year absence, but the event will not have Race Torquay to avoid a clash with Australia Day.

The pre-race criterium is usually held on the first day, a Thursday, of the four-day cycling carnival.

Held in Melbourne for the first three years as Race Melbourne, the criterium shifted to a 13km circuit around Torquay in 2020 and was rebranded Race Torquay.

CEGORR was cancelled entirely in 2021 and this year, but race founder and Tour de France winner Cadel Evans confirmed last week the 2023 event would run over three days, not four, and thus avoid causing any traffic issues on Australia Day on Thursday, January 26.

“It’s a little issue with the Australia Day weekend,” Evans said.

“We have a really good circuit in Torquay but it crosses the Great Ocean Road a couple of times.

“Let’s hope that the Great Ocean Road brings a huge tourist boost that weekend, like it always has done in the past.”

The men’s and women’s races in the first Race Torquay were not universally popular, with some residents and traders unhappy with the rolling road closures and their impact on access to and from central Torquay.

The Surf Coast Shire is on board with the plan not to run Race Torquay in 2023.

“Surf Coast Shire Council has a very strong working relationship with Visit Victoria as the owner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race,” the shire’s general manager of place making and environment Chris Pike said.

“Visit Victoria has advised Council that it will not be staging Race Torquay in January 2023. We are understanding of their position as the event organiser.”

Talking about CEGORR more broadly, Evans said it would take a little time for the UCI WorldTour event to get back to the same point it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After a hiatus, it’s a bit hard to get going again, and everyone’s getting going at the same time. There’s a lot of resources that are hard to get hold of, but I’m just happy to be coming back and getting started again.”

He said the Elite Women’s Race on January 28 and Elite Men’s Race on January 29 would have slightly different courses than in 2020 to avoid roadworks on Barwon Heads Road.

“That’ll change the dynamics of the race a little bit, coming in through Ocean Grove, I’m looking forward to that.”