Sport
31 January, 2025
Olympic hero helps launch the Classic
CAMPERDOWN’S 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist Grace Brown has helped to launch the “almost mythic” south west event which once helped to inspire her love of road racing.
Brown threw her support behind the Lochard Energy Warrnambool Women's Cycling Classic, affectionately known as the Warrny, when the event officially launched earlier this month.
The 155.7-kilometre classic is set to run from Sunday, February 9 spanning from Colac through to Irrewillipe, Timboon, Peterborough and finishing up in Warrnambool.
The now-retired superstar Grace Brown and Europe-bound 2024 winner Lucie Stewart formally launched the classic, expressing they feel upbeat about the event they believe is not only important to the region, but women's cycling as a stepping stone to great things.
“I'm slowly getting some time now to reflect on what has been an amazing last year for me in cycling in what has been a very fulfilling career,” Brown said.
“Paris was crazy and so exciting and having the opportunity on the first day and have the Gold medal celebrated by Australia was terrific, and then to take the World Champion title as well and wear the rainbow jersey was super special.
“There is still growth to happen in the women's side of the sport and we are pushing to get closer to the men's and that’s why something like this event is super important to us but also to the region.
“I grew up in Camperdown which used to be on the route for the men’s event, it was almost mythical and I think that was my first introduction to road racing - and I finally got my opportunity this year to race and it was really special to go through my home district in an historic race that puts regional towns on the map.
“We see Lucie, who won this past year and has now signed her first pro-contract so it’s a huge stepping stone to be involved with this level of racing - important for everyone.”
Stewart said winning last year had served as a springboard for her career, which saw her signing with the LivAlUla Jayco Women's Continental Team.
“It was a great honour to win the Lochard Energy Womens Warnny, but I could not have done it without my team mates from ARA Skip Capital, and being such a long race its always tactically uncertain but this year the early break was the go and I managed to solo to the win,” she said.
“I'll be racing in Europe with my new team, I will miss it but keep an eye on it as it is such a great race, especially now being part of the ProVelo series.
“I'm super excited about joining Liv AlUla Jayco Women's Continental Team, the women’s development team of GreenEDGE, but I know this event and winning this event has helped me as springboard in getting to Europe, because I took such a boost out of some good early form this year.”
The event will receive a significant boost this year as the event joints the ProVelo Super League, with the winner of the women’s U23 ProVelo series getting a chance to join Stewart at Australia’s Liv Jayco AlUla Continental development Team for 2026.
'This Women's Warrny is an emerging classic and is part of the oldest and most prestigious one day race weekend in Australia,” ProVelo founder and director Matt Wilson said.
“I'm a Victorian, I grew up with this race so I know how important it is and I've done the men's version myself, and when we came up with the ProVelo concept the ‘Warrny’ committee was the first group we reached out to as we wanted them involved, and thankfully they wanted to be a part of it.”
Warrnambool Cycling Committee’s Shane Wilson said the event was building on a successful legacy.
“It’s great to be a part of the new & exciting ProVelo Super League and we are delighted that Lochard Energy are once again our headline sponsor, who along with the State Government and Warrnambool City Council enable this great race to happen,” he said.
“We are proud of the way the Women's Warrny is building its own legacy as part of Australia’s most historic cycling monument, and can’t wait to welcome Australia’s best female domestic cyclists to battle it out on the famous Raglan Parade straight.”
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