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Jackie Tyson

'First time I will wear bib number one' - Noemi Rüegg faces new territory as defending champion at 2026 Tour Down Under

Noemi Rüegg EF Tour Down Under Corkscrew GC Women WorldTour WorldTour
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 16: Noemi Ruegg of Switzerland and Team EF Education-Oatly during the 26th Santos Tour Down Under 2026, Press Conference on January 16, 2026 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Con Chronis/Getty Images).

For Noemi Rüegg, the Tour Down Under marked a major milestone for the EF Education-Oatly rider with bib number one on her back. The Swiss rider had a breakout season in 2025, which began on similar roads out of Adelaide and led to her first Women's WorldTour overall race victory. She'll begin defence of her title on Saturday, with three stages for the women's Tour Down Under concluding on Monday, January 19.

Number one was a huge motivation for the 2026 campaign, her third season with the EF squad and the first year the team competes at the WorldTour level after gaining top-tier status at the end of last season.

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