The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race will enter a new chapter in 2026 with Mapei stepping up as the inaugural naming rights partner. From next year, the WorldTour event will be officially known as the Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, extending a relationship that stretches back to the race’s very beginnings in 2015.
The announcement was made in Geelong with TCA president Grace Brown, and race founder and Australia’s only Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans, reflecting on a partnership that has shaped much of his career. “The Mapei brand is a prestigious one in world cycling from their super team to sponsoring the UCI Road World Championships and now, naming rights sponsor of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. My relationship with Mapei stretches back nearly 25 years and they have played an enormous role in shaping both my cycling career and my personal development. I am so proud to have Mapei become our first naming rights partner.”
Evans even joked about the rebrand, saying he wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed that Mapei now took first billing in the event name, before quickly adding that it was something he took great pride in.
Mapei’s connection to Evans runs deep, from his early years racing in Europe with Mapei-QuickStep, to training at the Mapei Sport Research Centre under the late Professor Aldo Sassi. The Italian adhesives, sealants and chemicals manufacturer has been a premium partner of the Great Ocean Road Race since its inception, and their upgrade to naming sponsor underlines a long-term commitment.
Strengthening the event’s future
General Manager of Mapei Australia, Marco De Santis, emphasised how natural the move was. “As a company deeply rooted in the cycling community, Mapei recognise the same values as the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race – passion, resilience, and striving for excellence. We’ve proudly supported the event since 2015 and with our decades-long relationship with Cadel, stepping up as naming partner is a true celebration of Australian cycling.”
The deal extends for three years and ensures stability for a race that has grown into one of the most significant annual sporting events in regional Australia. In 2025, more than 120,000 visitors attended across the five-day festival of racing and community participation.
A growing WorldTour fixture
The 2026 edition, scheduled for 28th January to 1st February, will include the Surf Coast Classics, the People’s Ride, and the elite one-day races. Importantly, the men’s and women’s events will be mandatory fixtures on the WorldTour calendar for the first time, guaranteeing full-strength fields.
Evans sees that step as essential for raising the bar. “That for me is really important – that we increase the quality of the field, the quality of the riders we have, and therefore the quality of the racing. Beyond that, to continue to be a big part of not just the Australian cycling calendar, but the Australian sporting calendar, promoting our sport for years to come.”
Photo Credit: GettyLooking ahead
The rebranded Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race will continue to mix world-class racing with mass participation, community rides, and a festival atmosphere. Victoria’s “event on a postcard” is now positioned to grow even further with the weight of a trusted global partner behind it, reinforcing the long-standing bond between Cadel Evans and Mapei that began more than two decades ago in Europe and now shapes one of Australia’s most prominent cycling events.
