Dygert powers to stage three win at Tour Down Under as Rüegg defends ochre jersey

CAuldPhoto-2025-TDU-Wmn-Stage3-4303-1300x812 Chloe Dygert

Chloé Dygert took a commanding victory on the final stage of the 2025 Tour Down Under, timing her uphill sprint perfectly on the demanding Stirling circuit. Noemi Rüegg held on to her slender overall lead, finishing third on the stage to claim the ochre leader’s jersey by 13 seconds in a dramatic end to the first Women’s WorldTour race of the season.

The 105.6 km stage unfolded over five laps of the rolling Adelaide Hills circuit, with a mix of controlled pacing and explosive racing keeping the peloton on edge throughout. Early on, intermediate sprints and Queen of the Mountain points dominated the action as teams kept a tight leash on potential breakaways. The pace remained steady through the first three laps, with few attacks as riders prepared for the decisive final circuits.

The intensity ramped up with two laps to go when Maike van der Duin launched a daring solo move. The Dutch rider built a lead of 30 seconds, forcing a response from the peloton. Lidl-Trek and Liv AlUla Jayco worked hard to bring her back, gradually eating into her advantage. Van der Duin was eventually caught with 10 km remaining, just as the battle for position at the front of the group began in earnest.

As the final lap unfolded, yesterday’s stage winner Noemi Rüegg and her EF Education-Oatly teammates came under pressure from repeated attacks. The Swiss rider found herself isolated at one point after covering an attack with 40 km to go but managed to stay composed. Her teammate Sarah Roy played a crucial role, covering moves and keeping Rüegg calm in the high-pressure moments.

“I was really nervous, but I trusted my team completely, and they did an amazing job,” Rüegg said. “Sarah was absolutely amazing today—she covered so many moves and kept me mentally strong right until the end.”

Canyon-SRAM took control of the race in the closing kilometres, with Neve Bradbury and Alice Towers delivering a relentless tempo to thin out the peloton. With 2 km remaining, Bradbury ramped up the pace before Towers took over, positioning Dygert perfectly for the uphill sprint. Dygert waited until the steepest section of the final climb to launch her decisive attack, leaving her rivals with no chance to respond.

“I was really jittery going into the final kilometre,” Dygert admitted after the finish. “I kept thinking, why aren’t we going faster? But I stayed patient, and when the moment came, it worked out perfectly.”

divFeeling-the-heat-but-keeping-their-cool-–-EF-Education-Oatly-withstand-onslaught-to-claim-Womens-Tour-Down-Underdiv-1Photo Credit: Getty

Silke Smulders fought hard to chase Dygert but had to settle for second, with Rüegg crossing the line in third to secure her overall victory. Smulders had mounted several late attacks in a bid to dislodge Rüegg from the top of the general classification, but the Swiss rider held her ground to take the biggest win of her career.

“I knew it would be a tough day, so I was nervous,” Rüegg said. “But my team did everything right, and I’m so grateful for their support.”

Ruth Edwards put in a strong performance, finishing fourth on the stage and climbing into the top 10 overall. The British rider stayed active throughout the final laps, navigating the high-speed lead group and positioning herself well for the finishing climb.

“I was feeling super strong today,” Edwards said. “I love attacking, so it’s always good to be part of the action. I didn’t have the kick to make the podium, but I’m happy with the result.”

The final standings saw Rüegg retain her lead, followed by Smulders in second and Mie Bjørndal Ottestad in third. Dygert, reflecting on her first road race victory since 2023, said the win was a confidence boost. “It’s still early in the season, but I feel like I’m where I should be,” she said. “It’s only going to get better from here.”

2025 Women’s Tour Down Under Stage 3 result

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2025 Women’s Tour Down Under GC result

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Main photo credit: Chris Auld