Five days of bikes at the end of summer
The Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is Australia's one-day race on the UCI WorldTour, with a men's and a women's race on the same weekend. But it's grown into a whole week. There are mid-week Surf Coast Classic races that finish in Torquay, a free family ride on the Geelong waterfront and the TAC People's Ride, where thousands of ordinary riders get to ride the course the pros race the next day.
For 2027 it all runs from Wednesday 27 to Sunday 31 January. That's the last week of the Victorian summer school holidays, and Australia Day falls on the Tuesday just before. So the Surf Coast will already be busy, and race week makes it busier.
Torquay sits in the middle of it. The Surf Coast Classic comes to you, the big weekend races pass through town on their loop, and the Geelong waterfront is about 25 minutes up the road. Here's how the week fits together, where to stand, and how to get around without getting stuck behind a road closure.
The 2027 program
These are the dates the organisers have announced. Courses, start times and closure times usually get published closer to January, so treat everything below the dates as a guide and check the official site before you lock in plans.
Wednesday 27 January: Women's Surf Coast Classic
A UCI ProSeries race and the first proper racing of the week. The 2027 announcement says the Surf Coast Classic runs from Lorne to Torquay, finishing on the coast in town.
Thursday 28 January: Men's Surf Coast Classic
The men's version, also Lorne to Torquay. In past years the course has headed inland from Lorne through the Otway hinterland, through places like Deans Marsh, Forrest, Bambra and Modewarre, before coming back to the coast past Bells Beach and Jan Juc for the finish.
Friday 29 January: GeelongPort Family Ride
A free ride on a closed 2km circuit along the Geelong waterfront, starting and finishing at Steampacket Gardens on Eastern Beach Road. Registration is required, and riders need to be at least 3 and pedalling themselves. Younger passengers can come along if the adult riding them registers. As of October 2026, registrations were listed as "opening soon".
Saturday 30 January: TAC People's Ride and the women's race
The People's Ride goes first, then the elite women race the WorldTour course later in the day. Both start and finish on the Geelong waterfront.
Sunday 31 January: the men's race
The finale. The WorldTour men's race from the Geelong waterfront, out along the coast and back for laps of the city.
Riding the TAC People's Ride
If someone in your group rides, this is the bit they'll want to talk about. Registrations for 2027 are already open on the official site. There are two courses: the 114km Classic Ride and the 63km Hometown Ride. Both start and finish around the Geelong waterfront, near Cunningham Pier, the Carousel and Steampacket Gardens.
Entry includes the official event jersey, feed stations, mechanical support, medical cover, traffic-managed roads and a sag wagon if you need one. Prices step up in stages the closer you get to the ride, so it pays to sign up early. Check the current price on the official site before you go.
Getting to the start from Torquay
The Geelong waterfront is roughly 30 minutes' drive from north Torquay on a normal morning. On ride day, give yourself plenty of extra time for traffic and parking near the start. Some riders treat the trip in as a warm-up, but that's your call and your legs.
Bringing bikes
Most riders bring their own bike down for the week. If you're planning to, mention it when you enquire and ask us about where to keep them at the house. Off-street parking takes multiple vehicles, which helps if the bikes are travelling on roof racks or a tow bar.
Where to watch
Roadside watching is free. The trick is picking one or two spots and getting there before the roads close, because once the race is coming through, you're not driving anywhere.
The Surf Coast Classic finish in Torquay
The easy one. The mid-week races finish in town, about five minutes' drive from the house. In earlier years The Esplanade and Bell Street were closed for most of race day to set up the finish, so walk or park well back and wander in. You'll see the sprint up close, then grab a feed and a swim at Front Beach.
Bells Beach and Jan Juc
The elite weekend course has come through Torquay and out to Bells Beach in recent years. A spot near Bells, 10 minutes from the house, gives you the bunch going past with the ocean behind it. Check the 2027 route map before you go, because the course can change.
Geelong waterfront
Where the weekend races start and finish, with the event hub around Steampacket Gardens. The races finish with laps of Geelong via Highton, and the Challambra Crescent climb is the classic place to see riders suffer. Get there early on the Sunday.
Watch one spot, then the screen
A good plan for families: see the race pass somewhere close, then head back to the house and catch the finish on TV. The fibre WiFi handles streaming fine, and you'll beat the traffic home.
Photo: Brett Crockford,
courtesy of Visit Victoria 
Photo: Brett Crockford,
courtesy of Visit Victoria Road closures and getting around
This is the part that catches people out. The races mostly use rolling road closures run by Victoria Police. A police escort closes the road just ahead of the riders and opens it again once the last car's gone through. On past race days the organisers warned of delays of 15 to 20 minutes, and you can't drive on or across the course while the closure passes. Footpaths stay open, and there are marshalled crossing points where roads close briefly.
On top of that, some roads close for longer. In earlier years that's included the Torquay finish area for most of the day, and stretches of the Geelong waterfront for the weekend races. The full 2027 closure list should be up on the official site in the weeks before.
Plan the day around the race
Check the course and closure times the night before. If you need to get to Geelong, Lorne or the airport on a race day, go early or wait until the race has passed. A beach morning at Whites, 400m from the house, needs no car at all.
If you get caught
Police will stop traffic and ask you to pull over safely. Wait until the rear police car signals that the road's open again. Don't park on the course roads; use a side street or driveway.
Live traffic
VicRoads traffic updates and the race's own road closures page are the places to look on the day. Bus services in Torquay have been diverted for the finish in past years, so check those too if you're relying on them.
Heat, fire and a plan B
Late January is peak bushfire season down here, and it does affect the race. In 2026, bushfire danger and hot weather forced the Surf Coast Classic off its Lorne route, and the women's race ended up replaced by a criterium in Geelong. So if a scorcher's forecast, expect changes and keep an eye on the official site and the VicEmergency app.
It also means you should be ready to adjust your own plans. Hot days are good for a dip at a patrolled beach and a long lunch somewhere with shade. Evenings are for the hot tub and the BBQ.
Staying in Torquay for race week
Torquay works because it's close to everything in the program. The Surf Coast Classic finishes in town, Bells is 10 minutes away, Lorne is about 45 minutes down the coast for the mid-week starts, and Geelong is roughly half an hour north for the weekend. Melbourne's 75 to 90 minutes away if anyone's driving down for a single day.
It's also the end of the school holidays, so accommodation goes early. If you know you're coming, enquire well ahead. Our minimum stay is 2, 3 or 4 nights depending on dates.
Room for a riding group
Holyday House sleeps 8 across 4 bedrooms, with 3 bathrooms and two living rooms, all on one level. Riders and the people who came for the beach can each have their own space.
Recovery, sort of
There's a private hot tub in its own fenced area, and a hot outdoor shower for rinsing off after a ride or a swim. There's split-system air conditioning for the hot nights too.
Feed the crew at home
Cafes fill up in race week. A fully equipped kitchen and a BBQ mean you can do a big carb-loading dinner without booking. When you do want to eat out, see our restaurants guide.
Dogs and kids
The backyard is fully fenced and dogs are welcome within reason. Get in touch first. Crowds and roadsides aren't much fun for most dogs, so they'll probably prefer the beach at Whites. Kids get a playroom, board games and a basketball ring, and the Family Ride is a good way to give them their own race day.
Cadel Evans race FAQ
When is the 2027 Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race?
The week runs 27 to 31 January 2027. The Surf Coast Classic races are on Wednesday 27 (women) and Thursday 28 (men), the Family Ride on Friday 29, the People's Ride and women's race on Saturday 30, and the men's race on Sunday 31.
Does the race finish in Torquay?
The mid-week Surf Coast Classic races do. The 2027 announcement has them running from Lorne to Torquay. The weekend WorldTour races start and finish on the Geelong waterfront and have passed through Torquay on their loop in recent years.
Is it free to watch?
Yes, roadside spectating is free. The GeelongPort Family Ride is free too, though you need to register. The TAC People's Ride is a paid entry.
Will the Great Ocean Road be closed?
Mostly the races use rolling closures that hold traffic for around 15 to 20 minutes as the riders pass, plus longer closures near starts and finishes. In past years the Great Ocean Road stayed open apart from a short hold at the Lorne start. Check the 2027 closure list on the official site before each race day.
How far is Holyday House from the race?
The Surf Coast Classic finish in town is about five minutes' drive. Bells Beach is 10 minutes, Lorne about 45, and the Geelong waterfront about 25 minutes on a normal day. Allow more on race days.
Can I bring my bike to the house?
Ask us. Mention the bikes when you enquire and we can talk through where to keep them. We reply within 24 hours.
Can the races be cancelled?
They can be changed or called off for extreme fire danger or heat. That happened to the Surf Coast Classic in 2026. Follow the official site and the VicEmergency app in the days before.
Want the rest of the summer calendar? Our Torquay events guide lines up everything on in 2026 and 2027. Riding off-road while you're here? Have a look at mountain biking in Torquay. Coming with the whole crew? See group accommodation in Torquay, and the things to do guide for the days off the bike. When you've got your race days sorted, check dates and send us an enquiry.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 14 October 2026. Opening hours, patrols, rules and closures change — check with the source before you go.
- Get ready for it in January 2027 — Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (official)
- TAC People's Ride overview — Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (official)
- GeelongPort Family Ride — Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (official)
- Road closures and traffic — Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (official)
- Women's Surf Coast Classic — Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race (official)
- Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Surf Coast Classic — Colac Otway Shire
- Road closures for Surf Coast Classic (2024) — Bay 93.9
- School term dates and holidays in Victoria — Victorian Government