Melbourne to Warrnambool set to have a standalone women's race

Warrnambool Citizens Road Race Committee chair Shane Wilson said a possible standalone women's Melbourne to Warrnambool was planned for the 106^th edition of the race in February.

Wilson said no details on the distance or route had been decided but organisers are committed to seeing Australia's best women's cyclist tackle the iconic race.

"The women's scene don't do any rides close to 267 kilometres we race and apart from the very few who were working hard to do it we are excluding a lot of the elite women's field," he said.

"We want them to be part of the day as Australia has got some really strong women's cyclists and we want to make sure that they're part of it.

"Having the women's race be part of the day adds another event of quality which locals can watch at the finish and spectate on the region's roads.

"It's a logical step forward. The women's tour don't race more than 160 kilometres but the (National Road Series) tour is extremely strong and there should be a chance for them to race on the same day."

The 'Warrny' has had women riding amongst the men's race since 2015 and since then a number of female cyclists have tackled the gruelling event.

Lauretta Hanson was the first women's category winner when she completed the race in seven hours, 50 minutes and 57 seconds in 2015.

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Only 13 had ever completed the race before then but 19 lined up and 10 finished on that day.

In 2019, 12 riders started the "race within a race" with seven completing the 262-kilometre ride.

The 2017, edition attracted 10 riders but only Erin Nolan finished the 277-kilometre distance.

In 2016, 12 participants started before winners Tessa Fabry and Fiona Yard along with Jessica Lane crossed the line as the only finishers.

Eleven riders started the race in 2020 and 2021 with five finishing last year and eight this edition.

Last weekend Matilda Raynolds created history when she became the first back-to-back women's category winner.

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Wilson said the Warrny would return to its February race date and also to the two-day structure it started in 2020, which proved to be a boost for the city's economy.

In 2020, the Warrny and Port Campbell to Warrnambool Handicap were run on the Saturday and were followed by criteriums on the Sunday in a new festival of cycling.

Wilson said the Warrnambool Citizens Road Race Committee would continue to build a relationship with SBS after it broadcast the race live for the first time this year.

The Cycling Central livestream of the last 100 kilometres of this past Saturday's race, which was won by Team Bridgelane's Jensen Plowright, attracted more than 3000 live viewers.

Wilson said the 125-year-old Warrny had taken big steps in the past three years to re-establish itself as one of Australia's premier cycling events.

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