THE sound of cowbells again greeted the world’s best female cyclists to the Surf Coast yesterday (Thursday, January 29) at this year’s edition of the Welcome Wave.

Dignitaries and special guests gathered at the top of the steps at the Jan Juc SLSC clubhouse to ring in the UCI Women’s WorldTour riders and team officials as they arrived at the annual celebratory event, hosted by the Surf Coast Shire and staged as part of the Cadel Evans Road Race.

After a Smoking Ceremony, attendees enjoyed catering by Truffleduck, an AFL handball competition, and getting up close and personal with some native Australian animals provided by Wildlife Xposure.

Wildlife Xposure brought several animals to display, including this snake.

Speakers included event MC and Surf Coast local Nicky Buckley, shire mayor Libby Stapleton, race director Scott Sunderland and race founder Cadel Evans.

Stapleton said the shire was happy to be able to welcome the female riders again.

“As a council, we’re just really to be able to support and put on a special event for you and celebrate what you bring – and it’s not just what you bring to world cycling, but what you each bring as female athletes.”

L-R: Maggie Coles-Lyster (Human Powered Health), Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) and Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) played a spirited game of Celebrity Head and won metre-long bars of chocolate

Sunderland apologised for the cancellation of the Surf Coast Classics on Wednesday this week and yesterday (Thursday, January 29), which were initially shifted from their Lorne-Torquay course to a Torquay-Torquay loop and ultimately called off entirely and replaced with yesterday’s Cadel’s Criteriums.

“We’re so looking forward to the weekend, but we’re looking forward to being back here next year.

“After three or four years of hard, hard work to be a ProSeries level, next year’s race is going to be fantastic; we promise.”

Cadel Evans (centre front) with Nippers from the Jan Juc SLSC.

Evans noted he was still very proud of the fact the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race was one of the first women’s cycling events to be broadcast live other than the Olympics, and had been from the start.

Mid-week lead-in races such as the Surf Coast Classic have traditionally formed part of the build-up to the weekend WorldTour events

Tomorrow’s (Saturday, January 31) women’s race and this Sunday’s men’s races will be broadcast live on SBS.