Mapei steps up to title sponsor role at Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, extending the ties that hark back to the beginning of the Australian's career

As Cadel Evans launched into his road cycling career and quickly made his mark by stepping into the maglia rosa for a day at the 2002 edition of the Giro d'Italia, Mapei was the sponsor name emblazoned on his cycling cap. 23 years later, on a windy early spring day in Geelong, Australia's only Tour de France winner once again pulled on a cap with the familiar brand on the front as the association that started with his time at the Mapei-Quickstep team has endured well beyond Evans' race years – the maker of adhesives, sealants and chemicals for the building industry has now become the title sponsor of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

Mapei, which began in Italy and grew its reach internationally, has been involved as a main sponsor of the early season one-day race right from the beginning in 2015 but from 2026 the event will be known as the Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

The extension of the partnership with the former rider that started in Europe – carrying beyond Evans association with the Mapei-QuickStep team and through his career as he trained at the Mapei Sport Research Centre in Italy under Professor Aldo Sassi – is now locked in for another three years as the international brand steps up to the title sponsorship role.

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Evans did introduce the announcement by joking that he didn't know whether he should be really happy that Mapei had taken first billing on the title or really disappointed that his name got bumped, was quick to make clear it was the first option he was running with

“I am both honoured and proud that a company like Mapei have decided to increase their already unwavering support for the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race," said Evans, "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. With Mapei by our side we look forward to the future of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race with excitement at what we can achieve”.

The Mapei name will be attached to both the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race men's and women's competitions, which in 2026 will run on January 31 and February 1, while the attached mid-week Surf Coast Classic races will take place on January 28 and 29.

The event, which drew 120,000 visitors to the region in 2025, has also been supported by the Victorian Government's major event fund since it began but there is no doubt that in a climate where sponsorship in cycling is hard to come by that the additional sponsor buy-in is welcome, particularly from a partner who has shown a willingness to endure.

"They've been with us as supportive right from the start," Evans told Cyclingnews. "They bring a huge clientele of guests here as part of their corporate hospitality and to have them come forward as a naming sponsor, I think it's what every event wants to go to as obviously running an event costs money and that's just the reality of the world that we live in."

The announcement also comes as the race steps up as a mandatory part of the WorldTour calendar from 2026, meaning the number of top tier teams in attendance will grow. It's a move that Evans hopes will even further elevate the event which has been part of the men's WorldTour from 2017 and Women's WorldTour from 2020.

"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," said Evans when asked what his hopes for the race in the seasons ahead were. "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."