Ruth Edwards (née Winder) theoretically left professional cycling more than two years ago, but on Friday she was ready to embark on the peloton again, making a fitting start to her fresh start in the Santos Women's Tour Down Under. The American native last competed in this race in 2020, when she took the overall and stage win in the then 2. pro race. Returning as a former winner, there are many good reminders of her past successes, including an oversized photo of the race winner in the hotel's hub and her name marked on the entrance steps, but much has changed in four years.

"It feels quite different from the last race, but it feels really good," Winder, who was getting ready at the start line, told Cycling News in Hahndorf.

"It's a lot different from the last race," Winder, who was at the start line getting ready, told Cycling News in Hahndorf.

"I have family in the neighboring state of Victoria, and it's the height of summer here in Australia.

"This is definitely an ideal starting point for me," Edwards said. The weather is fantastic. I love the heat, and whether I'm racing in January or going to training camp, I'm leaving home, so in my opinion, I can do one of the best races on the calendar and get some good training in between the Tour Down Under and Cadels later this month."

The three-stage Women's World Tour race, which runs from Friday, January 12 through Sunday, January 14, begins with what is expected to be a sprinters' stage, followed by a rugged second stage that could be a breakout opportunity, and the race ends at the summit of Willunga Hill A third stage for the climbers will provide the finale. In other words, for Edwards, who is a strong climber, it is the second half of the race that matters.

But the 30-year-old Edwards' race form is an unknown, even for him.

"It's been fun to see my name and my picture, and I have great memories of when I was successful here," he said.

"This field is getting stronger overall, but I've raced against some of the stronger competitors, like Grace Brown and Amanda Spratt, and I've done well.

"You never know what will happen and that's what makes it fun. There's not necessarily pressure to win or get on the podium or anything like that, but there is pressure to see how far I can go. It's exciting to try to figure out what that is. I don't know yet, so I can't fail when I don't know, and that's very exciting for me."

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