Hi Noemi. You've been in Australia for a few days now. When did you get your passport ready?

(laughs) Very early on. Back in 2025, I checked where my passport was and then put it in a safe place. After that, I checked every other day until my departure to make sure it was still there.

It was really cold in Switzerland at the beginning of January. Did you prepare specifically for the heat in Australia?

Yes, I already had my first two-week block in mid-December, during which I trained for an hour on the roller in winter clothes. The goal was to bring my core body temperature up to 38.5 degrees in the first quarter of an hour and then train for 45 minutes. The second block followed in January. We basically copied and pasted a lot from last winter's training. We knew it worked.

It's not just the temperatures that are different in Australia, but a lot of other things too. For example, there are posters of you as the defending champion everywhere. How does that feel?

It's very special. It's the first time I've been able to defend a title. The race organisers picked us up at the airport in a bus with my picture on it. And there are posters everywhere.

Does that motivate you?

Above all, it brings back lots of fond memories. It also motivates me a lot and puts a bit of pressure on me. But I try to enjoy it.

Do you notice a change in the media too?

Definitely. I have to give more interviews. And the organisation demands more from me too. But that's cool. Fortunately, we also have the world champion in our team, who attracts a lot of attention. So we take the pressure off each other.

What's it like riding alongside Magdeleine Vallieres in the rainbow jersey?

Very special. And very surreal. It gave us all a real boost. And it's nice to see how hard work pays off and that sometimes the underdogs can win. And Mags is really thriving in the role.

How did the favourites react to the underdog victory?

They don't show it in front of us. But some of them were annoyed and jealous. Sometimes you hear people say that Mags was just lucky. And many riders think, ‘That could have been me if I had been in the leading group.’

Vor zwei Jahren habe wir auch schon mit Rüegg gesprochen zum Saisonstart.

Do you feel that your competitors treat you differently now?

Respect for our young team is growing. We've also been promoted to the WorldTour (the highest league in cycling, editor's note) this season and have the world champion and the Olympic champion in our team.

Your bike is also new. Is it lighter than the minimum weight prescribed by the UCI?

(smiles) That's what I thought too. We talked about it at the training camp. But my mechanic has now assured me that it's not too light.

As a small and light athlete, do you feel disadvantaged by the UCI's measures?

Yes and no. It's okay because it's about safety. Our body weights are so different that it's better to save money there than on the bikes.

By the way, how wide are your handlebars?

34 cm. So also at the limit.

You now brake and shift gears with SRAM instead of Shimano. Have you noticed any difference?

It was actually a challenge and I often shifted gears incorrectly at the beginning. But the brakes respond much faster and shifting gears is also great. And we have a wider range of gears. For example, I'm riding the first stage with a single 52 chainring. That wasn't possible last season.

Now to the race. You are known for your good form at the beginning of the year. What do the figures for January 2026 say?

So far, they are quite good. I have completed the same training programme as a year ago and am at about the same level. However, we have a new power meter, which makes a precise comparison more difficult. I am excited; a lot of things have to come together to defend the title; the same form alone is not enough.

Are you putting everything into defending your title?

Yes, definitely. Stage wins are also a big goal again. The first two stages suit me with the uphill sprint. The third stage has a steeper climb than last year, so the overall classification will be decided there and I just have to keep up. Hopefully I'll already have some bonus seconds from the first two stages.

Has your role changed again compared to last year?

We gave our all for the overall classification in 2025, and this year everyone is committed and behind me. But I'm not such a demanding rider and hope I can give something back to the team. And then we also have Mags. She's not at her peak performance, but she's in good shape. Maybe we'll ride for her on the third day.

Who are your biggest competitors?

In the sprint, Ally Wollaston (FDJ) and Emma Norsgaard Bjerg (Lidl-Trek). Lidl-Trek has a very strong team with Amanda Spratt and Gaia Realini. Canyon Sram-Zondacrypto with Chloé Dygert and basically Team FDJ will certainly also want to fight for the overall classification.

Are all the riders ready to go aggressive at the start of the season? Or is it more of a feeling-out process at the beginning?

Normally, the relaxed atmosphere in Australia rubs off on the riders, so many of them are relaxed before the start. But in the race, nothing is given away for free. However, when you start the season at the Opening Weekend in Belgium, it's a completely different feeling. In Australia, the roads are wide and there are few obstacles such as traffic islands. You don't have to fight for every position right from the start. In the final, things will get pretty serious.

Let's take a quick look into the future. After Australia, Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen are coming up. Do you already have any goals?

Definitely. The season plan is similar to last year. I did well at Strade last year, so I want to do well again. But the big goal is to be in top form for Milan-Sanremo and then to maintain that form for the Tour of Flanders. I want to be in contention for the podium everywhere and I believe that's possible. I'm in good shape, I have more experience and I want to take another step forward.

You keep mentioning your good form. But before the first race, it's difficult to compare yourself with the competition. Maybe they've made much greater progress. Do you think you're assessing yourself correctly?

I feel that the level is high at the moment. That includes my team. The day before yesterday we had a long training session where the plan was actually easy endurance. But everyone rode super fast. That made me doubt my form. Fortunately, after training we realised that everyone felt the same way and agreed to take it really easy the next day.