Race Report: Let’s Go Motorhomes Ladies’s Stage 3: Australia’s Grace Brown grew to become the historic first Santos Tour Down Below UCI WorldTour champion after taking out the stage win at Campbelltown on Tuesday. The FDJ-SUEZ reigning nationwide time trial champion beat three-time Tour Down Below champion Amanda Spratt in a dash end after an intriguing race which actually acquired began on the backside of the Corkscrew Street climb.
* Race report and quotes courtesy of the Santos Tour Down Below. *
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The Let’s Go Stage 3 Adelaide to Campbelltown stage appeared prefer it was on its method to Spratt after her courageous battle till Brown powered down Montacute Street to take out GC. “I’m elated,” Brown stated earlier than the was surrounded by FDJ-SUEZ group officers in a present of solidarity. “It feels so good, I knew the climb could be a problem as a result of Amanda (Spratt) is a little more of a climber, I simply wanted to maintain her inside attain. I deliberate earlier than the stage to place some larger gears on my bike, so I may preserve pushing on the descent. I used to be in a position to for the final 3kms, I may see her (Spratt) after which I believed if I may catch her after which, I made a decision to take a seat behind her within the final kilometre and I used to be pretty assured I may bounce her within the dash.”
Brown completed 10 seconds forward of Trek-Segafredo’s Spratt within the GC, her second main prize of the brand new 12 months after she was topped because the Australian nationwide time trial champion earlier this month after completed runner up within the highway race.
Brown additionally claimed the Ziptrak factors classification, two factors forward of Spratt and Georgia Williams from EF Schooling TBCO SVB who completed third within the stage. Spratt – a three-time Tour Down Below champion earlier than it was awarded WorldTour standing this 12 months – was topped the efex Queen of the Mountain after reaching the Corkscrew summit in typical trend first earlier than Brown’s group plan labored a deal with.
The race was very managed from the off as sprinters Georgia Danford from group Coop-Hitec Merchandise and Gina Ricardo from Bridgelane have been within the early break. The pair opened up a niche of 1min 32 second which didn’t fear the race leaders 69km from the Montacute Street, Campbelltown end line.
As the primary Ziptrak preme dash was approaching the peloton made its transfer simply outdoors Pioneer Avenue, Lobethal however Ricardo claimed the time first time bonus adopted by Danford. Daria Pikulik from Human Powered Well being – the winner of Ziptrak stage 1 Glenelg to Aldinga – picked up the ultimate time bonus beating the ochre jersey chief Alex Manly from Jayco AlUla at bay earlier than the peloton once more settled.
With 54km earlier than the end Lucinda Stewart, 18, from ARA Skip Capital Sunshine joined race leaders Danford and Ricardo to open a two-minute plus hole to the primary peloton. The GC leaders’ groups didn’t seem too involved to chase at that stage of the race because the tempo of the peloton slowed lengthy earlier than the Corkscrew Street climb.
Stewart claimed the second Ziptrak dash at Torrens Valley Gumeracha with Ricardo and Danford second and third respectively as Manly and Spratt settled into their saddles for the battle of the Corkscrew Street. Stewart crashed after sliding on unfastened gravel as she was negotiating a proper had flip onto Gorge Street however inside seconds she was again on the bike earlier than the peloton made it safely across the identical nook.
The showdown for GC was underway on the essential peloton with Jayco UlULa, Trek-Segafredo and FDJ-SUEZ getting ready for the enterprise finish of the race as they flew down Gorge Street. The breakaway got here right down to 1 min 21 sec earlier than Brodie Chapman from Trek-Segafredo – the reigning nationwide highway champion – put all of it on the road to tug Spratt to the highest of the Corkscrew Street summit.
Manly, was hanging on because the three-time Tour Down Below champion appeared to be snug earlier than the switchbacks on the Corkscrew. Ruby Roseman-Gannon from Jayco-AlUla was additionally making use of stress as Manly dropped to the rear of the primary peloton. Chapman was dropped as Spratt attacked on the entrance on Corkscrew Street and claimed the efex Queen of the Mountain earlier than the super-fast descent.
[GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS WINNER, SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER] Grace BROWN, FDJ-Suez:
Wow, unbelievable. How do you are feeling proper now? First UCI WorldTour Santos Tour Down Below Winner! You appeared actually good up that Corkscrew Climb.
I knew that the climb could be a problem as a result of I knew that [Amanda SPRATT] would have sufficient to deal with me on the climb and I simply wanted to maintain her inside attain. I truly deliberate earlier than the stage to place some larger gears on my bike in order that I may preserve pushing on the descent and I used to be in a position too. Within the final 3 kilometres I may see her after which I believed, I believe I can catch her. I made a decision to take a seat behind her within the final kilometre as a result of I used to be pretty assured that I may bounce her within the dash.
And you probably did. Your group was sensible as effectively…
So good! The entire three levels actually. They sorted me, they helped me undergo the intermediate sprints, that are essential ultimately for the general lead. Right now, [They gave me] an superior lead out into the ultimate climb. Normally, I get a bit burdened with these issues, however I felt actually calm with my group in entrance of me in order that was nice.
You’ve had an absolute ball right here in Adelaide. I imply you’ve made historical past. You’re primary within the UCI Ladies’s WorldTour, and also you’ve performed it right here in Australia.
I don’t actually have phrases for it. It’s actually particular. I by no means actually thought that I might ever turn into a GC rider. However races like this actually swimsuit me and I’ve a group that believes in me. They inform me that I can do it and I imagine them. I believe we’re now going to look at the Males’s Prologue and have some cocktails.
[2ND OVERALL SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER, EFEX MOUNTAINS CLASIFICATION WINNER] Amanda SPRATT, Trek Segafredo:
That was a fantastic race their Amanda, you got here so near wrapping it up.
Sure, I believe they preserve making these end traces about one kilometre additional than I need. That’s how it’s however my group rode completely, we had a plan. I knew the place I needed to go on the Corkscrew and I believe immediately my group set me up so effectively as soon as once more. I attacked the place I needed to and I knew I wanted a superb hole on Grace BROWN and it’s by no means good whenever you hear the race bikes chasing you. I do know her power could be that downhill and that flat to the end. I gave every thing I had. I didn’t end with something left. I’ve no regrets. I’m so happy and grateful to my group for supporting me right here.
SANTOS OCHRE LEADER’S JERSEY – GRACE BROWN (FDJ-SUEZ)
ZIPTRAK® SPRINT JERSEY – GRACE BROWN (FDJ-SUEZ)
EFEX QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAIN JERSEY – AMANDA SPRATT (TREK-SEGAFREDO)
ZWIFT YOUNG RIDER’S JERSEY – HENRIETTA CHRISTIE (HUMAN POWERED HEALTH
Santos Tour Down Below Ladies – Stage 3 Consequence:
1. Grace BROWN FST AUS in 2:37:11
2. Amanda SPRATT TFS AUS
3. Georgia WILLIAMS TIB NZL at 0:13
4. Danielle DE FRANCESCO ZAF AUS
5. Ruby ROSEMAN-GANNON JAY AUS
6. Rachel NEYLAN AUS AUS
7. Henrietta CHRISTIE* HPW NZL
8. Claire STEELS CGS GBR
9. Krista DOEBEL-HICKOK TIB USA
10. Ella WYLLIE* NZL NZL.
Santos Tour Down Below Ladies – Closing Total Consequence:
1. Grace BROWN FST AUS in 8:03:29
2. Amanda SPRATT TFS AUS at 0:10
3. Georgia WILLIAMS TIB NZL 0:19
4. Ruby ROSEMAN-GANNON JAY AUS at 0:28
5. Krista DOEBEL-HICKOK TIB USA at 0:29
6. Danielle DE FRANCESCO ZAF AUS 0:35
7. Henrietta CHRISTIE* HPW NZL
8. Ella WYLLIE* NZL NZL
9. Rachel NEYLAN AUS AUS
10. Abi SMITH* TIB GBR at 0:38.
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