Santos Festival of Cycling 2021 – Stage 3 [FULL STAGE] (ladies)

January 23, 2021

Santos Festival of Cycling 2021 – Stage 3 – McLaren Vale – Willunga : 48,8 km

The men’s and women’s Tour Down Under may be cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the racing is still continuing in South Australia with a four-day National Road Series (NRS) event. The Santos Festival of Cycling NRS race will run from Thursday, January 21 to Sunday, January 24 with domestic riders getting the opportunity to take on a number of WorldTour and Women’s WorldTour racers returning home for the Australian summer. Both the women’s and men’s event will travel through the towns and countryside surrounding Adelaide, tackling the popular climb of Willunga Hill on stage 3 and finishing with a criterium on the outskirts of the city.

Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia) put in another dominant ride on stage 3 of the Santos Festival of Cycling to become the first women’s winner on Willunga Hill and extend her lead in the overall standings.

The 20-year-old attacked twice at the foot of the climb to drop the entire women’s field before quickly establishing a winning gap on the iconic Australian climb. While her rivals struggled on the steep gradient, Gigante was able to ride on the big ring throughout and finish well ahead of Lucy Kennedy (Team BikeExchange) and Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade). There was late drama for Frain after she made a wrong turn just before the finish. That error cost her valuable time, although she clung on for third.

Gigante had a 41-second advantage over Kennedy with just under one kilometer of the climb remaining but by the finish her lead had moved out to one minute with Frain finishing a further 36 seconds back. After three stages Gigante leads Lucy Kennedy by 3:11 and by Ruby Roseman-Gannon by 3:33. Frain is just one second further back and would have finished the stage on the overall podium if it had not been for her last minute detour.

With one stage remaining in the Santos Festival of Cycling Gigante is on course to win the overall race.

“It’s so, so cool that the women were able to race up Willunga Hill for the first time, and gosh it might look like a one person race at the end but that was the best teamwork ever,” Gigante said at the finish.

“I thought that yesterday was next level but I had literal body guards around me all day, I knew that the other teams wouldn’t give it to us easily and would try and catch us out but we had such a strong team around me. It was so, so lovely. I cared so much about this one, so I was ‘nerve-cited’ about it,” she added.

How it unfolded

The 48.8-kilometer stage might have been short but it was always going to be a crucial stage in this year’s race, even after Gigante’s exploits on the previous day of racing when she established a mammoth lead over her rivals. Saturday’s stage was also bigger than Gigante and her headline grabbing efforts as it represented the first time a women’s field had raced up the iconic climb of Willunga Hill.

There were no shortages of attacks in the early kilometres as the peloton rolled out with a flurry of moves as teams tried to take the race to Gigante and the top climbers. However with an all-important intermediate sprint at 22.8 kilometers the sprinters teams and most notably ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women were always going to keep the peloton together. They were racing for sprint sensation Ruby Roseman-Gannon, who was tied with Gigante on points heading into the day.

Despite valiant efforts from several teams to split the race, most notably Velofit Australia, the peloton contested the key sprint as one, with Roseman-Gannon proving to be a class apart and taking the three points available.

There was no immediate lull in the pace after the sprint with five riders moving to go clear, including Neve Bradbury (Team Garmin Australia), sixth overall coming into the stage, part of the break that also included Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram), and Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange).

When that escape group was quickly nullified another seven-rider split attacked from the front with 19.5km to go but despite the rolling terrain Gigante’s team controlled proceedings before shutting down the break entirely. In the end only the unattached Alana Forster was able to escape the peloton’s clutches, with the Australian building up a neat lead of 25 seconds inside the final 10 kilometers of racing. Her efforts gained some welcome TV time and showcased her ability to a watching audience but with so many riders still in contention Forster was eventually swallowed up inside the final few kilometers.

At the base of the climb Team BikeExchange looked to set up Kennedy but as soon as the road began to tilt upwards Gigante accelerated with a vicious turn of speed. She looked back once, saw the carnage she has left behind and continued to climb out of the saddle as the likes of Brown, Roy and Kennedy struggled to find their tempo.

Laura Luxford (Specialized Women’s Racing) attempted to go after Gigante’s initial move but once the gap opened up to a few bike lengths only Frain looked capable of mounting any form of opposition. A second kick from Gigante with over 2.5 kilometers to go ended any hope of a comeback, before Kennedy paced herself through the field to move into second.

In the end Australian cycling was able to toast an iconic day of racing on an iconic climb, with a rider who will undoubtedly become a national icon.

Results :
1 Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia) 1:17:34
2 Lucy Kennedy (Team BikeExchange) 0:01:00
3 Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:01:36
4 Laura Luxford (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:01:38
5 Ruby Roseman-Gannon (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)
6 Neve Bradbury (Team Garmin Australia) 0:01:41
7 Alexandra Manly (Team BikeExchange)
8 Carlee Taylor (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:01:44
9 Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team) 0:01:51
10 Amber Pate (South Australian Institue of Sport) 0:01:52
11 Elizabeth Stannard (Specialized WomeN’S Racing)Sydney Uni Staminade
12 Holly Harris (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:01:55
13 Matilda Raynolds (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:02:13
14 Danielle de Francesco (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:02:30
15 Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange) 0:02:33
16 Staci McCudden (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:02:36
17 Ella Bloor (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:02:41
18 Cassia Boglio (Velofit Australia) 0:02:50
19 Anya Louw (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:02:55
20 Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:02:57
21 Hailey Mason (Butterfields Racing) 0:03:17
22 Libby Young (Butterfields Racing) 0:03:27
23 Victoria Barry (Velofit Australia) 0:03:29
24 Hannah Seeliger (Butterfields Racing) 0:03:33
25 Fleur Wellings (South Australian Institue of Sport) 0:03:53
26 Emily Fowler (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
27 Peta Mullens (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:03:57
28 Maeve Plouffe (Team Garmin Australia)
29 Alana Forster (Unattached) 0:04:03
30 Darcie Richards (Velofit Australia) 0:04:05
31 Georgia Baker (Team Garmin Australia) 0:04:20
32 Breeana Hargrave (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:04:38
33 Courtney Sherwell (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:04:47
34 Brittany Petersen (Butterfields Racing) 0:04:54
35 Pia Smith (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:05:29
36 Stephanie Corset (Veris Racing WomeN’S Team) 0:05:31
37 Haylee Fuller (Sydney Uni Staminade)
38 Loretta Hanson (Team Garmin Australia)
39 Sarah roy (Team BikeExchange)
40 Sophie Edwards (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:05:37
41 Holly Lubcke (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:05:39
42 Shannon McCurley (Unattached) 0:05:40
43 Sa_ron Button (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:05:49
44 Catelyn Turner (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:06:08
45 Katarina Chung-Orr (South Australian Institue of Sport)
46 Jennifer Darmody (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:06:24
47 Celia Cowan (South Australian Institue of Sport)
48 Kelly Fettes (Butterfields Racing)
49 Emma Viotto (Giant Racing Team)
50 Jessica Lawler (Velofit Australia)
51 Jessica Allen (Team BikeExchange)
52 Gemma Mollenhauer (Giant Racing Team)
53 Nicola Macdonald (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
54 Ashlee Akundinoff (Team Garmin Australia)
55 Annette Edmondson (Team Garmin Australia)
56 Amalia Langham (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:07:17
57 Erin Bertram (Velofit Australia)
58 Alexandra Martin Wallace (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:08:47
59 Kirsty Deacon (Veris Racing WomeN’S Team)
60 Lauren Perry (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:11:01
61 Nicole Mitsigeorgis (Veris Racing WomeN’S Team)
62 Isabella Flint (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:14:41
63 Kate Bonner (Velofit Australia) 0:15:00

General Classification after Stage 3 :
1 Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia) 6:04:48
2 Lucy Kennedy (Team BikeExchange) 0:03:11
3 Ruby Roseman-Gannon (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:03:42
4 Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:03:44
5 Laura Luxford (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:03:55
6 Neve Bradbury (Team Garmin Australia) 0:03:58
7 Carlee Taylor (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:04:01
8 Elizabeth Stannard (Specialized WomeN’S Racing)Sydney Uni Staminade 0:04:09
9 Holly Harris (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:04:23
10 Matilda Raynolds (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:04:29
11 Danielle de Francesco (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:04:47
12 Alexandra Manly (Team BikeExchange) 0:05:10
13 Anya Louw (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:05:12
14 Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team) 0:05:17
15 Amber Pate (South Australian Institue of Sport) 0:05:21
16 Peta Mullens (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:06:00
17 Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange) 0:06:01
18 Staci McCudden (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:06:05
19 Ella Bloor (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:06:10
20 Cassia Boglio (Velofit Australia) 0:06:19
21 Hailey Mason (Butterfields Racing) 0:06:46
22 Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:07:03
23 Darcie Richards (Velofit Australia) 0:07:34
24 Georgia Baker (Team Garmin Australia) 0:07:43
25 Breeana Hargrave (Specialized WomeN’S Racing) 0:08:07
26 Alana Forster (Unattached)
27 Hannah Seeliger (Butterfields Racing) 0:09:02
28 Haylee Fuller (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:09:11
29 Loretta Hanson (Team Garmin Australia) 0:09:15
30 Ashlee Akundinoff (Team Garmin Australia) 0:09:51
31 Annette Edmondson (Team Garmin Australia) 0:10:07
32 Sarah roy (Team BikeExchange) 0:10:58
33 Maeve Plouffe (Team Garmin Australia) 0:11:46
34 Victoria Barry (Velofit Australia) 0:13:27
35 Emma Viotto (Giant Racing Team) 0:16:29
36 Courtney Sherwell (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:16:45
37 Libby Young (Butterfields Racing)
38 Pia Smith (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:17:27
39 Holly Lubcke (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:17:34
40 Sophie Edwards (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:17:35
41 Catelyn Turner (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:18:06
42 Brittany Petersen (Butterfields Racing) 0:18:12
43 Jennifer Darmody (Sydney Uni Staminade) 0:18:17
44 Jessica Allen (Team BikeExchange) 0:18:22
45 Nicola Macdonald (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
46 Kelly Fettes (Butterfields Racing) 0:19:32
47 Erin Bertram (Velofit Australia) 0:21:32
48 Shannon McCurley (Unattached) 0:22:04
49 Katarina Chung-Orr (South Australian Institue of Sport) 0:23:47
50 Stephanie Corset (Veris Racing WomeN’S Team) 0:24:41
51 Alexandra Martin Wallace (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:25:11
52 Nicole Mitsigeorgis (Veris Racing WomeN’S Team) 0:25:19
53 Fleur Wellings (South Australian Institue of Sport) 0:25:55
54 Sa_ron Button (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:27:51
55 Jessica Lawler (Velofit Australia) 0:28:23
56 Kate Bonner (Velofit Australia) 0:29:18
57 Celia Cowan (South Australian Institue of Sport) 0:30:20
58 Emily Fowler (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:32:02
59 Isabella Flint (Roxsolt LIV Sram) 0:32:20
60 Amalia Langham (StepFWD IT Suzuki) 0:34:58
61 Gemma Mollenhauer (Giant Racing Team) 0:35:27
62 Kirsty Deacon (Veris Racing WomeN’S Team) 0:36:42
63 Lauren Perry (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women) 0:47:54