Women’s Tour Down Under 2020 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE]

January 16, 2020

Women’s Tour Down Under 2020 – Stage 1 – Hahndorf – Macclesfield : 116,3 km

The Women’s Tour Down Under continues to go from strength to strength, and this year enjoys categorisation as part of the UCI’s new ProSeries. It’s a well-run and well-supported event, headed up by director Kimberley Conte, and attracting plenty of fan support and media coverage.

Chloe Hosking (Rally Cycling) leapt from behind Trek-Segafredo’s Lotta Henttala with force to produce an emphatic sprint victory at the first stage of Australia’s Women’s Tour Down Under. Henttala (née Lepistö) held on for second while powerful local rider Matilda Raynolds (Specialized Women’s Racing) clinched third.

Thanks to her victory, Hosking is the first race leader and will wear the ochre-coloured leader’s jersey on stage 2 on Friday.

It was the newly crowned Australian criterium champion’s fourth stage win at the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under, but the 116-kilometre Ziptrak stage 1 was the first time Hosking had taken a victory alongside her new team Rally Cycling.

“I’m super stoked. It means a lot that the team has come over here to support me, and the girls were incredible today, so I’m really pleased that I can already give them back a UCI win,” said Hosking after the stage.

“We were committed to the sprint for me and I just asked the girls to keep me out of trouble leading into the last 15 kilometres and get me into this quite technical section with one-and-a-half kilometres to go at the front. I knew I was going to use them early so then I just said I’d jump trains and that’s exactly what we did,” said Hosking.

There was plenty of competition for victory at the first international UCI women’s race on the 2020 calendar. The field for the four-stage UCI ProSeries race was packed with in-form Australian riders straight from their National Road Championships and six of the eight Women’s WorldTour teams. For a while it looked like the chance of a win could even be riding away from the sprinters, with an audacious breakaway by Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) caught just before the final corners.

How it happened

The riders rolled out from Hahndorf in the Adelaide hills, facing the 1,551 metres of climbing in uncharacteristically mild January weather. The peloton was together for the first sprint, just eight kilometres into the race, but after Gracie Elvin (Mitchelton-Scott) wound it up to roll over the line first, Marieke van Witzenburg (Doltcini-Van Eyck) went on the attack.

The Dutch rider then settled in for a 40-kilometre solo ride, reaching the Knotts Hill Queen of the Mountain, still out the front. The Doltcini-Van Eyck rider was swallowed up by the peloton soon after, but those Queen of the Mountain points that she’d already swept up were enough to put her in the climbers jersey at the end of Stage 1.

The peloton didn’t stay together for too long though, with Anastasiia Chursina (Ale BTC Ljubljana), Jenelle Crooks (Team-TIBCO Silicon Valley Bank) and Silvia Valsecchi (BePink) establishing a small gap. Team Sunweb closed it down before the second sprint at 70 kilometres, which was won by the team’s Canadian rider, Leah Kirchmann.

With 76 kilometres covered, and 40 kilometres to go, the Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport team were again on the attack, with Nicole Hanselmann out the front this time. She was quickly joined by Australian rider Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), who has shown she can be a dangerous rider to let get away, especially with a technical run into the finish.

Still the peloton initially wasn’t keen to work together to chase the break. After Chapman went alone the lead had stretched out to 2 minutes and 45 seconds, with only 20 kilometres to go. Then the peloton clearly upped the pace and the chase began.

The former downhill mountain biker was still well out the front at the third sprint, 15 kilometres from the finish, but the gap quickly tumbled until she was in sight of the peloton at the five kilometres to go mark. Not one to surrender easily, Chapman was only caught before the final corners of the technical run into the finish line.

The peloton was strung out during the final stretch and Hosking had the perfect position. She jumped out from behind Henttala with an unmatchable acceleration and added yet another victory to a stellar start to 2020.

Hosking also took the sprint jersey and gained a four-second lead on Henttala, her nearest rival in the overall. The bulk of the field, including defending champion and three-time tour winner Amanda Spratt, are 11 seconds behind Hosking in the general classification, after Hosking also opened a one-second gap in the sprint.

That means that with two more road stages ahead and then Sunday’s final criterium, the battle for the overall victory at the fifth UCI ranked edition of the Women’s Tour Down Under is still wide open. There is more climbing in the next two road stages which leaves plenty of opportunity for the field to split or a break to get away.

Juliette Labous (Team Sunweb) will wear the young riders jersey on the next stage while the Queen of the Mountain leader Van Witzenburg also took out the most aggressive rider competition and Team Sunweb took the teams classification lead.

Results :
1 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Rally Cycling 3:17:02
2 Lotta Henttala (Fin) Trek-Segafredo
3 Matilda Raynolds (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
4 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
5 Peta Mullens (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
6 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb
7 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb
8 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
9 Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) Astana Women’s Team
10 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-Sram
11 Simona Frapporti (Ita) BePink
12 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Ale BTC Ljubljana
13 Silvia Zanardi (Ita) BePink
14 Tanja Erath (Ger) Canyon-Sram
15 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team Sunweb
16 Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
17 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
18 Ruby Roseman Gannon (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
19 Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Segafredo
20 Shara Gillow (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
21 Katia Ragusa (Ita) Astana Women’s Team
22 Denisse Ahumada Riquelme (Chi) Agolico BMC
23 Jenna Natasha Merrick (NZl) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
24 Mieke Docx (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
25 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale BTC Ljubljana
26 Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo
27 Taryn Heather (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
28 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-Sram
29 Marcela Elizabeth Prieto Castaneda (Mex) Agolico BMC
30 Anna Louise Henderson (GBr) Team Sunweb
31 Maelle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
32 Racquel Sheath (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
33 Rachel Neylan (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
34 Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Rally Cycling
35 Nina Kessler (Ned) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
36 Sharlotte Lucas (NZl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
37 Anastasiia Chursina (Slo) Ale BTC Ljubljana
38 Andrea Ramirez Fregoso (Mex) Agolico BMC
39 Josie Talbot (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
40 Marketa Hajkova (Cze) BePink
41 Jaime Gunning (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
42 Georgia Williams (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
43 Grace Brown (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
44 Urska Pintar (Slo) Ale BTC Ljubljana
45 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
46 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
47 Jenelle Crooks (NZl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
48 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
49 Jessie Hodges (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
50 Elizabeth Stannard (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
51 Pfeiffer Zara Georgi (GBr) Team Sunweb
52 Emily Herfoss (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
53 Sarah Gigante (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
54 Anet Barrera Esparza (Mex) Agolico BMC
55 Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
56 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-Sram
57 Jessica Pratt (Aus) Canyon-Sram
58 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
59 Rushlee Buchanan (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
60 Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling
61 Lucy Kennedy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
62 Ally Wollaston (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
63 Madeline Wright (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
64 Ella Bloor (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
65 Erica Clevenger (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
66 Lizbeth Yarely Salazar Vazquez (Mex) Astana Women’s Team
67 Francesca Pattaro (Ita) Astana Women’s Team
68 Ashlee Jones (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
69 Heidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling
70 Bree Wilson (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
71 Ariadna Gutierrez Arzaluz (Mex) Agolico BMC
72 Nicole Shields (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
73 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb
74 Georgia Whitehouse (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
75 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) BePink
76 Leigh-Ann Ganzar (USA) Rally Cycling
77 Jennifer Morales Milanes (CRc) Agolico BMC 0:00:59
78 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-Sram
79 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:02:07
80 Abi Van Twisk (GBr) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:19
81 Anna Plichta (Pol) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:29
82 Sophie Edwards (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:03:44
83 Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale BTC Ljubljana
84 Minke Bakker (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
85 Bryony Botha (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
86 Melissa Van Neck (Cze) BePink
87 Marieke van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
88 Maryna Ivaniuk (Ukr) Astana Women’s Team
89 Justine Barrow (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:04:17
90 Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport 0:06:16
91 Grace Anderson (NZl) BePink 0:11:44
92 Emma Chilton (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:13:20
93 Jutatip Maneephan (Tha) Ale BTC Ljubljana 0:14:28

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Rally Cycling 3:16:51
2 Lotta Henttala (Fin) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:04
3 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb 0:00:06
4 Matilda Raynolds (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing 0:00:07
5 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:08
6 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
7 Nina Kessler (Ned) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:09
8 Anastasiia Chursina (Slo) Ale BTC Ljubljana
9 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team Sunweb 0:00:10
10 Peta Mullens (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:00:11
11 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb
12 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
13 Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) Astana Women’s Team
14 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-Sram
15 Simona Frapporti (Ita) BePink
16 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Ale BTC Ljubljana
17 Silvia Zanardi (Ita) BePink
18 Tanja Erath (Ger) Canyon-Sram
19 Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
20 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
21 Ruby Roseman Gannon (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
22 Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Segafredo
23 Shara Gillow (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
24 Katia Ragusa (Ita) Astana Women’s Team
25 Denisse Ahumada Riquelme (Chi) Agolico BMC
26 Jenna Natasha Merrick (NZl) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
27 Mieke Docx (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
28 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale BTC Ljubljana
29 Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo
30 Taryn Heather (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
31 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-Sram
32 Marcela Elizabeth Prieto Castaneda (Mex) Agolico BMC
33 Anna Louise Henderson (GBr) Team Sunweb
34 Maelle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
35 Racquel Sheath (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
36 Rachel Neylan (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
37 Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Rally Cycling
38 Sharlotte Lucas (NZl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
39 Andrea Ramirez Fregoso (Mex) Agolico BMC
40 Josie Talbot (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
41 Marketa Hajkova (Cze) BePink
42 Jaime Gunning (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
43 Georgia Williams (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
44 Grace Brown (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
45 Urska Pintar (Slo) Ale BTC Ljubljana
46 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
47 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
48 Jenelle Crooks (NZl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
49 Jessie Hodges (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
50 Elizabeth Stannard (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
51 Pfeiffer Zara Georgi (GBr) Team Sunweb
52 Emily Herfoss (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
53 Sarah Gigante (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
54 Anet Barrera Esparza (Mex) Agolico BMC
55 Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
56 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-Sram
57 Jessica Pratt (Aus) Canyon-Sram
58 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
59 Rushlee Buchanan (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
60 Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling
61 Lucy Kennedy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
62 Ally Wollaston (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
63 Madeline Wright (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
64 Ella Bloor (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
65 Erica Clevenger (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
66 Lizbeth Yarely Salazar Vazquez (Mex) Astana Women’s Team
67 Francesca Pattaro (Ita) Astana Women’s Team
68 Ashlee Jones (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
69 Heidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling
70 Bree Wilson (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
71 Ariadna Gutierrez Arzaluz (Mex) Agolico BMC
72 Nicole Shields (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
73 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb
74 Georgia Whitehouse (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
75 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) BePink
76 Leigh-Ann Ganzar (USA) Rally Cycling
77 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-Sram
78 Jennifer Morales Milanes (CRc) Agolico BMC 0:01:10
79 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:02:18
80 Abi Van Twisk (GBr) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:30
81 Anna Plichta (Pol) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:40
82 Sophie Edwards (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:03:55
83 Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale BTC Ljubljana
84 Minke Bakker (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
85 Bryony Botha (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
86 Melissa Van Neck (Cze) BePink
87 Marieke van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
88 Maryna Ivaniuk (Ukr) Astana Women’s Team
89 Justine Barrow (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:04:28
90 Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport 0:06:27
91 Grace Anderson (NZl) BePink 0:11:55
92 Emma Chilton (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:13:31
93 Jutatip Maneephan (Tha) Ale BTC Ljubljana 0:14:39