Women’s Tour Down Under 2020 – Stage 2 [FULL STAGE]

January 17, 2020

Women’s Tour Down Under 2020 – Stage 2 – Murray Bridge – Birdwood : 114,9 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.

Defending champion Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) stamped her authority on the 2020 Australia’s Women’s Tour Down Under during Stage 2, taking the sprint to the line ahead of her two breakaway companions Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo) and Liane Lippert (Team Sunweb).

With the leaders ochre jersey also now in hand, the Australian champion is well-positioned in her pursuit of a fourth overall victory, which would continue the Mitchelton-Scott dominance of the South Australian ProSeries race. Spratt’s victory leaves her with a four second lead on the overall, ahead of Winder. Lippert is five seconds back, then it is teammate Grace Brown at 12 seconds and former leader Chloe Hosking (Rally Cycling) with a 21 second gap.

The pivotal moments of the 115-kilometre stage from Murray Bridge to Birdwood came with more than 20 kilometres to go, when Australia’s only Women’s WorldTour team put the pressure on and split the peloton. That left Spratt out the front with teammates Lucy Kennedy and Grace Brown plus Winder and Lippert.

“We had a really strong team plan today,” Spratt said after the race. “We knew it could be a hard final but we had to make it hard.”

Kennedy and Brown paid for their efforts, ultimately leaving Spratt alone in the front group with Winder and Lippert as the trio faced up to a sprint for the line to decide which step on the podium they would take.

“I think on paper normally they are faster than me but it was just such a hard race and I know I have a really good sprint in that situation,” said Spratt.

“Tomorrow is a really, really tough stage around Stirling. It’s nice to have this win today but it’s definitely not over. Everything could completely change tomorrow.”

Saturday’s 109-kilometre third stage from Nairne to Stirling has repeated climbs on the final circuit and finishes with a long uphill run to the line.

This plays into the hands of riders like Spratt, that thrive on the climbs but it isn’t so steep that you can confidently limit the list of potential winners to just the best climbers.

How it unfolded

Rolling out from the riverside hub of Murray Bridge, the peloton faced another day of mild temperatures but the weather would still throw up some challenges, with a strong breeze enough to get teams talking of the potential for some action in the cross winds.

The pace was initially high, with a tailwind pushing the peloton out of Murray Bridge and towards the Adelaide hills, but when the tailwind became a cross wind, riders started falling off the back and a splits occurred. But it was short lived and the peloton was all together again not far from the first sprint of the day at 29 kilometres in, which was won by Anastasiia Chursina (Ale BTC Ljubljana).

As the course travelled through some of the communities that were affected by the bushfires in December and towards the feed zone, the pace eased. This was the calm before the storm to be seen on the climbs ahead.

The pace picked up again with the approach of the second sprint at 80 kilometres into the race. Team Sunweb helped set up their rider Leah Kirchmann to take top points, ahead of the ochre jersey clad winner of stage 1, Chloe Hosking (Rally Cycling). Then came an opportunistic attack from Tiff Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) but her wheel was quickly covered, as there was a reluctance to let the rider with a wealth of local knowledge get away.

With only about 30 kilometres to go and the hills approaching, the Mitchelton-Scott squad of defending champion Spratt started to take control. As the road started to head upwards the pressure was put on and the peloton started to spread and split till the lead group of five formed.

Behind the front group of three Mitchelton-Scott riders, Winder and Lippert, there were another six chasing and then the reduced peloton, which contained Hosking. It wasn’t long before Spratt tried to whittle the numbers down further, launching an attack from the front group. The two riders from other teams couldn’t be budged, but Kennedy dropped off the back and Brown kept yo-yoing before finally letting the lead trio ride away.

Lippert lead Spratt and Winder over the Queen of the Mountain point at eleven kilometres from the finish. At this point the three leaders seemed happy to stick together until the final sprint for the line.

The experienced Spratt positioned herself on the back of the trio as the finish approached. The Australian then leapt out from behind her breakaway companions, and while Winder tried to move around Lippert and follow Spratt she just couldn’t muster enough speed.

Brown rolled in just two seconds back to take fourth and then the chase group and what remained of the peloton started to roll in. Australia’s freshly crowned under 23 national road champion Jaime Gunning (Specialized Women’s Racing) lead the charge to take fifth, just 13 seconds behind Spratt. Hosking finished among the reduced peloton, 24 seconds back in 19th place.

Lippert’s efforts in the breakaway left her with both the Queen of the Mountain and best young rider jerseys. Kirchmann’s efforts on the road meant she took the sprinters competition lead from Hosking. Brown, who nearly caught the lead three again at the end, was awarded the Most Competitive Rider.

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

General Classification after Stage 2 :
1 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 6:21:19
2 Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:04
3 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team Sunweb 0:00:05
4 Grace Brown (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:12
5 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Rally Cycling 0:00:21
6 Jaime Gunning (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing 0:00:23
7 Leah Kirchmann (Can) Team Sunweb 0:00:24
8 Peta Mullens (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:00:25
9 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team Sunweb 0:00:27
10 Shara Gillow (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:28
11 Ella Harris (NZl) Canyon-Sram
12 Rachel Neylan (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
13 Lauren Stephens (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:29
14 Anastasiia Chursina (Slo) Ale BTC Ljubljana
15 Lucy Kennedy (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
16 Matilda Raynolds (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing 0:00:30
17 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:31
18 Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) Astana Women’s Team 0:00:34
19 Ruby Roseman Gannon (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia
20 Lauren Kitchen (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
21 Jenna Natasha Merrick (NZl) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
22 Marcela Elizabeth Prieto Castaneda (Mex) Agolico BMC
23 Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Segafredo
24 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Ale BTC Ljubljana
25 Katia Ragusa (Ita) Astana Women’s Team
26 Taryn Heather (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
27 Andrea Ramirez Fregoso (Mex) Agolico BMC
28 Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Rally Cycling
29 Sharlotte Lucas (NZl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
30 Hannah Ludwig (Ger) Canyon-Sram
31 Urska Pintar (Slo) Ale BTC Ljubljana
32 Jessica Pratt (Aus) Canyon-Sram
33 Sarah Gigante (Aus) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
34 Rushlee Buchanan (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
35 Jenelle Crooks (NZl) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
36 Emily Herfoss (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
37 Elizabeth Stannard (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
38 Bree Wilson (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
39 Lotta Hentalla (Fin) Trek-Segafredo 0:04:50
40 Gracie Elvin (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott 0:04:55
41 Alexis Ryan (USA) Canyon-Sram 0:04:56
42 Tanja Erath (Ger) Canyon-Sram
43 Jessie Hodges (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
44 Nina Kessler (Ned) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
45 Silvia Zanardi (Ita) BePink 0:04:58
46 Simona Frapporti (Ita) BePink
47 Mieke Docx (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
48 Denisse Ahumada Riquelme (Chi) Agolico BMC
49 Maaike Boogaard (Ned) Ale BTC Ljubljana
50 Racquel Sheath (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
51 Marketa Hajkova (Cze) BePink
52 Maelle Grossetete (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
53 Georgia Williams (NZl) Mitchelton-Scott
54 Anna Louise Henderson (GBr) Team Sunweb
55 Victorie Guilman (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
56 Jade Wiel (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope
57 Jessica Allen (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott
58 Nicole Shields (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
59 Ella Bloor (Aus) Specialized Women’s Racing
60 Pfeiffer Zara Georgi (GBr) Team Sunweb
61 Ariadna Gutierrez Arzaluz (Mex) Agolico BMC
62 Madeline Wright (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer
63 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Trek-Segafredo
64 Heidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling
65 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Canyon-Sram
66 Leigh-Ann Ganzar (USA) Rally Cycling
67 Julia Soek (Ned) Team Sunweb
68 Nicole Frain (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:07:05
69 Anna Plichta (Pol) Trek-Segafredo 0:08:27
70 Anna Trevisi (Ita) Ale BTC Ljubljana 0:08:42
71 Georgia Whitehouse (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:08:46
72 Josie Talbot (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:10:02
73 Ally Wollaston (NZl) Vantage New Zealand National Team
74 Lizbeth Yarely Salazar Vazquez (Mex) Astana Women’s Team
75 Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) BePink
76 Maryna Ivaniuk (Ukr) Astana Women’s Team 0:11:38
77 Marike de Groot Van Witzenburg (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport 0:12:30
78 Francesca Pattaro (Ita) Astana Women’s Team 0:13:45
79 Sophie Edwards (Aus) Team UniSA-Australia 0:13:46
80 Melissa Van Neck (Cze) BePink
81 Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling 0:13:57
82 Erica Clevenger (USA) Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
83 Jennifer Morales Milanes (CRc) Agolico BMC 0:14:47
84 Nicole Hanselmann (Swi) Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport 0:16:18
85 Justine Barrow (Aus) Roxsolt Attaquer 0:18:05