Defending champion Valentina Scandolara headlines Santos Women’s Tour
Strong field for second edition of Australian stage race
Elevated to UCI status this year, the second edition of the Santos Women’s Tour gets underway on Saturday. The four-day stage race will feature an impressive 97-rider field that includes local teams alongside the likes of ORICA-AIS, Cylance, Hitec Products and Wiggle Honda, the number one ranked women’s team in the world. Track world champion (team pursuit, points race) Nettie Edmondson, defending champion Valentina Scandolara, and newly-crowned Australian champions Amanda Spratt (ORICA-AIS), Kat Garfoot (ORICA-AIS) and Sophie McKay (Specialized Women) are among the starters.
“There are a lot of strong riders out there,” noted Scandolara, who won the opening stage of the inaugural event and maintained her lead from start to finish. “There’s ORICA, Wiggle, Villumsen (New Zealand National Team), Kitchen (Hitec Products) and Cromwell (on loan from CANYON//SRAM to SASI Cycling), but I’m confident my team will play a big role in the race.”
“We are all super excited and apart from two of my teammates falling a bit sick these last days, I think we’re ready,” Scandolara added. “We didn’t talk specific race tactics yet, but there’s a great vibe in the team, and our director Manel Lacambra knows our strengths well. I know he will get the best out of us.”
The women’s peloton will tackle the Mount Torrens circuit on the stage one. The loop in the Adelaide Hills was used in the 2006 Australian National Road Championships and produced a dynamic race over an undulating course.
The second stage of the Santos Women’s Tour borrows from the men’s event. The women cover 20 kilometres over the People’s Choice Classic circuit.
It’s back to wine country on Monday as stage three travels through the Barossa Valley Way. The stage race comes to a close on Tuesday with an hour-long race on the iconic Victoria Park circuit.
“The first and third stage of the race will be the general classification stages,” said Scandolara. “The wind and the hills will be the main factor.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
'It's a cyclocross race with a bit of road in the middle' - Zoe Bäckstedt to go all-in at Paris-Roubaix
British rider captures two rainbow jerseys at UCI Cyclo-cross Worlds in Liévin -
'A dream' - Thibau Nys bounces back from illness with third place at Cyclo-cross Worlds behind Van der Poel and Van Aert
'I had quite a difficult two weeks, but I knew that if I could have my level then a podium was possible' says Belgian after first elite podium -
'Getting there very slowly but surely' - Remco Evenepoel makes progress in recovery with first outdoor ride since crash
Belgian star records 131km of activity across weekend, looks on track for planned return in April -
Wout van Aert reunited with lost Garmin after Cyclo-cross World Championships
'It was definitely my best cyclocross race of the winter' says former world champion pleased with silver-medal performance