World championship silver medallist Amanda Spratt pulled off a hat trick in Adelaide today, winning her third consecutive Santos Women’s Tour Down Under.
Spratt claimed the leader’s jersey with a stage two victory and successfully defended it through the final two days of racing, including today’s final stage criterium won by Chloe Hosking (Ale Cippollini).
The victory continues Mitchelton-SCOTT’s unbeaten run at the event, whilst the dominate squad also claimed two stage wins, second overall and the sprint jersey.
Having cemented herself as one of the best climbers in the world in 2018 and as back-to-back champion, Spratt arrived in Adelaide with an air of pressure when racing began on Thursday.
But, testament to her professionalism and ability, the 31-year-old didn’t waver as she took a dominant victory up Mengler Hill on stage two to take the race lead and, with the help of teammates, never looked threatened as she rode to a third straight title.
Spratt’s stranglehold over the Tour Down Under has increased with each success. A 25-second victory in 2017 and 41-second victory in 2018 is capped off by a 49-second victory ahead of teammate Lucy Kennedy at this year’s event.
With the overall competition pretty much wrapped up, it was the blue sprinter’s jersey that created most of excitment on the final stage.
Mitchelton-SCOTT’s Sarah Roy went into the final day with a two-point lead, and an intermediate sprint victory and fourth over the line behind Hosking was enough to wrap up the competition.
In a commanding performance, Mitchelton-SCOTT walk away from the four-day race with bag of accomplishments, including first and second overall, two stage wins (Stage 2 – Spratt, Stage 3 – Grace Brown), the sprint jersey (Sarah Roy) and another two stage podiums.
It continues the team’s domination at the UCI race, including their now unbeaten four titles (Spratt – 2019, 2018 and 2017, Katrin Garfoot – 2016), and takes their stage tally to six stage wins across the four editions.
Amanda Spratt – 2019, 2018 and 2017 champion:
“I’m so excited and so thankful to my team,” Spratt said at the conclusion of the race. “It was much smoother sailing than last year, I stayed upright and I’m really happy to be involved in the end to try to help (Sarah) Roy.
“This race is so special. When I sat down with my coach Gene Bates in October he asked me what my goals for the season were and the first thing I said was to win the Tour Down Under.
“It’s a home race, we’re an Australian team so it’s really special. Mum and dad are here and I’ve got people from the Blue Mountains here as well.
“I think what I’m loving is that it’s not just one rider getting the results, every one in the team is strong in there own right but when we are all coming together for a team goal everyone is really executing and commiting and it’s nice to be a part of,” Spratt concluded.
“It wasn’t a hard race but it was a very tricky final,” added Sarah Roy. “The girls did an awesome job for the whole race and I think we just ran out of legs when it really got fast in the end.
“We lost each other in the last couple of laps but Spratty was looking after me and in the last half-a-lap Gracie (Elvin) came back too and both of them had a go at leading me out but I lost the wheel in the second last corner, which I’m pretty disappointed about, and I couldn’t make it back.
“I finished fourth on the line, I don’t know what that means points wise, but we’ll see.”
2019 Santos Women’s Tour Down Under – Stage 4 Results:
- Chloe Hosking (Ale Cippollini) 1:02:38
- Letizia Paternoster (Trek-Segafredo) ST
- Rachele Barbieri (BePink) ST
- Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-SCOTT) ST
2019 Santos Women’s Tour Down Under – FINAL General Classification:
- Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-SCOTT) 10:27:26
- Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-SCOTT) +0:49
- Rachel Neylan (UniSA – Australia) +0:53
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