Amanda Spratt is revelling in the opportunity to compete for a fourth overall title at the Women's Tour Down Under as the race embarks on its first-ever foray on the Women's WorldTour. Lining up with her new team, Trek-Segafredo, Spratt told Cyclingnews, that it was 'about time' her marquee home stage race officially broke through to the top-tier series in women's pro cycling.
"I think it's amazing that Tour Down Under has been upgraded. We kind of say 'finally' because it's been such a big race for so many years without being on the WorldTour," Spratt told Cyclingnews.
"We always said it's really professional, and we have the coverage and that sort of thing. It's almost, like, about time. It's pleasing to see it will be WorldTour, especially now, with both the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans' races both WorldTour. I think it will raise the level of the racing."
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It's been a 12-year build toward the Women's Tour Down Under upgrading to the WorldTour. It started in 2011 with a series of criteriums and then grew each year until it joined the National Series in 2015 and then the UCI's international calendar as a 2.2 event in 2016, won by Katrin Garfoot.
Spratt won her first overall title in 2017 and then won again after it had upgraded to the 2.1-level in 2018 and in 2019. The event then upgraded to the Pro Series and Ruth Winder won the overall title in 2020. The race was then on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and 2022.
Upon its return, the three-day race will kick off the Women's WorldTour from January 15-17, with a curtain raiser criterium first on January 14, and it will be followed by the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on January 28.
The stage race will host just six of the 15 WorldTeams, along with four Continental teams, a domestic squad and two national teams from Australia and New Zealand, for a total of 78 riders, a relatively small field compared to the WorldTour events in Europe.
Spratt suggested that the travel costs, which continue to soar post-COVID-19, may have deterred European teams from making the trip to Australia this year.
"I think it's really quite costly with flights and travel. I understand there are a lot of costs being put on the team. So I think that makes it quite difficult," Spratt said, noting that the calibre of racing will still be at a high standard.
"I think it will, regardless, be a much bigger race. It's a WorldTour race, so there's pressure on teams, and I know riders will want to be getting their names at the top of the leaderboard early on in the season. So, I think it's going to be fierce racing."
It's been a turbulent couple of seasons for Spratt due to injuries or illnesses, and she most recently underwent successful surgery to correct iliac artery endofibrosis heading into 2022.
However, she is off to a great start on home soil with podium finishes at the Bay Crits and in the road race at the Australian National Championships. She hopes that continues into the Women's Tour Down Under.
"I really want to have a good January, that's something I haven't been able to do since 2020. I haven't won a race since [stage 2] at the Tour Down Under in 2020. I'd love to be able to put my arms in the air with the team. I'm hoping to be racing well there, and it's definitely a target of mine."
"A little bit famous"
It's been an exciting time for professional cycling in Australia as the nation recently hosted the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong across ten days last September.
The summer racing season is now in full swing, with a packed start to the New Year that included men's and women's Citroën Bay Crits from January 1-3 in Geelong, Australian Road National Championships from January 6-10 in Ballarat and the nearby Buninyong, before heading to South Australia for the Schwalbe Classic on January 14, the Tour Down Under women's race January 15-17 and men's race from January 17-22 in South Australia. Then it is all capped off at the women's and men's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race from January 28-29 in Geelong, Victoria.
"I think it's amazing. Australia is not typically a cycling-mad country compared to, I guess, Belgium or Holland. It was really special to have the Worlds there, and I think we saw there that the crowds grew day after day along the courses. It was really cool to see," Spratt said.
Spratt has been preparing for the January racing season since returning home last November. She's been staying at her parent's home among the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
At the Women's Tour Down Under, Spratt said she anticipates big crowds out to support both the women's and men's races, including her family.
"It's not often that we ever get to race in front of family and friends. It's so expensive for them to get to Europe normally. So that makes it really special as a rider to have that hometown support," Spratt said of the fans that lined the roads for the Worlds, where she finished 27th in the road race.
"I've spoken to so many people, even around the Blue Mountains and on my local club, who are normally there every January to follow the Tour Down Under, and they haven't been able to do that for the last couple of years [due to COVID-19].
"Everyone's really excited to finally go back down to Adelaide for the week of the Tour Down Under. You really feel like Australia loves cycling during this week of racing. Everywhere you turn, there's someone on the bike, and you know people are out sitting for 10 hours a day watching the races and supporting us. You feel a little bit famous for that week. For me, that's really special."
