Sarah Gigante goes solo to win Santos Festival of Cycling stage 2

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Sarah Gigante wins stage 2 of the Santos Festival of Cycling with a long range solo effort(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia) won the second stage of the women’s racing at the Santos Festival of Cycling, using the climb halfway through to escape before settling in for a solo ride of more than 40 kilometres to the Lobethal finish line.

Attempts to pull back the gap were all in vain, with the efforts behind barely making a dent in the time gap so ultimately the sprint for the rest of the podium occurred 1:54 after a beaming Gigante threw her hands in the air in victory. Georgia Baker (Team Garmin Australia) took the sprint for second and stage 1 winner Peta Mullens (Roxsolt LIV Sram) rounded out the podium for the lumpy 97.3 kilometre stage of the National Road Series race.

The pair initially held firm when Gigante took advantage of the 1.4-kilometre Hawthorn climb just half way through the stage to launch a stinging attack that split the field. However, it wasn’t long before they too faded and Gigante settled in for a long solo ride and continuing to stretch out the gap to all her rivals. First, it went beyond one minute and then two as the group behind hesitated, with riders scrambling to return after that peloton splintering attack.

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Results
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia)	2:29:06
2	Georgia Baker (Team Garmin Australia)	0:01:54
3	Peta Mullens (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
4	Matilda Raynolds (Specialized Women's Racing)
5	Annette Edmondson (Team Garmin Australia)
6	Ruby Roseman-gannon (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)
7	Amber Pate (South Australian Institue of Sport)
8	Laura Luxford (Specialized Women's Racing)
9	Alexandra Manly (Team BikeExchange)
10	Elizabeth Stannard (Specialized Women's Racing)Sydney Uni Staminade
11	Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade)
12	Neve Bradbury (Team Garmin Australia)
13	Maeve Plouffe (Team Garmin Australia)
14	Ella Bloor (Specialized Women's Racing)
15	Danielle de Francesco (Specialized Women's Racing)
16	Sarah roy (Team BikeExchange)	0:01:57
17	Anya Louw (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)
18	Lucy Kennedy (Team BikeExchange)
19	Carlee Taylor (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
20	Cassia Boglio (Velofit Australia)
21	Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team)
22	Loretta Hanson (Team Garmin Australia)
23	Breeana Hargrave (Specialized Women's Racing)
24	Darcie Richards (Velofit Australia)
25	Hailey Mason (Butterfields Racing)
26	Hannah Seeliger (Butterfields Racing)
27	Holly Harris (Specialized Women's Racing)
28	Staci Mccudden (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
29	Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange)
30	Ashlee Akundinoff (Team Garmin Australia)
31	Haylee Fuller (Sydney Uni Staminade)	0:02:05
32	Alana Forster (Unattached)	0:02:32
33	Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
34	Alexandra Martin Wallace (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:08:20
35	Shannon Mccurley (Unattached)
36	Jessica Lawler (Velofit Australia)
37	Holly Lubcke (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)
38	Erin Bertram (Velofit Australia)
39	Jennifer Darmody (Sydney Uni Staminade)
40	Nicole Mitsigeorgis (Veris Racing Women's Team)	0:08:23
41	Brittany Petersen (Butterfields Racing)
42	Sophie Edwards (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)
43	Sa?ron Button (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
44	Amalia Langham (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
45	Kelly Fettes (Butterfields Racing)
46	Emily Fowler (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
47	Jessica Allen (Team BikeExchange)
48	Isabella Flint (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
49	Nicola Macdonald (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
50	Courtney Sherwell (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
51	Pia Smith (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
52	Kate Bonner (Velofit Australia)
53	Katarina Chung-orr (South Australian Institue of Sport)
54	Victoria Barry (Velofit Australia)
55	Catelyn Turner (Sydney Uni Staminade)
56	Libby Young (Butterfields Racing)
57	Fleur Wellings (South Australian Institue of Sport)
58	Celia Cowan (South Australian Institue of Sport)
59	Emma Viotto (Giant Racing Team)	0:08:30
60	Lauren Perry (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:17:35
61	Stephanie Corset (Veris Racing Women's Team)
62	Kirsty Deacon (Veris Racing Women's Team)
63	Gemma Mollenhauer (Giant Racing Team)
dnf	Ella Falzarano (Giant Racing Team)
dnf	Sue ann Woodwiss (Butterfields Racing)

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General classification
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia)	4:47:24
2	Peta Mullens (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	0:01:53
3	Ruby Roseman-gannon (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:01:57
4	Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade)	0:02:03
5	Matilda Raynolds (Specialized Women's Racing)	0:02:06
6	Neve Bradbury (Team Garmin Australia)	0:02:07
7	Laura Luxford (Specialized Women's Racing)
8	Elizabeth Stannard (Specialized Women's Racing)Sydney Uni Staminade
9	Danielle de Francesco (Specialized Women's Racing)
10	Lucy Kennedy (Team BikeExchange)	0:02:10
11	Anya Louw (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)
12	Carlee Taylor (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
13	Holly Harris (Specialized Women's Racing)	0:02:21
14	Georgia Baker (Team Garmin Australia)	0:03:13
15	Amber Pate (South Australian Institue of Sport)	0:03:19
16	Alexandra Manly (Team BikeExchange)
17	Ella Bloor (Specialized Women's Racing)
18	Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team)
19	Ashlee Akundinoff (Team Garmin Australia)	0:03:20
20	Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange)	0:03:21
21	Breeana Hargrave (Specialized Women's Racing)	0:03:22
22	Darcie Richards (Velofit Australia)
23	Hailey Mason (Butterfields Racing)
24	Cassia Boglio (Velofit Australia)
25	Staci Mccudden (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
26	Haylee Fuller (Sydney Uni Staminade)	0:03:30
27	Annette Edmondson (Team Garmin Australia)	0:03:33
28	Loretta Hanson (Team Garmin Australia)	0:03:37
29	Alana Forster (Unattached)	0:03:54
30	Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	0:03:56
31	Sarah roy (Team BikeExchange)	0:05:22
32	Hannah Seeliger (Butterfields Racing)
33	Maeve Plouffe (Team Garmin Australia)	0:07:39
34	Victoria Barry (Velofit Australia)	0:09:48
35	Emma Viotto (Giant Racing Team)	0:09:55
36	Jennifer Darmody (Sydney Uni Staminade)	0:11:43
37	Holly Lubcke (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:11:45
38	Sophie Edwards (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:11:48
39	Courtney Sherwell (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
40	Pia Smith (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
41	Jessica Allen (Team BikeExchange)
42	Nicola Macdonald (Roxsolt LIV Sram)
43	Catelyn Turner (Sydney Uni Staminade)
44	Kelly Fettes (Butterfields Racing)	0:12:58
45	Brittany Petersen (Butterfields Racing)	0:13:08
46	Libby Young (Butterfields Racing)
47	Erin Bertram (Velofit Australia)	0:14:05
48	Nicole Mitsigeorgis (Veris Racing Women's Team)	0:14:08
49	Kate Bonner (Velofit Australia)
50	Alexandra Martin Wallace (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:16:14
51	Shannon Mccurley (Unattached)
52	Isabella Flint (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	0:17:29
53	Katarina Chung-orr (South Australian Institue of Sport)
54	Stephanie Corset (Veris Racing Women's Team)	0:19:00
55	Jessica Lawler (Velofit Australia)	0:21:49
56	Sa?ron Button (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	0:21:52
57	Fleur Wellings (South Australian Institue of Sport)
58	Celia Cowan (South Australian Institue of Sport)	0:23:46
59	Amalia Langham (StepFWD IT Suzuki)	0:27:31
60	Kirsty Deacon (Veris Racing Women's Team)	0:27:45
61	Emily Fowler (StepFWD IT Suzuki)	0:27:59
62	Gemma Mollenhauer (Giant Racing Team)	0:28:53
63	Lauren Perry (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:36:43

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Sprints
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia)	6
2	Ruby Roseman-gannon (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	6
3	Kirsty Deacon (Veris Racing Women's Team)	5
4	Peta Mullens (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	4
5	Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team)	3
6	Alana Forster (Unattached)	3
7	Georgia Baker (Team Garmin Australia)	2
8	Ashlee Akundinoff (Team Garmin Australia)	2
9	Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade)	1
10	Matilda Raynolds (Specialized Women's Racing)	1
11	Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange)	1
12	Annette Edmondson (Team Garmin Australia)	1
13	Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	1

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Mountains
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia)	14
2	Kirsty Deacon (Veris Racing Women's Team)	5
3	Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team)	5
4	Nicole Frain (Sydney Uni Staminade)	3
5	Laura Luxford (Specialized Women's Racing)	3
6	Bree Wilson (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	3
7	Lucy Kennedy (Team BikeExchange)	2
8	Ruby Roseman-gannon (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	1

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Young riders
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Sarah Gigante (Team Garmin Australia)	4:47:24
2	Neve Bradbury (Team Garmin Australia)	0:02:07
3	Anya Louw (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:02:10
4	Chelsea Holmes (Giant Racing Team)	0:03:19
5	Darcie Richards (Velofit Australia)	0:03:22
6	Hailey Mason (Butterfields Racing)
7	Cassia Boglio (Velofit Australia)
8	Staci Mccudden (StepFWD IT Suzuki)
9	Haylee Fuller (Sydney Uni Staminade)	0:03:30
10	Hannah Seeliger (Butterfields Racing)	0:05:22
11	Maeve Plouffe (Team Garmin Australia)	0:07:39
12	Sophie Edwards (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:11:48
13	Catelyn Turner (Sydney Uni Staminade)
14	Kelly Fettes (Butterfields Racing)	0:12:58
15	Alexandra Martin Wallace (ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women)	0:16:14
16	Isabella Flint (Roxsolt LIV Sram)	0:17:29
17	Katarina Chung-orr (South Australian Institue of Sport)
18	Stephanie Corset (Veris Racing Women's Team)	0:19:00
19	Jessica Lawler (Velofit Australia)	0:21:49
20	Celia Cowan (South Australian Institue of Sport)	0:23:46
21	Amelia Langham (StepFWD IT Suzuki)	0:27:31

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Teams
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Team Garmin Australia	7:31:06
2	Specialized Women's Racing	0:01:54
3	Team BikeExchange	0:02:00
4	Roxsolt LIV Sram	0:02:35
5	ARA Pro-Racing Sunshine Coast Women	0:08:23
6	Velofit Australia	0:08:26
7	Butterfields Racing	0:08:29
8	Sydney Uni Staminade	0:08:31
9	South Australian Institute of Sport	0:14:52
10	StepFWD IT Suzuki	0:14:55
11	Giant Racing Team	0:24:14
12	Veris Racing Women's Team	0:39:45

Simone is a degree-qualified journalist that has accumulated decades of wide-ranging experience while working across a variety of leading media organisations. She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor. Previously she worked as a freelance writer, Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg. Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone, who started out as a business journalist, but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.