Bronzini sprints to stage three victory at Santos Women's Tour

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The sprint for stage three honours belonged to Georgia Bronzini (Wiggle Down Under) at the Santos Women's Tour today as she beat yesterday's winner Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS) and race leader Valentina Scandolara (Orica-AIS) over the line. Scandolara holds on to the overall race lead with one final criterium to come tomorrow around Victoria Park.

"I’m really happy because my team counted on my race, so I think they deserved that because we worked hard for the win," said Bronzini. "Also we are really happy because Nettie [Edmondson] won the intermediate sprint which was the plan. It was really hard to do but we’ve done it so I’m really happy."

Bronzini was the sole Wiggle-Honda rider in the leading group of 11, after she chased them down in the final 35 kilometres. It was race leader Scandolara that initiated the move on Checkers Hill along with Ruth Corset (Total Rush Hyster). They were soon joined by Bronzini and eight other riders – a group that contained a further three Orica-AIS riders. Bronzini played the number disparity to her advantage and kept quiet in the group before launching a strong sprint to comfortably beat her break companions.

“There were four Greenedge (Orica-AIS) riders so it was stupid if I rolled in front, so I waited and sat back while some of the girls attacked. It was pretty simple about the tactic, but not simple about the riding,” Bronzini explained.

Scandolara remained six seconds ahead of her teammate Hoskins going into the final stage.

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