Lizzie Williams solos to victory on Santos Women’s Tour stage three
Katrin Garfoot remains in the race lead in Adelaide with an hour-long criterium to come
Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) attacked from a seven-rider breakaway to take a solo victory in Lyndoch on Monday on the third stage of the Santos Women's Tour. Race leader Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) led home the chasers 19 seconds later to hang onto the blue jersey she's worn since her stage win one win. Lauren Kitchen (Hitec Products) rounded out the all-Australian podium.
"I saw an opening at four kilometres to go," said Williams. "I was on the back. I was hurting really bad, but I just thought I needed to bury myself to the end. I went, and I went with a lot of speed from the back. I went as hard as I could, and when I looked back, I had a gap."
"I got into that head space that I would just have to push, push as hard as I can," said Williams. "It was only four kilometres – and yeah, it ultimately worked."
The Lyndoch circuit proved the most dynamic day of racing yet. The women's peloton covered four laps of an undulating 25.2-kilometre loop with a significant ascent up Whispering Wall on every lap. With a number of riders capable of contesting the stage, Orica-AIS seized control of the race from the start and used their strength in numbers to dictate the action.
"It was a complete team ride today," said Williams. "I couldn't have won by myself. Everyone put in something. Everyone did something for that victory to happen. We have such a strong and cohesive team at the moment. I'm really looking forward to the season."
How the race unfolded
The women's peloton rolled out for the longest stage of the Santos Women's Tour in sunny, hot and humid conditions. A lift in pace up the Whispering Wall caused a split in the peloton and signified the aggressive nature of racing still to come.
The two main groups on the road came together before the start of lap two, but the calm was short-lived. Nicheliving Vault teammates Erin Kinnealy and Liz Leyden slipped away form the field just beyond the feed zone. Their gap yo-yo'ed between 10-seconds and 30-seconds until Kinnealy lifted the pace, dislodging Leyden in the process. Now a lone leader, Kinnealy had pocketed slightly more than a minute by the time she hit the Whispering Wall.
The peloton attacked its way up the climb with a group of eight riders forcing clear from the bunch. By the time the group reached the top of the climb, they had caught Kinnealy and put in ten seconds on an elite selection of 30 riders. The first two groups on the road rejoined on the descent. A third group of around 20 riders madly pedalled to catch back on to the leaders.
Next it was a group of six slipping up the road. Rosella Ratto (Cyclance), Dani King (Wiggle High5), Tayler Wiles (Orica-AIS), Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS), Louisa Lobigs (Holden) and Jo Hogan (Rush) distanced themselves from a 30-rider peloton.
Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team) put in a huge effort to bridge the gap to the leaders. With Wells present, every major team was represented in the move, but Wells would be a clear favourite for a sprint, making her a less than ideal breakaway companion.
As lap three began, the seven-rider escape held onto a 50-second advantage over a peloton that had swelled to include around 50 riders.
The break was caught before the third ascent of the Whispering Wall, but the steep gradient and injection in pace split the field. Spratt managed to sneak away alone. Garfoot, King, Kitchen, Shelley Olds (Cylance), Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) and Tiffany Cromwell (SASI) formed the chase in her wake.
"Our plan was to push it really hard up the climbs every lap," said Williams. "We wanted to try to break the field. It did that every lap but nothing really stuck. On the second last lap, Rachel [Neylan] did a really hard effort up the climb and that ultimately created the break which I was in."
Spratt heard the bell sound as she crossed the finish line for a fourth and final lap 24 seconds ahead of the six chasers. With the bunch more than two minutes down, it was becoming increasingly clear that the stage winner would come from this selection.
"With Spratty dangling off the front, Kat and I could sit on," noted Williams. "Tiffany Cromwell and Lauren Kitchen worked very hard to get Spratty back."
The chasing group overtook Spratt on the final time up the Whispering Wall – and the counter-attacks were swift and immediate. First three were away. Then four. Then it was all back together. Finally Williams broke the elastic.
Having gained a gap, Williams never looked back. Pedalling furiously all the way to the finish, Williams snagged her second victory of the still early season – adding a Santos Women's Tour stage win to the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic stage victory she earned earlier this month.
The battle for the overall remains fierce with one stage left to race. While Garfoot leads, she's tied on time with three riders – Kitchen in second, Olds in third and King in fourth. The general classification will be decided on Tuesday in Victoria Park with an hour-long criterium.
"It's all about the defence tomorrow," said Williams. "We won't be too confident, but we're out there to see if we can take away the tour."
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) | 2:45:17 |
2 | Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) | 0:00:19 |
3 | Lauren Kitchen (HiTec Products) | |
4 | Shelley Olds (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
5 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | |
6 | Tiffany Cromwell (SASI) | 0:00:24 |
7 | Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS) | 0:00:40 |
8 | Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team) | 0:04:28 |
9 | Julie Leth (HiTec Products) | |
10 | Jessica Huston (Nicheliving Vault) | |
11 | Lauretta Hanson (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
12 | Emily Collins (New Zealand) | |
13 | Chloe McConville (Orica-AIS) | |
14 | Valentina Scandolara (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
15 | Sophie Mackay (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | |
16 | Shannon Malseed (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | |
17 | Joanne Kiesanowski (New Zealand) | |
18 | Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
19 | Justine Barrow (BOSS Racing Team) | |
20 | Jessica Mundy (SASI) | |
21 | Emily Cunningham (BOSS Racing Team) | |
22 | Rebecca Mackey (Nicheliving Vault) | |
23 | Taryn Heather (Bikebug-NextGen) | |
24 | Sarah Duffield (Nicheliving Vault) | |
25 | Kendelle Hodges (High5 Dream Team) | |
26 | Hannah Gumbley (Roxsolt) | |
27 | Rachel Neylan (Orica-AIS) | |
28 | Tessa Fabry (High5 Dream Team) | |
29 | Linda Villumsen (New Zealand) | |
30 | Georgia Catterick (Roxsolt) | |
31 | Sophie Williamson (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | |
32 | Erin Kinnealy (Nicheliving Vault) | |
33 | Louisa Lobigs (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | |
34 | Joanne Hogan (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
35 | Tayla Evans (Bikebug-NextGen) | |
36 | Samantha De Riter (High5 Dream Team) | |
37 | Tayler Wiles (Orica-AIS) | |
38 | Lynne Clarke (BOSS Racing Team) | |
39 | Peta Mullens (Wiggle High5) | |
40 | Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) | |
41 | Aimee Ingram (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | |
42 | Rachel Ward (Bikebug-NextGen) | |
43 | Victoria Veitch (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | |
44 | Gina Ricardo (BOSS Racing Team) | |
45 | Rossella Ratto (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
46 | Tatiana Guderzo (HiTec Products) | |
47 | Miranda Griffiths (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:04:43 |
48 | Sharlotte Lucas (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:04:51 |
49 | Narelle Hards (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | |
50 | Jessica Allen (High5 Dream Team) | |
51 | Lucy Garner (Wiggle High5) | 0:11:26 |
52 | Liza Rachetto (BCWS) | 0:11:37 |
53 | Alison Tetrick (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 0:13:21 |
54 | Annette Edmondson (Wiggle High5) | |
55 | Doris Schweizer (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
56 | Esther Borg (BCWS) | |
57 | Amy Roberts (Wiggle High5) | |
58 | Laurelea Moss (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:16:29 |
59 | Jasmine McMillan (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | |
60 | Carley McKay (BOSS Racing Team) | |
61 | Lucy Barker (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | |
62 | Gaby Leveridge (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 0:16:55 |
63 | Verita Stewart (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | 0:20:41 |
64 | Minda Murray (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
65 | Julia Kalotas (Nicheliving Vault) | |
66 | Madison Farrant (New Zealand) | |
67 | Josie Talbot (Subaru NSWIS NKC) | |
68 | Angela Smith (Subaru NSWIS NKC) | |
69 | Amy Bradley (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
70 | Liz Leyden (Nicheliving Vault) | |
71 | Emma Viotto (Bikebug-NextGen) | 0:20:45 |
DNF | Amanda Jamieson (New Zealand) | |
DNF | Michaela Parsons (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | |
DNF | Rose Osborne (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
DNF | Gemma Ansell (BOSS Racing Team) | |
DNF | Jade Colligan (Subaru NSWIS NKC) | |
DNF | Ruby Livingstone (Roxsolt) | |
DNF | Kate Finegan (BCWS) | |
DNF | Kristy Glover (Bikebug-NextGen) | |
DNS | Serene Lee (BCWS) |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Sophie Mackay (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | 5 | pts |
2 | Lauretta Hanson (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 3 | |
3 | Lucy Garner (Wiggle High5) | 2 | |
4 | Amy Roberts (Wiggle High5) | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS) | 5 | pts |
2 | Tiffany Cromwell (SASI) | 3 | |
3 | Lauren Kitchen (HiTec Products) | 2 | |
4 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Erin Kinnealy (Nicheliving Vault) | 5 | pts |
2 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | 3 | |
3 | Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) | 2 | |
4 | Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | 5 | pts |
2 | Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) | 3 | |
3 | Shelley Olds (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 2 | |
4 | Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Orica-AIS | 8:16:50 |
2 | Cylance Pro Cycling | 0:08:16 |
3 | Hitec Products | |
4 | Wiggle High5 | |
5 | Nicheliving Vaultheliving Vault | 0:12:25 |
6 | New Zealand | |
7 | High5 Dream Team | |
8 | Boss Racing Team | |
9 | Holden Women's Cycling Team | |
10 | Bikebug-Nextgen | |
11 | Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome | 0:12:48 |
12 | Rush Women's Team | 0:24:52 |
13 | Specialized Women's Racing | 0:40:39 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) | 5:49:06 |
2 | Lauren Kitchen (HiTec Products) | |
3 | Shelley Olds (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
4 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | |
5 | Tiffany Cromwell (SASI) | 0:00:14 |
6 | Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) | 0:00:28 |
7 | Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS) | 0:01:08 |
8 | Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team) | 0:04:56 |
9 | Emily Collins (New Zealand) | |
10 | Jessica Huston (Nicheliving Vault) | |
11 | Lauretta Hanson (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
12 | Julie Leth (HiTec Products) | |
13 | Shannon Malseed (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | |
14 | Joanne Kiesanowski (New Zealand) | |
15 | Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
16 | Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) | |
17 | Valentina Scandolara (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
18 | Linda Villumsen (New Zealand) | |
19 | Rachel Neylan (Orica-AIS) | |
20 | Joanne Hogan (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
21 | Justine Barrow (BOSS Racing Team) | |
22 | Rebecca Mackey (Nicheliving Vault) | |
23 | Aimee Ingram (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | |
24 | Victoria Veitch (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | |
25 | Tessa Fabry (High5 Dream Team) | 0:05:04 |
26 | Tayler Wiles (Orica-AIS) | |
27 | Rossella Ratto (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 0:05:09 |
28 | Tatiana Guderzo (HiTec Products) | |
29 | Chloe McConville (Orica-AIS) | 0:06:32 |
30 | Jessica Mundy (SASI) | |
31 | Taryn Heather (Bikebug-NextGen) | |
32 | Samantha De Riter (High5 Dream Team) | |
33 | Peta Mullens (Wiggle High5) | |
34 | Georgia Catterick (Roxsolt) | 0:10:49 |
35 | Sophie Williamson (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:10:50 |
36 | Kendelle Hodges (High5 Dream Team) | |
37 | Erin Kinnealy (Nicheliving Vault) | |
38 | Sarah Duffield (Nicheliving Vault) | |
39 | Louisa Lobigs (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | |
40 | Sophie Mackay (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | |
41 | Miranda Griffiths (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:11:05 |
42 | Sharlotte Lucas (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:11:13 |
43 | Jessica Allen (High5 Dream Team) | |
44 | Annette Edmondson (Wiggle High5) | 0:13:49 |
45 | Tayla Evans (Bikebug-NextGen) | 0:14:08 |
46 | Hannah Gumbley (Roxsolt) | |
47 | Emily Cunningham (BOSS Racing Team) | |
48 | Lynne Clarke (BOSS Racing Team) | |
49 | Gina Ricardo (BOSS Racing Team) | |
50 | Rachel Ward (Bikebug-NextGen) | |
51 | Narelle Hards (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | 0:14:31 |
52 | Amy Roberts (Wiggle High5) | 0:19:43 |
53 | Lucy Garner (Wiggle High5) | 0:21:06 |
54 | Liza Rachetto (BCWS) | 0:21:17 |
55 | Emma Viotto (Bikebug-NextGen) | 0:22:49 |
56 | Doris Schweizer (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 0:23:01 |
57 | Alison Tetrick (Cylance Pro Cycling) | |
58 | Esther Borg (BCWS) | |
59 | Laurelea Moss (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:26:09 |
60 | Gaby Leveridge (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 0:26:35 |
61 | Lucy Barker (Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome) | 0:27:58 |
62 | Julia Kalotas (Nicheliving Vault) | 0:30:21 |
63 | Madison Farrant (New Zealand) | |
64 | Minda Murray (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
65 | Verita Stewart (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | |
66 | Liz Leyden (Nicheliving Vault) | |
67 | Josie Talbot (Subaru NSWIS NKC) | |
68 | Amy Bradley (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | |
69 | Jasmine Mcmillan (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | 0:30:33 |
70 | Carley McKay (BOSS Racing Team) | 0:30:41 |
71 | Angela Smith (Subaru NSWIS NKC) | 0:35:56 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Lauretta Hanson (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 19 | pts |
2 | Annette Edmondson (Wiggle High5) | 10 | |
3 | Sophie Mackay (SPECIALIZED WOMEN'S RACING) | 10 | |
4 | Amanda Spratt (Orica-AIS) | 7 | |
5 | Lucy Garner (Wiggle High5) | 4 | |
6 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | 3 | |
7 | Tiffany Cromwell (SASI) | 3 | |
8 | Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) | 3 | |
9 | Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) | 3 | |
10 | Valentina Scandolara (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 3 | |
11 | Jessica Mundy (SASI) | 3 | |
12 | Lauren Kitchen (HiTec Products) | 2 | |
13 | Jessica Allen (High5 Dream Team) | 2 | |
14 | Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) | 1 | |
15 | Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team) | 1 | |
16 | Tayler Wiles (Orica-AIS) | 1 | |
17 | Rossella Ratto (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 1 | |
18 | Amy Roberts (Wiggle High5) | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Danielle King (Wiggle High5) | 13 | pts |
2 | Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) | 6 | |
3 | Erin Kinnealy (Nicheliving Vault) | 5 | |
4 | Sharlotte Lucas (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 5 | |
5 | Shelley Olds (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 4 | |
6 | Lauren Kitchen (HiTec Products) | 3 | |
7 | Joanne Hogan (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 3 | |
8 | Lauretta Hanson (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 2 | |
9 | Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) | 1 | |
10 | Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (Cylance Pro Cycling) | 1 | |
11 | Peta Mullens (Wiggle High5) | 1 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Lauretta Hanson (RUSH WOMEN'S TEAM) | 5:54:02 |
2 | Shannon Malseed (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | |
3 | Jessica Mundy (SASI) | 0:01:36 |
4 | Georgia Catterick (Roxsolt) | 0:05:53 |
5 | Sophie Williamson (Holden Women's Cycling Team) | 0:05:54 |
6 | Tayla Evans (Bikebug-NextGen) | 0:09:12 |
7 | Hannah Gumbley (Roxsolt) | |
8 | Gina Ricardo (BOSS Racing Team) | |
9 | Amy Roberts (Wiggle High5) | 0:14:47 |
10 | Lucy Garner (Wiggle High5) | 0:16:10 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Orica-AIS | 17:28:54 |
2 | Cylance Pro Cycling | 0:08:16 |
3 | Wiggle High5 | |
4 | Hitec Products | 0:08:29 |
5 | New Zealand | 0:13:12 |
6 | High5 Dream Team | 0:14:56 |
7 | Nicheliving Vaultheliving Vault | 0:19:06 |
8 | Mercedes-Benz Adelaide Blackchrome | 0:22:47 |
9 | Holden Women's Cycling Team | 0:25:00 |
10 | Bikebug-Nextgen | 0:25:36 |
11 | Boss Racing Team | 0:31:36 |
12 | Rush Women's Team | 0:34:51 |
13 | Specialized Women's Racing | 1:02:26 |
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