Daria Pikulik takes victory in first stage of Women's Tour Down Under – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 2023 Santos Women's Tour Down Under!

Racing is just about to set off for stage 1 of the Women's Santos Tour Down Under from Glenelg to Aldinga for a total of 110km. The UCI Women's World Tour event has attracted 77 riders to take the start in Glenelg today. 

And racing is underway for stage 1 of the Women's Santos Tour Down Under! The elite women's field has 110km to go.

Here's a comprehensive look at the routes the women will face over the next three days - it's a historic first time for the TDU organisation, as it's the first time they've hosted a women's World Tour event.

"It will be a big moment to have the first ever UCI Women's WorldTour stage race here in South Australia and to see the very best female cyclists competing across our state once again," Assistant Race Director and three-time world champion Annette Edmondson said in a press release.

The riders are just about to to head out of the neutral zone and officially be on their way. It's a nice day in South Australia, with temps currently at 21 Celsius with zero chance of rain. The wind speeds will be relatively high however at 34 kph. 

Today's rolling course is predicted to favour the sprinters, but with the wind speeds as high as they are, we could see some early action - along with the potential for echelons. 

It's all together in the opening kilometres. No attacks just yet. 

It's been reported that Simone Boilard (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93) and Elizabeth Stannard (ZAAF) crashed in the neutral zone. Boilard is back in the race, but Stannard has had to unfortunately abandon. 

Wide highways and windy conditions are deterring any attacks in the first 10km of the race. 

The race is still all together 18km into the race. 

We're 95km from the finish, and our first attack of the day comes from the Norwegian team Coop - Hitec Products. Sylvie Swinkels is attempting to brave the block headwind. 

And the Dutch rider Sylvie Swinkels is quickly brought back into the peloton. The wind is too much for a solo attacker it seems.  

Just as the peloton turns into a crosswind, Tiril Jorgensen (Coop - Hitec Products) and Georgia Whitehouse (ARA Skip Capital Sunshine Coast) take the opportunity to attack with 88km to go.

Crosswind=Echelons

Jorgensen and Whitehouse have been joined by a large group of around 15 riders. 

After a flurry of attacks, it's all back together at the front. 

Team Jayco-AIUla's Georgie Howe is sitting at the front of the peloton doing the lion's share of the work as they make their way toward the first climb. 

The riders are on Chaffeys Road and approaching the first classified climb of the day. It's a Cat. 4 climb that averages 6 percent and is .8 km long. There will be points for the first three over the line (3-2-1). 

Results of the QOM at Chaffeys Road (Cat. 4)

1. Gladys Verhulst (FDJ - Suez) 3 points 

2. Claire Steels (Israel Premier Tech - Roland) 2

3. Sophie Edwards (ARA Skip Capital Sunshine Coast) 1

Gladys Verhulst (FDJ - Suez) will wear the QOM jersey heading into tomorrow

It's all together in a tightly packed peloton.

70km to go

We're getting word of the second crash of the day. It's Keely Bennett (Team Bridgelane) who goes down. It's looking as though she will abandon. We can't confirm that yet, however. 

65km to go

The race is all together on the approach to the first intermediate sprint of the day, where there are also bonus seconds on tap for the first three across the line. It's coming up in about 5 km. 

The peloton are getting closer to the intermediate sprint. Immediately after, they'll turn back into a crosswind. 

Results of the first intermediate sprint at Willunga Show Hall (53km to go)

1. Grace Brown (FDJ - Suez) 3 points, 3 seconds

2. Alex Manly (Jayco - AlUla) 2 points, 2 seconds

3. Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Jayco - AlUla) 1 point, 1 second

FDJ - Suez, Jayco - AlUla and Trek - Segafredo were all interested in in the Ziptrak points, but Trek couldn't get in the points this time around. There's still one intermediate sprint left. 

50km to go

There were some crosswinds, but they aren't strong enough, or at the right angle, to create any echelons in the peloton. 

There's 45km left in the race and we're still all together. 

The speeds are high with 42km to go. Trek-Segafredo is one of the teams leading the charge. 

Now the Israel Premier Tech team has taken hold of the front. It's looking nervous in the bunch as they get closer to the sprint finale. 

The peloton is heading across the finish line at Aldinga for the first time and the flags are being whipped around by the gusty coastal winds. 

But things have calmed after the feed zone as they make their way past Port Willunga. It's lunch time in the peloton with 37 km to go. 

35km to go

Australian Georgia Whitehouse is sitting at the front for IBCT.

The Australian U23 TT champion, Isabelle Carnes sees an opportunity to attack and sets off. 

Isabelle Carnes is followed by Gina Ricardo (Team Bridgelane). The two leaders have 39 seconds on the peloton.

Tiril Jorgensen (Coop - Hitec Products) is attempting to bridge with Dilyxine Miermont (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93).

There are just 10 seconds in between the two groups up the road, so it looks like they'll make the connection to become a lead group of four. 

Things are hotting up as the two leaders are now more than 2:06 minutes ahead of the peloton. The chase group is still in pursuit. 

With less than 30km to go, Tiril Jorgensen has dropped back in the peloton. Dilyxine Miermont has continued to work her way up to Carnes and Ricardo.

Less than 5km to go until the second intermediate sprint

20km to go

Dilyxine Miermont (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93) has given up the ghost and gone back into the peloton. The two leaders are the only ones up the road and have 1'30" on the peloton with 17km to go.

Carnes gets the max points and the time bonus after Ricardo doesn't contest it. It looks like they want to keep the momentum going all the way to the finish. 

Actually, we spoke too soon. It looks like Miermont is still in the gap. 

The peloton is starting to up the tempo with the Jayco team leading the way. Miermont is back in the peloton after a brave chase and gets a pat on the back from her teammates. 

The peloton is getting closer to the two leaders as they hit the 10km to go point. 

Trek is in control now and blowing the race to pieces. 

It's all back together now and the peloton is resetting for a bunch sprint. 

The acceleration from Trek-Segafredo has caused havoc in the peloton, with several riders going down. 

7km to go

Now Jayco is coming to the front and it's turning into a drag race as they head toward the finish line. 

The 

Amanda Spratt is an a great position here with 5km to go. She's on the wheel of teammate, Brodie Chapman. 

We're heading into the sprint finale! There's a tailwind which is making things super fast. 

The sprint is opening up. 

It's Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health) who takes the win! 

Unofficial top 3 of Stage 1 of the Women's Tour Down Under:

1. Daria Pikulik (HPW) at 3:03:01

2. Clara Copponi (FST)

3. Georgia Baker (JAY)

Daria Pikulik celebrates after winning the opening stage of the Women's Tour Down Under. 

Polish rider Daria Pikulik will wear the leaders jersey heading into stage 2 from Birdwood to Uraidla. 

Here is Daria Pikulik in the leader's ochre-coloured leader's jersey. It's a big day for her ands for her Human Powered Health team.

This is the sprint finish. in the cross wind.