Amanda Spratt (Orica-Scott) launched what proved to be the race winning move with 10 kilometres remaining on the opening stage of the Santos Women's Tour. The Australian's attack was marked first by New Zealander Rushlee Buchanan (UnitedHealthcare) and then Dutchwoman Janneke Ensing (Alé Cipollini), but Spratt hit the three kilometer mark alone to solo to stage one victory in Meadows, a small town in the Adelaide Hills.
"It's a dream start," Spratt told Cyclingnews before podium presentations. "We've come here to win the overall, and we've got a stage win now as well.
"We didn't care who [in the team] got away as long as it was a move where we knew that person could get to the finish, win the stage and look good for the overall – all those factors," Spratt added. "That was the biggest goal for the team today, and I obviously I got away here."
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The sting in the tail to the hilly finale of the 106.5-kilometre opening stage was the QOM on Paris Creek Road. The climb, 700-metres long with an 11 percent gradient, topped off just four kilometres from the end of the race and was expected to be decisive.
Spratt attacked on the undulating hills that served as a prelude to the steepest kicker. Her move was part of a pre-mediated Orica-Scott assault on the stage one finale.
"We were hoping for a little more wind," admitted Spratt. "We thought with 30-kilomtres to go we could put it in [the gutter] in the crosswinds. As it happened, there wasn't enough to do that, so we committed to our plan at 18-kilometres.
How it Happened
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