‘Could be a miracle’: Wollaston faces a hill too far
Roger Vaughan |
Having shown her best manners at the Tour Down Under, Ally Wollaston now needs a miracle.
The New Zealand cyclist was outstanding on Sunday, winning stage two of the Santos Tour at Paracombe in the Adelaide Hills and retaining the overall lead with one stage left.
After winning stage one at Willunga on Saturday, Wollaston said it would be “rude” not to do justice to the ochre leader’s jersey.
The FDJ United-Suez rider was good for her word on terrain not suited to Wollaston’s strength as a sprinter.
First she survived the torrid start to the 130.7km stage up Norton Summit Hill Rd from suburban Magill. Then Wollaston and her teammates stayed in the mix, despite a powerful five-rider break initiated by American star Chloe Dygert (Canyon Sram) in the last 12km that threatened to decide the stage.
The break was caught in the last kilometre and Wollaston shot past defending Tour champion Noemi Ruegg (EF Education Oatly) at the finish, before collapsing on the side of the road.
But the defining feature of this tour is Monday’s two climbs up Corkscrew Rd near the end of the last stage, and Wollaston knows that will probably crack her.
“I’m feeling so proud – proud of myself, actually, and really proud of the team. They rode so selflessly … I cannot thank them enough,” she said.
“It’s a really good step in my development to still have the jersey going into day three.
“I’m really excited to take it into tomorrow.
“It could be a miracle if I make it over tomorrow, but I will still give it a red-hot crack.”
It was a riveting stage, with Ruegg’s teammate Magdaleine Vallieres also prominent in the last few kilometres.
The Canadian is the first reigning women’s world road champion to compete at the Tour.
After Vallieres attacked just before the last of three finishing circuits at Paracombe, Dygert did what Dygert does and went full-throttle.
She said in the pre-race media conference on Friday that she was “sick of losing”, and Olympic champion Grace Brown said in the TV commentary that Dygert had “finish-line fever”.
But Dygert’s four fellow escapees knew if they went to the finish with her, there could only be one winner.
“We’re definitely happy to see her make that move,” said Canyon Sram team boss Beth Duryea.
“Of course, because of Chloe’s strength, it’s really hard to get a group willing to commit and work with her.
“They know in the end it can bring them undone.”
Australian team Liv AlUla Jayco suffered another blow when Georgia Baker was ruled out before the start.
She suffered a bloodied knee in the crash that ruined their stage win chances on Saturday. The team started the Tour one rider down after Amber Pate crashed in training.
Norton Summit and the 30C-plus conditions quickly exposed any riders who were struggling.
While the hard start did not detonate the front of the race, it wreaked havoc at the back of the peloton
Australian star Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) and three compatriots on the ARA National Team – Amelie Sanders, Hannah Gianatti and Anna Dubiar – were among 10 riders who abandoned.
Wollaston also picked up time bonuses in the intermediate sprints and has a 14-second lead over British revelation Josie Nelson (Team Picnic PostNL).
Ruegg lurks at third overall, 17 seconds off the pace.
Ruby Roseman-Gannon gave Liv AlUla Jayco some cheer as the first Australian on stage two with sixth place, while national team rider Sophie Edwards is the best-placed Australian overall in 11th.
Finland’s Wilma Aintila (Canyon Sram) went clear by herself inside the last 100km, but she was caught after the second sprint with about 51km left.
Canyon Sram, like FDJ United Suez, had a big day – Aintila was named most competitive rider, and teammate Justyna Czapla leads the young rider category.
AAP
