Italian rider, Valentina Scandolara (Orica-AIS) has won the inaugural Santos Women’s Tour ahead of teammate Melissa Hoskins, with Loren Rowney (Roxsolt) finishing in third. Scandolara held the leaders jersey throughout the Santos Women’s Tour, winning stage 1 and holding the lead through to the end of the final stage. Melissa Hoskins won two stages on her way to second place, taking Sunday’s stage 2 and then winning the final stage criterium.
How the race unfolded
The inaugural Santos Women’s Tour which was also round 1 of the 2015 Women’s National Road Series, started with a 59km stage from Woodside to Murray Bridge, the stage looked to be a stage for the sprinters but Valentina Scandolara escaped from the lead bunch with less than 20km to go and held out the closing bunch to win by 6 seconds, with Melissa Hoskins and Loren Rowney (Roxsolt) finsihing second and third on the same time.
Stage 2 was a 40 minute criterium that was raced prior to the men’s People’s Choice Classic. Melissa Hoskin (Orica-AIS) won the bunch sprint from Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team), with Annette Edmondson (Wiggle Honda Team) third. Scandolara finished on the same time in eighth to hold the leaders jersey.
Monday’s Stage 3 was the longest stage of the race from Tanunda to Campbelltown and featured the Checker Hill Climb. The peloton was reduced to nine riders that contested the finish sprint and it was won by Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Honda Team), from Melissa Hoskins with Scandolara finishing third and holding the leaders jersey for another day.
The final Stage 4 was a criterium at Victoria Park, Adelaide. This time for 1 hour and 10 minutes. The stage was won by Melissa Hoskins, taking her second stage win of the tour, from Giorgia Bronzini in second and Valentina Scandolara taking third on the same time as Hoskins and winning the inaugural Santos Women’s Tour. It was a dominant team performance by Orica Greenedge-AIS who won three stages, the overall race win and the teams points win. Melissa Hoskins leads the Women’s National Road Series after the first round.
Watch video highlights of Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3 and the final stage.
"@CyclingAus: NEWS: @ValeScandolara claims inaugural Santos Women's Tour #TDUwomen http://t.co/9Fr1oFaztF #NRS15 pic.twitter.com/wYagCbRr6F"
— Valentina Scandolara (@ValeScandolara) January 20, 2015
Results
Santos Women’s Tour – General Classification – Individual
[table]
PLACE,NO.,RIDER (TEAM),TIME/GAP
1,32,Valentina SCANDOLARA (OGE),4h47:54
2,34,Melissa HOSKINS (OGE),+.06
3,52,Loren ROWNEY (RXS),+.06
4,1,Ruth CORSET (TRH),+.11
5,33,Amanda SPRATT (OGE),+.14
6,45,Rachel NEYLAN (BCS),+.14
7,21,Jenelle CROOKS (SPS),+.14
8,12,Miranda GRIFFITHS (HWC),+.14
9,35,Lizzie WILLIAMS (OGE),+.17
10,61,Giorgia BRONZINI (WHT),+.42
11,53,Carlee TAYLOR (RXS),+1:04
12,111,Kimberley WELLS (HFD),+1:20
13,82,Jessica HUSTON (WCV),+1:28
14,81,Rebecca MACKEY (WCV),+1:28
15,131,Taryn HEATHER (BSS),+1:28
16,184,Joanne HOGAN,+1:28
17,141,Allison RICE (CBR),+1:28
18,115,Georgia BAKER (HFD),+1:33
19,123,Nicole MOERIG (BRT),+1:38
20,24,Verita STEWART (SPS),+1:38
21,13,Shannon MALSEED (HWC),+1:42
22,51,Tiffany CROMWELL (RXS),+1:42
23,11,Lucy COLDWELL (HWC),+1:42
24,31,Loes GUNNEWIJK (OGE),+1:48
25,75,Emily COLLINS (SUV),+2:00
26,132,Kristy GLOVER (BSS),+2:04
27,23,Elizabeth DOUEAL (SPS),+2:04
28,64,Annette EDMONDSON (WHT),+2:04
29,22,Anna-Leeza HULL (SPS),+2:04
30,151,Victoria VEITCH (EOC),+2:04
31,65,Chloe HOSKING (WHT),+2:11
32,62,Emilia FAHLIN (WHT),+2:19
33,175,Isabelle BECKERS,+4:24
34,101,Angela SMITH (SNS),+4:24
35,85,Amanda NABI (WCV),+4:24
36,153,Lucy BARKER (EOC),+4:24
37,113,Jessica MUNDY (HFD),+4:28
38,44,Lydia RIPPON (BCS),+4:28
39,133,Tayla EVANS (BSS),+4:28
40,114,Kendelle HODGES (HFD),+4:28
41,154,Holly RANSON (EOC),+4:28
42,63,Eileen ROE (WHT),+4:28
43,14,Laurelea MOSS (HWC),+4:29
44,135,Lucy BECHTEL (BSS),+4:32
45,172,Danielle MCKINNIREY,+4:38
46,84,Erin KINNEALY (WCV),+6:38
47,104,Kirsten HOWARD (SNS),+6:42
48,183,Nicole WHITBURN,+7:06
49,2,Bridie O’DONNELL (TRH),+7:24
50,4,Laura VAINIONPAA (TRH),+7:59
51,73,Gina RICARDO (SUV),+9:02
52,134,Brittany LINDORES (BSS),+9:06
53,83,Carley MCKAY (WCV),+9:11
54,112,Rebecca WIASAK (HFD),+9:20
55,55,Lucy MARTIN (RXS),+9:20
56,41,Minda MURRAY (BCS),+9:20
57,163,Prudence ROTHWELL (BNG),+15:01
58,182,Julia KALOTAS,+19:45
59,25,Jasmine MCMILLAN (SPS),+22:51
[/table]
Santos Womens Tour – General Classification – Team
[table]
RANK,TEAM,TIME/GAP
1,Orica – AIS (OGE),14h23:59
2,Roxsolt (RXS),+1:59
3,Holden Women’s Cycling Team (HWC),+3:21
4,Specialized Securitor (SPS),+3:39
5,Wiggle Down Under (WHT),+3:57
6,Bicycle Superstore (BSS),+5:19
7,Wormall Civil CCS Cycling Team (WCV),+7:03
8,High5 Dream Team (HFD),+7:04
9,EMBA – Ozone Cleaning Specialists (EOC),+10:39
10,Building Champions Squad (BCS),+13:45
11,Total Rush Hyster (TRH),+15:17
[/table]
The next round of the Women’s National Road Series is the Women’s Cadel Evans Road Race on January 31.
Women’s NRS15 – The Bike Lane
