Cylance Pro Cycling Goes 1-2 in Adelaide
Kirsten Wild wins stage 2 of Santos Women’s Tour, Rachele Barbieri places second
“It might look easy, but it wasn’t.” – Kirsten Wild
The 2017 Santos Women’s Tour in Australia once again played host to the season premiere of Cylance Pro Cycling. Going into the four-stage race the team circled stage two as the day we could put everything we worked on in training camp together and put a Cylance Pro Cycling Rider on the top step of the podium.
Coming into stage two the team was motivated by Dani King’s strong result on stage one, placing fifth on the difficult 106.5km stage. The team built a plan for the 14 lap 32.2km course that would give Kirsten Wild the best chance to take win. “The plan going into stage two,” added Dani, “was that Kirsten was going to go for the first sprint and suss it out then I’d go for the intermediate and try to get a couple of seconds. Then all for Kirsten in the end.”
The Peloton would tackle the People’s Choice Classic 2.3km circuit for 14 laps, with key intermediate sprints throughout the stage and bonus seconds available on the line.
Going into first intermediate sprint no attacks had established themselves, despite the pace not being high enough to sting out the bunch. True to plan, Kirsten had a go at the first sprint, placing 3rd behind Chloe Hosking (Ale-Cippolini).
It wasn’t until nine laps to go that a group of six riders could manage a gap on the field, though their freedom was short lived. A counter attack by High5 Dream Team neutralized the six-rider break with a Emily Roper (High5 Dream Team) going solo with 7 laps to go; she would be quickly joined by two riders with the small group clinging onto a 4” gap.
The bell for second intermediate sprint ensured the break would be absorbed as quickly as it had formed. This time it was Dani’s turn to go for the bonus seconds. “I tried the first one,” added Kirsten, “but I didn’t want to put too much energy into it since the stage win is cooler. For Dani, it’s really good to take some seconds in the GC.” Dani would go on to take 3rd in a very close sprint behind Lauren Kitchen (NSWIS Sydney Uni).
With four laps to go, the race would see its final attempt to put a break up the road as Orica-Scott, United Healthcare, Ale Cippolini, and High5 Dream Team each put one rider up the road, only to again be out done by the final intermediate sprint. Dani would take more crucial bonus seconds placing third in the final intermediate sprint.
Orica-Scott held the peloton together going into the bell lap, however, “the lead out didn’t come out as we planned but we stayed so close together,” said Kirsten. “I was together the whole time with Marta Tagliaferro and Dani King in the final. In the end, I just went my own way.”
“We planned with Rachele on me,” Kirsten added, “and she finished second. It’s awesome.” “We worked so well as a team,” continued Dani, “I cannot believe we ended up with first and second. You know we’ve only been together for one race and already it feels like such an amazing team.”
Stage 3 of the Santos Women’s Tour is the final real opportunity to upset the general classification, where Kirsten Wild currently sits in third place, 50” behind race leader Amanda Spratt (Orica-Scott).
Stage 2 Results:
Rank Rider Team Time
1 WILD Kirsten Cylance Pro Cycling 43:57
2 BARBIERI Rachele Cylance Pro Cycling .st
3 HOSKING Chloe Alé Cipollini .st
30 KING Danielle Cylance Pro Cycling .st
61 JASINSKA Malgorzata Cylance Pro Cycling .st
67 RATTO Rossella Cylance Pro Cycling .st
95 TAGLIAFERRO Marta Cylance Pro Cycling 0:26
Stage 2 General Classification:
Rank Rider Team Time
1 SPRATT Amanda Orica – Scott 3:34:58
2 ENSING Janneke Alé Cipollini 0:19
3 WILD Kirsten Cylance Pro Cycling 0:50
9 KING Danielle Cylance Pro Cycling 1:00
28 JASINSKA Malgorzata Cylance Pro Cycling 1:47
50 RATTO Rossella Cylance Pro Cycling 2:33
63 BARBIERI Rachele Cylance Pro Cycling 3:07
76 TAGLIAFERRO Marta Cylance Pro Cycling 3:39
Stage 2 Points Classification:
Rank Rider Team Points
1 HOSKING Chloe Alé Cipollini 18
2 KITCHEN Lauren WM3 Energie 14
3 WILD Kirsten Cylance Pro Cycling 12
7 BARBIERI Rachele Cylance Pro Cycling 8
14 KING Danielle Cylance Pro Cycling 2
