Ally Wollaston on Saturday said she had promised to honour the Santos Tour Down Under leader's jersey.
And on Sunday, she did in style.
However, the Kiwi alluded to the Hyundai stage 3 – Norwood to Campbelltown – as potentially being out of reach for the affable allrounder.
The back-to-back steep Corkscrew climbs before the superfast descent finish on Maryvale Road, Athelstone is destined to test Wollaston’s resources and her teammates’ resilience.
Wollaston says her team does have an ace who could disturb the favourites on Monday.
“I think it could be a miracle if I make it over (Corkscrew), but yeah, I was still give it a good shot,’’ Wollaston said.
“I think Lauren Dickson is a real unknown in the peloton at the moment.
“The way she was climbing (Sunday) was phenomenal.
“She was all over almost every attack, so I think she could be a really good card to play (on Monday).
“But yeah, our whole team has to really sit up with really strong riders, we're looking forward to it”
Wollaston defended the Santos Ochre Leader’s Jersey with a perfect performance as Health Partners Stage 2 started from Magill for the first time in TDU history.
Wollaston claimed the win after a gallant sprint to the Paracombe finish line after her team FDJ United-SUEZ delivered an astounding platform for the reduced sprint to the summit.
“It was bloody tough that route, yeah, was a really tough day out there,” Wollaston said.
“But they've (rivals) put a lot of pressure on our team to chase in the final and there was a very, very strong breakaway.
“So we're lucky that we had the strength to bring it back, but it was pretty touch-and-go there and the final ascent.”
Saturday’s Ziptrak Stage 1 race leader Wollaston held a 10-second lead over second-placed Josie Nelson, Amber Kraak, Lea Curinier, and Marie Le Net before Sunday’s stage.
Australian team LIV AlUla Jayco was two riders down at Magill after Georgia Baker did not start after crashing and damaging her knee during the opening stage.
Baker joined Amber Pate, who was ruled out of the race following a recent training accident, but it didn’t stop the team from launching an attack after Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) claimed the first efex Queen of the Mountain points at Ashton, 10km into the stage race.
Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ), the 2023 Australian national road champion, abandoned the race, 66.3km before the finish line, which made the race a little harder for Blasi’s team.
Finland’s Wilma Aintila (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) then shocked the peloton when she was the virtual GC leader after claiming maximum Ziptrak intermediate sprint time bonuses at Lobethal ahead of Santos Ochre Leader’s Jersey and Ziptrak Stage 1 winner Wollaston.
Aintila had a 1min 32 sec lead with just 63km before the Paracombe finish line.
The peloton caught Aintila after the second Ziptrak intermediate sprint at Lobethal, with Wollaston leading the charge about 38km from Paracombe.
Kraak, Wollaston’s teammate, joined Spain’s UAE Team ADQ’S Mavi Garcia, 42, making her team debut and the oldest rider at the stage race.
Their attempted breakaway was short-lived as the peloton was preparing for a first lap of three around the Paracombe circuit with Garcia, a five-time national Spanish road champion.
Blasi then claimed maximum efex Queen of the Mountain points to put her in the coveted jersey for the final Hyundai Stage 3 on Monday, but UCI world road champion Magdeleine Vallieres (EF Education-Oatly) made her work hard for the reward before the penultimate lap of the Paracombe circuit.
With less than 7.5km before the finish, Chloe Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondocrypto), who won Stage 3 of the Tour Down Under last year, caused the serious GC challengers to take immediate action.
Wollaston, however, stayed in position and remained calm to retain the GC lead before the race climaxed when Sarah Van Dam (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) decided to upset the peloton’s comfort zone with a sudden attack about 1.5km from Paracombe.
Wollaston, however, was stoic. It was the perfect ending after a gruelling 130.7km in 35C heat.
efex Queen of the Mountain #1
10km, efex Queen of the Mountain #1 - Ashton (category 2)
Distance: 10.0km, Total Ascent 495m, Maximum Gradient: 12.6%, Average Gradient: 4.0%
Stony Rise Road, Ashton
Approx. 11:28am
efex Queen of the Mountain #2
73.3km, efex Queen of the Mountain #2 - Norsworthy Climb (category 2)
Distance: 1.4km, Total Ascent 53m, Maximum Gradient: 13.8%, Average Gradient: 4.2%
Norsworthy Road, Forreston
Approx. 1:14pm
efex Queen of the Mountain #3
106.1km, efex Queen of the Mountain #3 - Paracombe Climb (category 3)
Distance: 2.9km, Total Ascent 60m, Maximum Gradient: 9.5%, Average Gradient: 2.2%
Paracombe Road, Paracombe at Paracombe Hall (Finish Line)
Approx. 2:08pm
efex Queen of the Mountain #4
118.4km, efex Queen of the Mountain #4 - Paracombe Climb (category 3)
Distance: 2.9km, Total Ascent 60m, Maximum Gradient: 9.5%, Average Gradient: 2.2%
Paracombe Road, Paracombe at Paracombe Hall (Finish Line)
Approx. 2:29pm
efex Queen of the Mountain #5
130.7km, efex Queen of the Mountain #5 - Paracombe Climb (category 3)
Distance: 2.9km, Total Ascent 60m, Maximum Gradient: 9.5%, Average Gradient: 2.2%
Paracombe Road, Paracombe at Paracombe Hall (Finish Line)
Approx. 2:49pm
Ziptrak® Sprint #1
43.6km, Main Street, Lobethal at Lobethal Lutheran School
Approx. 12:24pm
Ziptrak® Sprint #2
79.2km, Scott Street, Kersbrook at Kersbrook Town Hall
Approx. 1:23pm
The results
SANTOS OCHRE LEADER’S JERSEY – Ally Wollaston (FDJ United-SUEZ)
ZIPTRAK SPRINT JERSEY LEADER – Ally Wollaston (FDJ United-SUEZ)
EFEX QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAIN LEADER – Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ)
MYWHOOSH YOUNG RIDER’S JERSEY LEADER – Justyna Czapla (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto)
