Spratt and Brown to Battle at Home
Two of Australia's great talents will return home for the first Santos Tour Down Under women's race held at UCI Women's WorldTour level.
Amanda Spratt is the most successful rider in the history of the Women’s Santos Tour Down Under, claiming three dominant back-to-back General Classification victories between 2017 and 2019.
Internationally, Spratt has also accomplished great results, with two podium finishes at the Giro d’Italia Donne and finishing runner up at the Road World Championships in 2018.
After 12 prominent years in the peloton, Spratt remains a name to watch for the general classification as she switches to the Trek-Segafredo team for her 2023 season campaign.
Race Torquay and Grand Prix Féminin de Chambéry winner, Australian Brodie Chapman will also accompany Spratt in joining Trek-Segafredo at the 2023 Santos Tour Down Under.
They will be united in their new team by Lauretta Hanson, who previously claimed the Young Riders Jersey at the Santos Tour Down Under
Their line-up will be completed by experienced US rider Tayler Wiles, time trialer Lisa Klein and sprinter, Ilaria Sanguineti.
Grace Brown reinforced her credentials at Women’s WorldTour level, securing some exceptional results during her 2022 season.
Riding for FDJ – SUEZ, Brown came second overall at the Women’s Tour, missing out on the general classification title only a single second and was pipped by World Champion Annemiek van Vleuten for the Liege Bastogne – Liege Femmes.
The time-trial specialist won Gold at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and Silver at the Road World Championships for the Individual Time Trial.
She will be joined in Adelaide by emerging French sprinters Clara Copponi and Eugenie Duval, climber Victorie Guilman and first-year Women’s WorldTour riders Gladys Verhulst and Loes Adegeest.
Spratt said she was looking forward to returning to one of her favourite races.
“I’m really excited to race again at Tour Down Under and come with added excitement this year knowing it’s the first year it’s a World Tour race alongside the fact it will be my first WT race with my new team, Trek-Segafredo,” Spratt said.
“I obviously have great memories having won it three times but it’s also so special for me because it’s a race where I have so much roadside support as well and my parents make the trip down as well as many people from where I come from in the Blue Mountains.
“It really feels like Australia loves cycling in this week and the atmosphere is something special.
“The courses look great this year with a nice mix to suit different riders but I won’t lie that stage three is the one that has me most excited.
“I can’t wait to race up Corkscrew and have my eyes set on a good performance there.”
Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Stuart O’Grady OAM said both Amanda Spratt and Grace Brown are amongst the top riders globally in professional cycling, and we are proud to call them Australian
“Amanda has been the dominant force in the past editions of the Santos Tour Down under and it's great to see her back at the world’s top level – she really is an Aussie cycling superstar.
“Grace had a phenomenal 2022, and with continued great form she’ll be in the prime position to make her mark against her Australian and international competitors for the opening of the UCI Women’s WorldTour”
“With a steep, thrilling climb up Corkscrew on Let’s Go Motorhomes Stage 3, I expect both riders to rise to the challenge and battle it out for the win”
Spratt and Brown will join Australian star’s Alex Manly, Georgia Baker, and Ruby Roseman-Gannon from the GreenEdge Cycling squad on the official start list.
The Santos Tour Down Under women’s race was elevated to the highest level of international competition in June, with its 2023 edition set to be the first Union Cycliste Internationale Women’s WorldTour stage race in the southern hemisphere.
