UCI Women’s WorldTour: how the land lies after season openers Down Under

The first events of the 2023 UCI Women’s WorldTour - the Santos Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race – Elite Women’s Race - have set the tone for a thrilling campaign at the highest level of road cycling.

Cycling enthusiasts from Australia had an absolute blast in January, and took the whole world on board with them as they celebrated the return of the UCI Women’s WorldTour with two exhilarating events: the Santos Tour Down Under, on the UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar for the first time, and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race - Elite Women’s Race.

Both events were cancelled in 2021 and 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Their return was met with great enthusiasm and led to intense racing delivered by some of the most exciting talents on the road, from Australia and from around the planet.

On both occasions, a rider from FDJ-Suez rose to victory. Grace Brown got the best of her Australian compatriot Amanda Spratt after thrilling battles in the Santos Tour Down Under (15-17 January), while Loes Adegeest claimed her first UCI Women’s WorldTour victory in the Cadel Evans Road Race (28 Janurary) confirming her breakthrough year in 2022.

Spratt, who joined Trek-Segafredo this season after an outstanding 10 years with the GreenEdge team (formerly known as Orica-AIS, Mitchelton-Scott, Team BikeExchange-Jayco and now Jayco AlUla), finished second again.

Spratt attacks, Brown surges

The first winner of the 2023 UCI Women’s WorldTour was crowned in Aldinga, where Daria Pikulik (Human Powered Health) powered to victory ahead of Clara Copponi (FDJ-Suez) and Georgia Baker (Team Jayco AlUla). On a slightly rolling terrain, passing through the iconic venue of Willunga, Spratt rounded the top-5, a warning shot ahead of the more demanding second and third stages, set to decide the overall winner of the race.

Over the ascent of Mount Lofty, Spratt was on the attack but a 16-woman group eventually battled for victory in Uraidla on day 2 of the Santos Tour Down Under. Another Australian talent developed by GreenEdge outsprinted her rivals: Alexandra Manly (Jayco AlUla). She also took the ochre leader’s jersey ahead of five compatriots (Giorgia Williams, Grace Brown, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, Amanda Spratt and Nicole Frain).

The stage was set for an all-out battle towards Campbelltown on the third and final day of racing. Spratt attacked again, up Corkscrew Road (2.4km at 9.1%), opened a gap and went solo, again. But she was caught just before the line, again. This time, only Grace Brown managed to bridge the gap to Spratt, and she eventually dominated the 2-woman sprint, 13 seconds ahead of their rivals.

“I’m elated,” Brown said as she took victory just a week after she won the ITT in the Australian National Championships. “It feels so good, I knew the climb would be a challenge because Amanda is a bit more of a climber. I needed to keep her within reach.”

From Zwift to Geelong, Adegeest rules

With a final circuit featuring the climb of Challambra Crescent (0.9km at 9.2%), to be summited a second time with under 10km to go to the finish in Geelong, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race offered another fast and tight finale. And naturally, Spratt gave it everything to shake the bunch and launch herself towards victory!

This time, the experienced Australian was joined at the front by the young Dutch rider Adegeest, the 2022 UCI Cycling Esports World Champion, who joins FDJ-Suez and the UCI Women’s WorldTour this season. She already had a solid Santos Tour Down Under (12th overall). And she punched even higher in Geelong, claiming victory ahead of Spratt. Nina Buijsman (Human Powered Health) was the fastest in the chasing group to take third (+4’’).

“It has to sink in still a bit,” Adegeest said after her first UCI Women’s WorldTour victory. “It’s really good to start a season like this.”

Spratt leads the overall standings of the UCI Women’s WorldTour after two events. The next race will be the UAE Tour (February 9-12).