2018 Women's Tour Down Under
The 2018 Santos Women's Tour Down Under was a women's cycle stage race held in Australia from 11 to 14 January, 2018. The Women's Tour Down Under, being held for the seventh time, was held as a UCI rating of 2.1 race, having been a 2.2 race in 2017.[1]
| Race details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dates | 11–14 January 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stages | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance | 384 km (238.6 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Winning time | 10h 47' 21" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The race was won for the second year in succession – becoming the first rider to win multiple Tour Down Under races – by Mitchelton–Scott rider Amanda Spratt.[2] Spratt placed third on the stage to Mengler Hill, and assumed the race leader's ochre jersey the following day by winning the stage into Hahndorf. Spratt won the race by 41 seconds ahead of Lauren Stephens, riding for Cylance Pro Cycling.[3] 2016 race winner Katrin Garfoot completed the podium, riding for the UniSA–Australia team, a further 40 seconds in arrears of Stephens.[3] With her above finishes on hill-top stages, Spratt won the polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification, while Garfoot won the sprints classification and its green jersey on the final day in Adelaide, winning all four intermediate sprints during the stage.[4]
The race's other jersey, the white jersey, went to Grace Anderson of the New Zealand national team,[5] as the best-placed rider – in ninth overall – under the age of 25. Mitchelton–Scott won the teams classification,[5] after placing Spratt, Lucy Kennedy and Annemiek van Vleuten in the top-six overall.
Teams
17 teams participated in the 2018 Women's Tour Down Under.[6]
Other teams
- Holden Team Gusto Racing
- Maaslandster International
- New Zealand (national team)
- Specialized Women's Racing
- Sydney Uni–Staminade
- TIS Racing
- UniSA–Australia
Route
The race route was announced on 22 November 2017.[7]
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 January | Gumeracha to Gumeracha | 115.7 km (71.9 mi) |  | Hilly stage | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| 2 | 12 January | Lyndoch to Mengler Hill | 101.2 km (62.9 mi)[8] | | Hilly stage | |
| 3 | 13 January | The Bend Motorsport Park to Hahndorf | 121.1 km (75.2 mi)[9] | | Hilly stage | |
| 4 | 14 January | Adelaide | 46 km (28.6 mi) |  | Flat stage | |
Stages
Stage 1
Stage 2
- 12 January 2018 — Lyndoch to Mengler Hill, 101.2 km (62.9 mi)[8][12]
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Stage 3
- 13 January 2018 — The Bend Motorsport Park to Hahndorf, 121.1 km (75.2 mi)[9][14]
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Stage 4
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.svg.png){kind=small}
Classification leadership table
In the 2018 Women's Tour Down Under, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers at intermediate sprints and at the finish of mass-start stages, the leader received an ochre jersey.[17] This classification was considered the most important of the 2018 Women's Tour Down Under, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.
Additionally, there was a sprints classification, which awarded a green jersey.[17] In the sprints classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 8 in a stage. For winning a stage, a rider earned 16 points, with 12 for second, 8 for third, 6 for fourth, with one point fewer per place down to 2 points for 8th place. Points towards the classification could also be accrued – awarded on a 5–3–2 scale – at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification as noted above. There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a white jersey with navy polka dots.[17] In the mountains classification, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs.
The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey.[17] This was decided in the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1993 were eligible to be ranked in the classification. There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.[17]
| Stage | Winner | General classification |
Mountains classification |
Sprint classification |
Young rider classification |
Team classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1[18] | Annette Edmondson | Annette Edmondson | Sabrina Stultiens | Annette Edmondson | Maria Vittoria Sperotto | UniSA–Australia |
| 2[8] | Katrin Garfoot | Katrin Garfoot | Katrin Garfoot | Grace Anderson | Mitchelton–Scott | |
| 3[9] | Amanda Spratt | Amanda Spratt | Amanda Spratt | Amanda Spratt | ||
| 4[3] | Chloe Hosking | Katrin Garfoot | ||||
| Final[3] | Amanda Spratt | Amanda Spratt | Katrin Garfoot | Grace Anderson | Mitchelton–Scott | |
References
- "Santos Women's Tour Race Classification Increase for 2018 Awarded". South Australian Tourism Commission. Government of South Australia. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
The 2018 Santos Women's Tour will now be ranked as a 2.1 class race on the UCI international calendar (up from UCI 2.2) making it one step closer to achieving the long-term goal of WorldTour status.
- Wynn, Nigel (14 January 2018). "Amanda Spratt seals 2018 Women's Tour Down Under win as Chloe Hosking takes final stage". Cycling Weekly. Time Inc. UK. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- "Sunday, January 14 Distance: 46.0 km; Adelaide City" (PDF). Eventresults.com.au. South Australian Tourism Commission. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- Homfray, Reece (14 January 2018). "Women's Tour Down Under: Chloe Hosking wins final stage, with Amanda Spratt the overall winner". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- Willox, Ross (14 January 2018). "Consecutive overall Santos Women's Tour wins for Spratt". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
- "2018 Santos Women's Tour start list". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Extended Women's Tour Down Under route presented for 2018". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Friday, January 12 Distance: 101.2 km; Lyndoch – Mengler's Hill" (PDF). Eventresults.com.au. South Australian Tourism Commission. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Saturday, January 13 Distance: 121.1 km; The Bend Motorsport Park – Hahndorf" (PDF). Eventresults.com.au. South Australian Tourism Commission. 13 January 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- "Stage 1". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- Willox, Ross (11 January 2018). "Santos Women's Tour: Edmondson wins stage 1". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Stage 2". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- Willox, Ross (11 January 2018). "Santos Women's Tour: Garfoot wins stage 2". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Stage 3". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- Willox, Ross (13 January 2018). "Santos Women's Tour: Stage 3 win for Spratt". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- "Stage 4". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Winner Categories". Tour Down Under. Events South Australia. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- "Thursday, January 11 Distance: 115.7 km; Gumeracha – Gumeracha" (PDF). Eventresults.com.au. South Australian Tourism Commission. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2018.