Nat Bromhead
Chloe Hosking of team Ale Cipollini blitzed the third stage of the Santos Women’s Tour today as Amanda Spratt of ORICA-Scott continued to hold on to the leader’s jersey.
Hosking edged out stage two winner Kirsten Wild of Cylance in a gripping final sprint down the main street of Lyndoch, the same finish town as the men’s race on Tuesday.
“To beat Wild in a flat-out drag race is not easy, so to cut around her quite convincingly gives me a lot of confidence going forward,” Hosking said.
The riders left the 33-degree heat of Tanunda at 11am, passing vineyards and wineries under a blistering sun, as they made their way through the Barossa to Lyndoch.
Race leader Amanda Spratt finished in the peloton and holds a 19-second lead heading into the final stage.
“I’m not celebrating yet – there is still another day – but this was the big one to get through so we are happy to keep the (Santos Leader’s) Jersey and very hopeful to keep it tomorrow,” she said.
The Santos Women’s Tour concludes tomorrow (Tuesday) night with a criterium event through central Adelaide.
