Nat Bromhead
Amanda Spratt has done it – the Mitchelton-Scott rider winning her third successive Tour Down Under as the event concluded with an Adelaide city criterium style circuit race on Sunday.
As Aussie sprinter Chloe Hosking (Ale Cipollini) claimed another win ahead of Stage 1 victor Letizia Paternoster (Trek-Segafredo), Mitchelton-Scott celebrated not just Spratt’s overall victory but taking out the team classification as well.
Ecstatic about taking the hat trick win, Spratt thanked her team and described the race as her favourite event on the annual calendar.
“This race is so special,” she said. “It’s a home race, we’re an Australian team so it’s really special. Mum and dad are here and I’ve got people from the Blue Mountains here as well.”
Spratt said the 2019 Tour Down Under was one of her major goals of the year, with several Classics and the World Championships to also be high on the list.
“When I sat down with my coach Gene Bates in October he asked me what my goals for the season were and the first thing I said was to win the Tour Down Under,” she said.
“Every one in the team is strong in there own right but when we are all coming together for a team goal everyone is really executing and committing and it’s nice to be a part of.”
2019 Santos Women’s Tour Down Under – Top 3
1. Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-SCOTT) 10:27:26
2. Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-SCOTT) +0:49
3. Rachel Neylan (UniSA – Australia) +0:53
