Valentina Scandolara wins Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic Opener
Italian out-sprints Shannon Malseed and Jess Allen to ꦍtop step of the podium
2015 Santos Women’s Tour winner 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Valentina Scandolara (Alé Cycling) took a convincing victory on the first day of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic criteriums.
Even with an early victory celebration, the Italian won by several bike lengths over breakaway companions Shannon Malseed (solo) and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Jessica Allen (ORICA-Scott) following an aggressive race ar꧃ound the h♐ot dog circuit of Richie Boulevard.
"First of January. First win. Hopefully it will be a good year," Scandolara said. "It was a pretty hard race but with an amazing team like Alé today, it was less difficult. ORICA did a really hard race, attacking 💝at every moment. I had to make sure to jump on them as soon as possible."
Allen launched theဣ attack that inspired the race-winning move in the final fi𒈔ve minutes of the 45-minute criterium. Malseed was the first to follow. Ever-attentive at the front, Scandolara closed the gap to Malseed's wheel. Within one lap of the 750-metre circuit, the trio had opened up six seconds over a tiring field.
Former Australian road champion and reigning Australian XCM MTB champion, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Peta Mullens, racing for the first time with her new Hagens🐬 Berman Supermint squad, led the chase but her efforts were not eno🔯ugh to shut down the powerful trio.
"Shannon Malseed was the one working with me in the last breakaway and made it possible that we would stay away," said Scandolara. "In the last corner, I made sure I took it first so that I couಌlꦐd manage my sprint and do it how I wanted."
The fastest sprinter in th🃏e breakaway, Scandolara had thꦿe win in hand 100 metres before the line. Malseed came second while Allen rounded out the podium.
No stranger to Australia
Scandolara🦹 raced for ORICA-AIS (now ORICA-Scott) for two seasons, in 2014-2015. Although she parted ways with the Australian-registered squad two years ago, she continues to spend the Australian summer racing Down Under. The style of racing suits her and her list of wins on Australian soil refle༒cts her fast turn of speed: Santos Women's Tour (2015), Shimano SuperCrit (2015-2016), Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic – stage three (2016).
"I l🐎ove Australia," she said. "I love training here. I have lots of friends here. The races give me good intensity and they're good fun. It's better than staying in Europe in winter."
"It's important to have good feelings in the beginning of the season," she added. "It's not hugely important for the season because 💝it's so long and so far away, but it's always good for me to be here and see how I compare to the strong riders like ORICA."
Scandolara heads into the second day of the shortened three-day series with a four-point lead over Malseed and a two-point lead over Allen. Scandolara likes her chances for extending her lead in the yellow jers♑ey in Portarlington on Monday.
"Tomorrow is a great stage for me," said Scandolara. "I like it. I won it l🐼ast year. I will try to do my best to keep the jersey and possibly win tomorrow but no presไsure. I'm just here to have fun."
Brief Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Alé Cycling | 12 | pts |
2 | Shannon Malseed (Aus) Individual | 10 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Jessica Allen (Aus) Orica-Scott | 8 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Chloe Hosking (Aus) Alé Cycling | 7 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Peta Mullens (Aus) Hagens Berman | Supermint | 6 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Sarah Roy (Aus) Orica-Scott | 5 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Yumi Kajihara (Jpn) Novotel Geel / Japan | 4 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica-Scott | 3 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Megan Alderete (USA) Hagens Berman | Supermint | 2 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Orica-Scott | 1 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to 🔜your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
American Criterium Cup: Sofia Arreola and Luke Fetzer use late solo attacks to win Boise Twilight elite races
German Maurice Ballerstedt moves into overall ACC lead with slim margin over Brody McDonald, Danny Summerhill and Lucas Bourgoyne -
'Is that it?' - A Tour de France stage winner on the Mont Ventoux, Thomas De Gendt explains why it's the one victory of his career he sometimes forgets
In his latest column, De Gendt looks back on a stage when Chris Froome had to run up the Ventoux to stay in the yellow jersey, how he sprinted for victory even though he wasn't 100% sure he was at the finish, and the best tactics for racing it today -
'Tadej Pogačar is a good landmark in the peloton' - Kiwi Laurence Pithie finding his feet fast in first-ever Tour de France
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe support rider the only New Zealander in the 2025 Tour peloton -
Decathlon adds shipping giant CMA CGM as title sponsor in step towards super team status
French team hopes to target Tour de France victory with Paul Seixas in years to come