Santos Festival of Cycling - Race Preview
From Ballarat to Adelaide, it’s a quick debrief for our riders after the Australian Road Nationals. Now, onto the plane and into the next battle.
Our women will be touching down in Adelaide first ready to take on the 4 stages through South Australia’s picturesque Barossa, Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula regions and battle for supremacy and of course, the Santos Leaders Jersey.
Riding for our women we have, Ella Bloor, Chelsea Holmes, Elizabeth Nuspan, Matilda Raynolds, Eloise Sandow and Carlee Taylor. Each of the women proved themselves and rode exceptionally well at nationals. Carlee Taylor and Chelsea holmes will be riding with the team for the first time.
InForm TMX MAKE’s women team will take on each of the stages.
Women’s Stage One
Ziptrak Stage 1 is the first day of the 2022 racing season and is a curtain opener to Women’s cycling in the Southern Hemisphere. The picturesque 85.4km stage is taking place in the historic Barossa region. This stage is one for the sprinters. Our women’s team will be looking to work together on this stage, to ride comfortably to the end. Matilda Raynolds, after her spectacular ride at the Nationals Road Race, could be one to watch throughout this stage.
Women’s Stage Two
Stage two will begin with 3km of neutral riding around Willunga before sprinting past Penny’s Hill, just 8kms into the stage. Testing the legs early in the race, there’s a long climb early up Peters Creek Road through the Kuitpo Forest before descending into the Mt Barker area. This stage will see riders trekking along 2.8-kilometer section of dirt and gravel through gumtrees and pine forests as it climbs towards the QOM at Prospect Hill.
Women’s Stage Three
For the first time, the women will start and finish in Lobethal for this final 86.9km stage. Be Safe Be Seen Stage 3 is the longest stage of the race and will require both skill and concentration as it features two unpaved sections, two sprints, and a final challenging climb only 2 kilometres from the finish. Elizabeth Nuspan, with her strength in sprinting will be a valuable asset in the sprints of this stage. With the other women looking to do well also.
Criterium
InForm TMX MAKE men will join the team on the 26th of January. The criterium will conclude the women’s racing and begin the mens. With the circuit amongst the City of Adelaide Festival Village.
The InForm TMX MAKE mens team will see, Brenton Jones, Tristan Saunders, Conor Leahy, Josh Duffy, Blake Quick, Rudy Porter and Carter Turnbull. Each of these riders put in a big effort at Nationals, collating a number of podiums for the team. All our men selected for this tour are well suited to the course and will work together very well.
Men’s Stage One
Ziptrak Stage 1 from Stirling to Lobethal is a fantastic opening stage which will see the riders get off to a speedy start as they work their way through some great Adelaide Hills roads before embarking on a fairly flat final loop around Lobethal. The men will complete a total of 114km.
Men’s Stage Two
In an exciting first for the race, this is the first ever appearance of Mt Lofty! The riders will have a beautifully scenic start at the Mount Lofty Summit Carpark before attacking some of the best roads in the Adelaide Hills.
The small climb “Quarry Road” which is just out of Woodside will be the perfect launch pad for those riders looking to steal the victory on Westpac Stage 2.
Men’s Stage Three
After the enthralling battle on one the most iconic climbs in Santos Tour Down Under history, the epic Willunga Hill climb is back. Starting at the Main Road in McLaren Vale, the peloton will fly past hectares of vineyards and along the Aldinga Beach esplanade - one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world - before the epic finisher and the iconic Willunga Hill.