Amanda Spratt dominant in stage two win at the Women’s Tour Down Under

Two-time Women’s Tour Down Under champion Amanda Spratt is back in the Ochre jersey after a convincing win in the second stage of the event at Mengler Hill.

Defending champion Amanda Spratt celebrates after winning Stage 2 of the Santos Women´s Tour Down Under. Picture: Tim de Waele/Getty Images

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Defending Women’s Tour Down Under champion Amanda Spratt has sent a message to the rest of the competition after a convincing Stage Two win at Mengler Hill: catch me if you can.

With 1km left in Friday’s race, Spratt had jumped to a 75m lead on second placed teammate Lucy Kennedy and third placed American Krista Doebel-Hickok (Rally UHC Cycling) and with her eventual win also claimed the Tour’s Ochre Leader’s Jersey.

Spratt won the Novatech Stage 2 race from Nuriootpa to Mengler Hill — a distance of 116.7km — in a time of 3:13.20.

Amanda Spratt cools down in the Ochre jersey with team mates Saray Roy, left, and Lucy Kennedy. Picture Sarah Reed

She finished 39 seconds ahead of Kennedy after chasing her on the tough climb in the final 2km of the race.

The Mitchelton-Scott rider said she had felt like she had a good kick during the race, despite the gruelling final climb in 39C weather.

“I think the heat as well makes it harder out there, my voice is almost gone,” Spratt said on the finish line.

“The girls did such an amazing job the whole way in.

Rebecca Wiasak of Team UniSA-Australia and Deborah Paine of Vantage New Zealand during a breakaway on Stage 2 between Nuriootpa to Mengler Hill, Angaston. Picture: Tim de Waele/Getty Images

“We had Grace (Brown) who did the work in the last set of three-kilometres before the climb, and Lucy (Kennedy) hit it and I just got instruction to attack and bring no one with me, so that’s what I did.”

Spratt said the victory was the result of good team work.

“Obviously, it’s a great day for us and it will put us in a great GC (general classification) position,” she said.

“We’ll have to rest a little bit, celebrate a tiny bit and get ready for tomorrow.

“I’m so proud.”

🏁 Novatech Stage 2 FINISH
🥇 Spratt (MTS)
🥈 Kennedy (MTS)
🥉 Doebel-Hickok (RLW)
🔶 Spratt (MTS)
🔵 Roy (MTS)
👑 Quagliotto (ALE)
⚪ Gunning (UNS) #tourdownunder #wtdu

— Santos Tour Down Under 🚴🚴‍♀️ (@tourdownunder) January 11, 2019

Spratt, who now holds the Ochre leader’s jersey with a time of 6:23.38, said Subaru Stage Three, which will take riders through the Adelaide Hills across a distance of 104.5km, would again be gruelling for riders.

“Tomorrow will be a hard day, so we’re just going to have to make sure that we’re recovering well and be ready,” she said.

Stage Three will see the Tour start in Nairne at 10am and then make its way through Littlehampton, Balhannah and Oakbank before heading toward Hahndorf.

After a sprint through Echunga and a Queen of the Mountain climb in Greenhills Range, there will be a loop through Stirling, Heathfield and Aldgate.