Italian sprinter Letizia Paternoster wins Stage 1 of the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under with bunch kick into Birdwood

Italian cyclist Letizia Paternoster has given Trek-Segafredo’s women’s team a dream start by winning its debut international race in the opening stage of the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under.

Trek-Segafredo Letizia Paternoster wins Stage 1 of the Womens Santos Tour Down Under from Hahndorf to Birdwood. Picture SARAH REED

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Italian cyclist Letizia Paternoster gave Trek-Segafredo’s women’s team a dream start by winning its debut international race in the opening stage of the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under.

The 19-year-old world championship medallist on the track out-sprinted a world-class peloton in Birdwood to beat Australian Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott) and Cuban Arlenis Sierra after 112.9km on Thursday.

Trek-Segafredo cyclist Letizia Paternoster shows off the ochre jersey after winning stage one of this year’s Women’s Tour Down Under. Picture Sarah Reed

She was too powerful at the finish and won by two bike-lengths to take the leader’s jersey going into a decisive stage two uphill finish at Mengler Hill on Friday.

“When I went, I thought I was closer to the finish line, and when I saw it was still 250m to go, I wanted to die a little,” Paternoster said.

“I am so happy to have pulled it off. This is really an amazing day for me - it’s only my second year as a professional rider. To start out with the new team, and the first race of the team like this, is really, really great.

“I want to thank Lauretta (Hanson) who brought me in a perfect way to the finish line, but also the rest of the team – we really rode together as a team today and it was just awesome to finish it off like that and take the leader’s jersey on top is a nice bonus.”

🏁 Ziptrak® Stage 1 FINISH
🥇 Paternoster (TRS)
🥈 Roy (MTS)
🥉 Sierra (ASA)
🔵 Roy (MTS)
👑 Quagliotto (ALE)
⚪ Patenoster (TRS) #tourdownunder #wtdu

— Santos Tour Down Under 🚴🚴‍♀️ (@tourdownunder) January 10, 2019

The sprinter-friendly stage from Hahndorf played out as expected and no breakaway was established on the short and fast journey to Birdwood.

Stage 1 winner Letizia Paternoster is mobbed by her Trek-Segafredo team mates after her win Picture: SARAH REED

Mitchelton-Scott was in a good position coming into the finish but Roy was unable to respond to Paternoster’s power in the final few hundred metres.

“The girls did an amazing lead out. It was so great that maybe I was a bit too relaxed because the lead out was so awesome,” said Roy, who finished third at the national championships last weekend.

“I was just really chilled on the wheel and I saw Trek coming on my right side and thought ‘oh I better go’. I left it too late but it’s super promising.

“We’re pretty happy with second. It’s not the win but it’s always a bit of a dramatic first race for the peloton coming in after a while of not racing in the off-season.

“There’s a few new teams and riders getting used to each other but for us as a team that (was) our first order of a lead out and it’s promising.

The peloton bursts out of Lobethal on Stage 1 of the Women’s Tour Down Under. Picture Sarah Reed

“My goal was just to stick on my teammate Gracie’s (Elvin) wheel. I wasn’t looking too far ahead, I just had 100 per cent confidence in my team and that was the right thing to do because we are pretty happy with that result.”

The four-stage women’s tour continues with 116.7km from Nuriootpa to Mengler Hill on Friday which is set to shake up the general classification contenders.

Stage three is 104.5km from Nairne to Stirling on Saturday and Stage four a criterium in the city on Sunday afternoon.

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