Cycling: Amanda Spratt the queen of the Tour

Amanda Spratt is the undisputed queen of the Santos Tour Down Under.

Tour winner Amanda Spratt, left, and teammate Sarah Roy. Picture: Sarah Reed

Amanda Spratt is the undisputed queen of the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under.

The 31-year-old Australian claimed her third Tour when she stayed safe and sound in a sizzling hot peloton that suffered from the 34C heat during the 42.5km race yesterday.

The Mitchelton-Scott two-time national road champion was well protected by her team during the women’s finale on the Adelaide street circuit before Chloe Hosking claimed stage 4.

“I’m much more excited than the crit (criterium) last year. I stayed upright and it was really fun to be out there and try to help out (sprint jersey leader Sarah) Roy,’’ Spratt said. “Everyone on my team is strong in their own right and when we really come together for a team goal, everyone is just executing it and committing and it’s wonderful to be a part of.”

The women bore the brunt of the afternoon sun as they negotiated 25 laps of the 1.7km circuit. And there was drama.

As Rachel Neylan, 36, was jostling for a second sprint position, she crashed heavily to dash her hopes of beating Spratt in the general classification.

The UniSA rider tangled with Tour Down Under stage 1 winner Letizia Paternoster, her teammate Tayler Wiles and Britain’s Alice Cobb.