As a house race, there isn’t a query that the Women’s Tour Down Under is all the time a giant goal for Liv AlUla Jayco, however after successful the primary 4 editions there was considerably of a drought for the Australian squad by current years. However, when the course was introduced final yr they quickly noticed a rider who might ship a chance to place them again within the chase – Dutch rider Silke Smulders.
It was Australian riders that had pushed the group’s earlier successes – most notably three-time winner Amanda Spratt who has moved to Lidl-Trek –however this time it wasn’t residence rider that appeared their finest probability.
Particularly with a double ascent of Willunga Hill on the menu on stage 2, the group was seeking to New Zealand’s Ella Wyllie and Smulders. Wyllie was returning after having taken seventh general in 2024 however for Smulders, it was all new territory, however territory that clearly suited her nonetheless.
“Silke confirmed final season how sturdy she is, significantly on the finish of the season together with her outcome at Simac, virtually pulling up a win within the final stage,” co-sports director on the race for the group Jess Allen informed Cyclingnews, referencing stage 6 the place Smulders was out the entrance solo earlier than being caught on the road.
“As quickly as we bought the course profile for the Tour Down Under, we thought that the Willunga stage really suited her fairly properly,” added Allen after the ultimate stage. “We spoke to her. We spoke to her coach, and it was all methods go.
“She was actually eager to return over right here, we flew her out earlier as properly. She really got here to Perth when the women bought there two weeks in the past now and did some extra warmth preparation there, acclimatised to the time and climate, which I feel is tremendous essential.”
The 23-year-old Smulders, who joined the Australian squad on account of the group’s merger with Liv Racing, had confirmed her worth as a domestique, significantly in supporting skilled climber Mavi Garcia. This was her time to have the group working for her as a substitute.
“It’s an actual honour as a result of you realize that, as an Australian group, this is likely one of the most essential races of the yr as a result of it is our, I’m a bit Australian now, so it is our residence floor and when you get chosen for that, it is not for nothing,” mentioned Smulders.
She clearly repaid the religion, with the complete help of Liv-AlUla-Jayco thrown behind her on Saturday when it turned clear, as she made the elite group of round 14 that crested on the lead after the primary Willunga climb, that she had the legs to ship. Then within the second ascent, Smulders performed a cool-headed hand, following the strikes till she broke away with EF Education-Oatly’s Noemi Rüegg. The Swiss rider beat her to the road however Smulders had simply landed her first ever Women’s WorldTour podium with second on the stage.
She additionally claimed second on the general, and there have been simply 15 seconds between her and the chief’s jersey so abruptly the Australian group was again within the recreation on the Women’s Tour Down Under. Ochre was tantalising shut because the race headed towards a troublesome 105.9km finale that included 2,142m of elevation acquire and scorching temperatures so as to add to the problem.
“It’s an Australian group, so we need to come right here to win,” Allen, who has ridden 5 editions of the race, informed Cyclingnews earlier than the beginning of stage 3. “And we knew Silke was going to have ripper type coming in to right here and we had been focusing on this together with her so yesterday was an outstanding journey by her and as we speak we simply need to make sure that we safe that second place on GC and if we are able to try to make it one higher, we are going to.”
Still, with a larger-than-expected main group coming into the ultimate lap of 5 and a strong defence from EF Education-Oatly there was little, regardless of their finest efforts, that Liv-AlUla-Jayco might do to take the chief’s ochre jersey off Rüegg’s again.
Second, nonetheless, wasn’t nothing.
Second was one of the best outcome the Australian group has had since they final received in 2019 with Spratt and second can even ship the hope and confidence to chase first.
“The group actually imagine in Silke and and he or she’s additionally believing in herself. It was an outstanding journey that she did yesterday and as we speak so we’re excited to see what the longer term holds for her, “ mentioned Allen.
