Tour of Tasmania Stage 1 SBS Women's League Recap
Round 2 of the Hertz ProVelo Super League saw the riders head to sunny Launceston for the start of the Tour of Tasmania where things kicked off with a 600m Prologue in the heart of town.
Navigating the steep uphill bends of the Zig Zag track proved challenging for many and showed that even a short effort can make for a tricky start to a tour known for brutal road stages and mountain top finishes.
SBS Women's League
In the SBS women's New Zealander Georgia Waghorn (Black Magic Women's Cycling) powered through the hairpins to set the early benchmark of 1:49 - Holding steady as many riders came through the finish.
That was until Ruby Taylor riding for Team Redcat put her mountain bike background to good use, exploding out of the gate and maintaining her intensity all the way through to step into the lead, 3 seconds in front of Waghorn.
Melbourne based Sprinter Keely Bennett (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing) also put in a powerful ride splitting Taylor and Waghorn to take second place and making a statement ahead of the tours road stages ahead.
One of the general classification hopefuls Sophia Sammons posted an impressive time to take 5th on the stage, setting up the foundations of a good GC bid where she will look to do some damage in the mountains.
SBS Women's Stage 1 ITT Podium
1. Ruby Taylor (Team Redcat)
2. Keely Bennett (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing)
3. Georgia Waghorn (Black Magic Women’s Cycling)
Hertz U23 Podium
1. Ruby Taylor (Team Redcat)
2. Sophia Sammons (Team Redcat)
3. Miriam Sinnerbrink (Cycling Development Foundation)
Billigence U19 Podium
1. Chloe Bowen (ARA | Skip Capital)
2. Neve Parslow (ARA | Skip Capital)
3. Annie Kleywegt (ARA | Skip Capital)
