Santos_Women's_Tour
Women's Tour Down Under
Cycling race in Australia
The Women's Tour Down Under (known for sponsorship reasons as the Santos Women's Tour Down Under) is an annual professional road bicycle racing for women in Australia.[1] It is held in conjunction with the Tour Down Under.
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | January |
| Region | Australia |
| Local name(s) | Santos Women's Tour Down Under |
| Discipline | Road |
| Competition |
|
| Type | Stage race |
| Organiser | Events South Australia |
| Race director | Stuart O'Grady |
| Web site | tourdownunder |
| History | |
| First edition | 2016 |
| Editions | 7 (as of 2024) |
| First winner |  Katrin Garfoot (AUS) |
| Most wins | Amanda Spratt (AUS) (3 wins) |
| Most recent | Sarah Gigante (AUS) |
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From 2016, it was rated as UCI 2.2, from 2018 as UCI 2.1.,[2] from 2020 Women's UCI ProSeries [3] and from 2022 UCI Women's World Tour.[4]
Women's racing at the Tour Down Under began in the late 2000s as a series of exhibition criterium races in conjunction with the Tour Down Under event (for example, at the 2007 Tour Down Under). This eventually formed part of the women's National Road Series (2015), with these races variously operating under guises deriving from the parent event's name.
In 2016, organisers developed a new UCI-classified event that carried the 'Women's Tour' name, and was ranked as a new UCI 2.2. stage race with international teams invited to compete. The event considers the 'Women's Tour Down Under' as having started in 2016.[5][6]
Originally called the 'Santos Women's Tour' the first race was won by former Australian Champion Katrin Garfoot. From 2018, the race leaders and overall winner are awarded an Ochre Jersey as has been the tradition in the men's event since 2006. In 2018, organisers announced that equal prize money would be awarded to the winners of the Tour Down Under and Women's Tour Down Under.[7]
The three subsequent races were won by Amanda Spratt, and in 2020 Ruth Winder became the first non-Australian and non Mitchelton–Scott (women's team) rider to win the event.
The race was not held in 2021 or 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, an alternative National Road Series stage race was held under the name Festival of Cycling. The 2021 edition was won by Sarah Gigante[8] and the 2022 edition was won by Ruby Roseman-Gannon.[9]
In 2023 the race was elevated to Women's WorldTour level.[10] The 2023 edition was won by Australian cyclist Grace Brown.[11]
In 2023, Stuart O'Grady replaced Kimberley Conte as race director with the addition of two new assistant race directors Annette Edmondson and Carlee Taylor.[12]
| Year | Country | Rider | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Australia |
Katrin Garfoot | Orica–AIS | |
| 2017 | Australia |
Amanda Spratt | Orica–Scott | |
| 2018 | Australia |
Amanda Spratt | Mitchelton–Scott | |
| 2019 | Australia |
Amanda Spratt | Mitchelton–Scott | |
| 2020 |  United States |
Ruth Winder | Trek–Segafredo | |
| 2021 | No race due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2022 | No race due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||
| 2023 | Australia |
Grace Brown | FDJ–Suez | |
| 2024 | Australia |
Sarah Gigante | AG Insurance–Soudal | |
| Classification | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General |  |  | ||||
| Points |  | | ||||
| Mountains |  |  | ||||
| Youth |  | |||||
From the mid-2000s, women's racing commenced at the Tour Down Under, usually as small-scale criterium races at start and finish locations aligned to the men's race, such as part of the 2007 Tour Down Under.[13]
The inaugural professional event in 2011 was known as the Rendition Homes-Santos Women's Cup was won by Chloe Hosking.[14]
In 2012 the criterium series took place in Adelaide City,[15] Prospect[16] and Hyde Park[17] and was won by Judith Arndt.
In 2013, the Santos Women's Cup was held in Adelaide City,[18] Prospect[19] and Hyde Park[20] and was won by Kimberley Wells.
In 2014, the Santos Women's Cup was held in Adelaide City,[21] Angaston[22] and Prospect[23] and was won by Loes Gunnewijk.
In 2015, the 'Santos Women's Tour' was a four-part race as part of Cycling Australia's National Road Series with stages running from Woodside-Murray Bridge,[24] Adelaide city,[25] Tanunda-Campbelltown,[26] Victoria Park.
Previous Women's Tour & Women's Cup winners
| Year | Country | Rider | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Australia |
Chloe Hosking | HTC-Highroad |
| 2012 |  Germany |
Judith Arndt | GreenEDGE–AIS |
| 2013 | Australia |
Kimberley Wells | Specialized–Securitor |
| 2014 |  Netherlands |
Loes Gunnewijk | Orica–AIS |
| 2015 |  Italy |
Valentina Scandolara | Orica–AIS |
Classification leaders jerseys
| Classification | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | | |||
| Points | | |||
| Mountains | | |||
| Youth | | |||
- "Santos Women's Tour - General Classification". www.procyclingstats.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017.
- "Cycling Australia confirmed its UniSA-Australia women's outfit set to contest the 11- 14 January 2018 Santos Women's Tour Down Under". Cycling Central. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- "SANTOS WOMEN'S TOUR DOWN UNDER SECURES UCI ELEVATION FOR 2020". Tour Down Under. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- "Women's Race Secures UCI WorldTour Status". tourdownunder.com.au. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- "Honour Roll". Tour Down Under. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- Gailberger, Jade (21 January 2018). "Equal prize money announced for female Tour Down Under riders". Adelaide Advertiser. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- "Santos Festival of Cycling - Recap". AusCycling. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- Davies, Josh (25 January 2022). "Roseman-Gannon conquers Santos Women's Tour Down Under Festival of Cycling". AusCycling. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "WorldTour status for Women's Tour Down Under in 2023". SBS Sport. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "Grace Brown wins her first Tour Down Under title". The New Daily. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "History in motion for Santos Tour Down Under Women's Race". tourism.sa.gov.au. 15 January 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- "www.cyclingnews.com presents the UniSA Women's Criterium Series". autobus.cyclingnews.com. January 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- "Rendition Homes-Santos Women's Cup 2011". Cyclingnews. 16 January 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- Aubrey, Jane (15 January 2012). "Werner gets the win as confusion reigns in opening round of Santos Women's Cup". Cycling News. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- Hinds, Alex (16 January 2012). "Arndt laps field to take first win in GreenEdge colours". Cycling News. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- Hinds, Alex (18 January 2012). "Arndt's GreenEdge-AIS teammates do enough to unseat Werner in Hyde Park". Cycling News. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- "Wells victorious at East End in Santos Women's Cup". Cycling News. 20 January 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Hogan solos to victory Prospect Road". Cyclingnews. 21 January 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Wells wins Santos Women's Cup". Cyclingnews. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Loes Gunnewjk solos to victory". Cyclingnews. 19 January 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Amanda Spratt wins with ease". Cyclingnews. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Shara Gillow solos to final round win". Cyclingnews. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Scandolara wins opening stage of Santos Women's Tour". Cyclingnews. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Hoskins wins stage two of the Santos Women's Tour". Cyclingnews. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
- "Bronzini sprints to stage three victory at Santos Women's Tour". Cyclingnews. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2019.