New Zealand rising star Ally Wollaston (FDJ – Suez) put her sprinting prowess on show today, winning the first-ever Surf Coast Classic – Women
The event, which is supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria, follows a point-to-point format, with the women following a 118km course which took them through the spectacular Surf Coast and ocean backdrop, thundering along from Lorne to Torquay.
In a bunch sprint to the finish, Wollaston crossed the finish line in first place ahead of Chloé Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) and Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco).
Click here to watch the full highlights
The race was a highly controlled affair throughout, with the 10km climb being a crucial moment of the race where teams opted for an open style of racing, which allowed teams to look after their riders.
Teams wanted to be aggressive but sprint teams would not send their riders to negate these opportunities. With 20km to the finish line it was clear it was going to be a bunch sprint, with teams preparing for this.
The top three consisted of some of the best up-and-coming sprinters, with the race in the end being heavily suited to this style of racing
Top Race Results:
- Ally Wollaston (FDJ – Suez)
- Chloé Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto)
- Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco)
- Clara Copponi (Lid l-Trek)
- Alex Manly (AG Insurance – Soudal Team)
Click here for full results
Q&A from Ally Wollaston (FDJ – Suez)
Congratulations – how nice was it to see it all come together today and claim the win?
“Yeah so nice, I think a bit of bad luck but also some bad decision making in South Australia, so to come away with the win today is really nice and I felt the belief in my team today, it was a real collective effort to get the win.”
Give us a bit of a picture of how the race played out throughout the day.
“I felt really strong today and I think in the last few races I’ve struggled mentally, I think to stay attentive and to be confident that I’m good enough to be there in the final was key. It was perfect until the end and we’re happy to have this victory.”
There was a huge fight for positioning going into key moments and then maybe less action than what was expected, can you talk us through that?
“I think the wind wasn’t quite strong enough today and it wasn’t particularly in the right direction, today the sections that were dangerous weren’t long enough, maybe if a team had fully committed things would be different.”
That last stretch, what was going through your head and how did it play out in your eyes?
“Yeah it was super stressful, the last five kilometers from the right hand turn to the descent to the roundabout was really stressful and there was a really strong attack from one of the riders. My teammates are really good and were saying just stay calm, we’ve got time and they brought me up. I was maybe third or fourth at the most critical part of the race, so it’s really nice to have teammates out there that keep me calm even if we are out of position.”
Q&A from Chloé Dygert (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto)
Can we get your thoughts and feelings on the last few kilometers of the race?
“That was super ideal for me, the faster and harder and the more strong it is, the better for me. I don’t know if I would have beaten Ally if I had a lead out, but it was fast and people were out of the way, so that’s good for me.”
“I think positioning, especially if there’s a lot of crosswinds and wind. I think we have to make sure that we’re smart and making the right decisions as a team, making sure that we’re staying together and staying safe.”Q&A from Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco)Exciting finish – how did you find it?
“I’m really happy, to pull off another podium result for the team and for the girls they worked really hard for me today, so I’m really happy.”How did you find the course, especially the ending?
“The course was really good it was a solid course, it could have played out in any way today, we had the 10-kilometer climb at the start and that was really solid, there were lots of attacks and it was one of those days where it just didn’t stop, always had to be concentrating. The final five kilometers it happened so fast, but I felt super calm with the team, they delivered me really well today and I’m really happy.”