Day three’s race took the riders back out to the countryside, for a 90km race through Barossa (full of vineyards, though the riders perhaps didn’t get time to stop for a tipple). The QOM climb – the Whispering Wall – was ascended twice, with a downhill run to the finish again.

Temperatures were close to 40 degrees celsius, making for a testing day on the bike. Erin Kinnealy (Holden Women’s Cycling) made an attempt to breakaway early on, building up a load of 90 seconds. However, by the time the peloton reached the QOM 53km in she had been hunted down.

Orica-Scott kept the pace high in the final 12km, leaving no conclusion other than a bunch sprint that was won by Chloe Hosking (Ale) with Kirsten Wild (Cylance) in second and Alexis Ryan (Canyon//SRAM) third.

After the race Alexis Ryan said: “It was so hard. That QOM was very painful, it made the legs sting. The QOM was hard both times and Tiff and I were there in the front group. At one point I saw Kirsten Wild come flying by on the descent and I so I knew with her and Chloe Hosking both there, they’re both powerful riders, so I knew it would be hard to beat them in a sprint. It was a headwind so I didn’t want to go too early. I started the sprint third and finished in third. It’s a podium and I wish I could have won and got a better.”

Top 10: 

1 Chloe HOSKING (ALE)
2 Kirsten WILD (CPC)
3 Alexis RYAN (LPR)
4 Peta MULLENS (HBS)
5 Rebecca WIASAK (HFD)
6 Tiffany CROMWELL (LPR)
7 Chloe DYGERT (T20)
8 Susanna ZORZI (DRP)
9 Alice BARNES (DRP)
10 Julie LETH (WHT)

Stage four would decide the ultimate winner. It was a one hour hard and fast criterium over a 1.2km circuit, with an added two laps of Adelaide’s Victoria Park. As expected, temperatures were close to 40 degrees Celsius as the riders set out.

With Amanda Spratt (Orica-Scott) the GC leader, she was keen to stay in a safe position towards the front of the race throughout – accompanied by her team mates. The Orica-Scott train took control towards the end, with sprint trains dotted with other jerseys slotting in to prepare for a sprint finish.

In the end, it was Cylance Pro Cycling’s Kirsten Wild who claimed the stage victory, with home-girl Annette Edmondson (Wiggle High5) second and Chloe Hosking (Ale) third.

The final result left Spratt still in first place, with Chloe Hosking taking the sprinter’s jersey, Janneke Ensing the QOM, and Alexis Ryan of Canyon//SRAM reclaimed the Young Rider’s Jersey after attacking throughout to take intermediate points.

Ryan commented after the race: “I secured the jersey only because the girls put in the greatest efforts each time for me in the intermediate sprints. Coming in to the final sprint I went to go and nothing happened, there was nothing left. That was disappointing but for the rest I am proud of what we achieved.”

“I’m wearing the Young Rider jersey but it’s representative of what we did as a team. It was such a great feeling to have that lead out dialled the first three times. It established our dominance and all of the other teams knew that if they wanted to come around that lead out they would have to give it everything.”

Being the team’s supported rider was a big step up for Ryan – she added: “I’ve never really had that kind of support from a team. Everyone believing in, and giving all of their effort to me. There was a lot of pressure but a good pressure. It gave me confidence. I carried their confidence in to the sprint yesterday and again today.”

1 Kirsten WILD (CPC)
2 Annette EDMONDSON (WHT)
3 Chloe HOSKING (ALE)
4 Peta MULLENS (HBS)
5 Grace GARNER (WHT)
6 Chloe DYGERT (T20)
7 Gretchen STUMHOFER (T20)
8 Anna TREVISI (ALE)
9 Alexis RYAN (LPR)
10 Katrin GARFOOT (ORS)