Roseman-Gannon wins final stage and overall at the Santos Festival of Cycling
Roseman-Gannon wins final stage and overall at the Santos Festival of Cycling
After runner-up finishes on the first two stages of the Santos Festival of Cycling, Ruby Roseman-Gannon (BikeExchange-Jayco) went one better on Tuesday’s final stage of the three-stage race.
In a reduced bunch sprint into Lobethal, 23-year-old Roseman-Gannon was the beneficiary of a textbook lead-out from her BikeExchange-Jayco teammates before sprinting to a comfortable stage victory. Australian champion Nicole Frain (Roxsolt Liv SRAM) took second – her third podium finish in as many days – while Roseman-Gannon’s final lead-out rider Georgia Baker held on for third place.
The day’s racing was punctuated by several promising breakaways that got clear at various times. Frain attacked solo with around 70 km remaining in the 86 km stage and was later joined by Roseman-Gannon, Georgie Howe (Knights of Suburbia), and Baker – all of the eventual podium finishers up the road.
They were soon caught, before Lizzy Young (Butterfields) got away on the longest-lived escape of the entire tour. Young led solo until just under 10 km to go when, after a long chase from Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco), she was reeled in on the first of two short gravel sectors.
Grace Brown (Garmin-Australia) tried to get away on the gravel but was unsuccessful, and ultimately it was a reduced peloton that reached Lobethal ahead of the final sprint.
In that sprint, Roseman-Gannon had three BikeExchange-Jayco teammates on lead-out duties: guest rider Amber Pate, Alex Manly, and Baker. And when it came time to sprint, Roseman-Gannon surged clear to an impressive win.
Roseman-Gannon’s consistent placings, both in stage finishes and in intermediate sprints, also gave her overall victory in the Festival of Cycling. Frain was second overall, ahead of stage-two winner Maeve Plouffe (ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast).
The Santos Festival of Cycling is a domestic-level stage race that, for the second year running, is replacing the COVID-affected Santos Tour Down Under. The men’s three-day race will be held from Thursday to Sunday.
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