Polish cyclist Daria Pikulic, of the Human Powered Health team, is the first leader of the 2023 edition of the women’s Tour Down Under after winning the first stage of the event on Sunday, January 15. Pikulic beat French Clara Coponi, classified second, and Georgia Becker, third on the podium, in the sprint.
Daria Pikulic, first leader
The opening stage of the 2023 Women’s Tour Down Under, traveling 110.4km, braved several downpours on a day marked by strong winds. After several splits of the peloton into different groups due to poor conditions, the peloton finally regrouped to decide the sprint victory.
Pikulic was fastest, with an advantage of 4 and 6 seconds over Coponi and Baker respectively, thus taking the first leader’s jersey. I can’t believe it, it’s a dream come true. I thank my teammates, they did a great job. Today we’ll toast with champagne
The winner was declared at the end of the first stage.
The women’s edition of Tour Down Under 2023 takes place from January 15 to January 17 with three consecutive stages and a total distance of 293.6 km. The list of women’s teams is made up of a total of 13 formations: Team Jaco-Alula, Trek-Segafredo, FDJ-Suez, Human Powered Health, Israel Premier Tech, EF Education-Tibco-SVB, ST Michel-Auber 93, Team Coop-Hitec , Zaff Cycling Team, Jigsaw Skip Capital, Team Bridgelane and the Australian and New Zealand national teams.
Top-10 of the first phase
- D. Pikulic (Human Powered Health) – 3:02:51
- C. Copponi (FDK Suez) – +0:04
- Yes. Baker (Team Jaco AIUIA) – +0:06
- G. Brown (FDK Suez) – +0:07
- a. Manly (Team Jaco AIUIA) – +0:08
- R. Roseman-Gannon (Team Jaco AIUIA) – +0:09
- M. Coles-Lister (ZAAF Cycling Team) – +0:10
- a. Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) – +0:10
- A. Wollaston (New Zealand national team) – +0:10
- Of. Schmidt (Human Powered Health) – +0:10
