Road racing is back, and Sarah Van Dam had a good first race with her new squad, German WorldTeam CERATIZIT-WNT Pro Cycling Team. She moves up from the now-defunct American Conti team, DNA Pro Cycling.
The three-day stage race, the Santos Down Under, concluded Sunday with Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) taking the overall win as well as points. Van Dam finished third in the points competition, thanks to a fourth on stage 1, and 11th on Stage 2–featuring the notorious Willunga Hill–and fifth on the final stage.
A solid start to season
“It was a great start for our team, especially considering it was our first race together. With five out of six riders being new to the team this year, there was a lot of excitement and energy going into the race. The two stages that involved sprints were quite different, and honestly, our original plan for Stage 1 was for me to be part of the lead-out, not be the sprinter,” she said.
Van Dam said that every race has a plan, but you have to adapt and take the opportunities that arise. For her team, they did the unexpected—Daniek Hengeveld won the first stage with a long solo breakaway.
Stage 1 gambit
“When the peloton arrived at the finish, we decided amongst those there that I should go for the sprint. I took the opportunity, but honestly, I sprinted from too far back and had to navigate a bit of chaos. It ended up being a long sprint, so I managed to gain a few places as others began to fade towards the line.”
As far as her fifth place, Stage 3, the finish was at the top of a 9km rolling climb with an uphill drag to the line. Unfortunately, her teammate dropped her chain just 3km from the finish, but until that point, they were at the front. “From there, I focused on staying in a good position and finding strong wheels to follow. I got boxed in a bit and had to take the long way around the final bend, but I crossed the line in 5th.”
The queen stage and the brutal Willunga Hill
Willunga Hill has made the Australian race the queen stage every year. It’s very steep, and given the hot temperatures, can be a challenge for even the seasoned racer.
“I came to Australia a bit earlier than the team to adjust to the time zone and heat. It took me a while to feel comfortable on the bike, and I only had a few good training days before the race began, but thankfully, my body came around just in time. Arriving early also allowed me to preview parts of the course, including Willunga, and after riding it, I…
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