A momentous start in Australia
In their first team race of the year, Heidi Franz, Leigh Ann Ganzar, Sara Poidevin, and Krista Doebel-Hickok, banned together to look after and deliver Chloe Hosking into the stage 1 finale of the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under. Hosking unleashed her sprint to win stage 1 convincingly and move into the overall race lead.
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- Kristabel Doebel-Hickok arrived in Australia looking to improve on last year’s fourth place overall.
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- Leigh Ann Ganzar suiting up for her first race with the team.
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- Sara Poidevin laser-focused during the pre-race meeting led by team director Joanne Kiesanowski.
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- Hosking giving a local television interview.
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- Opening kilometers of stage 1.
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- Santa took time out from his holiday to watch the race.
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- Poidevin at the head of the bunch.
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- Ganzar took a massive pull inside the final 3 km to reel in the solo leader and help set up the field sprint for Hosking.
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- A few locals tried keeping up with the ladies. It didn’t work out.
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- A powerful sprint for a resounding victory. Hosking wins the first UCI stage of the season.
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- Plenty of time to post up for the home crowd favorite.
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- What good is a victory if you can’t share it with your friends.
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- All the feels.
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- When everyone is commited to the same goal, everyone wins.
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- There is truly nothing like it. The joy of victory.
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- This is a pretty standard face for Heidi Franz.
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- Blue sprinter’s looks great but not as good as the leader’s ochre jersey!
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- Hosking now leads the overall by 4 seconds.
