Women's Tour Down Under stage 2 LIVE: Punchy course favours opportunists
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2026-01-18T02:35:39.784Z
Australian Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) has abandoned the race.
2026-01-18T02:30:13.449Z
Coming close to the halfway point on the 130km stage, the riders are feeling the heat. Aintila's gap is now 1:11 as they face the undulating terrain on their way to the three finishing circuits in Paracombe.
2026-01-18T02:23:25.824Z
Stage 1 was the first opportunity to see the 2026 jerseys for the Women’s WorldTour teams in a race. Any of them stand out?
2026-01-18T02:18:25.197Z
Aintila seemed to slip a gear but quickly got going again, keeping her gap at 1:27 with 77km to go.
2026-01-18T02:17:07.357Z
Let's hear what Jess Allen, Liv AlUla Jayco DS had to say to Cyclingnews this morning about the withdrawal of Georgia Baker:
2026-01-18T02:12:02.535Z
Kraak is keeping the gap around the 1:30 mark to the solo rider up the road, Aintila.
2026-01-18T02:06:47.213Z
Amber Kraak is back at the front of the peloton, controlling the pace once again for race leader Wollaston. She did the majority of the work yesterday too.
2026-01-18T02:04:36.181Z
Wollaston now drops back to her team car to get an ice sock from DS Lars Boom.
2026-01-18T02:01:56.409Z
Wollaston crosses the line in second place to get 2 points and a 2-second time bonus, holding off Sarah Van Dam who was third.
2026-01-18T02:00:44.526Z
Battle for the bonus seconds. Wollaston, Baril, and more fighting for position,
2026-01-18T02:00:16.530Z
Aintila takes 3 points and the 3-second time bonus seconds with a gap of 1:39 to the field at first intermediate sprint.
2026-01-18T01:59:28.520Z
World champion Magedeline Vallieres takes the front to lead out her teammate and defending champion Noemi Rüegg.
2026-01-18T01:58:02.520Z
Pink colors of EF lining up at the front one one side of the road with FDJ on the other side. Battle for time bonus seconds coming up inside of 2 km to the sprint.
2026-01-18T01:52:51.927Z
5km to the first intermediate sprint. Points and time bonus seconds are up for grabs for the first three riders to cross the line in Lobethal.
2026-01-18T01:49:02.071Z
Aintila, a 21-year-old rider from Finland, now has a 1-minute gap as the peloton is spread across the road with 94km to go.
2026-01-18T01:47:07.151Z
Temperatures are now hitting 34 Celcius, and expected to rise. Marion Brunel was at her Visma team car getting an ice sock and bottles for her teammates.
2026-01-18T01:44:09.797Z
Aintila (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) has 20 seconds on the field which seems quite happy to let her suffer off the front.
2026-01-18T01:43:10.933Z
Wilma Aintila attacks. The peloton doesn't react so she quickly calls on the radio. One guesses that she's asking if she should continue solo with 97km to go.
2026-01-18T01:41:12.477Z
Peloton is going through the first feedzone of stage 2. Riders are dumping water on themselves on a hot day of racing.
2026-01-18T01:37:07.737Z
100km to go
2026-01-18T01:34:49.909Z
Fenix's Perkins counters as soon as they are caught. More riders react.
2026-01-18T01:33:49.836Z
7 riders now in the break attempt but Visma is closing it down,
2026-01-18T01:33:21.884Z
Reaction by Adegeest who is chasing solo and connects with the duo bringing more riders with her.
2026-01-18T01:32:32.665Z
Carina Schrempf and Flora Perkins at the 2 Fenix riders trying to surprise the peloton.
2026-01-18T01:32:05.676Z
Fenix duo goes on the attack. Visma and Movistar react immediately.
2026-01-18T01:30:44.765Z
FDJ has taken up the front of the peloton monitoring the action for race leader Wollaston.
2026-01-18T01:30:03.193Z
Many riders are going to their team cars to get some bottles as the race calms down.
2026-01-18T01:28:38.086Z
After a little break in attacks, Talbot makes a move at the front, which is quickly covered. Nothing has been allowed to escape.
2026-01-18T01:25:03.648Z
Another attack by Gerritse. Immediate reaction by FDJ United-Suez, as second group on the road reconnects with peloton.
2026-01-18T01:23:03.487Z
Blasi now leads the QOM classification with 12 points, 2 more than overnight leader Vigilia. Realini is in third with 8 points.
4 more QOMs to come in stage 2.
2026-01-18T01:17:58.710Z
Team cars are going by the second group of around 11 riders on the road. They are down by over 1 minute with 113km to go.
2026-01-18T01:15:11.652Z
Vigilia is in trouble at the back of the peloton. Behind her is a second group on the road.
2026-01-18T01:13:55.436Z
SD Worx' Femke Gerritse counters with a solo attack. Looks behind her to see if anyone else will go with her.
2026-01-18T01:12:53.547Z
Attacks continue as an SD Worx rider closes the gap. Back together
2026-01-18T01:12:12.669Z
Coupland was joined by Loes Adegeest, Lauren Dickson and one more rider. Visma is leading the chase.
2026-01-18T01:10:40.117Z
Coupland is not giving up, she is joined by a few more riders as they start to pull away.
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Attack by Australian champion Mackenzie Coupland.
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Splits in the bunch at least two distinct groups.
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Blasi speeds down the descent, joined by Bradbury and more riders. Field is stretched out as they fly down.
2026-01-18T01:06:27.037Z
Realini attacks on the steepest part of the climb, Blasi counters and accelerates to get maximum points.
2026-01-18T01:05:38.845Z
Vigilia makes the first move with 600 metres to go. Realini gets on her wheel with Blasi also following.
2026-01-18T01:04:38.562Z
Vigilia is sitting on her teammate's Koster's wheel. Next to Koster is Realini and Blasi's team UAE Team ADQ is also lining up at the front with 1km to top.
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Realini accelerates once again. She is itching to get those QOM points.
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Tiffany Cromwell is falling off the pace with 2.6km to the top of the climb.
2026-01-18T01:00:59.784Z
Visma counters once again, and the pace accelerates as Koster closes the gap.
2026-01-18T01:00:07.677Z
Josie Talbot attacks for Liv AlUla Jayco. Move is quickly closed down.
2026-01-18T00:56:13.896Z
Vigilia's teammate Anouska Koster is controlling the pace at the front as the pack sees 5km to top of QOM. Koster was very active yesterday, trying to disrupt the chase.
2026-01-18T00:54:34.775Z
Alessia Vigilia (Uno-X Mobility) took the first QOM jersey after spending almost the whole stage off the front being caught in the final 300 meters. If the race was a kilometre shorter that would have been better - After nearly 100km solo Alessia Vigilia caught in sight of line at Women's Tour Down Under (https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/womens-cycling/if-the-race-was-a-kilometre-shorter-that-would-have-been-better-after-nearly-100km-solo-alessia-vigilia-caught-in-sight-of-line-at-womens-tour-down-under/)
2026-01-18T00:53:23.223Z
Pack spread across the road. Big teams represented at the front.
2026-01-18T00:51:02.031Z
All back together. And now it Fenix-Premier Tech's Lotte Claes accelerating at the front.
2026-01-18T00:49:27.063Z
Reijnhout keeps checking over her shoulder as the field is closing in on her. She has a few seconds to the pack.
2026-01-18T00:48:00.108Z
Another attack by Visma. Reijnhout tries again,
2026-01-18T00:46:50.026Z
No one was able to escape yet. Peloton back together.
2026-01-18T00:45:57.303Z
Gaia Realini closed the move down. She showed she was interested in the KOM yesterday.
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Attack
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The first challenge comes early with the first of five QOMs today, a cat 2 climb, coming just 10 kilometres after the flag drops as the riders make their way up Norton Summit Road with an average gradient of 4% and max of 12.5%. A perfect launching point for attacks.
2026-01-18T00:43:03.422Z
Go time!
Flag drop by race director Stuart O’Grady and we're out of the neutral zone and racing has started.
2026-01-18T00:42:37.196Z
Georgia Baker was covered in mud with a heavily bandaged knee and limping as she got off the bike after crossing the line yesterday. Liv AlUla Jayco announced before today’ stage that she would not take the start to focus on her recovery. The Australian Women’s WorldTour team is down to 4 riders, after Amber Pate did not start due to a training ride crash.
2026-01-18T00:42:00.574Z
The heavy crash in the closing kilometres yesterday had an impact. Rebecca Koerner (Uno-X Mobility) crossed the finish line outside the time limit. Katia Ragusa did not finish the stage, and Human Powered Health shared this update via social media
Update: Initial examinations showed Katia did not sustain any broken bones as a result of crashing on stage 1 of @tourdownunderKatia stayed in hospital overnight but is in good spirits and will have further checks today.Join us in sharing your well wishes for her recovery ❤️🩹… pic.twitter.com/5WX3SozDSJJanuary 17, 2026 (https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2012641247698047427)
2026-01-18T00:40:45.944Z
The peloton, down to 84 riders, is rolling through a very short 0.9 neutral section on its way to the official start.
2026-01-18T00:36:14.064Z
Stage 2 of the Women's Tour Down Under is set to start in just under 5 minutes. Starting in a new host city of Magill, the 130.7km stage2 has very little flat terrain. The course rolls up and down the whole way, ending in the Adelaide Hills for three kickers near the end of the stage in Paracombe.
Here’s what race director Stuart O’Grady said about stage 2: “This is a fantastic stage focused on showcasing all the Adelaide Hills has to offer. It features an aggressive Paracombe circuit which has a rich history in South Australian cycling, and the finish is a difficult uphill run, so there will be lots of opportunities for attacks and entertaining racing.”
2026-01-18T00:34:44.298Z
It's going to be a hot one!
2026-01-18T00:28:21.579Z
Stage 1 winner Ally Wollaston (FDJ United-Suez) tops the general classification with a slim 4-second lead on Josie Nelson (Picnic-PostNL) and 5 seconds on Olivia Baril (Movistar). Last year’s overall winner Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) sits fourth overall, a further one second down. There are 52 riders down 10 seconds or less on GC.
Read what Wollaston had to
