Photography by Con Chronis

Photo gallery: Highlights from the 2015 Santos Women’s Tour

by Jessi Braverman

Valentina Scandolara (Orica-AIS) won the inaugural Santos Women’s Tour in Adelaide on Tuesday. She launched a late race attack on the opening stage between Woodside and Murray Bridge that gave her a small advantage over the peloton on the run-in to the finish. The Italian managed to hold off the peloton to pocket a stage win and a six second advantage. She would wear the race leader’s jersey from start to finish, taking the first general classification win of her young career.

Melissa Hoskins gave Orica-AIS further reason to celebrate when she took out the second stage of the race and moved into second overall. She would finish second on stage 3 to Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Down Under). The former two-time world champion won a small group sprint in Campbelltown to deliver Wiggle’s first and only win over four stages.

Adelaide’s Victoria Park played host to the final day of the event. The women’s field put on a show for the crowd estimated at 4,000. Hoskins handily beat out Bronzini to the line. Scandolara rounded out the stage podium, confirming her overall win.

The gallery that follows includes some of our favourite images from photographer Con Chronis and tells the story of the stage race as it unfolds.

: Holden debuted their new kit at the first NRS race of the 2015 season.

: Emily Collins guest rode for SUVelo during the Santo Women’s Tour. She’ll join up with TIBCO-SVB following the Australian summer of racing.

: Valentina Scandolara (Orica-AIS) launched a perfectly timed attack on the opening stage of the Santos Women’s Tour.

: The Italian managed to hold off the peloton, crossing the line six seconds ahead of her chasers. She would maintain this lead until the final day of racing.

: Lauren Kitchen (Roxsolt) proved best of the rest, outsprinting Melissa Hoskins (Orica-AIS) for second place.

: Happy days for Australia’s only women’s UCI registered team.

: The race winning machine of Valentina Scandolara

: Melissa Hoskins was happy with her podium place on stage 1. She was released from track camp, in preparation for the upcoming 2015 Track World Championships, to join her road team at the four day series.

: Valentina Scandolara gives an interview in Murray Bridge following her stage 1 win.

: Second on the stage, Lauren Kitchen earned the green sprint jersey of points leader.

: The stage 1 podium: 1. Valentina Scandolara 2. Lauren Kitchen 3. Melissa Hoskins

: The second stage of the Santos Women’s Tour was held on the same East End Adelaide course used for the People’s Choice Classic. The women’s field enjoyed the large crowds and increased fanfare associated with the Santos Tour Down Under.

: Bridie O’Donnell (Total Rush) was active on the front of the peloton.

: Nettie Edmondson (Wiggle Down Under) snags five points in the points competition.

: The 40 minute criterium ended in a bunch kick.

: Melissa Hoskins sprinted to victory ahead of Australian national criterium champion Kimberley Wells (High5 Dream Team) and local Nettie Edmondson (Wiggle Down Under).

: The women and men shared a podium presentation in front of an estimated crowd of 90,000.

: Nettie Edmondson moved into the green sprint jersey formerly worn by Lauren Kitchen.

: Valentina Scandolara finished in the bunch to retain her race lead and six second advantage overall.

: The third stage of the Santos Women’s Tour covered roads between Tanunda to Campbelltown. The route included Checker Hill and was billed as the most selective day of the tour.

: The peloton stayed together early on before an 11 rider group escaped over Checker Hill.

: Former two-time world champion Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle Down Under) won stage three from Orica-AIS pair Melissa Hoskins and Valentina Scandolara.

: In a post race interview, Giorgia Bronzini expressed her surprise in surviving Checker Hill in the lead group.

: The stage 3 podium: 1. Gioriga Bronzini 2. Melissa Hoskins 3. Valentina Scandolara

: All smiles for the Santos Women’s Tour Down Under race leader. Valentina Scandolara heaped praise on her team for keeping her safe during the decisive day.

: The final stage of the Santos Women’s Tour was held at Adelaide’s Victoria Park

: The women’s peloton raced in front of crowds gathered in a gorgeous grandstand.

: There were three sprint laps and three KOM laps, which kept the early action animated. Nettie Edmondson (in green) and Loren Rowney (in red) both took points on these intermediate laps to solidify their hold on their respective jerseys.

: Orica-AIS controlled the 70 minute criterium from start to finish.

: Melissa Hoskins won stage 4 ahead of Giorgia Bronzini and Valentina Scandolara.

: It was the second stage win for Melissa Hoskins and the third for Orica-AIS over the four day stage race.

: Valentina Scandolara was thrilled to take a career-first general classification win.

: Orica-AIS won the team classification

Tags: 2015 Santos Women's Tour, Giorgia Bronzini, Loren Rowney, Melissa Hoskins, Nettie Edmondson, Orica-AIS, Valentina Scandolara