After staying with the best riders on the two climbs of Challambra, New Zealander Ally Wollaston decisively won the reduced sprint that decided the eighth edition of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race Women. The 24-year-old from FDJ Suez - who had won the Surf Coast Classic on Wednesday - today beat Karlijn Swinkels of UAE Team ADQ, Swiss rider Noemi Rüegg of EF Education-Oatly, and Chloé Dygert of CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, who finished in that order at the end of 141 kilometers of racing. A good result for Trentino's Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health), who finished in ninth position.

THE RACE REPORT - The first sixty kilometers of the race went by with timid breakaway attempts by Kim Cadzow (EF Education-Oatly) and other athletes. Just after the first half of the race - with the final circuit and the two climbs of Challambra still far away - a dozen athletes moved to the front: Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health) Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ), Clara Copponi (Lidl – Trek), Maike van der Duin (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Kristýna Burlová (CERATIZIT), Eugénie Duval (FDJ – SUEZ), Ally Wollaston (FDJ – SUEZ), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco), Josie Talbot (Liv AlUla Jayco), Nicole Steigenga (AG Insurance - Soudal Team), Lauren Bates (Australian National Team) and Kim Cadzow (EF Education-Oatly).

This brief action was followed by the attack of 20-year-old Dutch rider Babette van der Wolf (EF Education-Oatly) and Norwegian Stine Dale (Team Coop – Repsol) who quickly gained a significant advantage.

On a very open stretch of road, aided by crosswinds, AG Insurance - Soudal forced the pace, breaking the peloton and forcing several teams to chase. Once calm returned, it was mainly the Lidl Trek riders who set the pace of the chase. At the foot of the first Challambra climb, the group increased its speed, fighting for positions with Lidl Trek, Uno X, and Team Picnic PostNL at the front. As soon as the climb began, Babette van der Wolf lost the wheels of her companion, and thus Norwegian Dale crested first at the top of Challambra.

With 25 kilometers to go, van der Wolf was caught by the group, from which Maike van der Duin (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Amber Pate (Liv AlUla Jayco), and Anouska Koster (Uno-X Mobility) tried to counter-attack. At the bell, Stine Dale was reported to be 10" ahead, which quickly came back together.

Approaching the second climb of the day, CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto ignited the battle with Cromwell's attacks. EF, Picnic PostNL, FDJ Suez, and Lidl Trek were not idle and fought to select the group.

At the mountain grand prix of Challambra, Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl – Trek) crested first; on her wheel jumped Elise Chabbey (FDJ – SUEZ) and Silke Smulders (Liv AlUla Jayco), followed by about a dozen other athletes. Just before the last kilometer, Mie Bjørndal Ottestad (Uno-X Mobility) attacked, but the race was decided by Ally Wollaston's powerful sprint, allowing her to celebrate her tenth career victory and be awarded on the podium by Paris 2024 Olympic time trial champion Grace Brown.

Also on the day's podium were: Eleonora Ciabocco, best young rider and winner of the Gerry Ryan Award, Stine Dale, winner of the most combative prize and the Mapei jersey, and Niamh Fisher-Black as the climbing classification winner.

Among the less pleasant notes of the day was the crash that forced Justine Ghekiere to retire: the AG Insurance - Soudal Team athlete hit a guardrail at a narrow point before a bridge and was thrown from her bicycle. An athlete from St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93 WE was also involved in the incident.

FINAL STANDINGS

1 WOLLASTON Ally FDJ - SUEZ 03:59:43

2 SWINKELS Karlijn UAE Team ADQ ,,

3 RÜEGG Noemi EF Education-Oatly ,,

4 DYGERT Chloé CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto ,,

5 SMULDERS Silke Liv AlUla Jayco ,,

6 EDWARDS Ruth Human Powered Health ,,

7 FISHER-BLACK Niamh Lidl - Trek ,,

8 MIERMONT Dilyxine CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team ,,

9 MALCOTTI Barbara Human Powered Health ,,

10 OTTESTAD Mie Bjørndal Uno-X Mobility 00:02

11 CHABBEY Elise FDJ - SUEZ 00:03

12 KRAAK Amber FDJ - SUEZ ,,

13 SPRATT Amanda Lidl - Trek 00:11

14 TOWERS Alice CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto 00:15

15 WŁODARCZYK Dominika UAE Team ADQ 00:30

16 MANLY Alexandra AG Insurance - Soudal Team 00:37

17 NELSON Josie Team Picnic PostNL ,,

18 ROY Sarah EF Education-Oatly ,,

19 WYLLIE Ella Liv AlUla Jayco ,,

20 CIABOCCO Eleonora Team Picnic PostNL 00:42

21 GRANGIER India Team Coop - Repsol 00:49

22 MAGNALDI Erica UAE Team ADQ ,,

23 HAUGSET Sigrid Ytterhus Team Coop - Repsol ,,

24 VAN DE VELDE Julie AG Insurance - Soudal Team ,,

25 BARBIERI Rachele Team Picnic PostNL 01:03

26 SCHWEINBERGER Kathrin Human Powered Health ,,

27 KOSTER Anouska Uno-X Mobility ,,

28 MASETTI Gaia AG Insurance - Soudal Team ,,

29 FITYUS Lucie St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93 WE ,,

30 ALONSO Sandra CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team ,,