Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) is the new race leader after winning stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)
Francesca Barale (dsm-firmenich PostNL) takes over the best young rider jersey after stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)
Emily Watts (Australia) was named the most combative rider on stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)
Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance -Soudal) signs a fan’s shirt (Image credit: Getty Images)
High five from Lidl-Trek’s Amanda Spratt and Lauretta Hanson to a fan(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) wins stage 2 from reduced bunch sprint(Image credit: Getty Images)
Stage winner Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig are her FDj-Suez teammate Grace Brown hug after the stage(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) opens up her winning sprint on stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)
Ella Simpson (ARA - Skip Capital) in the short-lived breakaway(Image credit: Getty Images)
Lidl-Trek’s Ilaria Sanguinetti sets the pace at the front of the field(Image credit: Getty Images)
Emily Watts (Australia) launched a short-lived solo attack(Image credit: Getty Images)
Peloton spread across the road(Image credit: Getty Images)
Haylee Fuller (BridgeLane) attacks during stage 2(Image credit: Getty Images)
Leader into the stage Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance Soudal) in the peloton(Image credit: Getty Images)
Visma-Lease a Bike tried to take advantage of cross winds(Image credit: Getty Images)
Peloton raced through the Adelaide Hills(Image credit: Getty Images)
QOM leader Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health), leader into the stage Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal) at the start in Glenelg(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) won stage two of the 2024 Women's Tour Down Under in a reduced uphill sprint finish in Stirling. The Dane took a commanding win over Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM) in second and Sofia Bertizzolo (UAE Team ADQ) in third.
Stage one winner Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance – Soudal) was dropped on the approach to the line, meaning that Uttrup Ludwig also moved into the race lead with one stage to go. Bertizzolo sits in second place two seconds down and Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv AlUla Jayco) is in third a further second behind Uttrup Ludwig.
Uttrup Ludwig and the FDJ-SUEZ squad had to deal with a late change of plan in the approach to the finale but responded to great effect.
“Plan A was to sprint for Grace [Brown] and we actually had it all figured out how to do it and I was excited about that, but then Grace didn’t feel so good, so we had to change the plan and I’m just happy I could execute,” Uttrup Ludwig said after the finish.
It’s the first win of the season for the 28-year-old and she was pleased to be able to tick that box early in the year.
“It just feels so good being in Australia where my boyfriend comes from and taking a win. It’s just awesome.”
With the margins in the overall classification so tight, the race now heads for a final stage showdown on Willunga Hill. Uttrup Ludwig is looking forward to defending her lead on the iconic climb.
“I’m just excited, I’ve done it a couple of times as recon and I think it’s going to be fireworks. It should be exciting.”
How it unfolded
The longest stage in the history of the women's Tour Down Under started on the beachfront in Glenelg. 104.2 lumpy kilometres were ahead of the riders en route to a familiar leg-sapping finish in Stirling.
The tone for the day was set early on as the peloton determined to set a solid pace up the first category climb of Cherry Gardens Hill. Several riders quickly went out the back with more than 90 kilometres still to race.
Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health) continued her good form from stage one as she crested the climb first in defence of her Queen of the Mountain jersey. With the points earned here and on the other classified climb in the stage, Ragusa looks to be on the way to securing that classification at the end of the race.
Cherry Gardens Hill was just a starter for a day full of intensity. Teams were happy to keep the pace high throughout most of the stage, which foiled any attempt to form an early breakaway.
Knowing that this race is bound to be decided by a few seconds, the quicker riders with designs on overall success once again saw a chance to take advantage in the general classification at the first intermediate sprint in Meadows. It was Dominika Wlodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) who took the maximum points and bonus seconds ahead of Ruby Roseman-Gannon (Liv Jayco AlUla) and Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ).
Before entering the tough circuit around Stirling, Wlodarczyk comfortably took the second intermediate sprint ahead of Roseman-Gannon once more, making it six bonus seconds for the day from the two sprints for the young Pole. Both now sit three seconds off the lead heading for Willunga Hill on stage 3.
The pace in the peloton remained high the first time around the circuit, which meant the group stayed largely together despite a few attacks.
The climbs around Stirling are not steep, but the efforts accumulate over time and the group started to stretch and reduce in size on the second lap of three under the impetus of Lidl-Trek and FDJ-SUEZ.
With 16km to go Emily Watts (Australia) surged clear of the group and quickly built up a lead of half a minute as the road descended towards the base of the final climb.
Watts was reeled in with 8km to go and on the climb, AG Insurance-Soudal took control of the front of the peloton in support of race leader Ally Wollaston and their general classification rider Sarah Gigante.
The final kilometre seemed to take an age as the road dragged on. Several riders surged forward to the front of the ever-reducing peloton before realising that their efforts were too soon.
Uttrup Ludwig though was patient, sitting and waiting in the top-5 before kicking with 150 metres to go as the gradient flattened. Paladin was on her wheel, but couldn’t respond to the FDJ-SUEZ rider’s acceleration and the Dane took victory by a few bike-lengths on a finish perfectly suited to her characteristics.
Uttrup Ludwig will now wear the ochre jersey on the race’s final battle up Willunga Hill on the third and final stage.
