Ally Triumphs in Santos Tour Down Under After Impressive Sprint

Ally Wollaston delivered a glorious day for AG Insurance – Soudal by winning the first stage of the World Tour Race - Santos Tour Down Under. The stage, which took the riders from Hahndorf to Campbelltown, was a true challenge with a length of 93.9 kilometers. After a demanding course in high temperatures, Ally made the difference in the sprint, leaving her competitors behind.

With this impressive victory, Wollaston not only achieved a personal win but also captured the lead in the World Cup standings. This constitutes a double triumph for both her and for AG Insurance – Soudal, as this marks their debut as a World Tour team and they immediately secure their first victory in a World Tour race.

After the victory, Ally shared her emotions: "It's really overwhelming. This is my first year with a World Tour victory, and I'm so proud of how the team raced today. The girls supported me fantastically, and I am enormously grateful for the work they did to get me to the finish."

AG Insurance - Soudal's Technical and Sports Director, Servais Knaven, added: "Today was truly a fantastic performance. The plan was perfect. The girls helped each other excellently and brought Ally perfectly forward for the sprint. It was clear that she had the best legs today. A beautiful start to the round. Tomorrow we will try again to repeat this success, and then again on Sunday. So far, we can only be satisfied."

Regarding the challenges lying ahead in the next stages, Ally said: “Tomorrow will be a tough stage. It will be a day full of climbing, but we are ready to do our best to protect the jersey and support our climbers. We have several strong riders in the team, and we will do everything we can to keep the jersey.”

“It feels really great. This is my third year with this team, and I've been with them all the way, from the start in the U23 team, and now our first races as a World Tour team. I am really proud to have achieved the victory today for the team. I love this team and believe in the development and structure we have. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. This is a great start and hopefully instills a lot of confidence in our team," said Ally.