Ally Wollaston (FDJ United-Suez) opened the 2026 Women's WorldTour season with a stage win at the Santos Tour Down Under, catching long-range attacker Alessia Vigilia (Uno-X Mobility) inside the final 300 metres on Lower Willunga Hill to claim both the stage and the ochre jersey.
Josie Nelson (Picnic-PostNL) and Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime) completed the podium from the reduced bunch, with the top 20 finishing on the same time.
Results
Willunga • Jan 17 • 137.4km
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Ally Marée Wollaston | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | 3:28:31 |
| 🥈 | Josie Nelson | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +00 |
| 🥉 | Femke Gerritse | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +00 |
| 4 | Noemi Rüegg | EF EDUCATION - OATLYEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +00 |
| 5 | Sarah van Dam | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 6 | Marta Lach | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +00 |
| 7 | Fien van Eynde | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +00 |
| 8 | Sophie Edwards | UnknownUnknown | +00 |
| 9 | Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas | UAE TEAM ADQUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 10 | Dominika Wlodarczyk | UAE TEAM ADQUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 11 | Margaux Vigie | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 12 | Chloe Dygert | CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTOCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 13 | Nina Buijsman | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +00 |
| 14 | Nicole Steigenga | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +00 |
| 15 | Maud Oudeman | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 16 | Lauren Dickson | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 17 | Ella Wyllie | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
| 18 | Amanda Spratt | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 19 | Paula Blasi Cairol | UAE TEAM ADQUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 20 | Olivia Baril | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 21 | Mireia Benito Pellicer | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +00 |
| 22 | Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Bjerg | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 23 | Teuntje Beekhuis | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 24 | Gaia Realini | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 25 | Justyna Czapla | CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTOCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 26 | Marion Bunel | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 27 | Erica Magnaldi | UAE TEAM ADQUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 28 | Ricarda Bauernfeind | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 29 | Neve Summer Bradbury | CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTOCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 30 | Lotte Claes | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +00 |
| 31 | Rosita Reijnhout | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 32 | Tully Schweitzer | UnknownUnknown | +00 |
| 33 | Josie Talbot | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
| 34 | Claire Steels | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 35 | Magdeleine Vallieres Mill | EF EDUCATION - OATLYEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +00 |
| 36 | Anouska Koster | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 37 | Alice Towers | EF EDUCATION - OATLYEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +00 |
| 38 | Tiffany Cromwell | CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTOCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 39 | Amber Kraak | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 40 | Julie van de Velde | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +00 |
| 41 | Léa Curinier | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 42 | Floortje Mackaij | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 43 | Flora Perkins | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +00 |
| 44 | Marie le Net | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 45 | Loes Adegeest | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 46 | Maggie Coles-Lyster | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +21 |
| 47 | Alessia Vigilia | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +21 |
| 48 | Henrietta Christie | EF EDUCATION - OATLYEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +21 |
| 49 | Stina Kagevi | EF EDUCATION - OATLYEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +29 |
| 50 | Mikayla Harvey | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +29 |
| 51 | Petra Stiasny | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +29 |
| 52 | Alexandra Grace Manly | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +29 |
| 53 | Mackenzie Coupland | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +29 |
| 54 | Marit Raaijmakers | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +37 |
| 55 | Carina Schrempf | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +41 |
| 56 | Julie de Wilde | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +41 |
| 57 | Xaydee van Sinaey | FENIX-PREMIER TECHFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +41 |
| 58 | Barbara Guarischi | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +45 |
| 59 | Alyssa Polites | UnknownUnknown | +45 |
| 60 | Lucia Ruiz Perez | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +45 |
| 61 | Juliana Londoño David | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +45 |
| 62 | Gaia Masetti | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +45 |
| 63 | Anya Louw | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +1:02 |
| 64 | Alena Ivanchenko | UAE TEAM ADQUAE TEAM ADQ | +1:02 |
| 65 | Paula Ostiz Taco | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 66 | Francesca Pellegrini | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +1:13 |
| 67 | Carlotta Cipressi | HUMAN POWERED HEALTHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +00 |
| 68 | Lauretta Hanson | LIDL - TREKLIDL - TREK | +1:16 |
| 69 | Martina Fidanza | TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKETEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +1:16 |
| 70 | Sofia Bertizzolo | FDJ UNITED - SUEZFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +1:26 |
| 71 | Carys Lloyd | MOVISTAR TEAMMOVISTAR TEAM | +1:31 |
| 72 | Ella Heremans | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +1:37 |
| 73 | Julia Kopecký | TEAM SD WORX - PROTIMETEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +1:41 |
| 74 | Becky Storrie | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +1:41 |
| 75 | Anne Dorthe Ysland | UNO-X MOBILITYUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 76 | Fauve Bastiaenssen | AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAMAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +1:41 |
| 77 | Lucie Fityus | TEAM PICNIC POSTNLTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +1:50 |
| 78 | Brodie Chapman | UAE TEAM ADQUAE TEAM ADQ | +2:08 |
| 79 | Soraya Paladin | CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTOCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 80 | Wilma Aintila | CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTOCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 81 | Anna Dubier | UnknownUnknown | +5:51 |
| 82 | Amelie Sanders | UnknownUnknown | +5:51 |
| 83 | Hannah Gianatti | UnknownUnknown | +6:40 |
| 84 | Ruby Roseman-Gannon | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
| 85 | Georgia Baker | LIV-ALULA-JAYCOLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
How the race unfolded
Vigilia attacked with approximately 100km remaining, building a maximum advantage of around three and a half minutes and sweeping maximum points on both QOM ascents of Lower Willunga. The route had been altered in 2026 meaning the riders would not take on the full ascent of Willunga Hill. FDJ United-Suez responded by placing Amber Kraak on the front early, stabilising the gap.
Olivia Baril (Movistar) had already secured three bonus seconds at the Snapper Point intermediate sprint, explaining her third place on GC despite finishing outside the top 10 on stage.
Image credits: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
The gap fell to 1'25" with 20km remaining. Two crashes inside the final 5km disrupted the peloton, involving Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM-Zondacrypto) and Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health), though the main contenders stayed clear.
Vigilia entered the final kilometre with a slim lead, but Wollaston accelerated on the 400m uphill drag to pass her before the line.
"I didn't feel great. I was actually really anxious," Wollaston said after the race finish. "The girls were amazing and they put me where I had to be. We didn't want a repeat of last year so we put Amber on the front early."
On defending the jersey: "It'll be silly not to try. I think I'll go all in tomorrow."
Stage 2 covers 130.7km from Magill to Paracombe with another uphill finish. The GC gaps are tight, with 10 seconds covering the top 14. Baril, Gerritse and Marta Lach (SD Worx-Protime) are all within 10 seconds of Wollaston.
Read our guide for details on how to watch Santos Women's Tour Down Under's remaining stages
Cover image credit: Zac Williams/SWpix.com
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