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.
Stage 1 Results
Willunga • Jan 17 • 137.4km
| Pos | Rider | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Ally Marée WOLLASTON | FDJFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | 3:28:31 |
| 🥈 | Josie NELSON | TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +00 |
| 🥉 | Femke GERRITSE | SDWTEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +00 |
| 4 | Noemi RÜEGG | EFOEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +00 |
| 5 | Sarah VAN DAM | TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 6 | Marta LACH | SDWTEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +00 |
| 7 | Fien VAN EYNDE | APTFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +00 |
| 8 | Sophie EDWARDS | UNKUnknown | +00 |
| 9 | Margarita Victoria GARCIA CAÑELLAS | UADUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 10 | Dominika WLODARCZYK | UADUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 11 | Margaux VIGIE | TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 12 | Chloe DYGERT | CSZCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 13 | Nina BUIJSMAN | HPHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +00 |
| 14 | Nicole STEIGENGA | AGSAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +00 |
| 15 | Maud OUDEMAN | TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 16 | Lauren DICKSON | FDJFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 17 | Ella WYLLIE | LIVLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
| 18 | Amanda SPRATT | LTKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 19 | Paula BLASI CAIROL | UADUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 20 | Olivia BARIL | MOVMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 21 | Mireia BENITO PELLICER | AGSAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +00 |
| 22 | Emma Cecilie Norsgaard BJERG | LTKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 23 | Teuntje BEEKHUIS | UXMUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 24 | Gaia REALINI | LTKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 25 | Justyna CZAPLA | CSZCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 26 | Marion BUNEL | TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 27 | Erica MAGNALDI | UADUAE TEAM ADQ | +00 |
| 28 | Ricarda BAUERNFEIND | LTKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 29 | Neve Summer BRADBURY | CSZCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 30 | Lotte CLAES | APTFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +00 |
| 31 | Rosita REIJNHOUT | TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +00 |
| 32 | Tully SCHWEITZER | UNKUnknown | +00 |
| 33 | Josie TALBOT | LIVLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
| 34 | Claire STEELS | MOVMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 35 | Magdeleine VALLIERES MILL | EFOEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +00 |
| 36 | Anouska KOSTER | UXMUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 37 | Alice TOWERS | EFOEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +00 |
| 38 | Tiffany CROMWELL | CSZCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 39 | Amber KRAAK | FDJFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 40 | Julie VAN DE VELDE | AGSAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +00 |
| 41 | Léa CURINIER | FDJFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 42 | Floortje MACKAIJ | MOVMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 43 | Flora PERKINS | APTFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +00 |
| 44 | Marie LE NET | FDJFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +00 |
| 45 | Loes ADEGEEST | LTKLIDL - TREK | +00 |
| 46 | Maggie COLES-LYSTER | HPHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +21 |
| 47 | Alessia VIGILIA | UXMUNO-X MOBILITY | +21 |
| 48 | Henrietta CHRISTIE | EFOEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +21 |
| 49 | Stina KAGEVI | EFOEF EDUCATION - OATLY | +29 |
| 50 | Mikayla HARVEY | SDWTEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +29 |
| 51 | Petra STIASNY | HPHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +29 |
| 52 | Alexandra Grace MANLY | AGSAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +29 |
| 53 | Mackenzie COUPLAND | LIVLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +29 |
| 54 | Marit RAAIJMAKERS | HPHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +37 |
| 55 | Carina SCHREMPF | APTFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +41 |
| 56 | Julie DE WILDE | APTFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +41 |
| 57 | Xaydee VAN SINAEY | APTFENIX-PREMIER TECH | +41 |
| 58 | Barbara GUARISCHI | SDWTEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +45 |
| 59 | Alyssa POLITES | UNKUnknown | +45 |
| 60 | Lucia RUIZ PEREZ | MOVMOVISTAR TEAM | +45 |
| 61 | Juliana LONDOÑO DAVID | TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +45 |
| 62 | Gaia MASETTI | TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +45 |
| 63 | Anya LOUW | AGSAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +1:02 |
| 64 | Alena IVANCHENKO | UADUAE TEAM ADQ | +1:02 |
| 65 | Paula OSTIZ TACO | MOVMOVISTAR TEAM | +00 |
| 66 | Francesca PELLEGRINI | UXMUNO-X MOBILITY | +1:13 |
| 67 | Carlotta CIPRESSI | HPHHUMAN POWERED HEALTH | +00 |
| 68 | Lauretta HANSON | LTKLIDL - TREK | +1:16 |
| 69 | Martina FIDANZA | TVLTEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE | +1:16 |
| 70 | Sofia BERTIZZOLO | FDJFDJ UNITED - SUEZ | +1:26 |
| 71 | Carys LLOYD | MOVMOVISTAR TEAM | +1:31 |
| 72 | Ella HEREMANS | TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +1:37 |
| 73 | Julia KOPECKÝ | SDWTEAM SD WORX - PROTIME | +1:41 |
| 74 | Becky STORRIE | TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +1:41 |
| 75 | Anne Dorthe YSLAND | UXMUNO-X MOBILITY | +00 |
| 76 | Fauve BASTIAENSSEN | AGSAG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM | +1:41 |
| 77 | Lucie FITYUS | TPPTEAM PICNIC POSTNL | +1:50 |
| 78 | Brodie CHAPMAN | UADUAE TEAM ADQ | +2:08 |
| 79 | Soraya PALADIN | CSZCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 80 | Wilma AINTILA | CSZCANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO | +00 |
| 81 | Anna DUBIER | UNKUnknown | +5:51 |
| 82 | Amelie SANDERS | UNKUnknown | +5:51 |
| 83 | Hannah GIANATTI | UNKUnknown | +6:40 |
| 84 | Ruby ROSEMAN-GANNON | LIVLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
| 85 | Georgia BAKER | LIVLIV-ALULA-JAYCO | +00 |
How the race unfolded
Vigilia attacked with approximately 100km remaining, building a maximum advantage of around three and an 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
