Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s Dani King once again confirmed her superb early-season form in the Santos Women’s Tour, and maintains her fourth place overall despite a final kilometre crash at the end of the third stage. The Olympic Champion was nearing the finish as part of an elite breakaway group at the end of the tough 101km Lyndoch Circuit stage when she was brought down by a freak mechanical problem.
Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS) had escaped the group and held on to win, but King was still able to finish in fifth place and was given the same time as the pursuing group.
“I felt really good again but have never ridden in such hot conditions!” King exclaimed. “Apparently it was over 40 degrees so it was so important to stay hydrated!
“I tried to stay near the front and make sure nothing dangerous got away,” the Olympic Champion explained. “Then I got into an early break that was brought back, and then had to stay concentrated for counter attacks which happened straight away. I wanted to keep the KOM jersey and got second in first one – as a non GC contender was off the front – and I won the second.”
“A small group of seven formed and we ended up with around five minutes on the peloton,” King continued. “Orica-AIS had three riders so were constantly attacking. Lizzie got away with around 5km to go so I was going to be sprinting for 2nd but unfortunately, with 800 metres to go, I went to sprint following Tiffany Cromwell and my gears jammed causing me to go over my handle bars!”
As the Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling rider picked herself up from the tarmac, race leader Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS) outsprinted Lauren Kitchen (Hitec Products) and Shelley Olds, 19 seconds behind Williams, but King was still able to cross the line in fifth place.
“As I was in the last km I got given the same time as the lead group and so I maintain my fourth place and I’ve extended my lead of the KOM jersey,” King added.
Result
1. Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS)
2. Katrin Garfoot (Orica-AIS)
3. Lauren Kitchen (Hitec Products)
5. Dani King (Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling)
Photo Credit: Jarrod Partridge/JXP Photography
