Alex Manly takes first UCI win at Lotto Thüringen Tour

25 May 2022 | 09:40 AMBy: Ryan Miu

Australian Cycling Team rider Alexandra Manly has earned her first UCI road race victory, winning the uphill sprint on stage 1 of the Internationale Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour yesterday.

Manly profited from strong teamwork by Team BikeExchange-Jayco, with fellow Australian Ruby Roseman-Gannon performing the final lead-out at the end of the 101.8km stage from Hof to Hof.

Dutch rider Mischa Bredewold nearly survived to the finish after a late solo breakaway, but BikeExchange-Jayco completed the chase just in time for Manly to surge past with barely 50 metres remaining.

Australian Cycling Team rider Alexandra Manly wins stage 1 of the 2022 Internationale Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour for Team BikeExchange-Jayco

“Ruby actually swapped roles,” Manly said. “Today she was going to sprint, but she decided I was doing good and she committed for me, probably earlier than she’d wanted to because we still had another 50 metres on the rider in front.

“I wouldn’t have won without the team today. They were incredible.”

Manly, who hails from Kalgoorlie but developed through the South Australian Sports Institute, has raced for various iterations of the GreenEdge team since 2015. However, this is the 26-year-old’s first season back on the road since representing Australia in track cycling at the Tokyo Olympic Games and UCI Track World Championships.

The cross-discipline cyclist recently won two medals at the UCI Track Nations Cup in Milton, Canada.

Manly will wear the race leader’s jersey in tomorrow’s stage 2 from Gera to Gera.

The UCI 2.Pro Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour is a six-stage race in Germany. Australia’s Amanda Spratt and Shara Marche (née Gillow) have both finished second overall at previous editions.

Alexandra Manly in the leader's jersey on the podium after winning Stage 1 of the 2022 Internationale Lotto Thüringen Ladies Tour