Aussie women make final World Champs preparations at Ceratizit Challenge

Three Australians will line up tonight for the revamped women’s stage race held alongside the men’s Tour of Spain.

The Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta will span four days – one more than last year’s edition – and is the final UCI Women’s WorldTour race before the World Championships begin in a fortnight.

Tiffany Cromwell (SA) and Amanda Spratt (NSW) – both of whom will represent Australia in Flanders later this month – will be joined in the peloton by Lucy Kennedy (QLD) for her penultimate professional event before retirement.

While past editions have featured flat routes around Madrid, this year’s Ceratizit Challenge takes place outside the Spanish capital and should favour the climbers. The race comprises two hilly stages (Stages 1 and 3) and an uphill time trial (Stage 2) before the sprinters get their chance on a flat Stage 4.

“It’s a different parcours from what it was like in the region of Madrid. It’s mountainous, maybe not the perfect terrain for me but it’s a nice program and an excellent build-up for the world championships,” Cromwell said in a statement on the race website.

Cromwell will ride for her Canyon-SRAM team leader, Poland’s Katarzyna Niewiadoma.

“For this race, I’ll have a support role as I probably don’t have enough strength for these climbs. I’m having my best season in many years; I was stronger when I was younger and I’ve had some ups and downs in the last few years, but I’ve had some good racing in the classics and going to the Olympics this year has been great. However, I always want more,” Cromwell said.

Kennedy and Spratt are just two of the climbing options that Australian outfit Team BikeExchange will bring. Their team also includes Spain’s Ane Santesteban and Slovenia’s Urška Žigart for the hills.

It’ll be Spratt’s first race since July, when she raced the Giro d’Italia and the Olympic Games.

“I’m really looking forward to being back with the team, it feels like a long time since the Giro! It’s a new race for me and completely new courses for everyone as well so that adds a bit more excitement,” Spratt said in a team statement.

“I’m not sure where the form will be after the bigger break without racing, but I’m mostly looking forward to racing well with the team and supporting my teammates for some good results.

“I’d love to take an opportunity in a stage, but my priority will be to support my teammates. It’s like a home race for Ane so I know she will be extremely motivated and that also gives me extra motivation!”

The Ceratizit Challenge has attracted a star-studded field, including four Tokyo Olympic medallists – Annemiek van Vleuten, Anna van der Breggen, Marlen Reusser and Elisa Longo Borghini – plus defending champion Lisa Brennauer.

How to watch the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta

Australian fans can watch every stage of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta live, free and in HD on SBS On Demand from September 2–5. You can also watch it on GCN+.

Tonight’s opening stage begins at 9:00PM AEST.

Photo credit: Baixauli Studio / Antonio Baixauli López