Perth rider Sophia Sammons (Team Readcat) has fended off a challenge from Sophie Edwards (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing) to win the general classification of the Q Tour in Queensland and, as a result, secure the overall win in the ProVelo Super League SBS Women's League.
Under torrential skies on Sunday, Sammons burst out of the remainder of the peloton on the final climb of the Moreton Bay Hinterland Queen's Stage, soloing to victory by over 30 seconds to put an emphatic finishing statement on her PSL campaign.
Sammons, aged 20, had started the Q Tour on Friday with a 75-point buffer over Edwards.
Sammons defended the PSL leader's jersey to take out the 2026 title.
From the moment the riders rolled out in the opening stage at Lakeside Park, Butterfields Ziptrak Racing committed fully to Edwards, working to close the gap to Sammons and backing her over their usual sprint option, Odette Lynch.
A fast run into the final, tailwind sprint saw Edwards launch early and tuck in next to the barriers, holding her advantage to take an important stage win over a charging Amelie Sanders (Meridian Bikebug) and Belinda Bailey (NSTRMO x Attaquer x CCACHE).
Sophie Edwards (far left) sprints to the Stage 1 win.
The next day's criterium at Brisbane International Cycle Park also ended in a bunch sprint, this time won by Keira Will (Team Redcat) ahead of Sanders. Edwards followed in third to take a 20-second advantage over Sammons into the final stage.
The heavens opened up during the decisive final stage, wreaking havoc on the peloton. On the challenging circuit, Sammons stretched her legs on each ascent of the main climb, cresting the summit first before sitting up to allow the peloton to return.
Keira Will sprints to victory on Stage 2.
Following a large crash, however, the race was shortened by a lap, creating urgency within Team Redcat to launch Sammons and claw back the time she needed to secure overall victory.
The weather and parcours had whittled the bunch down and produced an elite front selection of four riders: Sammons, Edwards, junior rider Neve Parslow and Mt Mitchell to Inverell winner Kirsty Watts.
On the final climb, Sammons broke clear of the group, dropping Edwards and her other rivals off the wheel with pure strength. Across the summit, she continued along the ridge to the line with ferocious intensity, establishing enough of a gap to secure the overall win at the Q Tour and the SBS Women’s League at the conclusion of the final round.
Sammons, Edwards and Polites: the overall podium of the SBS Women's League.
Q Tour - Women's General Classification
- Sophia SAMMONS (Team Redcat) 4h 37m 11s
- Sophie EDWARDS (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing) +22
- Kirsty WATTS (Meridian Bikebug) +38
SBS Women's League - Overall Individual Classification
- Sophia SAMMONS (Team Redcat) 411 pt
- Sophie EDWARDS (Butterfields Ziptrak Racing) 311 pt
- Alyssa POLITES (Meridian Bikebug) 239 pt
Photos: Con Chronis / ProVelo Super League