As a home race, there is no question that the Women’s Tour Down Under is always a big target for Liv AlUla Jayco, but after winning the first four editions there has been somewhat of a drought for the Australian squad through recent years. However, when the course was announced last year they soon spotted a rider who could deliver an opportunity to put them back in the chase – Dutch rider Silke Smulders.
It was Australian riders that had driven the team's previous successes – most notably three-time winner Amanda Spratt who has moved to Lidl-Trek –but this time it wasn't home rider that seemed their best chance.
Particularly with a double ascent of Willunga Hill on the menu on stage 2, the team was looking to New Zealand’s Ella Wyllie and Smulders. Wyllie was returning after having taken seventh overall in 2024 but for Smulders, it was all new territory, but territory that clearly suited her nevertheless.
“Silke showed last season how strong she is, particularly at the end of the season with her result at Simac, almost pulling up a win in the last stage,” co-sports director at the race for the team Jess Allen told Cyclingnews, referencing stage 6 where Smulders was out the front solo before being caught on the line.
“As soon as we got the course profile for the Tour Down Under, we thought that the Willunga stage actually suited her quite well,” added Allen after the final stage. “We spoke to her. We spoke to her coach, and it was all systems go.
“She was really keen to come over here, we flew her out earlier as well. She actually came to Perth when the girls got there two weeks ago now and did some more heat preparation there, acclimatising to the time and weather, which I think is super important.”
The 23-year-old Smulders, who joined the Australian squad as a result of the team’s merger with Liv Racing, had proven her value as a domestique, particularly in supporting experienced climber Mavi Garcia. This was her time to have the team working for her instead.
“It's a real honour, because you know that, as an Australian team, this is one of the most important races of the year because it's our, I'm a bit Australian now, so it's our home ground and if you get selected for that, it's not for nothing,” said Smulders.
She clearly repaid the faith, with the full support of Liv-AlUla-Jayco thrown behind her on Saturday when it became clear, as she made the elite group of around 14 that crested at the lead after the first Willunga climb, that she had the legs to deliver.
Then in the second ascent, Smulders played a cool-headed hand, following the moves until she broke away with EF Education-Oatly’s Noemi Rüegg. The Swiss rider beat her to the line but Smulders had just landed her first ever Women’s WorldTour podium with second on the stage.
She also claimed second on the overall, and there were just 15 seconds between her and the leader’s jersey so all of a sudden the Australian team was back in the game at the Women’s Tour Down Under. Ochre was tantalising close as the race headed toward a tough 105.9km finale that included 2,142m of elevation gain and hot temperatures to add to the challenge.
“It's an Australian team, so we want to come here to win," Allen, who has ridden five editions of the race, told Cyclingnews before the start of stage 3. "And we knew Silke was going to have ripper form coming in to here and we were targeting this with her so yesterday was a phenomenal ride by her and today we just want to make sure we secure that second place on GC and if we can try and make it one better, we will.”
Still, with a larger-than-expected leading group coming into the final lap of five and a powerful defence from EF Education-Oatly there was little, despite their best efforts, that Liv-AlUla-Jayco could do to take the leader's ochre jersey off Rüegg’s back.
Second, however, wasn’t nothing.
Second was the best result the Australian team has had since they last won in 2019 with Spratt and second can also deliver the hope and confidence to chase first.
“The team really believe in Silke and she's also believing in herself. It was a phenomenal ride that she did yesterday and today, so we're excited to see what the future holds for her, “ said Allen.
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