Hosking wins, Spratt keeps grip on Tour

Jan 16, 2017 - 8:16 AM Australian cycling star Chloe Hosking has scored her first win of the season, overcoming the Whispering Wall in the Santos Women's Tour.

Compatriot Amanda Spratt also finished safely in the lead group on stage three and barring a disaster, she will win the Tour with one day left.

Hosking outsprinted stage two winner Kirsten Wild at the end of the challenging 92.4km race on Monday from Tanunda to Lyndoch in the Barossa.

The course featured two laps of the Williamstown-Lyndoch circuit, with the Whispering Wall climb as its main feature.

After a series of small breakaways, the peloton had regrouped when the decisive move was made on the second lap.

A group of 38 riders, including Hosking, Wild and Spratt, went clear on the Whispering Wall and stayed clear to the finish.

Hosking, riding for her new team Ale Cipollini, then outsprinted Wild (Cylance) after finishing third in stage two.

"To beat Wild in what was a flat-out drag race is not easy, so to cut around her quite convincingly gives me a lot of confidence," Hosking said.

Orica-Scott continued to control the race superbly for Spratt, who finished 23rd.

Spratt retained a 19-second lead over Dutch sprinter Janneke Ensing ahead of the last stage, a twilight circuit race at Victoria Park.

Source: AAP