Steaming toward the Willunga township finish line of stage 1 of the Santos Women's Tour Down Under on Saturday, with just a few kilometres to go it was still touch and go whether Alessia Vigilia's lengthy solo effort would be enough to clinch her first Women's WorldTour victory.
The gap was still sitting at around 30 seconds at 4km to go and behind the 26-year-old Italian a couple of crashes in the bunch also had the potential to slightly slow momentum. The new Uno-X Mobility rider kept her head down, soaking up the encouragement from her team on the radio and daring to keep the hope of a break of nearly 100 kilometres alive.
However, the determination of the teams of the sprinters and uphill run to the finish didn't do her any favours, not after she had spent so much energy alone, baking out front in the warm Australian summer sun.
"I was just focused on reaching the finish line but yeah, I was really over my limit," she told reporters, including Cyclingnews, after the stage. "I really tried, but it was not enough for today."
Vigilia was swamped at around 200m to go as the group positioned for the sprint, with Ally Wollaston (FDJ-United SUEZ) launching early to take the win The Uno-X Mobility rider slipped back through the field to cross the line in 47th place. It was a number on the results sheet that did little to reflect the scale of the effort.
"I was super excited for my first race with my new kit and my new team so I really wanted to show that we worked hard during all the winter and I wanted to already repay all the belief they have had in me since the start of the season," she said, admitting that while racing aggressively was the plan, a 100km solo effort through hot weather on an undulating stage was not.
For Vigilia, this was not just her first race with a new team, swapping over to Uno-X Mobility in 2026 after spending the last two seasons with FDJ-SUEZ. It was also her first time at the Australian season starting event. The dream scenario of snaring a win immediately may not have materialised, but the strength on display as she persevered relentlessly out front bodes well for what is to come.
"It's really nice to feel that we work well," said Vigilia. "And also I think it's hard to arrive here and adapt to jet lag and heat so this was really a good sign that we are prepared, and we will show it again."
After Saturday's 137.4km effort the race continues with a 130.7km stage from Magill to Paracombe on Sunday. It then concludes with a challenging 126.5km to Campbelltown, which includes two ascents of the tough Corkscrew Rd climb.
"I think both stages are really open and there are some cards where the breakaway can go, or something can happen," said Vigilia.
"So we will keep our eyes open, also as a team, and we will be sure to ride aggressively and show our jersey."
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