Clara Copponi wins Schwalbe Women’s Classic with a commanding sprint finish

divClara-Copponi-wins-Schwalbe-Womens-Classicdiv

Clara Copponi of Lidl-Trek clinched a powerful sprint victory at the Schwalbe Women’s Classic, a 90km circuit race held in scorching conditions around Adelaide on 26th January. The French rider edged out Georgia Baker and Rachele Barbieri to claim her first road win since 2022.

Copponi stayed patient throughout the race, tucked safely in the peloton, before launching her sprint at precisely the right moment. “I was in a good wheel; I was not stressed,” Copponi explained after the race. “I knew I didn’t have to go too early, so I just waited for the right moment. When Georgia went full gas, I just went full gas too.”

Her victory was accompanied by a standout celebration. Arms crossed in a nod of confidence, Copponi said the gesture had been pre-arranged. “It was a deal with the soigneur. It was a joke, but I was feeling good the day before the race,” she said, adding, “The team’s work was perfect today. We followed the plan, and it was great.”

A fast and aggressive race

The race, held over 20 laps of a 4.5km circuit, was defined by relentless attacks. Despite the flat profile and limited elevation, teams were aggressive from the start. Liv AlUla Jayco were particularly active, with riders like Amber Pate and Josie Talbot launching early moves. Pate later joined Greta Marturano in a break that stretched to a 28-second lead before being reeled in with three laps to go.

“The plan was to be aggressive, and I really enjoy that style of racing,” Pate commented. “It’s about taking the punt. Sometimes it doesn’t stick, but today was fun, and I had a great breakaway buddy out there.”

Dygert shakes things up late

With two laps remaining, Chloe Dygert launched a daring attack on the only climb of the course. Rachele Barbieri latched onto her wheel, and the pair briefly distanced the field. However, the peloton, led by Liv AlUla Jayco, quickly closed the gap. “We knew Chloe would attack on the climb, so we controlled it well,” said Baker, who finished second.

The sprint finish came down to precise positioning. Baker credited her teammate Ruby Roseman-Gannon for helping her navigate the final kilometre. “Ruby positioned me as well as she could, and then I repositioned back onto Chloe. I started my sprint about 200 metres to go,” Baker shared.

Though Baker surged early, Copponi’s perfectly timed effort saw her charge past in the final metres. Barbieri, recovering from her earlier efforts with Dygert, secured third.

Not every rider had a smooth day. Pre-race favourite Ally Wollaston endured a series of setbacks, starting with a crash on the first lap and a mechanical five laps in. Her teammates worked tirelessly to bring her back into contention, but the Kiwi rider ultimately finished seventh.

2024 Schwalbe One Day Classic result

Results powered by FirstCycling.com

Main photo credit: Getty