Most expected a bunch finish for the finale on stage 1 of the 2025 Tour Down Under. That was not the case though, as Daniek Hengeveld sensationally held off the peloton solo to take a very impressive stage victory.
“I was not even thinking [when I attacked]. This is a new team, we wanted to be aggressive, I was struggling on the climb but everyone was struggling so that was my motivation to go and see how far I could make it,” Hengeveld commented after her victory. “In the last one kilometre I thought I would make it, I didn’t look back at all until kilometre two or three. I heard my sports director in my ear telling me to come on and I thought f*ck, maybe they are getting close but they weren’t. It’s really nice, I appreciated that they were still cheering me on and that gave me extra watts.”
Still only 22 years old, Hengeveld has struggled with injuries over the last couple of years. Today though, she was firmly back to her best and back racing with a smile on her face. “It was a long way and I was alone. This is my first race back after my crash last year with a new team, I lost some confidence over the last two years and I was finally racing like I was 18 again," she says with a smile. "I felt like I remembered why I raced, and that was really nice.”
1 | Hengeveld Daniek | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | 50 | 02:45:06 |
2 | Wollaston Ally | FDJ-SUEZ | 40 | + 36 |
3 | Schweinberger Kathrin | Human Powered Health | 30 | + 36 |
4 | Van Dam Sarah | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | 25 | + 36 |
5 | Barbieri Rachele | Team Picnic PostNL | 20 | + 36 |
6 | Rüegg Noemi | EF Education-Oatly | 18 | + 36 |
7 | van der Duin Maike | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | 15 | + 36 |
8 | Copponi Clara | Lidl-Trek | 10 | + 36 |
9 | Grangier India | Team Coop-Repsol | 8 | + 36 |
10 | Fityus Lucie | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | 6 | + 36 |
11 | Ottestad Mie Bjørndal | Uno-X Mobility | + 36 | |
12 | Masetti Gaia | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 36 | |
13 | Manly Alexandra | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 36 | |
14 | Dygert Chloé | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 36 | |
15 | Swinkels Karlijn | UAE Team ADQ | + 36 | |
16 | Ghekiere Justine | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 36 | |
17 | Wlodarczyk Dominika | UAE Team ADQ | + 36 | |
18 | Burlova Kristyna | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 36 | |
19 | Ragusa Katia | Human Powered Health | + 36 | |
20 | Baker Georgia | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 36 | |
21 | Edwards Ruth | Human Powered Health | + 36 | |
22 | Fisher-Black Niamh | Lidl-Trek | + 36 | |
23 | Boilard Simone | Uno-X Mobility | + 36 | |
24 | Zanardi Silvia | Human Powered Health | + 36 | |
25 | Haugset Sigrid Ytterhus | Team Coop-Repsol | + 36 | |
26 | Frain Nicole | Australia | + 36 | |
27 | Steigenga Nicole | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 36 | |
28 | Talbot Josie | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 36 | |
29 | Ciabocco Eleonora | Team Picnic PostNL | + 36 | |
30 | Spratt Amanda | Lidl-Trek | + 36 | |
31 | Lind Magdalene | Team Coop-Repsol | + 36 | |
32 | Anderson Alli | Australia | + 36 | |
33 | Miermont Dilyxine | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 36 | |
34 | Avoine Alison | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 36 | |
35 | Dale Stine | Team Coop-Repsol | + 36 | |
36 | Wyllie Ella | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 36 | |
37 | Roseman-Gannon Ruby | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 36 | |
38 | Le Net Marie | FDJ-SUEZ | + 36 | |
39 | Cadzow Kim | EF Education-Oatly | + 36 | |
40 | Bradbury Neve | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 36 | |
41 | Bertizzolo Sofia | UAE Team ADQ | + 36 | |
42 | Holden Elizabeth | UAE Team ADQ | + 36 | |
43 | Raby Coline | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 36 | |
44 | Magnaldi Erica | UAE Team ADQ | + 36 | |
45 | Towers Alice | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 36 | |
46 | Malcotti Barbara | Human Powered Health | + 36 | |
47 | Smulders Silke | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 36 | |
48 | Duval Eugénie | FDJ-SUEZ | + 36 | |
49 | Marturano Greta | UAE Team ADQ | + 36 | |
50 | Storrie Becky | Team Picnic PostNL | + 36 | |
51 | Watts Emily | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 36 | |
52 | Simpson Ella | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 36 | |
53 | Nelson Josie | Team Picnic PostNL | + 36 | |
54 | Kraak Amber | FDJ-SUEZ | + 36 | |
55 | Van De Velde Julie | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 36 | |
56 | Chabbey Elise | FDJ-SUEZ | + 36 | |
57 | Louw Anya | AG Insurance-Soudal Team | + 36 | |
58 | Polites Alyssa | Australia | + 36 | |
59 | Armitage Megan | EF Education-Oatly | + 36 | |
60 | Cromwell Tiffany | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 36 | |
61 | Normand Adèle | St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 | + 36 | |
62 | Dixon Emily | Australia | + 36 | |
63 | Greve Alberte | Uno-X Mobility | + 36 | |
64 | Pate Amber | Liv AlUla Jayco | + 36 | |
65 | van der Wolf Babette | EF Education-Oatly | + 55 | |
66 | Sharp Isabel | Lidl-Trek | + 01:01 | |
67 | Roy Sarah | EF Education-Oatly | + 01:01 | |
68 | Hanson Lauretta | Lidl-Trek | + 01:36 | |
69 | Rayer Eglantine | FDJ-SUEZ | + 03:00 | |
70 | Christie Henrietta | EF Education-Oatly | + 03:41 | |
71 | Greenwood Monica | Team Coop-Repsol | + 07:14 | |
72 | Bates Lauren | Australia | + 07:14 | |
73 | Plouffe Maeve | Australia | + 07:14 | |
74 | Roldan Mara | Team Picnic PostNL | + 07:14 | |
75 | Wilson-Haffenden Felicity | Lidl-Trek | + 07:14 | |
76 | Mohr Mari Hole | Team Coop-Repsol | + 07:14 | |
77 | Martins Maria | CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto | + 07:14 | |
78 | Beekhuis Teuntje | Uno-X Mobility | + 07:14 | |
79 | Bader Silje | Team Picnic PostNL | + 07:14 | |
80 | Fiorin Sara | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 07:14 | |
81 | Alonso Sandra | Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team | + 07:14 | |
82 | Koerner Rebecca | Uno-X Mobility | + 18:23 |