“Something just happens in the brain” – Ally Wollaston admits she ‘felt really not good’ before stage 2 win at Women’s Tour Down Under

Ally Wollaston admitted she felt far from comfortable inside the peloton before digging deep to win stage two of the Women’s Tour Down Under and move to the brink of overall victory.

The FDJ United-Suez rider made it two wins from two in Paracombe after surviving a brutally aggressive day raced in extreme heat, coming past Noemi Ruegg in the final metres of another uphill finish.

Despite the dominant results, Wollaston revealed afterwards that the day had been mentally and physically hard.

“It feels amazing. I was feeling really not good. I said I wasn’t feeling good. I found it so hard to move up. In the last 10km, something just happens in the brain, and then I’m here on the front, so I am just so happy.”

FDJ United Suez were again forced into heavy defensive work as attacks flew from the opening climb and a long solo move by Wilma Aintila threatened to complicate the stage. Amber Kraak once more took on much of the chasing responsibility to protect the leader’s jersey.

Wollaston said she could only rely on her team and hope the race came back together. “I just had to have full belief in my team with such a strong breakaway. The girls just did everything they could and I just had to sit there hoping it came back.”

With Aintila eventually caught and no late move sticking, the stage came down to another uphill sprint. Ruegg launched first, but Wollaston had just enough left to come past and take her second consecutive win.

The New Zealander now leads the general classification and the points standings going into the final stage, which features two ascents of the Corkscrew climb. “I’m looking forward to it tomorrow and I’ll give everything I can and we’ll see how it goes.”

After two days of pressure, heat and repeated attacks, Wollaston heads into the final stage not just as race leader, but as the rider everyone else now has to beat.