Sarah Gigante wins the Tour Down Under

Sarah Gigante flashes a wide, transparent grin while on a training ride up Doshi Michi
July 21, 2021, at the Tokyo Olympics. Obviously, she is enjoying just being there.

Today, Australian cyclist Sarah Gigante won the Women's version of the Tour Down Under, a major World Tour Title.

Gigante hit the cycling scene with a splash five years ago -- with a victory in the Australian national time trial at age 18, repeated at 19 -- and launched a professional career that included a stint with a local Australian team then several years with Movistar, all by age 23. 

In 2021, in her first pro season in Europe, she had a bad crash, only 4 months before the Tokyo Olympics. She nonetheless made the  Olympic team selection and placed 11th in the time trial, 40th in the road race. After more health issues and two disastrous seasons at Movistar -- the most recent of which saw her race only a few days -- she has moved on to AG Insurance-Soudal Quickstep. 

Gigante gives the thumbs up!

And now, she's back! In her first significant race with the new team ... she won the Tour Down Under with a dramatic, decisive victory in the last stage. You can watch the last few minutes of her climb to victory up Willunga Hill here.  And then you can see her interview at the finish line -- half of what spills out of her mouth seems gibberish, she is so overjoyed and excited at winning that her words trip over themselves.

Why is this of interest to me, other than the pleasure of watching someone who is so happy, especially after overcoming a period of difficulties?  Well, that day in 2021 when I rode up to Yamanakako looking for Olympians doing training rides. I had the best luck as I headed down Doshi-michi. I saw groups from Australia, Denmark, Japan, Israel, among others. (The mighty Slovenians I had seen for a few milliseconds as they descended south from Kagozaka toward Subashiri earlier. The Brits - G Thomas - I saw as I descended from north Kagozaka to Yamanakako). 

But the only Olympian who really acknowledged me, who smiled and made eye contact, was Sarah Gigante. Indeed, as she saw that I had pulled off Doshimichi and was going to take a photo with my iPhone ... she gave me the thumbs up!  

Thumbs up!

Maybe a close-up would be better!

Sarah -- Best wishes for your success over the rest of 2024 and beyond!