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Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling’s Nettie Edmondson ended the 2017 Santos Women’s Tour with a morale-boosting second place in the final stage criterium around Adelaide’s Victoria Park. The Adelaidean former double Track World Champion was just unable to match the pace of Dutch powerhouse Kirsten Wild (Cylance Pro Cycling), but was able to hold off the challenge of two former black and orange riders, in Chloe Hosking (Alé–Cipollini) and Peta Mullens (Hagens Berman Supermint). Having led Edmondson into the finishing straight, Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling debutant Grace Garner was able to continue her own sprint to take fifth. 
“Finishing second is really good for the team,” Edmondson said. “Obviously half the team’s new, and it’s the first race of the year, so everyone's a bit rusty; no-one really knows where everyone’s at. the sprint on day two was a target, I really wanted to win that, and it just didn’t quite go to plan. But now that we know each other a lot better, we were able to capitalise on the sprint train. “The girls did a great job today, and got us in position. Then it was really messy at the finish, but we scrambled and came back together. Grace Garner did a great final lead out; I just didn’t have the legs to get Kirsten, but I gave it absolutely everything. I’m a lot more satisfied after this result than I was the other night.” 
Edmondson came into her hometown race in the hope of matching her stage two victory of last year; a long off-season after last summer’s Olympic Games, however, along with a number of new teammates, has made the race a learning experience for the black and orange team. “It’s about learning that trust and confidence from the group, to get back into racing and being in the hustle and bustle of the finish,” Edmondson explained. “So I think it was really positive, and - speaking on behalf of Amy [Cure] and I, because we had such a big break after the Olympics - we haven’t actually done as many road kms as we’d hoped. “I’m not nearly as fit as I was [this time] last year, so be able to be in the mix there at the finish was pretty good,” she concluded. “I’m happy with that.” 
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