Sara Gigante told Cycling News the day before competing in the first stage of the Santos Women's Tour Down Under that her goal is to make her new team, AG Soudal-Insurance, proud, and to give back to them for taking the risk and choosing her.

On Sunday at Willunga Hill, she accomplished both.

The Australian, who had barely raced internationally over the past year, dropped all of her rivals before the climb was even a third of the way up, and then scored a stunning solo victory to take the overall win in the three-stage race.

In her first major race with her new team, she won her first Women's World Tour race. The victory came amidst cheers from the new team's sport manager, Servais Naveen, and shouts of "Go Sarah, Go Sarah, Go Sarah" from her teammates echoing through the earpieces.

Gigante was back. Back to racing, back to the team where she felt at home, and back to the terrain where she flies.

This was a reset after recent challenges. Good memories of the Santos Festival of Cycling (the national race that replaced the international race that COVID-19 had cancelled) were vivid in her mind after watching her run to victory on Willunga Hill three years earlier before the race.

"As soon as the road turned up, I was gone," Gigante said after savoring the moment on the podium atop Willunga Hill.

"Yesterday afternoon I watched a replay of my win at the Santos Festival of Cycling. I decided to do the same tomorrow, so I did."

Gigante spent his energy battling the crosswind and returning to the peloton.

Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) and race leader Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ) did not last long on the 3km climb with an average gradient of 7.4% and maximum of 15.6%.

"Originally the team said maybe Richie [Porte] should go where he was going and go later, but I said no.

"I haven't had any results in years, and I've had very few races.

In fact, he was in great shape. Gigante won by 16 seconds over second-place Nienke Vincke and 27 seconds over Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM) and Spratt.

Tears of joy filled his eyes as the big smile he showed three years ago at Willunga and his numerous national titles returned.

Gigante's competitors sat on the road, some barely able to move.

Gigante and the other players on her new team were jubilant after the 23-year-old won the stage and the Women's Tour Down Under title.

"It's a great start and it's what Sarah has been saying all winter." Nationals and Wilunga are ready," sports manager Servais Naveen told Cycling News as the celebrations continued past the finish line."

"She showed her ability at the national championships and had mechanical problems in the time trial. Today she became the queen of Willunga for the second time. It's a different climb with this strong wind, but even with this wind she was able to drop everyone."

"There is only one queen of Willunga," she said with a smile.

Get unlimited access to all coverage of the Tour Down Under and Women's Tour Down Under, including reports, breaking news, and analysis from Australia. Learn more