There is no doubt that the Dutch women's cycling scene has a treasure trove of talent, but on Saturday a new name joined the list of winners. Rosita Reijhout (Visma Leith-a-Bike) crossed the line by the waterfront in Geelong to win the women's Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. [Reyhout, who is in her second year as a professional with Visma Lease-a-Bike, held off her rivals to take the win single-handedly.

"I still can't believe it. It was a really hard race, but I did it anyway.

"This is my first professional win. I'm very shocked and very happy."

The 140.8km Women's World Tour race took place on a looping course that started at the Geelong waterfront, headed inland through rolling hills, then back to Geelong via the coast, before returning to two local circuits that included the Charambula climb as a key feature

The course was a long and challenging one.

A headwind slowed the pace and discouraged attackers until the final phase, but the conditions were perfect for the wind-loving rainhouts who call the Dutch coast home and often train in more ferocious conditions.

Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) climbed the second and final ascent of Charambra alone, while Reyenhout and Dominika Włodarczyk (UAE Team ADQ) joined her on the run home. However, Uttrup Ludwig and Włodarczyk hesitated, considering the presence of her fast-riding teammate Sofia Bertizzolo behind her. As a result, the way was opened for the young Dutch rider.

"We were riding together, the three of us, and they stopped pedaling, and I thought, 'Why not, there's still a gap.'

The chase began with a long run to the line, but the two behind could not close the gap quickly enough. Polish neo-pro Włodarczyk was in hot pursuit, and while she may have wanted to finish the race with a team win, second place put her at the top of the Women's World Tour.

"The Tour Down Under was the first World Tour race of my life, so I was very shy and had only seen Grace Brown and Cecilie Uttrup-Ludwig on TV. [Step by step, stage by stage, my confidence grew, and on stage 3 I was 5th. To finish second today was really amazing."