The new road season traditionally got under way in Australia. The first stage of the Tour Down Under covered 137 kilometres, with Willunga Hill as the decisive climb. Team Visma | Lease a Bike lined up with a strong squad, including debutant Van Dam.

In a closely fought race, one rider managed to build a notable advantage. Alessia Vigilia launched a solo attack well before the finish and held on for a long time. Only in the final kilometre, on the last of three ascents of Willunga Hill, the leader was caught by the peloton. In the sprint that followed, Van Dam showed her speed. The Canadian had only four riders ahead of her. Victory went convincingly to Ally Wollaston.

“The crashes in the finale caused a lot of chaos,” Van Dam said afterwards. “It was a relatively calm day until the final phase of the race. We rode a strong race as a team, but because of the hectic finale we were no longer grouped as we had hoped. I’m satisfied with this fifth place in my first race for the team, although there is always room for improvement. This result gives me a lot of motivation for the coming days.”

Van Dam joined Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women this season. “I feel at home with the team,” the Canadian added. “I received a very warm welcome from my teammates and the staff at the first training camp, which made my transition to this new environment very smooth. It was a big step for me, but I’m very happy that I’ve been able to take it. It’s a unique opportunity to work and learn within a team like this, surrounded by such strong riders. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve this season."