Amanda Spratt is feeling the love as one of Australian cycling's greatest careers approaches the finish line.
The 38-year-old announced at the start of January this season would be her last.
True to Spratt's attitude, she has no plans of going out quietly and the Lidl-Trek rider was prominent at the end of stage two on Sunday in the Santos Tour Down Under.
The crowd support for Spratt at the Tour is noticeable. One of the most respected riders in the women's peloton had an explanation for that.
"It might be my family - I have quite a few family members here," she told AAP with a smirk.
"I brought a large contingent to make it look like I'm very popular.
"So it could be that. But a lot of people are coming up and talking to me. It feels really nice, actually."
Spratt finished 11th on Sunday and is only 24 seconds off the lead ahead of the third and final stage on Monday.
It features two climbs up the tough Corkscrew Road, where Spratt will be particularly dangerous.
Despite the heat and the lack of a big result, the mood at the Lidl-Trek camp after the stage was upbeat. They had Loes Adegeest in the potentially decisive break in the last few kilometres and they have started the season well.
"The girls were really on everything today. We were really happy with Loes in that break," Spratt said.
"We could sit back and then the girls really positioned me well for the finish. It's going well.
"I'm feeling good, I'm definitely looking more forward to tomorrow - I just don't have the punch for a finish against some of these young tackers.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow on Corkscrew."
Spratt is a three-time winner of the women's Tour, but it is light years removed from its first few editions from 2016.
Back then it comprised low-key circuit races and middling race fields. This year, all 14 WorldTour teams are racing for the first time.
"In general here, we've had hot weather and we now have 'proper length' stages, I like to call it," Spratt said.
"It's what we do in Europe all the time, so it's nice to see Down Under now have normal-length stages.
"That's going to add to it, day-by-day.
"What was it (in the early days) - the Prospect 700 metre hot-dog course? Yes - very, very happy."
