January was a tumultuous month for Daria Picryk: she started her contract with Women's WorldTour team Human Powered Health, celebrated her 26th birthday, and traveled to Australia for her first race with her new team. After finishing 10th in the Schwalbe Classic criterium, Pikulik won the sprint race on the first stage of the Women's Tour Down Under.

In a post-race interview, Picryk's mind swung between disbelief and elation: "I can't believe it. It's like a dream for me. I'm just a Polish girl and I can't believe I'm on the World Tour and winning this race. ......" She said.

Going into the race, her team saw a chance for a good result, but she didn't expect to win.

"It's a flat stage, I'm fast and I can sprint.

Pikulik told reporters after receiving her ochre-colored jersey on the podium.

Picryk, who came to Australia from Europe to race in a peloton made up of Australians and New Zealanders who train primarily in the southern hemisphere summer, was unsure of his form, but he dispelled those doubts on the first road stage.

"I arrived in Australia four days before the race, so I have jet lag, and coming from winter, Poland is really cold, so the heat is different.

In a hectic final, Pikulik and teammate Lily Williams joined a lead group that formed in a crosswind with 10 km to go. Williams and Kaia Schmidt kept Pikulik in the lead group, while the Polish rider sprinted in the slipstream of FDJ-Suez's Clara Copponi. Pikulik took one look at the line at the 100-meter mark, measured the remaining distance, and put her head down to pull away, winning by a bike length over Copponi and Georgia Baker (Team Jayco Arla).

The echelon and corners of the final worked in Pikulik's favor. When I'm training it's windy all day, so I have no problem holding my position in the wind and keeping the bike balanced. I like these finishes. Not only are they flat, but they are also challenging, hectic, and have corners. I'm also a track rider, so I like this kind of thing."

After a road season with Cervélo Bigla in 2017 at age 20, Pikulik prioritized track cycling for several years. She established herself as a track athlete, winning medals in the omnium, Madison, and team pursuit at World Cup, European, and World Championships.

In 2022, she decided to try the road again and joined the Polish Continental team ATOM Deweloper Posciellux.pl Wrocław, winning the 2Districtenpijl - Ekeren Deurne, Baloise Ladies Tour, and finishing in the top five in four stages ahead of Chloe Hosking and Allison Jackson. These and other results caught the attention of Human Powered Health, which competes on the Women's World Tour, and signed Pikulik, trusting her for the first race of the season.

"I tried to save a lot of energy during the race. I stayed in the pack to keep my legs fresh until the finish. The whole team believed in me that I could win today. It's my first race with the team, my first race with a WorldTour team, so I'm really happy that they believed in me. Putting on the leader's jersey has given me a lot of energy for tomorrow," said Pikulik.

Stage 2, from Birdwood to Uleidra, is more undulating than the first stage, with the challenging climb of Mount Lofty 10km from the line. Pikulik said she will do her best to keep the leader's jersey, but she has her work cut out for her.