Mara Abbott (Amy D Foundation) continued her winning streak in Mogollon, on the first stage of the Tour of the Gila, putting two minutes into UnitedHealthcare's Katie Hall, with 2012 race winner Kristin Armstrong in third.
The 86-rider peloton took off from Silver City under clear skies and cool temperatures, heading out on the wide open highway. The fast descent from the Continental Divide kept the peloton together, with the first action happening at the intermediate sprint 29.5km into the stage. Twenty16-RideBiker's Alison Jackson, winner of last year's green jersey, crashed in the dash to the line. Lauretta Hanson (Colavita/Bianchi) won the sprint ahead of Kirsti Lay (Rally Cycling) and Diana Penuela (UnitedHealthcare).
Despite the high pace, the peloton remained together until the 30 mile mark, when there was a massive crash in the turn back onto highway 180. After the riders picked themselves up, a 10-rider group went clear. Jackson rebounded from her earlier crash to make the group together with Jessica Cutler (Colavita/Bianchi), Allison Linnell (Hagens Berman / Supermint), Heather Fischer and Jessica Prinner (Rally Cycling), Joanne Kiesanowski (Team TIBCO - Silicon Valley Bank), Leah Thomas (Twenty16-RideBiker), Anna Sanders (Visit Dallas DNA), and Nicole Moerig (Podium Ambition p/b Club La Santa).
ADVERTISEMENT
The breakaway got a couple minutes but was reeled in before the base of the final climb, and despite their best efforts, it was the Mara Abbott show. Abbott attacked early, hitting out on the first section of the climb, then powering into the headwind over the flat middle section and soaring away to victory at the top.
The race might seem to be over after the first stage, but with Armstrong's record in the Tyrone Time Trial more than two minutes quicker than Abbott's personal best, there is still plenty of room for the general classification to change.
More to come!
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Race Results http://ift.tt/24rHkwQ
No comments:
Post a Comment