Heather Fischer (Rally Cycling) sped to the stage win in the Tour of the Gila criterium, smashing her way through the peloton to top world time trial champion Linda Villumsen (UnitedHealthcare) and Emily Collins (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank).
On a cool, sunny day in downtown Silver City, the women set off for their 25-lap criterium, looking out for the three important intermediate time bonuses along the way. GC leader Mara Abbott (Amy D Foundation) and second placed Kristin Armstrong (Twenty 16-RideBiker) stayed near the front and out of trouble, letting the rest of the contenders fight for the final podium spot.
It was Brianna Walle (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank) who was most aggressive, taking out time in the intermediate sprints to extend her overnight margin of six seconds on Rally's Jasmin Glaesser for third place in the overall classification.
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The high pace, fuelled by a strong tailwind on the finishing straight, kept the peloton together at the front, although the week of racing at altitude took its toll at the back, with a number of riders dropping off the pace.
Tibco led out the sprint for Kiwi Joanne Kiesanowski, but Fischer refused to give ground. Despite a protest of irregular sprinting from the TIbco camp, Fischer was awarded Rally's second stage win of the week.
Abbott and Armstrong finished safely in the peloton to keep their positions at the top of the leaderboard, Armstrong at 2:12, while Walle dipped under a 3:00 gap to Abbott thanks to her time bonuses.
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