After setting a blistering pace early in the start order, Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies’ Tom Zirbel held on to win the Tour of the Gila’s stage 3 time trial by a comfortable gap of 25 seconds over Gavin Mannion (Jelly Belly). Australian Jordan Kerby (Drapac) finished third.
On a day that Zirbel called “the calmest in terms of wind I’ve ridden,” Lauren Stephens (Tibco-SVB) was fastest in the women’s race, stopping the clock 24 seconds ahead of Brianna Walle (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies). Allie Dragoo (Twenty16-Sho-Air) rounded out the podium in third.
Women’s leader Mara Abbott (Amy D. Foundation) kept her GC lead over Stephens by a narrow margin — nine seconds after Abbott finished fifth in Friday’s test.
Jasmin Glaesser (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) kept her third-place position on GC with a fourth-place finish in the time trial. She is now 48 seconds behind Abbott.
The men’s GC leader, Rafael Montiel (Orgullo Antioqueno) finished 10th in the time trial, and that was enough for him to keep the leader’s jersey.
Thanks to a strong performance today, Rob Britton (Team SmartStop) vaulted from ninth to second-place overall, 22 seconds behind Montiel.
“Last year, I made mistakes coming into the TT, and it might have cost me the overall,” Britton said. “I’ve been working hard on my TT, and it showed today.”
Another Optum rider, Phil Gaimon was also on the move in the overall, going from seventh to third. He is now 56 seconds behind the Colombian leader.
Tomorrow, the men’s UCI race faces a 43.2-mile downtown criterium in Silver City, New Mexico. The women will race 27 miles in Saturday’s stage 4.
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On a day that Zirbel called “the calmest in terms of wind I’ve ridden,” Lauren Stephens (Tibco-SVB) was fastest in the women’s race, stopping the clock 24 seconds ahead of Brianna Walle (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies). Allie Dragoo (Twenty16-Sho-Air) rounded out the podium in third.
Women’s leader Mara Abbott (Amy D. Foundation) kept her GC lead over Stephens by a narrow margin — nine seconds after Abbott finished fifth in Friday’s test.
Jasmin Glaesser (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) kept her third-place position on GC with a fourth-place finish in the time trial. She is now 48 seconds behind Abbott.
The men’s GC leader, Rafael Montiel (Orgullo Antioqueno) finished 10th in the time trial, and that was enough for him to keep the leader’s jersey.
Thanks to a strong performance today, Rob Britton (Team SmartStop) vaulted from ninth to second-place overall, 22 seconds behind Montiel.
“Last year, I made mistakes coming into the TT, and it might have cost me the overall,” Britton said. “I’ve been working hard on my TT, and it showed today.”
Another Optum rider, Phil Gaimon was also on the move in the overall, going from seventh to third. He is now 56 seconds behind the Colombian leader.
Tomorrow, the men’s UCI race faces a 43.2-mile downtown criterium in Silver City, New Mexico. The women will race 27 miles in Saturday’s stage 4.
The post Stephens and Zirbel win Tour of the Gila TT appeared first on VeloNews.com.
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