Anne Samplonius wins final stage of Aspen Women’s Pro Race 2011 - Cycling News
Now-Novartis for MS team’s Anne Samplonius won the third and final stage of Aspen Women’s Pro Race 2011 in Aspen on August 24.
Samplonius took the total of 59 minutes and 6 seconds to cover the distance of 42 kilometres. Anne outpaced the late breakaway while Kristin Armstrong Savola of Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 was runner-up with same timing of Anne.
Lauren Hall of Colavita-Forno D'Asolo finished third with the difference of 3 seconds ahead of Armstrong’s teammate Kristin McGrath was in fourth place.
After winning the stage, Anne said, "It was awesome to get a win here because the crowds were great and hats off to Jessica Phillips for putting this race on, It was fantastic for women's racing and I hope next year it becomes bigger and better with more
numbers on the line. It was a fantastic race."
In the final stage of Aspen offered 11 technical corners and it included a hill on each lap while Armstrong started the stage with six points ahead of the other cyclists. In the closing circuit, Colavita-Forno D'Asolo increased her pace and managed to launch
an attack and was followed by three cyclists including, Armstrong, Samplonius and US national road champion Robin Farina.
Samplonius said, "The altitude was good for me because I live in Boulder but Robin struggled with it. We were conservative and picked our moments to go. We waited until the end because this course wears on you, uphill and finishing stretch was tough."
With two laps to go, Armstrong launched an attacked and the two cyclists Samplonius and McGrath managed to bridge across. McGrath showed a good effort to drive the breakaway. In the final kilometres, Samplonius increased her pace in the final technical corner
and won the stage.
Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 team’s Kristin Armstrong took the overall standing and took the overall leader’s jersey. She was very happy after taking the jersey and said it’s really hard to day but Armstrong’s team-mate worked hard for her.
Recently, Armstrong took the third stage and overall victory in Sea Otter Classic. She also grabbed the overall standing in Tour of the Gila in 2009.
Anne was runner-up and McGrath was in third place ahead of Janel Holcomb (Colavita/Forno D’Asolo) and Amanda Miller (HTC Columbia Women’s).
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