Kathryn Donovan wins final stage, Clara Hughes takes overall lead in Tour of the Gila – Cycling news
Kathryn Donovan won the fifth and final stage at the SRAM Tour of the Gila on the Monster Road Race.
Donovan took a total of 3 hours, 26 minutes and 22 seconds to cover the distance of 170.1 kilometres.
Lex Albrecht of the Juvederm-Specialized team was in second place 2 minute and 37 seconds behind Kathryn. Logan-Sprenger of the d’Asolo team finished third with a difference of 4 minutes and 52 seconds from the leader.
After winning the stage Kathryn Donovan said, “We rotated through until about five miles before the climb but my teammate was in the breakaway and she pulled us to the base of the climb.”
The group of three riders, Amber Pierce of the Diadora-Pasta Zara team, Kristin Sanders of the Colavita team and Olivia Dillon made small breakaway earlier in the race. Janel Holcomb, who was fourth in overall classification, won the first sprint of the
race and gained 3 seconds for her advantage.
The three groups of riders worked together before the first Queen of the Mountain was won by Dvorak and was followed by the other two riders, Flavia Oliveira and Abbott.
After the first 22 miles, the break of day was formed with a group of seven riders including Logan-Sprenger, Albrecht, Donovan, Jessica Phillips, Anna Barensfeld, Lauren Tamayo and Emily Kachorek. No rider was a threat to the leaders to open a gap of three
minutes.
In the final climb of the day, Peloton slowed their speed and allowed the escapees to gain an advantage of 10 minutes. Hughes said, “I have no team and that is the choice I make to possibly losing the race.”
Donovan attacked the breakaway riders and took a lead. Albrecht tried to bridge across to Donovan but she failed and secured second place on the day. Donovan and her team worked hard to cross the finish line ahead of the other riders.
Clara Hughes of the Pactimo Cycling Team was also leading in the overall classification with a timing of 13 hours, 19 minutes and 15 seconds. Mara Abbott of the Diadora-Pasta Zara Team was the runner-up with a difference of 2 minutes and 52 seconds. Stage
winner Kathryn Donovan of the Missing Link Coaching Systems Team was in third spot 3 minutes and 15 seconds behind Hughes.
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