Rory Sutherland and Giorgia Bronzini win final stage of 2011 Nature Valley Grand Prix
UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling team’s Rory Sutherland won the final stage of 2011 Nature Valley Grand Prix on Sunday, June 19.
The 29-year-old Australian took a total of 1 hour, 9 minute and 50 seconds to cover the distance of 45 kilometres.
After winning the stage Sutherland said, "Everyone here sees the crowd and how many people come out to cheer us on, it's an awesome stage and it's fantastic for the city of Stillwater to have such an event, there are not many like this in the country."
The race leader, Jesse Anthony, survived all the attacks and grabbed the second spot with a difference of 1 minute. K Frank Pipp of Bissell Pro Cycling finished third with a difference of 3 seconds.
With the two laps to go, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team’s Robert Forster increased his pace on Chilkoot, but he failed to gain a lead. Sutherland maintained his pace and proved too fast for the other cyclists to take his second consecutive victory.
Jesse Anthony took the overall leader’s yellow jersey with a timing of 9 hours, 56 minutes and 32 seconds. Bernard Van Ulden of Jelly Belly p/b Kenda was the runner-up with 17 seconds behind Anthony.
Luis Romero Amaran of Jamis-Sutter Home finished third with a difference of 45 seconds.
In the women category, Giorgia Bronzini of Colavita/Forno d'Asolo p/b cooking Light won the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Stillwater Criterium.
The 27-year-old Italian took a total of 51 minutes and 14 seconds to cover the distance of 45 kilometres. Evelyn Stevens of HTC-High Road was in the second spot with 1 second behind the Italian.
Brozini told the media, "I have no words for Evie [Stevens] - she made the race, I tried to save my power for the last climb because I came here with all of the best climbers and I'm a sprinter. So I tried only to follow [wheels] and save my best sprint
for the final."
Kristin Armstrong of Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty12 was in the third spot with a difference of 3 seconds.
With five laps to go, a group of 11 cyclists made their first breakaway including, Bronzini, Stevens, Ally Stacher, Amanda Miller, Joelle Noumainville and Kristin McGrath. All of them gained a lead of few seconds, however Armstrong and Bronzini were able
to sit in the pack and Brozini crossed the finish line, ahead of other cyclists.
Amber Neben took the overall lead with a timing of 8 hours, 4 minutes and 25 seconds, while Erinne Willock was in the second spot with difference of 19 seconds.
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