Rushlee Buchanan wins 3rd stage, Clara Hughes takes overall lead in 2011 Cascade Classic Stage Race
Colavita/Forno d'Asolo team’s Rushlee Buchanan showed her good effort and took the third stage of 2011 Classic Cascade Stage Race on Friday, July 22. Six-time Olympic medallist, Clara Hughes, maintained her overall leader’s jersey.
Buchannan took a total of 2 hours, 59 minutes and 43 seconds to cover the distance of the stage.
After winning the stage, Buchanan told the media, "I knew it was do or die, I didn’t look back until I was closer to the finish line and I kept thinking I wished the finish line were closer. I’m stoked for the win."
Alison Shanks of BikeNZ was the runner-up with 8 seconds behind Buchanan, while Tara Whitten of TIBCO/To the Top was in the third place with a difference of 10 seconds, ahead of Jade Wilcoxson and Kristin Mcgrath.
Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To the Top) was in good form and tried to take a lead, but failed and grabbed the eighth place with a difference of 1 minute and 9 seconds, ahead of Janel Holcomb.
A. Shank was the first rider who made the first move and was followed by Colavita-Forno D’Asolo team’s Lauren Hall. A group was formed that included, Leah Kirchman (Colavita-Forno D’Asolo), Joelle Numainville (Tibco-To the Top), Liza Rachetto (Vanderkitten),
Anna Barensfield, Alison Starnes (Peanut Butter & Co Twenty12) Tara Whitten, Megan Guarnie and Jade Willcoxson.
Shanks said, "The breakaway was all together going into the climb and Tibco was working at the front."
Four cyclists got away and took a lead in the front of race, whic included Shanks, Whitten, Buchanan and Willcoxson. In the last 3 kilometres, Buchanan increased her pace and crossed the finish-line ahead of the other cyclists.
Joelle Numainville took the sprint's classification, ahead of Kirchmann and Shanks. Hughes took the overall lead with a timing of 7 hours, 2 minutes and 48 seconds.
Hughes said, "It was a good race today and I stayed in yellow, I took a gamble and thought that Tibco would do most of the work on the climb and that’s what ended up happening."
Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To the Top) was the runner-up with 13 seconds and Kristin Mcgrath (Peanut Butter & Co.Twenty12) finished third with 19 seconds behind Hughes.
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