Colorado Springs, Colo. (April 25, 2018) - - A three-week west coast swing for the Pro Road Tour (PRT) began April 18-22 with the 32nd annual Tour of the Gila. The five-day UCI 2.2 stage race on the America Tour, based in Silver City, N.M., featured three road races stages, an individual time trial and a criterium for both men and women. The legendary climbs in the Mogollon Mountains proved to reshuffle the PRT standings.
With a second General Classification (G.C.) victory in as many weeks at a UCI stage race, Katie Hall (Saratoga, Calif./UnitedHealthcare
Pro Cycling) extended her lead in the women’s PRT individual standings. Making his first PRT start for 2018, Canadian Rob Britton (Rally Cycling) captured two podiums and a G.C. crown to vault into the lead of the men’s PRT individual standings.
Placing three riders in the Top Five of the G.C. this past week, the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team would extend its lead in the women’s PRT team standings over Rally Cycling. The top women’s team scored seven podiums, including two stage wins, at the Tour of the Gila. Rally Cycling finished the five days with four podiums and three riders in the Top 10. Twenty20 p/b Sho-Air scored two stage wins to continue in the third team slot.
The “Blue Train” for the men would overtake Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources for the lead in the men’s PRT team standings. The UHC men grabbed six podiums at the Tour of the Gila, two of them stage wins, and had three riders in the Top 12 of the G.C. Rally Cycling moved into third place overall with four stage podiums and two riders on the G.C. podium. Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources did not compete in New Mexico this past week.
The success of the top three women’s teams are reflected in a slight reshuffling in the individual rankings. Hall sits in the top position over two teammates, Leah Thomas (Boulder Creek, Calif.) in second and Diana Peñuelain third. The threesome dominated the Stage 5 “Gila Monster” day of racing, with Peñuela taking the win, followed by Hall and Thomas.
“This win feels really special,” said Hall through UHC Pro Cycling team communications about winning the Tour of the Gila overall. “I love this race and I have been trying to win it for a couple of years now. I couldn’t have done it without this group of women and I am really grateful to them and awed by their strength and calm under fire. Rally brought a big fight and I am proud of how my team responded to protect the overall G.C.”
Hall has 341 total points for the women’s individual lead, a 181-point advantage over Thomas. Only 40 points separate riders in the Top 5.
Moving into fourth place in the women’s standings is Chloe Dygert-Owen (Port Orchard, Wash./,TWENTY20p/b Sho-Air). The world champion track cyclist claimed the Stage 3 time trial win on a very windy day, as well as a Stage 2 win. A Canadian duo from Rally Cycling, Sara Bergen (Vancouver, B.C.) and Sara Poidevin (Calgary, Alberta) claim the fifth and sixth positions, respectively. Bergen did not race at Gila, but had enough points from her second-place finish in the overall at Joe Martin Stage Race to remain in the Top 5. Poidevin grabbed all her points at the Tour of the Gila, including two runner-up stage finishes.
Britton’s strong week at the Tour of the Gila gives him 157 total points. He dethrones two Holowesko-Citadel teammates, moving Brendan Rhim (Greenville, S.C.) to second place, 12 points out of the lead, and Ruben Companioni (Cuba) to fourth place, 28 points back. Making his debut this season on the PRT leaderboard in third place with 143 points is Gavin Mannion (Ft. Collins, Colo./UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), who won Stage 5 and was runner-up in the overall standings at Tour of the Gila. Colombian Daniel Jaramillo Diez (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), who resides in Albuquerque, N.M., is fifth in the PRT standings.
“It’s fantastic to win again. Not many people have won this race twice,” said Britton, who took G.C. honors in 2015 in New Mexico. “The team was solid today (Sunday) and every day. That’s one thing I knew I can always count on. The boys always show up for work.”
Next on the California calendar is the second criterium of the year, the Dana Point Grand Prix presented by Kingston Technology®, on Sunday, April 29. It is followed on May 2-6 with the third stage race of the season, the Redlands Bicycle Classic presented by San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
It will be the 12th edition of the Dana Point, Calif. criterium, one of the highest-attended one-day professional races and bike festivals in the country. Follow the Dana Point Grand Prix on Twitter (@DPGP) and Facebook (DanaPointGrandPrix).
Started in 1985, the Redlands Bicycle Classic enters its 34th year and has the distinction as being the longest, continuously running invitational, professional stage race in American cycling. Consisting again of five stages, the race will open with the return of the Big Bear Time Trial, after a two-year hiatus and for the fourth time in the race’s history. The event concludes on Sun., May 6 with the Sunset Road Race in Redlands, Calif. Follow Redlands Bicycle Classic on Twitter (@redlandsclassic) and Facebook (RedlandsBicycleClassic).
Women's Individual Standings
- Katie Hall (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) - 341 pts
- Leah Thomas (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) - 193 pts
- Diana Peñuela(UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) -185 pts
- Chloe Dygert-Owen (Twenty20 p/b Sho-Air) - 181 pts
- Sara Bergen (Rally Cycling) - 153 pts
Men's Individual Standings
- Rob Britton (Rally Cycling) - 157 pts
- Brendan Rhim (Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources) - 145 pts
- Gavin Mannion (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) - 143 pts
- Ruben Companioni (Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources) - 129 pts
- Daniel Jaramillo Diez (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling) - 98 pts
Women’s Team Standings
- UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling - 681 pts
- Rally Cycling - 427 pts
- Twenty20 p/b Sho-Air - 255 pts
- Hagens Berman / Supermint - 103 pts
- QCW Breakaway p/b JL Velo Felt Bikes - 72 pts
Men’s Team Standings
- UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team - 391 pts
- Holowesko-Citadel p/b Arapahoe Resources - 342 pts
- Rally Cycling - 274 pts
- Elevate-KHS Pro Cycling Team - 172 pts
- Hagens Berman Axeon - 113 pts
