Buchanan Best Young Rider at Cascade

Jul 26th, 10. Rushlee Buchanan, the New Zealand Road Champion, was crowned the Best Young Rider at the top ranked US NRC Cascade Cycling Classic today.

Best Young Rider ©Veronika Lenzi

Buchanan's role in the team was to support her Colavita Baci team leader and fellow Kiwi Cath Cheatley, and riding in that capacity she gapped her rivals.

Buchanan held the white young rider's jersey from the opening prologue but it was on the second day's road race where she put significant time on the opposition.

Working defensively for Cheatley, who was up the road in a break, Buchanan followed an attack by another rider and found herself challenging for, and earning, 3rd place.  

The hilltop finish course profile didn't look suited to Buchanan, who wouldn't consider herself a mountain rider, however she found herself 4min clear of her nearest young rider.

Over the next few days Buchanan finished in the lead bunch after doing what she could to support Cheatley.  

In today's final road race Cheatley finished 2nd from her four rider break which included tour leader Mara Abbott (Peanut Butter & Co.TWENTY12) and Alison Shanks (BikeNZ) who were behind a solo rider.

Cheatley finished the tour in 2nd place to Abbott and Buchanan placed 5th overall as well as Best Young Rider.

This tour was Buchanan's last road tour for the international season.  She is now heading back to Trexlertown (T-Town) to join the rest of the New Zealand track team as they prepare for the Commonwealth Games.  

Other Kiwi results

Buchanan's title rounds off a great event for the Kiwi cyclists racing the Cascade Cycling Classic.  In all there were three Kiwi stage wins, thanks to Cheatley, Jesse Sergent (Trek Livestrong), and Jo Kiesanowski (TIbco).  

In the men's event Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling) finished 4th in the General Classification after finishing in the large chase bunch in today's final stage.  Rory Sutherland of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team won the men's tour.

Vennell is named in the shortlist for the New Zealand Commonwealth Games road team and his Bissell Pro Cycling manager, Kiwi Glen Mitchell is the Director Sportif for New Zealand at October's UCI World Championships.

Related articles on the Cascade Cycling Classic

• Cascade Cycling Classic results
• Kiesanowski takes third Kiwi win at Cascade
• Kiwis in the hunt again at Cascade
• Sergent shares RadioShack stagiaire news
• Sergent delivers another TT podium
• Cheatley and Buchanan take 1st and 3rd
• Rest perfect preparation for a Sergent victory