Cheatley second in Cascade Classic Stage 2

Jul 23rd, 09. Kiwi Cath Cheatley finished 2nd in today's 2nd stage of the Cascade Cycling Classic, moving in to 2nd in the General Classification.

Rushlee Buchanan shares her report on the six kiwi women in the Cascade Cycling Classic with RoadCycling.co.nz.

Rushlee's report - Stage 2

Stage 2 of the Cascade cycling classic rolled out of the parking lot on another hot day as we pedalled towards our first mountain top finish for the week.

The road twisted and turned over rollers and through the valley below the, for some, daunting berg ahead of us providing for a solid section of attacks and counters from all corners of the peloton. 

The road was often lit up with the numerous team colours countering each other as wheels were sucked and power pushed through the pedals. However, just over the half way mark it was obvious, try as we might, that nothing was going to stick - just yet.

Surviving the chaos of the feed zone, with neutral drink bottles flying through the peloton, two sprints where a few major teams battled it out, and one drawn out KOM where the legs were entering the pain box thanks to a single file ascent, a few representatives from the major teams managed to sneak up the road catching the majority of the girls in the bunch unawares.

With the peloton shut down and one more feed-zone to navigate through it was a somewhat steady bunch roll to the base of the climb.

The steep pinch up the side of the snowy mountain, that was the start of the climb, blew the bunch apart and the front pickings powered up the road with many left trailing in their wake. The breakaway was still winding its way up the climb ahead of the exploded bunch until a few km's to go to the finish line when they were caught by the mountain goats of the peloton; one of which was kiwi Cath Cheatley. 

The front bunch also included the yellow jersey, who managed to jump from the dwindled front group just before the white tape to win again on the top of the mountain.  Cheatley finished a close second, moving herself up into second place in GC.

This afternoon there were plenty of tired legs so tomorrow's 14mile time trial, all up hill on the way out, down hill on the way back, will be a good chance for the GC contenders to make it count and see who the best lone ranger on the road is.

Related article

• Cascade Classic gets underway
• Cascade Classic Women's results
• Cascade Classic Men's results

Thumbnail photo: Courtesy Colavita/Sutton Home (c)Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us