Kiwi News

Evans makes it four and the Tour

Feb 28th, 10. The USA National Team finished off what they started, winning the final stage of the NZCT Women's Tour of New Zealand, the General Classification and the Team Classification.

Yellow takes the final stage win for tour victory ©RoadCycling.co.nz

They opened the tour with a win when Shelley Evans won the bunch sprint into Masterton for her 1st ever UCI road win. USA National Team repeated their success with wins on Stage 2, Stage 4, Stage 5 and today's Stage 6.

Only on Stage 3 did their team tactics miss a beat when they let a break of four get to the finish line metres in front of them.

They were dominant from the start, and today the Americans wrapped up the final stage for yet another victory and overall tour glory.

Today's final stage of the five day tour was a one hour criterium around the streets of central Wellington where only an incredibly aggressive race was going to cause an impact on the overall tour results.

The USA National Team lined up for the race with Shelley Evans in the yellow jersey and Amber Neben in 2nd just 4sec behind.

Their nearest rival was well over the 10sec stage winner's bonus meaning the only way anyone could challenge the USA for tour victory was to lap the field.

After the first neutral lap in glorious sunshine, and a touch of Wellington's infamous wind, the pace was incredible.

The USA National Team and the NZ National Team were determined to blow the field apart, which is exactly what happened.

Only 10min in to the 60min +3 lap criterium, more than half the field had been asked to leave the course as the front bunch screamed past them.

Jo Kiesanowski (NZ National Team) told RoadCycling.co.nz she was the one who initiated the power surge. Kiesanowski attacked a few times, then the Americans attacked and a gap opened up which the rest of the field couldn't counter.

Just like the rest of the tour, Evans had plenty of Team USA support today ©RoadCycling.co.nz

Eventual winner, Evans, said the aggressive approach was in part to keep her team safe.

"The fewer people there are in this kind of race, the more strung out it is and the safer it is. That was our plan," she said.

A chase group of 12, including NZ Criterium Champion Rushlee Buchanan (NZ Team) pushed their bodies to the limit, but couldn't catch up. They were exited from the course with 18 laps to go.

Dominating the front group in terms of numbers, if not aggression, was the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) team who, remarkably, had their whole six rider team in contention.

The Americans were the next most represented with three riders, Evans, Neben (winner of the time trial) and Jessica Phillips. The NZ National Team had two, Jo Kiesanowski and Linda Villumsen, as did the Nashua Pro Cycling Team.

Also in the leading bunch flying the NZ flag was Rachel Mercer (Handy Rentals), Serena Sheridan (Cyclosport) and Toni Bradshaw (Litespeed).

The front group of 23 riders had all the tour jerseys in it, as Evans expected.

"They have everything to lose so they will all be in there, and hopefully each have some teammates to support them."

Team USA and Manager Manel Lacambra discuss the course pre-race ©RoadCycling.co.nz

If any of the leaders of the sprint, Queen of the Mountain, U23 competition had been exited from the course before the finish line, they would have forfeited their lead.

Once the front bunch had decimated the rest of the field, the pace came down as they eyed each other up to see who was going to be the first to attack.

Villumsen had a couple of goes, but she was soon drawn back in and the bunch readied themselves for the tour's final bunch sprint.

USA National Team put Neben on the front to lead out Evans and, as she's done in every bunch sprint of this tour, Evans then outsprinted the field and even had enough time to raise her arms in victory before reaching the finish line.

Sprint Ace Kirsty Broun (AIS Australia Women's Cycling) was 2nd with Kiesanowski outsprinting Queen of the Mountain Ruth Corset for 3rd. U23 Champion Tiffany Cromwell (AIS Australia Women's Cycling) was 5th.

Today's win cemented Evans' first ever UCI stage tour win. After a fantastic five days of strategic racing, the USA National Team walked away with five of the six stage victories, 1st and 2nd on the General Classification and they won the Team Classification.

Evans honoured her teammates in her victory speech but also took the opportunity to say she and her team sent their best wishes to those affected by last night's major earthquake in Chile, including to Tour organiser Jorge Sandoval whose family lives in the quake area.