Podium placing for Kiwi Kate Chilcott

Kate Chilcott, 2nd in NRC criterium today ©Rachel Byus

May 16th, 11. 20 year old Kiwi Kate Chilcott continued her good show of form finishing 2nd in the final criterium of the Tour de Grove today.

The Auckland rider had a great week of racing at the Joe Martin Stage Race last week where she had many Top 10 stage placings and finished as the second best young rider behind her Kiwi teammate Courteney Lowe.

Today Chilcott placed 2nd overall against another top NRC field.

In very wet conditions, the women's field set off for the Dutchtown Classic, a 60min plus 3 lap criterium in Missouri.  

Lowe was the first Kiwi to fire when she won the mid race prime before she and Chilcott joined the day's main breakaway.

With five other companions, including three riders from Tibco and one from Colavita, they kept ahead of the chasing peloton.

They still had over a minute lead on the bunch coming up to the last lap and the Kiwis readied themselves for a sprint finish, but only one of them made it.

"One corner to go and the Colavita girl fell off in front, I had to jump the curb or I would have come off," Lowe told RoadCycling.co.nz.

"In the process I managed to get a puncture and break my spoke. So for the last 300 or so metres I ran my bike up the hill and finished in 6th place - luckily the bunch did not catch until after I finished."

Fortunately, Chilcott was not affected by the crash.

"I was 3rd wheel going into the last corner, I knew to be in with a chance in the finish I had to be right up there. From there it was just head down, trying to pass Tibco," she said. "There was a crash on the last corner, so luckily I was in front of it!"

Chilcott finished 2nd, sandwiched between the two Tibco riders.

"It was cool that both Courteney and I were up in all the breaks, and both managed to make the winning break, with Court also taking out one of the primes. I am really happy with my result, it was cool to do well in a quality field and in such bad weather conditions."

Chilcott and Lowe race for FCS Cycling Team and are based in Bartonville, Texas for the US season.