Huffman wins Time Trial, takes GC lead at Tour of the Gila
Evan Huffman of Rally Cycling dominated the Tyrone Time Trial on the third day of the 2017 Tour of the Gila, in New Mexico. Huffman finished the 26 kilometre course in 33 minutes, seven seconds, with enough of a margin to also move to the top of the General Classification.
Second place in the individual time trial went to TJ Eisenhart of Holowesko-Citadel, while Canadian Nigel Ellsay of Silber Pro Cycling claimed third, 33 seconds back from Huffman.
Rally Cycling teammates and fellow Canadians Matteo Dal-Cin and Rob Britton took six and seventh respectively, with young Canadian Alexander Cowan ninth-fastest across the line.
The results mean Dal-Cin has dropped from the lead in GC to third place, 30 seconds behind Huffman, and 5 seconds back from Eisenhart. Four more Canadians are ranked in the top ten in the GC: Ellsay in fourth, Britton in seventh, Cowan in ninth, and Alex Cataford in tenth, 1:22 back from the leaders.
A similar shakeup took place in the women’s field. The stage victory was claimed by Leah Thomas of the Sho-Air Twenty20 team. Thomas edged the field in 38:27, besting UnitedHealthcare’s Tayler Wiles by six seconds. Third place went to Julie Emmerman of the Amy D Foundation team, a further 50 seconds back from Wiles.
After back to back second place finishes, Wiles moved into the lead in the general classification, 27 seconds ahead of Thomas, and 1:13 ahead of Ruth Winder, a UnitedHealthcare teammate.
Bad news struck for Canadian Sara Bergen of Rally Cycling. Bergen crashed during the time trial, but finished 22nd on the stage, 3:32 back from the winner. However, Bergen transferred to a hospital for a post-race evaluation on suspicions of a broken collarbone. The team later confirmed the injury, and Bergen will not continue at the Tour of the Gila.
American women dominate the GC, filling the first 13 positions. Canadian Lex Albrecht of Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank, who won stage two, is ranked 14th, 3:33 back from the leader.
