May 10/15 17:17 pm - Amgen Tour of California Women Stage 3 results and Final GC

Posted by Editoress on 05/10/15
 

Kirchmann Takes Second Consecutive Win in California

Leah Kirchmann sprinted to victory for the second time in two days, this time in front of the Sacramento state capitol building and across the final finish line of the Women's Tour of California. After two stages filled with climbing at altitude around Lake Tahoe, the final stage descended to sea level for a flat, fast paced six corner, 17-lap circuit race. With Kirchmann proving herself on Tahoe's steeper terrain, Sacramento provided some familiar territory for the sprint specialist and Canadian criterium national champ.

"The team rode very well today, and Leah followed the right sprinter at the end. She placed herself well, and she used her incredible late speed burst to get the win," said Performance Director Patrick McCarty. "She played things very smart tactically at the end of the race, and avoided being trapped after the final corner, so this win was well earned. It is fantastic to see the team take 2 out of 3 stages here at such an important event."

McCarty was complimentary of the first-ever women's stage race at the Tour of California.

"The race this week was the best one we have seen in North America so far. The level of competition, the support, the crowds and fans, the venues and the courses themselves were all as good as you could ask for. For it to be a new women's race in the US is even better."

After finding herself poorly positioned through the final corner and facing a long 800 metre drag race to the finish, Kirchmann used patience and tactical savvy to find the right wheel and catapult past the head of the race to claim victory by half a bike length. The 10-second time bonus for the win moved her up to second overall and secured her the Visit California Sprint classification jersey. The consistency of the entire team in supporting Kirchmann placed them third in the team classification, with Lex Albrecht finishing in ninth and Amy Charity 11th overall.

The women's field gave the crowd a thrilling look at the final circuit, where the men's peloton would close out their race after nearly 200 kilometres of racing through California's central countryside. The first stage was a hot, dusty loop beginning and ending in Sacramento, and the flattest and longest stage of the entire tour. The terrain guaranteed a hotly contested sprint, but three trips around the technical circuit loosened things up. Guillaume Boivin found himself in good position, sitting behind eventual winner Mark Cavendish's wheel after the final corner. The Quebec native held on for a fifth place finish.

Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies press release

Trixi Worrack Claims Amgen Tour of CA Women’s Championship

With the leaders separated by only seconds after two days of racing, the first 3-day, 3-stage Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM came to a thrilling conclusion with Velocio-SRAM’s Trixi Worrack (Ger) posting a powerful ride to claim the title of the UCI-sanctioned event as the first-ever Amgen Tour of California women’s road race champion.

On a day when the overall race leader changed three times, Stage 3, presented by Visit California, featured a fast and flat six-corner circuit course around California’s State Capitol Building in downtown Sacramento. Designed as a sprinter’s delight, the race leaders had to push hard to defend their positions, as the 65 cyclists still standing battled for every available Sprint point during a 17 lap all-out race totaling 34 miles.

With only seconds separating overall times for the race leaders, every point awarded in today’s four Sprint opportunities made a difference as to who would end the day wearing the yellow overall winner’s jersey. Worrack, the 2013 German National Road Race Champion who placed third yesterday, went hard for the win and swept the first three of four Sprints. This incredible feat put her at a 6-second advantage leading to the final laps.

But with the biggest time bonuses of the day at the finish, it was still anyone’s race. Velocio-SRAM was on the front for the last lap to defend Worrack’s position, finally giving way to a bunch sprint across the line. To the backdrop of crowds roaring, Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies’ Leah Kirchmann (Can) claimed the stage for the second day in a row, but Worrack’s performance today paid off in yellow as she was crowned the inaugural Amgen Tour of California Women’s Race empowered with SRAM champion.

“It was such a really nice race, especially with the organization,” Worrack. “It was a really nice [Amgen] Tour of California. The first two stages were really hard for us because it was at altitude and today was a crit, also really hard. But with lots of spectators, it was really good.”

Kirchmann ended second overall, as well as walking away with the Visit California Sprint Jersey.

“I’ve had an amazing time racing the Amgen Tour of California this week,” said Kirchmann. “It really means a lot for women’s cycling that the organizers have stepped it up and held an internationally sanctioned race with such a quality field. The venues were spectacular this week. The crowds were enthusiastic and big every day. And I just can’t wait to return to this race next year. It’s been awesome!”

Twenty16 p/b Sho-Air’s Lauren Komanski (USA), the only rider of the top three overall to podium every day, earned third place overall and Oakland, Calif. resident Katie Hall (USA), the race leader after day one, finished in fourth place for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team.

With no Queen of the Mountain (QOM) points today, the climbing jersey remains with Canada National Team’s Kirsti Lay (Can). Hannah Barnes (GBR), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team, catapulted to second place for today’s stage and cemented the SRAM Best Young Rider Jersey, which she’s worn since day one. Twenty16 p/b Sho-Air will go home with the team honors.

Tour of California report

Results from the third and final stage in California