May 22/16 21:48 pm - Tour of California: Women Stage 4 and final GC

Posted by Editoress on 05/22/16
 

Reigning U.S. National Road Race Champion Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) seized the race lead in South Lake Tahoe on day one of the Amgen Breakaway from Heart Disease™ Women’s Race Empowered with SRAM and has held onto it ever since. After four race days and a total of 318.32 km, she began the day with a 15-second advantage, and goes away as the 2016 women’s race champion following a 66 km circuit race (20 laps) around Capitol Park in Sacramento. Guarnier also won the overall Points classification, and will go on to represent the U.S. in the Rio Summer Olympic Games in August.

“This one is up there,” said Guarnier. “Being in America, winning a WorldTour event, and then taking a leader’s jersey. The crowds are amazing. It’s a little bit surreal, and I’m super proud to be here.”

The field of 91 starters in the UCI Women’s WorldTour event lost a few riders to crashes on the fast and flat course. After a couple of short-lived breaks, Cylance Pro Cycling showed strength at the front of the peloton as the riders crossed the finish line again and again during their circuit laps. With two laps to go, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team took over at the front in hopes to propel 2014 U.S. National Criterium Champion Coryn Rivera to a win. It was not enough to hold off Hitec Products’ Kirsten Wild (NED), who came over the finish line just ahead of Canyon/SRAM Racing’s former German National Champion Lisa Brennauer and Rabo-Liv Women Cycling Team’s lauded rider Marianne Vos . Rivera, who placed second at yesterday’s Santa Rosa stage, was fourth today, with Amy Pieters (Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling) in fifth.

At the conclusion of the women’s event, two Boels-Dolmans riders stood on the overall podium with Guarnier taking top honors and teammate Evelyn Stevens in third. Four-time National Time Trial Champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong (TWENTY16 – Ridebiker) placed second.

Mara Abbott (Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling) came away from the competition with the Lexus Queen of the Mountain (QOM) Jersey. The SRAM Best Young Rider Jersey went to 19 year-old Chloe Dygert, the two-time Junior World Champion from Bremerton, Wash., and Rabo-Liv Women Cycling Team’s Shara Gillow (AUS) was named the Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider.

“We spend a lot of time racing over in Europe with our teams there. To be able to show the girls on my team a really well-organized race and show them places they thought were beautiful and places they’ve never seen before and be able to give them such a wonderful impression of racing in America, it was really special,” said Abbott. “It’s really special to be able to have these sorts of big races in my country.”

2016 Jersey Winners

Amgen Leader Jersey – Megan Guarnier (USA), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
Lexus Queen of the Mountain (QOM) Jersey – Mara Abbott (USA), Wiggle High5 Pro Cycling (GBR)
Visit California Sprint Jersey – Megan Guarnier (USA), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
SRAM Best Young Rider Jersey – Chloe Dygert (USA), TWENTY16 – Ridebiker (NED)
Breakaway from Cancer®  Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Shara Gillow (AUS), Rabo-Liv Women Cycling Team (NED)

Overall Team Classification – TWENTY16 – Ridebiker

ATOC press release

Results from the fourth and final stage in California