Women's Colorado Classic: Katie Hall wins Vail time trial

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Katie Hall (UnitedHealthcare) took out the stage win on the iconic Vail time trial at the Colorado Classic Women's Race on Friday, climbing the 15.9km course in just over 30 minutes to take the overall race lead. Hall topped teammate Leah Thomas by 27 seconds, with Rally Cycling's Gillian Ellsay third at 49 seconds.

As is the usual for Colorado, the high altitude and grinding ascent made for a tough time trial. Hall definitely felt the effects of both. "It was so brutal, so brutal. It was so brutal to pace it," she said. "I mean, you're going to feel horrible no matter what, but we both went out really conservative because of the altitude, and still in the end I was, like, 'What have I done? What have I done to myself?"

What she did was give herself a strong chance of taking home the overall victory in the Colorado Classic. After winning all of the USA's top stage races this season - Redlands, Joe Martin, Tour of the Gila and the Amgen Women's Race, Hall could add the Colorado Classic to her 2018 tally.

She leads the overall classification by 26 seconds over Thomas, with Abby Mickey (Rally Cycling) in third at 1:22. There is a criterium in Denver on Saturday and a circuit race on Sunday to close out the Women's Colorado Classic. Both typically end in bunch sprints, and it is unlikely Hall will lose enough time to slip out of the race lead.

"The next two days will be for the sprinters and it will probably stay together," Hall said. "Rally will try something, but I think there are a lot of motivated sprinters' teams here, too.

"I've never worn the leader's jersey here, so it's a big honour."

Kristina Kvrouwenvelder (ALP Cycles Racing) set the fastest early time, but when the later starters began to power home, her time was quickly surpassed. Ellsay came in minutes faster than the early wave to take the hot seat, and held on the longest until Thomas came through 23 seconds quicker.

But it wasn't enough for Thomas to take the stage, as Hall powered her way up to the finish, besting her teammate by 26 seconds.

"I felt like it was a strong effort. I'm obviously going up against one of the best climbers in the world, so…" Thomas said. "But obviously, anything that UnitedHealthcare wins is always a good day.

"I think I paced it as well as I could for not having done a full effort on this course before. Like Katie, I went out pretty conservatively, or what I thought was really conservatively, and was very grateful when I got to the climb that I didn't go out any harder.

"We've had a couple time trials this year where we've done well like that on the podium, and for the last big race to be able to go out like that wold be really special."

Overnight race leader Rebecca Wiasak (Fearless Femme) tumbled down the rankings, coming in five minutes in arrears to Hall.

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