Tanner takes finale

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As Fly V Australia teammate David Tanner added his name to the list of stage winners in this year's La Vuelta de Bisbee, Darren Lill secured his second consecutive overall victory.

Lill, shepherded by his Fly V Australia teammates, rolled in safely in the main pack to maintain his place in the leader's yellow jersey and rights to the top step of the podium.

Tanner took the final 84-mile Tombstone Road Race from the remnants of a long 11-rider breakaway that shredded on the final eight-mile climb up Mule Pass.

"I wasn't until the last two kilometres of the climb that it really split," said Tanner after the finish.

The break contained Tanner and Fly V teammate Charles Dionne, Maxim Jenkins and Marc DeMaar of UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis, Christopher Hong of Team Exergy, Jonathan Garcia (Team Rio Grande), Marsh Cooper (Trek Red Truck), Joshua Bartlett (Rubicon-Orbea), Diego Yepez (Bicycle Religion), Andres Diaz (RaceMenu.com) and Michael Mathis (AZA Equitable).

Leading over the top of Mule Pass were Tanner, Jenkins and DeMaar, who were rejoined by a few riders on the descent around the Lavender Pit Mine before turning back to the finish.

Dionne attacked and gained about 10 seconds before being dragged back the UnitedHealthcare riders. Tanner countered with about 800 metres go to and led in the strung-out lead group to the finish.

Mathis was second, Dionne third, Dias fourth and Garcia fifth. The main pack containing GC leader Lill came in at 2:20.

Roman Kilun (UnitedHealthcare), Christian Helmig (Metro VW), Ian Holt (Team Rio Grande) and Jared Gilyard (RideClean) followed Lill in the overall standings, the South African praising the efforts of his Fly V teammates who delivered him to the finish.

"We were happy having those two in the break," he said. "I was just following Roman around." And like many riders in La Vuelta, Lill is aiming at a good showing at the upcoming SRAM Tour of the Gila. "I'm positive about Gila for the whole team," he explained. "We're going to make a strong showing."

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