Fernandes claims Tour Femenino San Luis title

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Jamildes Fernandes won the overall title at the second annual Tour Femenino San Luis on Friday. The Brazilian all-rounder won the women's six-day race ahead of American rider Lauren Stephens (Tibco-SVB) and Ana Paula Polegatch, also from Brazil.

Now in it’s second year, the UCI 2.2 women’s race was held just ahead of the professional men’s UCI 2.1 Tour de San Luis, which starts on Monday. The women’s race kicked off on January 10 with an race held in El Durazno where UnitedHealthcare’s Hannah Barnes won the sprint and took the early race lead.

Barnes went on to win stage 2 from a field sprint in Ville Mercedes, a stage she also won last year. “It was another great ride from the team today," said director Rachel Heal in a team press release. "There is always pressure defending a leader’s jersey, but the girls rose to the challenge and were present at the front of the race all day, always there when it mattered and delivering Hannah in perfect position for another fantastic win.”

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She maintained her overall lead through stage 3’s hilltop finish in Merlo, won by Iraida Garcia.

Tibco’s Stephens won the stage 4 time trial in El Durazno and it was enough to take the over race lead. The stage 5 finish atop Mirador del Potrero, won by UnitedHealthcare’s Katie Hall, shook up the general classification, however, and moved Fernandes into the lead by one second over Stephens and 16 seconds over Polegatch. 

“We lost the leader’s jersey, but the team really showed tremendous heart and great teamwork and commitment in a very difficult defense,” said Ed Beamon, Tibco's director. 

Alison Tetrick took a solo win during the stage six finale in San Luis but it wasn't enough to change to the top three places in the overall classification, and Fernandes secured a hard-fought overall victory. Hall won the mountains classification and Barnes won the young rider category.