Clara Hughes (Canada) celebrates her victory.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Ouch! Race ended for a couple of the PanAm hopefuls.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The group began to break up toward the finish.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
To the winner go the spoils. (Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Chilean Gonzalo Garrido.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Chilean Gonzalo Garrido attacks.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Columbian Felipe Laverde.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Even the commisaire got himself a prize.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Three of the key protagonists.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Bunch pass under an arch.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
An escape group lead by Ivan Casas.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
An escape group.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The group is together.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Ivan Casas was another of the Columbians to try and get away.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Janiera looked strong on the stage.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The future looks promising with these three.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The Columbians were looking good on the stage.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
A Brazillian winner isn't all that common and Panizo knows this all too well.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Men's Podium.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
One of the many escape groups.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Alvaro Argiro (Argentina)(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Yennier Lopez and Sergio Henao.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Valentian Scandolara, Elena Cecchini and Maria Giulia Canfalonieri made up the Italian women's road race podium(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Gregory Panizo crosses the line to win the Pan American championships.(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
The U/23 podium.(Image credit: Daniel Simms)
Riders from Argentina await the start of the road race.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Valeria Muller (Argentina)(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) wins the sprint for third place.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Women's road race podium (l-r): Evelyn Garcia, Clara Hughes, Theresa Cliff-Ryan(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) and Clara Hughes (Canada) on the attack.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The winning break of Clara Hughes (Canada) and Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador).(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Evelyn Stevens (USA) sets the pace on a climb.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The women's peloton contests the 96km road race.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) on the podium.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) wins the silver medal in the women's road race.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador)(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
The decivise breakaway was comprised of Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) and Clara Hughes (Canada).(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Clara Hughes (Canada)(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Clara Hughes (Canada) en route to victory in the women's road race.(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Valeria Muller (Argentina)(Image credit: Luis Barbosa)
Clara Hughes (Canada) continued her run of success after returning to cycling with a dominating performance in the Panamerican Championship road race. Following up on her gold medal performance in the time trial on Friday, Hughes earned her second gold medal with a solo victory in the 96km road race. Evelyn Garcia (El Salvador) claimed the silver medal 1:18 later while Theresa Cliff-Ryan (USA) took the field sprint for bronze 6:53 behind Hughes.
Hughes and Garcia formed the race's decisive break and rode away from the peloton on a difficult parcours. Hughes eventually dispatched of Garcia to win alone.
"It was an epic day...We had a plan as a team to win the road race today and I am so proud of this victory for Canada," said Hughes.
"It was hot, hilly and gruelling, and I was cramping up really badly halfway through the race. I ate and drank as much as I could to make the cramps go away and kept thinking 'you can't lose this race for the team!'. It gave me a lot of strength and motivation knowing my teammates were working hard behind.
"It was a team victory and I'm satisfied but exhausted. I've never cramped up in a race and had to go through that kind of pain."
Vincent Jourdain, head coach of the Canadian Road Cycling Team, was effusive about his team's performance. "The strategy was to put pressure immediately and isolate the Americans," said Jourdain. "Clara quickly broke away from the peloton with a girl from El Salvador, and gave an incredible effort throughout the race in front.
"We reached our objective here, securing two additional spot for the World Championships."
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