Redlands Classic: Gontova surges to uphill win on stage 2

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Nadia Gontova (Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes) emerged from thick fog atop the ascent to Oak Glen Village to win stage 2 of the 2023 Redlands Bicycle Classic. The Patobike duo of Marcela Prieto and Lorena Villamizar were the closest in the chase behind, finishing second and third, respectively.

The City of Yucaipa Road Race for women covered 61.8 miles, the bulk of that across four circuits in cold and windy conditions, then the decisive 4.6-mile stiff climb of Oak Glen Road into a bank of clouds.

DNA Pro Cycling’s Anet Barrera was the first to launch an attack at the base of Oak Glen, the move reducing what remained of the peloton to a handful of select riders, including Gontova and the Patobike pair. 

Once Gontova struck out alone with the pass of Barrera, Prieto took up the chase, running out of real estate at the end to finish 28 seconds behind the stage winner. Her teammate took the final podium spot finishing 1:06 back and two seconds ahead of a charging Shayna Powless (DNA Pro Cycling).

“We came prepared, hoping to come out with good results,” said Villamizar after failing to catch Gontova at the top. “Today’s stage was very complicated with the cold and the rain, so we were nervous. We rode cautiously so as not to crash since Marcela [Prieto] had crashed the day before. The idea was to finish today’s race healthy and in good form.”

Gontova started Thursday’s stage 14 seconds behind early GC leader Marlies Mejias Garcia (Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24), and with the victory, jumped from 15th into the overall lead, now a 14-second advantage over second-placed Prieto and another 53 seconds on Lorena. Kathleen Abadie (Fount Cycling Guild) maintained her lead in the QOM competition.

While Mejias Garcia dropped to 18th overall, 2:45 back, two of her teammates, Melisa Rollins and Laurel Quinones, finished fifth and sixth on the summit finish. Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24 now has Rollins in fourth overall, while DNA Pro Cycling has Powless in fifth and Barrera in sixth, the trio separated by just 18 seconds.

The mid-point of the five-day stage race will be the stage 3 Route 66 time trial, the same 9.1-mile route used for both pro men and women.

Results

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