Kirchmann makes it two in a row in Tour of California

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The Velocio-SRAM squad pulverized the field on the third day of racing at the Amgen Tour of California Women’s race. Trixi Worrack (Velocio-SRAM) won all three intermediate sprints gaining her the enough time to take the overall win. Leah Kirchmann (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) won the final stage, pushing her into second over Lauren Komanksi (Twenty 16-Sho-Air.)

“We needed to win all the intermediate sprints to win the Tour,” said Worrack about her three second deficit. “The team did such a good lead out for every intermediate sprint, there was no way someone could pass me. It was really easy in the end.”

The day's course was a two mile loop around California’s state capital in downtown Sacramento. The women’s race started immediately after the start of the men’s race. Time bonuses were available in three intermediate sprints and for the stage win.

Velocio-SRAM lined up with the intention of winning as many of the time bonuses as possible. At the start Worrack sat only three seconds behind race leader Lauren Komanski. The narrow deficit motivated the team to come out swinging.

“The plan was we were going to do a lead out for all the intermediates. Then after the second one, evaluate and see where we were at,” said Loren Rowney (Velocio-SRAM.) “We just had to control the race, we couldn’t allow a break to go up the road because we needed those bonus seconds.”

Velocio and Twenty 16-ShoAir controlled the early laps of the race. Amber Gaffney (Twenty 16-ShoAir) spent most of the race keeping an eye on the action for Komanski.

“Our shot was to try and get something off the front in the hope that we could take up sprint points to keep Lauren in that yellow jersey,” said Gaffney. “They [Velocio-SRAM] kept the pace really high and each time we would jump someone was on us and it would come back.”

Four laps into the race Velocio set up Worrack and easily delivered her to the line. Efforts to escape were quickly shut down by Velocio, and Worrack won the remaining two sprints. The time bonuses gave Worrack the virtual lead in the general classification. Komanski’s only hope to regain the lead would be to win the stage, and take the final time bonus.

Worrack’s lead was briefly jeopardized when her shoe broke mid-race. The situation required a complicated on the fly shoe swap.

“We had to hand it off to SRAM Neutral, and SRAM Neutral had to give it to her,” said Velocio owner Kristy Scrymgeour. “She had to come back, swap over the shoe, put it on, and then the team had to be there to get her back on. She’s a pretty good bike rider and bike handler. I guess it was lucky it was her.”

Velocio monitored the final laps of the race, ensuring nothing went up the road. Velocio shut down attacks from Colavita-Bianchi, Pepper Palace, and BMW-Happy Tooth Dental.

In the final 100m Leah Kirchmann shot around Erica Allar (Colavita-Bianchi) to win her second stage of the race. “I surprised myself with that sprint,” said Kirchmann. “I stayed on the leader’s wheel and passed her right at the line.”

It was a disappointing day for Komanski. Komanski lost the lead, and dropped back to third in the GC due to Kirchmann’s time bonus.

“The team did an incredible job, they worked so hard today. I wish I could have held onto the yellow jersey for them,” said Komanski. “I’m not really a sprinter per say, so that was one of the factors there. Velocio is an incredible team, and they are dialled in, and had a pretty incredible lead out. Trixi did her job, the whole team did, and she got those points and did a great job.”

Kristi Lay (Canadian National Team) held onto the climbers jersey. Lay, a track rider by trade, was not an obvious favourite to wear the polka dots. The Tour of California is part of Lay’s preparation for the Pan-American games in Canada later this summer. “It’s kind of a surprise for me, but my team believed in me, and put me in the best spot this weekend,” said Lay.

Kirchmann kept the sprinters jersey, Hannah Barnes (UnitedHealthcare) retained the best young rider jersey, and Twenty 16-ShoAir won the best team competition.

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