Albrecht wins stage 2 at Tour of the Gila, Wiles takes race lead

Lex Albrecht (Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank) won stage 2 at the Tour of the Gila Thursday, out-sprinting breakaway companions Tayler Wiles (UnitedHealthcare) and Scotti Lechuga (Hagens Berman Supermint) at the finish in Fort Bayard. It was Wiles who came away with the Gila's top prize, however, as she rode into the overall race lead. 

Albrecht joined Wiles and Lechuga, who had escaped before the final QOM of the day, to form a three-rider move that was able to hold off the reduced peloton after a tough day of racing in New Mexico.

“There were a lot of attacks in the final kilometres, which is normal for this stage," Albrecht said. "We were just working really hard, my Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank teammates and I, to cover all of them and I just happened to cover the final one that Tayler Wiles from UHC put in.

"I spent some of my last matches just to stick on and I followed them right to the last kilometres," she said.

In the finale, Albrecht waited patiently for Wiles to jump, which she did with about 500 metres remaining, then the Tibco rider slowly clawed her way back and passed the UnitedHealthcare rider at the line.

"I tried not to jump too hard because of the altitude; if you jump too hard out here you can explode, figuratively speaking, and so I knew I just had to drag her back," Albrecht said. "In the last few 50 metres or so, that’s when I really stomped on the pedals and just passed her for the finish."

Wiles was disappointed to miss out on the stage win after working hard in the break, but taking the leader's jersey more than made up for the stage result.

"Today was really good," she said. "We had our 'sprinty, climby' riders work their butts off pacing it up and over the climb. Katie Hall, Ruth Winder and I took turns attacking - my dad calls it the three-headed monster. That paid off today, because I eventually got off the front with Scotti Lechuga and Lex Albrecht. Lex sat on while Scotti and I worked really hard.

"In the last km it was slowing down and I was getting nervous. I went early, got a bit of a gap. Lex was fresh so she sprinted and came around me right at the line. But we still have the jerseys and raced really well so I'm happy about that."

How it unfolded

The women’s 120.7km Inner Loop Road Race started and finished at Fort Bayard, a former military hospital that is now a historic site.

Riders faced two intermediate sprints and three third-category climbs with 1,784 metres of elevation gain. Nonetheless, the long, relatively flat run to the finish meant the sprinters had their eyes on this day as one of the week’s few opportunities.

With the first intermediate sprint of the day coming just 10km into the day, the pace picked up immediately when the flag dropped on the short neutral out of Silver City.

Jaime Gilgen of Rise Racing took the three-second time bonus that went to the winner of the first sprint. The pack regrouped following the sprint as they headed toward the first QOM of the day at the top of the climb to Pinos Altos.

Visit Dallas DNA’s Melinda McCutcheon captured the top QOM points there, followed by race leader Katie Hall, her UnitedHealthcare teammate Wiles and Cylance’s Krista Doebel-Hickok.

Hall’s team continued to ride the front of the peloton, keeping things under control as they approached the second QOM of the day at Meadow Creek, where Hall crossed the line first ahead of McCutcheon, Wiles and Colavita-Bianchi’s Abbey Mickey.

The climbing combined with the pace set by UnitedHealthcare was taking a toll on the peloton, which had been winnowed down to just 30 riders. Gilgen claimed another three-second time bonus at the second sprint, where Hall’s teammates Wiles and Winder protected her lead by claiming the remaining bonuses on the line.

As the women kept ticking down the kilometres, a breakaway finally escaped the bunch when Lauretta Hansen (UnitedHealthcare), Julie Emmerman (Amy D Foundation) and Lindsay Bayer (Hagens Berman Supermint) slipped away initially before Gilgen bridged to form a lead group of four.

The leaders had a 55 second advantage going over Basrvof climb, but UnitedHealthcare was eager to bring them back and the reduced peloton was all together with 25Km remaining on the approach to the High Spot QOM.

Wiles then jumped away with Scotti Lechuga (Hagens Berman Supermint), gaining a small gap as they crested the climb and the final QOM, where Wiles took the top points.

The duo dangled in front of the peloton over the closing kilometres, tempting rider after rider to attack and make a bridge. Albrecht found success, and the trio built an advantage of 20 seconds with 3km remaining.

The three leaders were able to hold their gap to the entrance of Fort Bayard, where Wiles jumped first and Albrecht countered.

"It was pretty windy, so I wasn’t sure if it was going to stay away because the peloton was maintaining the gap and then brining it down a little bit, too," Albrecht said. "Then in the final 500 metres Tayler threw out her final attack, and I followed.

"I got my first victory here at Gila, so that’s pretty cool for me, especially on a stage like this that’s more for the sprinters."

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Lex Albrecht (Can) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank3:29:52
2Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 1 - Cell 2
3Scotti Lechuga (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:00:05
4Emma Grant (GBr) Colavita/Bianchi0:00:17
5Sara Bergen (Can) Rally Cycling0:00:20
6Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:00:22
7Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro CyclingRow 6 - Cell 2
8Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 7 - Cell 2
9Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 8 - Cell 2
10Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley BankRow 9 - Cell 2
11Megan Alderete (USA) Hagens Berman / SupermintRow 10 - Cell 2
12Leah Thomas (USA) Sho-Air Twenty200:00:25
13Miriam Brouwer (Can) Rise RacingRow 12 - Cell 2
14Julie Emmerman (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 13 - Cell 2
15Joelle Numainville (Can) Cylance Pro CyclingRow 14 - Cell 2
16Emma White (USA) Rally Cycling0:00:28
17Erica Clevenger (USA) Visit Dallas DNA CyclingRow 16 - Cell 2
18Lindsay Bayer (USA) Hagens Berman / SupermintRow 17 - Cell 2
19Claudia Vernica Leal Balderas (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-SpecializedRow 18 - Cell 2
20Kathryn Donovan (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro CyclingRow 19 - Cell 2
21Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro CyclingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Stefanie Sydlik (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 21 - Cell 2
23Brianna Walle (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley BankRow 22 - Cell 2
24Kathryn Buss (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:00:31
25Abigail Mickey (USA) Colavita/BianchiRow 24 - Cell 2
26Lindsay Myers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:00:46
27Caitlin Laroche (USA) Rally Cycling0:00:48
28Breanne Nalder (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling0:02:21
29Marcela Elizabeth Prieto Moreno (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:07:55
30Jamie Gilgen (Can) Rise Racing0:09:02
31Lauretta Hanson (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 30 - Cell 2
32Liza Rachetto (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:09:21
33Lauren Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:12:48
34Gillian Ellsay (Can) Colavita/BianchiRow 33 - Cell 2
35Amy Benner (USA) Rally Cycling0:13:26
36Allison Beveridge (Can) Rally CyclingRow 35 - Cell 2
37Karlee Gendron (Can) Rise Racing0:16:17
38Alison Tetrick (USA) Cylance Pro CyclingRow 37 - Cell 2
39Diana Carolina Peñuela (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro CyclingRow 38 - Cell 2
40Tarah Cole (USA) Landis - TrekRow 39 - Cell 2
41Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cylance Pro CyclingRow 40 - Cell 2
42Sofia Arreola (Mex) Sho-Air Twenty20Row 41 - Cell 2
43Amber Pierce (USA) Colavita/BianchiRow 42 - Cell 2
44Shayna Powless (USA) Sho-Air Twenty20Row 43 - Cell 2
45Marie Soliel Blais (USA) Landis - TrekRow 44 - Cell 2
46Margot Clyne (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 45 - Cell 2
47Beth Ann Orton (USA) Hagens Berman / SupermintRow 46 - Cell 2
48Emily Jordan (USA) Landis - TrekRow 47 - Cell 2
49Julyn Renee Aguila Hernandez (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-SpecializedRow 48 - Cell 2
50Nicolle Bruderer (Gua) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley BankRow 49 - Cell 2
51Holly Breck (USA) Sho-Air Twenty200:19:16
52Lori Nedescu (Can) Rise RacingRow 51 - Cell 2
53Andrea Thomas (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 52 - Cell 2
54Kat Salthouse (USA) Landis - TrekRow 53 - Cell 2
55Aliya Traficante (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 54 - Cell 2
56Illi Gardner (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 55 - Cell 2
57Maureen Mcauliffe (USA) Landis - Trek0:30:42
58Ariadna Gutierrez Arzaluz (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:32:54
59Maria Antonieta Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-SpecializedRow 58 - Cell 2
60Erica Zaveta (USA) Cylance Pro CyclingRow 59 - Cell 2
61Sally Aston (USA) Landis - Trek0:34:45
DNSAstrid Gassner (Aut) Colavita/BianchiRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFKendelle Hodges (Aus) Colavita/BianchiRow 62 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Mountains 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling5pts
2Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling2Row 2 - Cell 3
4Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling1Row 3 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Mountains 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling5pts
2Lindsay Bayer (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling2Row 2 - Cell 3
4Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling1Row 3 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Mountains 3
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling5pts
2Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling3Row 1 - Cell 3
3Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling2Row 2 - Cell 3
4Abigail Mickey (USA) Colavita/Bianchi1Row 3 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
General Classification after stage 2
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling6:45:52
2Scotti Lechuga (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:00:09
3Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:00:20
4Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:00:21
5Sara Bergen (Can) Rally Cycling0:00:24
6Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:00:25
7Emma Grant (GBr) Colavita/BianchiRow 6 - Cell 2
8Lex Albrecht (Can) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:00:28
9Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling0:00:30
10Megan Alderete (USA) Hagens Berman / SupermintRow 9 - Cell 2
11Leah Thomas (USA) Sho-Air Twenty200:00:33
12Julie Emmerman (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 11 - Cell 2
13Lindsay Bayer (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:00:36
14Erica Clevenger (USA) Visit Dallas DNA CyclingRow 13 - Cell 2
15Stefanie Sydlik (USA) Amy D FoundationRow 14 - Cell 2
16Kathryn Donovan (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro CyclingRow 15 - Cell 2
17Kathryn Buss (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:00:39
18Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling0:00:41
19Joelle Numainville (Can) Cylance Pro Cycling0:00:53
20Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:00:58
21Brianna Walle (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:01:05
22Claudia Vernica Leal Balderas (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:01:06
23Abigail Mickey (USA) Colavita/Bianchi0:01:09
24Miriam Brouwer (Can) Rise Racing0:01:17
25Emma White (USA) Rally Cycling0:01:20
26Lindsay Myers (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:01:24
27Caitlin Laroche (USA) Rally Cycling0:02:53
28Breanne Nalder (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling0:03:13
29Marcela Elizabeth Prieto Moreno (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:08:33
30Jamie Gilgen (Can) Rise Racing0:10:58
31Liza Rachetto (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint0:11:50
32Gillian Ellsay (Can) Colavita/Bianchi0:13:40
33Lauretta Hanson (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:14:08
34Alison Tetrick (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling0:16:25
35Marie Soliel Blais (USA) Landis - Trek0:16:55
36Kaitlin Antonneau (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling0:17:13
37Margot Clyne (USA) Amy D Foundation0:17:16
38Diana Carolina Peñuela (Col) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:17:19
39Tarah Cole (USA) Landis - TrekRow 38 - Cell 2
40Emily Jordan (USA) Landis - TrekRow 39 - Cell 2
41Karlee Gendron (Can) Rise Racing0:17:27
42Lauren Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:17:54
43Shayna Powless (USA) Sho-Air Twenty200:18:22
44Beth Ann Orton (USA) Hagens Berman / SupermintRow 43 - Cell 2
45Nicolle Bruderer (Gua) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley BankRow 44 - Cell 2
46Sofia Arreola (Mex) Sho-Air Twenty200:18:46
47Julyn Renee Aguila Hernandez (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-SpecializedRow 46 - Cell 2
48Amy Benner (USA) Rally Cycling0:19:05
49Allison Beveridge (Can) Rally CyclingRow 48 - Cell 2
50Andrea Thomas (USA) Amy D Foundation0:21:21
51Lori Nedescu (Can) Rise RacingRow 50 - Cell 2
52Kat Salthouse (USA) Landis - TrekRow 51 - Cell 2
53Amber Pierce (USA) Colavita/Bianchi0:21:23
54Holly Breck (USA) Sho-Air Twenty200:22:36
55Illi Gardner (USA) Amy D Foundation0:23:33
56Aliya Traficante (USA) Amy D Foundation0:24:55
57Maureen Mcauliffe (USA) Landis - Trek0:34:00
58Ariadna Gutierrez Arzaluz (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:35:23
59Erica Zaveta (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling0:36:21
60Sally Aston (USA) Landis - Trek0:38:03
61Maria Antonieta Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:40:29
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Best Young Rider
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling6:46:13
2Erica Clevenger (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Cycling0:00:15
3Kathryn Buss (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank0:00:18
4Emma White (USA) Rally Cycling0:00:59
5Gillian Ellsay (Can) Colavita/Bianchi0:13:19
6Lauretta Hanson (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling0:13:47
7Margot Clyne (USA) Amy D Foundation0:16:55
8Shayna Powless (USA) Sho-Air Twenty200:18:01
9Nicolle Bruderer (Gua) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley BankRow 8 - Cell 2
10Julyn Renee Aguila Hernandez (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:18:25
11Allison Beveridge (Can) Rally Cycling0:18:44
12Illi Gardner (USA) Amy D Foundation0:23:12
13Aliya Traficante (USA) Amy D Foundation0:24:34
14Maria Antonieta Gaxiola Gonzalez (Mex) Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:40:08
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Points Classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling23pts
2Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling19Row 1 - Cell 3
3Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling17Row 2 - Cell 3
4Sara Bergen (Can) Rally Cycling16Row 3 - Cell 3
5Lex Albrecht (Can) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank15Row 4 - Cell 3
6Jamie Gilgen (Can) Rise Racing15Row 5 - Cell 3
7Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank14Row 6 - Cell 3
8Scotti Lechuga (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint10Row 7 - Cell 3
9Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling9Row 8 - Cell 3
10Emma Grant (GBr) Colavita/Bianchi8Row 9 - Cell 3
11Elizabeth Williams (Aus) Hagens Berman / Supermint8Row 10 - Cell 3
12Joelle Numainville (Can) Cylance Pro Cycling4Row 11 - Cell 3
13Leah Thomas (USA) Sho-Air Twenty203Row 12 - Cell 3
14Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling3Row 13 - Cell 3
15Lindsay Bayer (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint2Row 14 - Cell 3
16Julie Emmerman (USA) Amy D Foundation1Row 15 - Cell 3
17Brianna Walle (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank1Row 16 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Mountains Classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Melinda McCutcheon (USA) Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling10pts
2Tayler Wiles (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling9Row 1 - Cell 3
3Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling9Row 2 - Cell 3
4Lindsay Bayer (USA) Hagens Berman / Supermint3Row 3 - Cell 3
5Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling1Row 4 - Cell 3
6Abigail Mickey (USA) Colavita/Bianchi1Row 5 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Teams Classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling20:18:44
2Hagens Berman / Supermint0:00:05
3Team Tibco - Silcon Valley Bank0:00:36
4Visit Dallas DNA0:00:47
5Rally Cycling0:03:33
6Colavita/Bianchi0:14:06
7Cylance Pro Cycling0:16:20
8Amy D Foundation0:17:17
9Conade-Visit Mexico-Specialized0:27:17
10Rise Racing0:28:43
11Sho - Air Twenty200:36:33
12Landis/Trek0:50:25

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews