Tour of the Gila: Walter Vargas wins stage 3 Tyrone time trial

Walter Vargas (Team Medellin-EPM) won the 16.15 mile (26km) Tyrone Individual Time Trial p/b Freeport McMoran on stage 3 of the Tour of the Gila. 

The Pan American Time Trial Champion was 21 seconds faster than race leader Torbjørn Røed (Above and Beyond Cancer Cycling Team), who finished second, and 25 seconds better than Røed’s teammate Alex Hoehn. Drake Deuel (CS Velo) finished fourth and Óscar Sevilla (Team Medellín-EPM) was fifth. 

With his strong time trial result, Røed retains his GC lead, with Deuel moving three spots to second overall. Hoehn slots into third overall, while Sevilla follows in fourth.

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“I’m super happy about my effort today in the TT. Second today, and I’m going to keep my [leader’s] jersey. It looks like I increased my lead a little bit so that’s super nice going into the next two stages,” Røed said.

“I opened up hard today. I just stayed on top of it and went as hard as I could up the last climb.”

Held in the small mining town of Tyrone, the individual time trial course provided 1,188 feet of climbing on an out-and-back wide road with only one corner at the turnaround. Heavy cross winds were as much of a challenge as the double ascent of the Little Burro Pass, gusts reaching 20-30 mph.

Zach Gregg (Project Echelon) showed off his abilities as a multiple-time US amateur ITT national champion by taking the hot seat after posting a time of 35:12 early in proceedings. He was unseated by teammate Stephen Vogel, who finished in 34:37, with still 77 riders to cross the line. When Colby Lange posted 35:45, he made it a trio of Project Echelon riders at the top of the standings, with the GC leaders yet to finish.

With 28 riders yet to cross the line, Vargas set the new fastest time, 33:47. By the time race Røed carried the leader’s jersey across the finish, he could only post a second-best time.

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