Tour of the Gila: Scott McGill wins men's stage 2 Inner Loop Road Race

Scott McGill (Project Echelon) won the reduced bunch sprint on stage 2 of the Tour of the Gila, out-pacing Ignacio Prado (Canel's Java) at Fort Bayard.

Tyler Stites (Project Echelon), who finished second atop the climb to Mogollon on the opening stage, finished third and, with the time bonus, moved into the race lead, tied on time with stage 1 winner Wilmar Paredes (Team Medellin).

A total of 95 elite men took the start line at 9 a.m. local time in Fort Bayard, New Mexico on Thursday for the second day of racing on the  Inner Loop Road Race p/b Brian & Lynn Robinson/SW Bone & Joint Institute. 

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Stage 2 covered 76.2 miles (122.6km) with 6,056 feet (1,840 metres) of elevation gain in a clockwise loop that crossed the Continental Divide twice, and riders on the lookout through the southwest desert terrain to avoid thorns from local plants that cause flat tyres.

Three KOMs were on the menu for the day - 11.6 miles(18.7km), 20.2 miles (32.5km) and 63.9 miles (102.8km) - as well as two intermediate sprints. The women ride the same course, but abbreviated their ride at the finish climb by 2.1 miles. Once cresting the third and final category 3 climb of the route, the peloton had a fast 10 miles into Bayard, then the final 3.1 miles through the town to the uphill Fort Bayard finish.

Stephen Schaefer (Landis/Trek) and Conn McDunphy (Team Skylight) spent time off the front but the race came back together after the major climbs were done. A huge crash split the peloton en route to Fort Bayard, with all of the jersey holders avoiding the wreck.

Project Echelon handled the finale perfectly, delivering McGill to the stage win and Stites into the lead heading into the stage 3 time trial.

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