Australia's Digenis gaps field for stage win

Irene Digenis (Prime Estate Team) won the Women’s Tour of New Zealand’s third stage, just seconds ahead of the peloton that failed to catch her. Behind Digenis, fellow breakaway riders Gayle Brownlee (Handy Rentals Team) and Yvette Hill-Willis (Litespeed Team) rounded out the podium places.

Brownlee followed an attack by Hill-Willis on the second of three laps in Ashhurst, after several previous breakaway attempts had been thwarted by the USA National Team of race leader Shelley Evans. The move was followed by Digenis and Sia Svendsen (Handy Rentals Team), which was a suitable combination for the peloton thanks to the two minute deficit on general classification to the nearest rider.

The peloton made a tactical error however in failing to time its catch of the leaders. It came up just metres short of the group, with race leader Evans sprinting strongly yet again toward the tail of the lead group but the line came too soon.

Evans’ run in the leader jersey will be tested this afternoon, with the peloton facing an 11 kilometre Individual Time Trial this afternoon.

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Results
1Irene Digenis (Aus) Prime Estate Team2:21:29
2Yvette Hill-Willis (NZl) Litespeed Team0:00:04
3Gayle Brownlee (NZl) Handy Rentals Team0:00:06
4Sia Svendsen (NZl) Handy Rentals Team0:00:10
5Shelley Evans (USA) USA National TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Kaytee Boyd (NZl) New Zealand National TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Cherise Taylor (RSA) Nashua Ladies Pro Cycling TeamRow 7 - Cell 2
9Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Racing TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Kirsty Broun (Aus) Australian Institute of SportRow 9 - Cell 2
11Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) New Zealand National TeamRow 10 - Cell 2
12Ruth Corset (Aus) Nashua Ladies Pro Cycling TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Karen Fulton (NZl) Litespeed TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Davina Summers (RSA) Nashua Ladies Pro Cycling TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Xin Liu (Chn) Giant Racing TeamRow 14 - Cell 2
16Liza Rachetto (USA) R.A.C.E. TeamRow 15 - Cell 2
17Sara Mustonen (Swe) Hitec Products UCKRow 16 - Cell 2
18Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian Institute of SportRow 17 - Cell 2
19Nicole Whitburn (Aus) Prime Estate TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Ayako Toyooka (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Carly Light (Aus) Australian Institute of SportRow 20 - Cell 2
22Naila Hassan (NZl) Handy Rentals TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Rie Katayama (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Amanda Spratt (Aus) Australian Institute of SportRow 23 - Cell 2
25Charlotte Van De Merwe (RSA) Nashua Ladies Pro Cycling TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Yiu Wong Wan (HKg) Giant Racing TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
27Laura Luxford (Aus) Australia NTID TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Linda Villumsen (NZl) New Zealand National TeamRow 27 - Cell 2
29Lisa Jacobs (Aus) Australia NTID TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Rebecca Halliday (Aus) Australia NTID TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Nimesha Smith (NZl) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Amber Neben (USA) USA National TeamRow 31 - Cell 2
33Janel Holcomb (USA) USA National TeamRow 32 - Cell 2
34Huili Gu (Chn) Giant Racing TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
35Emily Collins (NZl) Cyclosport TeamRow 34 - Cell 2
36Serena Sheridan (NZl) Cyclosport TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Xiaoling Luo (Chn) Giant Racing TeamRow 36 - Cell 2
38Masami Morita (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Rebecca Locke (Aus) Prime Estate TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40Shara Gillow (Aus) Australian Institute of SportRow 39 - Cell 2
41Toni Bradshaw (NZl) Litespeed TeamRow 40 - Cell 2
42Kate Chilcott (NZl) BP TeamRow 41 - Cell 2
43Alexandra Carle (Aus) Australia NTID TeamRow 42 - Cell 2
44Lana King (NZl) Mercedes Benz TeamRow 43 - Cell 2
45Tone Hatteland (Nor) Hitec Products UCKRow 44 - Cell 2
46Laura Medley (Aus) Mercedes Benz TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) Hitec Products UCKRow 46 - Cell 2
48Kristine Saastad (Nor) Hitec Products UCKRow 47 - Cell 2
49Mel Burke (NZl) Penny Cycling TeamRow 48 - Cell 2
50Emma Crum (NZl) Cyclosport TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
51Courteney Lowe (NZl) New Zealand National TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Sarah Roy (Aus) Australia NTID TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Josephine Tomic (Aus) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 52 - Cell 2
54Rushlee Buchanan (NZl) New Zealand National TeamRow 53 - Cell 2
55Emma Lawson (Aus) R.A.C.E. TeamRow 54 - Cell 2
56Genevieve Whitson (NZl) BP TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Tracy Best (NZl) Cyclosport TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58Rachel Mercer (NZl) Handy Rentals TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Jessie Maclean (Aus) Nashua Ladies Pro Cycling TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
60Janine Copp (NZl) Mercedes Benz TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Min Gao (Chn) Giant Racing TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Felicity Wilson (Aus) R.A.C.E. TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
63Lauren Kitchen (Aus) Australian Institute of SportRow 62 - Cell 2
64Rebecca Domange (Aus) R.A.C.E. TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Kanako Nishi (Jpn) Japan National TeamRow 64 - Cell 2
66Josephine Giddens (NZl) Litespeed TeamRow 65 - Cell 2
67Kerri-Anne Torckler (NZl) BP TeamRow 66 - Cell 2
68Jessica Phillips (USA) USA National TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Carma Watson (NZl) Prime Estate TeamRow 68 - Cell 2
70Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Lotto Ladies TeamRow 69 - Cell 2
71Jessica Jolly (NZl) Cyclosport Team0:00:23
72Alison Starnes (USA) USA National Team0:00:31
73Jeannie Kuhajek (NZl) Cyclosport Team0:00:54
74Bronwyn Ryan (Aus) Australia NTID Team0:06:29
75Chubby Hale (NZl) Penny Cycling Team0:15:21
76Anna Kauffmann (Aus) Mercedes Benz TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
77Kazumi Yoneda (Jpn) Ready Go JapanRow 76 - Cell 2
78Yukiyo Hori (Jpn) Ready Go JapanRow 77 - Cell 2
79Sakiko Sato (Jpn) Ready Go JapanRow 78 - Cell 2
80Tracy Clark (NZl) Penny Cycling TeamRow 79 - Cell 2
81Eyelien Bekkering (Ned) BP TeamRow 80 - Cell 2
82Waka Takeda (Jpn) Ready Go Japan0:17:28
DNFAnna Stevenson (NZl) Penny Cycling TeamRow 82 - Cell 2
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General classification after stage 3
1Shelley Evans (USA) USA National Team

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