Cade Bickmore (Project Echelon Racing) won the fourth stage of the Gila Tour this Saturday, where the best of America in the men’s race was led by Colombian Brayan Sánchez (Team Medellín) with third place at the finish line; while among the women everything remained the same with the fourth place of the Colombian Karen Villazimar.
The 69.5km stage took the men’s peloton on a street circuit of just over a mile over slightly rough roads, and the Project Echelon team worked hard to control the day in hopes of closing the stage with a group kick. Despite repeated attempts by the would-be entrepreneurs to escape, no one managed to stay away from the group for long.
As such, Bickmore racked up intermission after intermission, moving into the points lead even before the finish. However, there was some intrigue at the finish as Conn McDunphy (SoCalCycling.com) joined in for a short break and then pulled away to make a solo bid with two laps to go. He took a 10-second lead on the final lap, but the Project Echelon-led field managed to lure him away to set up the sprint.
Rewarding his team for his efforts, Bickmore proved to be the fastest of the group, winning the stage ahead of Britain’s Theodore Obholzer (SoCalCycling.com) and Brayan Sánchez (Medellín). Meanwhile, overnight leader Torbjørn Røed (Above & Beyond Cancer Cycling) finished safely in the peloton and will wear the leader’s jersey for Sunday’s final stage, dubbed the Gila Monster Road Race, which will take riders 161.9 km (100.6 miles) from Silver City to Piños Altos.
The room continued the same among the ladies
The American Emily Ehrlich (Virginia’s Blue Ridge – TWENTY24) won the fourth stage of the Tour de Gila, escorted by Holly Breck (DNA Pro Cycling) and the New Zealander Rylee Mcmullen; while the Colombian Karen Villazimar was the best among the Latino pedalists participating in the fair.
There was no movement in the general classification that is still led by the American Austin Killips (Amy D Foundation), with just 10 seconds difference over Ehrlich, and 1:13 over the Canadian Nadia Gontova, while the Mexican Marcela Prieto is fourth 1:17 of the yellow jersey.