Race Round Up | Tour Of The Gila
Posted by vreaburn@twiobrand.com BigCommerce on 10th May 2023
This year we asked riders from CS Velo and Cynisca to document how each race day unfolded; from team tactics and race stats to the highs
STAGE 1
TOUR OF THE GILA
Men’s Race
90 Miles
6,000ft of Climbing
6,000ft of Climbing
Mogollon Climb
Fast from the gun, the peloton covered about 30 miles over the first hour, with the boys surfing the pack and covering dangerous moves.
In the lead up to the Mogollon, the guys rode well as a team, protecting climbers Drake and Kieran. By the foot of the climb they were top five wheels, and then the race started to light up.
Superman Lopez attacked from the base, leaving a select group to fight it out for the podium. Kieran threw down multiple attacks on the steep ramps, and Drake was able to play off them for a strong 7th place finish, 1:27 down. Kieran was 11th 1:42 down and 2nd in the u23 competition. Tomorrow is the Inner Loop Road Race, 76 miles and 5700 feet of climbing, should be a fun day!
Written by CS VELO
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Women’s Race
71 Miles
6,000ft of Climbing
6,000ft of Climbing
Mogollon Climb
Today, my teammates and I had our eyes set on conquering the formidable Mogollon Climb at the end of the race.
To make this happen, we strategized to conserve our energy and stay at the front of the pack.
As a team, we flawlessly executed our lead-out plan and achieved a thrilling victory. Our team’s success was undeniable, with a well-deserved fourth place in the general classification and two of our talented female riders ranking in the top 30.
We couldn’t be more proud of our performance today!
Written by Cynisca
STAGE 2
TOUR OF THE GILA
The race was on from the gun today, with tough rollers out of Fort Bayard leading up to the first KOM in Pinos Altos.
Men’s Race
76 Miles
6,000ft of Climbing
6,000ft of Climbing
Inner Loop Road Race
The guys rode well together and held position in the bunch up the climb, letting a small break of non-GC threats get up the road. Over the top of the KOM there unfortunately was a touch of wheels, and 50 plus guys hit the deck including Kieran, Taylor and Josh. Unfortunately, three guys in the top ten had to abandon, including yesterday’s winner Superman Lopez from Medellin. Because of the severity of the crash, the race was neutralized and by the end of the valley it was grupo compacto. On the climbs back into town, in the last 20kms, Kieran and Drake were throwing down attacks and got in a move of 15 that looked threatening. But, the peloton brought it back with 10k to go and it looked to be a straightforward field sprint for the finish. The boys finished on same time as the winner, moving Drake up to 5th and Kieran 8th overall in the GC going into tomorrow’s time trial. The team is sitting third on the team GC.
Written by CS VELO
STAGE 2
Women’s Race
74.2 Miles
5,700ft of Climbing
5,700ft of Climbing
Inner Loop Road Race
Stage 2 was a long and gritty race.
The goal for the Cynsica team was to get me in the front leading into the first climb and the top group going into the second climb. This way I could be in a smaller group when navigating the technical Pinos Altos descent and avoid some of the “descent scaries.” The girls accomplished this and I came out into the valley with the front group where I focused on sitting in the back and conserving as much energy as possible for the last climb of the day. Going into the last climb I prepared myself for a finishing break, but nothing stuck because of a headwind. I prepared myself for a field sprint and managed to get 6th on the day with an amazing team effort by Jess Cygan who also got 10th today.
Written by Cynisca
STAGE 2
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STAGE 3
TOUR OF THE GILA
STAGE 3
The time-trial in cycling, known colloquially as a “TT”, is a beautiful dance between human and machine.
The cyclist pushes themself to the brink of exhaustion - every muscle screaming for respite as they race against the clock. There is no room for error, no time for hesitation - just pure, unadulterated effort.
The hum of the wheels, the rhythm of the breathing, the thumping of the heart - all blend together in a symphony of pain and determination. The time-trial is a test of character, a chance for a rider to prove their worth against themself, against the clock, against the world.
It is a beautiful, solitary battle, and the victor is crowned not by the cheers of the crowd, but by the silent ticking of the clock.
STAGE 4
TOUR OF THE GILA
“A criterium is a lapped race on a closed circuit set in cities. Laps are usually a half-mile to 1.5 miles long, typically with 4-6 turns. Total race distance is usually 15 miles (beginner) to 60 miles (professional); approximately 25 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes. Short and spicy.”
Bicycling.com
“With all of the action happening in Downtown Silver City, the criterium is by far the most popular event at the Tour of the Gila. The entire day brings racing to the Historic Downtown area of Silver City.”
tourofthegila.com
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STAGE 5
TOUR OF THE GILA
Heading into Gila Monster we had Drake sitting 2nd and Kieran sitting 7th. It’s one of the hardest race days in US road racing, over 100 miles long and nearly 10,000 feet of elevation gain. We wanted to race aggressively and stack the break to put pressure on other teams to chase, particularly Above and Beyond Cancer, who held the leader’s jersey. Ideally, break riders would also be in a position to help GC riders take GC lead.
The race was blazing fast from the start. Allan put in a monster effort to make the break, but it was clear that other teams had the same idea and we only had one of nearly 20 riders up the road. Instead of sitting in while other teams chased, we found ourselves needing to chase to protect GC position. The team rose to the challenge with John and Josh thrashing themselves on the front to bring the break down to only 45 seconds starting the climb from Sapillo Crossing to the Gila Cliff Dwellings. The break began to fall apart, and Taylor launched Will up the climb to put pressure on GC riders in the peloton. Ultimately a selection came together at the climb, but there was also a selection out of the break Including Alex Hoehn and most of Medellín that put hard earned time into the peloton. Will chased through the cliff dwellings to keep the break in check and launched Kieran and Drake up the Cliff Dwellings climb.
STAGE 5
Kieran rode hard for the next 90 minutes to pace Drake and a few other riders back to the break. Ultimately, two break riders stayed away, knocking Drake to 4th overall, but Kieran secured 5th on the stage. It was a tough day, less than we’d hoped for, but we don’t race because winning is easy. We’re grateful for the opportunity to race in Silver City and the warm welcome we received by host houses and the broad Silver City Community. Despite a challenging final day there was a silver lining—the team won Team GC competition, a testament to hard work across five days of racing.
Written by CS VELO