Race Results

Tour of Gila

April 28 - May 2

New Mexico, USA

Canadian Erinne Willock, of RONA cycling team, finished 5th overall at the Tour of the Gila, a five-stage race that took place April 30th to May 5th around Silver City, New Mexico.  The 22 year-old rider finished 3 minutes and 48 seconds behind winner Amber Neben of T Mobile.  Brooke Ourada (Victory Brewing) and Kim Anderson (T Mobile) completed the final podium. 

 Two other RONA riders started the race last Wednesday -- Andrea Hannos and Anna Milkowski.  They finished 9^th and 14^th overall, respectively.  None of the RONA riders who raced in Europe the preceding week started the Tour of the Gila, as their return trip was too close to the start of the New Mexico race.

 Most of The Tour of the Gila courses are tough, mountainous and favour climbers.  Neben took the lead from stage 1 and was never threatened in GC afterwards.  After winning stage 2 as well, she managed her lead effectively for the rest of the race.  Willock got her fifth place thanks to her consistency, as she finished among the leaders in the time trial and the criterium as well as in the tough mountain stages.  Her team mates also offered a very good performance.  While supporting Willock in her battle for GC and managing good results in GC themselves, each climbed on the third step of a stage podium – Milkowski in Saturday’s Criterium, and Hannos in the redoubtable last stage, aptly named “The Gila Monster”.   

 Results

62 starters, 48 classified

Team RONA (www.teamrona.ca) is a Canadian women’s cycling team in the Elite Category recognized by the International Cycling Union. The team is made up of four Canadian racers (Geneviève Jeanson, Andrea Hannos, Émilie Roy and Erinne Willock), three Americans (Kathryn Curi, Katrina Grove and Anna Milkowski), Israeli Shani Bloch and Australian Helen Kelly. The team has exercised a policy of zero tolerance for banned substances since it was founded in 2000. This policy is explicitly stated in all its contracts.

RONA (www.rona.ca) is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. Team RONA receives equipment and service sponsorships from many companies, including Colnago, Biemme, Shimano, Vittoria, Bontrager, Sidi, Limar, Selle Italia, USE, Cinelli, Look, CatEye, Elite, Finish Line, Cane Creek, Saris, Power Tap, Trialtir and Cycles Lambert.

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