New Zealand - NZCT Women’s Tour of New Zealand 2010

WCN quicklink >>          Preview1     Preview 2    Stage 1     Stage 1 Full    Stage 2     Stage 2 Full     Stage 3     Stage 3 Full

                                          Stage 4     Stage 4 Full     Stage 5     Stage 5 Full    Stage 6    Stage 6 Full

Previous coverage of the Tour of New Zealand in Wellington  >>  2010   2009    2008    2007    2006    2005  

On this page >>  Write-up      Comments     Results      General Classification     Photos

Shelley Evans finished the Tour of NZ the way she started it - by winning the stage. The American and her USA squad really made the 2010 tour their own, via a dominant display of strength in depth. With a new Directeur Sportif this year, the Americans have the ability on the road and in the team car. Manael Lacambra, who was in charge at Cervelo previously, knows how to win races and his squad will doubtless benefit from his vast and successful experience. This victory will be the first of many challenges the national team are likely to make upon the professional teams they will ride against when they make their way back to their European base in Italy.

Evans, known as well for her talent on the track, took the criterium win in impressive style. There were only twenty un-lapped riders by the end of the stage. As a result, the general classification was decimated and only one other team - Australia were able to finish enough riders to qualify for the team competition, which USA won. After a quiet start (in terms of results), to the year at the Ladies Tour of Qatar, where the Americans suffered with crashes and injuries causing rider withdrawals before and during the event, this victory is impressive. 

Evans, who finished 46th in Qatar just a couple of weeks ago, is certainly building up to repeat and exceed her 2009 major event performances. Now using her married name, her palmeres is already impressive although you'd have to look for Shelley Olds on the results lists. In 2009 UCI events, she did well, beginning on home soil at the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia in June, she was second. In July, she sprinted to second place on a relatively hilly stage in the Giro Donne (Italy). Later, in September and once again in Italy, Evans wore the sprinter's jersey in the Giro della Toscana. Expect more in 2010.