April 13, 2018 (Fayetteville, Arkansas) – Sara Bergen sprinted to victory on the 95.43km Stage Two of the Joe Martin Stage on Friday. With the win, not only did the Vancouver native capture the team’s second UCI victory of the season, but she moved into fourth overall in the race, twelve seconds down on the yellow jersey with two stages remaining. She’s also leading the Sprint competition.

“It was a full team effort and I’m stoked to take home the win for the team,” said Bergen. “We knew we had to win the tight left-hand corner at the 93 km mark, 1.5 km from the finish. After Heidi positioned the whole squad, Katherine (Maine) and Summer (Moak) hit the front and strung it out, which got Erica (Allar) and I through that corner clean and in a good position.”

With two of the team’s fastest flatlanders in Bergen and Dygert-Owen delivered in perfect position, it was up to the duo to make things happen in the sprint.

“After the teams work, Erica buried herself to keep me at the front going into the final corner. I knew it was a long headwind sprint and I had to stay patient. After finishing second and third the last two years, I really wanted to get it right and I did!”

During the 95 km stage in northwest Arkansas, the peloton was pelted with heavy rain and high winds. Despite the difficult conditions, no breakaway was able to gain a sizeable advantage.

“We wanted to be smart with our energy, play off the other teams and push the pace on the climbs,” said Bergen. “The team rode well together, stayed on top of any dangerous moves, and helped me take a two-second time bonus during the intermediate sprint. We want to win the general classification on Sunday and every second counts.”

Saturday’s stage three features a five km uphill time trial out of Devil’s Den State Park. On Sunday, the riders will race up the demanding Church St climb 16-times to determine this year’s yellow jersey winner.

If Bergen can’t make up her twelve-second deficit in the time trial, the team’s focus will shift to the time bonuses on offer during the final stage.

Fellow Canuck, Catherine Ouellette (QCW Cycling p/b Forever Labs), in 11th overall leads the U23 Women’s category by 22 seconds over

Results
1. Sara Bergen (Can) Rally Cycling 2:35:49
2. Chloe Dygert (USA) Twenty20 p/b Sho-Air
3. Leah Thomas (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
4. Samantha Schneider (USA) Iscorp Pro Cycling
5. Laura Jorgensen (USA) Feed Hungry Kids Project
6. Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
7. Diana Carolin Peñuela Martinez (Col) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling
8. Rachel Langdon (USA) Gray Goat Mobile/Bullseye Total Media
9. Marie Soliel Blais (Can) QCW Cycling p/b Forever Labs
10. Edwige Pitel (Fra) Wolfpack p/b Hyperthreads

20. Catherine Ouellette (Can) QCW Cycling p/b Forever Labs
26. Katherine Maine (Can) Rally Cycling
35. Anna Gabrielle Traxler (Can) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank

GC after Stage 2
1. Diana Carolin Peñuela Martinez (Col) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling 5:30:09
2. Jennifer Luebke (USA) Hagens Berman/Supermint 0:06
3. Edwige Pitel (Fra) Wolfpack p/b Hyperthreads 0:10
4. Sara Bergen (Can) Rally Cycling 0:12
5. Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling 0:21
6. Leah Thomas (USA) UnitedHealthCare Pro Cycling 0:34
7. Christie Tracy (USA) Amy D Foundation 0:26
8. Katie Kantzes (USA) Wolfpack p/b Hyperthreads
9. Shayna Powless (USA) Twenty20 p/b Sho-Air both
10. Carolyn Defoore (USA) Wolfpack p/b Hyperthreads 0:28
11. Catherine Ouellette (Can) QCW Cycling p/b Forever Labs

18. Marie Soliel Blais (Can) QCW Cycling p/b Forever Labs 1:01
29. Anna Gabrielle Traxler (Can) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 1:59
35. Katherine Maine (Can) Rally Cycling 2:41

U23 Women

1. Catherine Ouellette (Can) QCW Cycling p/b Forever Labs 5:30:37
2. Deborah Paine 0:22
3. Chloe Dygert (USA) Twenty20 p/b Sho-Air 0:25