May 27, 2012 (Idaho City, Idaho) – Current German Road Race champion Ina Yoko Teutenberg of Team Specialized – lululemon won her first stage at the Exergy Tour today, Stage 3 presented by USA Pro Challenge. In Idaho City, she held off a charging Leah Kirchmann (Canada) of Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies, who finished a half wheel back in second. Third place on the Queen Stage was taken by Megan Guarnier (USA) of Team TIBCO – To the Top. Of the 81 riders who started today’s stage, 35 finished at the front with a time of 2 hours, 29 minutes, 23 seconds.
“It was really fast for the first 50k (kilometers). Up to the feed zone (near Lowman), it rolled pretty fast. The climb was pretty gradual but long,” said Neben, who overtook teammate Teutenberg for the G.C. lead and Exergy Race Leader jersey after Saturday’s Individual Time Trial in Kuna, Idaho.
Stage 3 presented by USA Pro Challenge covered 4,520 feet of climbing over 59.7 miles (96 kilometers) with cold and sunny skies in Crouch/Garden Valley and rain at the finish in Idaho City. The first of two Colavita Queen of the Mountains climbs had seven riders in a breakaway on the nine-mile climb from the Payette River Canyon to the top of Beaver Creek Summit. Another small break formed for the second QOM on Mores Creek Summit, which had snow earlier in the morning. The peloton came back together on the long descent to Idaho City, where huge crowds gathered in the former gold mining community.
“I didn’t anticipate it would be that steep. The mountains took a lot out of my legs, so I was suffering a lot,” Teutenberg added at the post-race press conference held in the Boise County Building, originally built as the Miner’s Exchange Saloon in 1865. “It’s such a special setting (here in Idaho), especially for the foreigners. When you come from Europe, when you drive into those valleys and you see it, it’s just an amazing landscape. Amazingly loud coming at the finish straight. We don’t have crowds like this very often so it’s pretty unique.”
The Colavita Queen of the Mountains jersey was awarded to five-time Giro d’Italia Femminile champion Fabiana Luperini (Italy) of Faren Honda Team. Teutenberg continues to wear the PowerBar Sprint jersey. Jasmin Glaesser (Canada) of the Canadian National Team assumes the St. Luke’s Sports Medicine Best Young Rider jersey from her teammate, Gillian Carleton. Tiffany Cromwell (Australia) of GreenEDGE-AIS was awarded the Exergy Most Aggressive Rider jersey.
The final stage, Monday, May 28, is a 46.7-mile (75.1-kilometer) road race that begins and ends at Hyde Park in Boise. The 16 pro teams will fight it out on three circuits through Hidden Springs as well as two Colavita Queen of the Mountains climbs on Cartwright Road. The Exergy Tour – Expo & Finish Festival will be open at 10 a.m. to all cycling fans and sports enthusiasts of all ages on Memorial Day at Hyde Park. Stage 4 presented by Exergy Development Group begins at 11 a.m. MT and is expected to finish at 1 p.m. MT. The final day of racing can be followed daily via Tour Tracker®, with live Web coverage and free downloads available for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.
Results (brief)
1. Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon
2. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
3. Megan Guarnier (USA) Team Tibco-To the Top
4. Inga Cilvinaite (Ltu) Diadora-Pasta Zara
5. Claudia Häusler (Ger) GreenEdge-AIS
GC after Stage 3
1. Amber Neben (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon 6:11:24
2. Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon 0:09
3. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon 0:11
4. Clara Hughes (Can) Team Specialized-lululemon 0:14
5. Shara Gillow (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS 0:26