Farina stages a victory
Cheatley has grip on overall jersey
FITCHBURG - After Friday's grueling Wachusett Mountain stage, which Catherine Cheatley won with an impressive climb to the summit, Cheerwine Cycling's plan yesterday was to let Cheatley rest while still retaining the overall leader's jersey.
Job well done.
While Cheatley didn't exert a lot of energy in finishing the Fitchburg State College Circuit stage in fifth place to hold on to the top spot in the General Classification, her teammate, Robin Farina, exploded up the hill on Pearl Street over the final lap to win the third stage of the 49th annual Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in 1 hour 24 minutes 15 seconds.
"[Cheatley] worked really hard [Friday] on the mountaintop finish, and we wanted her to rest today and kind of sit in and hold the jersey, going into the [criterium today]," said Farina, who picked up only her second career National Racing Calendar stage win. "I'm really excited and our team is happy because we're still in the overall [lead]."
Colavita Racing's Anna McLoon faded as Farina chugged up the final climb and finished second, six seconds back. Sprint master Tina Mayolo-Pic came in third (1:25:19) in the 34-mile stage.
"I think I did a little too much of the work," McLoon said. "Just at the bottom of the corner [before Pearl Street] Robin hit it there on the inside and I couldn't quite catch her. I didn't see her in time.
"She had a little bit more spring on the climb." In the GC, Cheatley remained in first with a 19-second lead over Kristin McGrath of Colavita. Farina is third, 1:20 behind Cheatley.
"The aim of the day was to get a stage win and hold the orange [leader's] jersey, and mission accomplished," Cheatley said.
According to veteran Longsjo competitor Mayolo-Pic, this championship already has been wrapped up by Cheatley, even though there's still one more stage - today's Downtown Criterium.
"[Cheatley's] good all-around," Mayolo-Pic said. "She's always a threat. Really, [the race] ended Friday. She'll keep the jersey."
Cheatley, however, is taking nothing for granted.
"It's never over until you cross the finish line on the last day," she said. "As far as racing, anything can happen."
The criterium - 28 laps and 25 miles - is one of Cheatley's specialties.
"I like racing crits," said Cheatley, a New Zealander. "That's one of the reasons why I came to race in America because I like the short, sharp, fast racing."
In the men's pro race, teamwork proved to be the difference for Colavita. The team protected leader Kyle Wamsley for most of the race before watching him turn on the burners up Pearl Street to win the stage and maintain the leader's jersey.
"It's all the team," said Wamsley. "I wouldn't have been able to do this by myself."
Wamsley finished in 2:34:13 over the 75-mile stage, followed by Garneau-Crocs's Kleber Ramos and Team Type 1's Shawn Milne.
In the GC, Wamsley holds a 17-second lead over KBS/Medifast's Justin Spinelli, while Bissell's Ted King is 19 seconds off the pace.
