In a hard-fought sprint finish, Scotland’s Evan Oliphant picked up Team Raleigh-GAC’s first podium of the year with his second place in the 169km stage from Toluca to Pachuca in the Mexican heartland.
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Evan was in the day-long break which went clear after 59km. With 15km to go, Evan attacked and took a couple of riders with him. They stayed clear and fought out a three-way battle for the finish line. Also in the top 10 was Raleigh’s Australian rider, Bernie Sulzberger who crossed the line 10th despite being ill.
Riding at altitude is a rare experience for the team’s younger UK riders, with Tobyn Horton saying on Twitter “wish I prepared for Mexico by training breathing through a straw… pretty similar to racing at altitude I reckon!â€.
Stage 4 on Wednesday is another mammoth 200km high altitude epic from Pachuca to La Malinche around Mexico City in which we’ll be looking to the climbers on the team to place highly in the 10km Category 1 climb to the finish at 3040m above sea level.
Evan Oliphant getting a result for his new team in Mexico.
Stage 3
1. Thomas Rabou Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 3:40:08
2. Evan Oliphant Team Raleigh @ same time
3. Alex Cano Ardila Gobernation De Antioquia @ same time
4. Weimar Roldan GW – Shimano 00:26
5. Alejandro Alberto Borrajo Jamis/Sutter Home Pro Cycling Team @ same time
6. Juan Arango @ same time
7. Hector Rangel @ same time
8. Arnold Alcolea @ same time
9. Daniel Alexander Jaramillo Diez Gobernation De Antioquia @ same time
10. Bernard Sulzberger Team Raleigh @ same time
Others
11. Stefan Schumacher Christina Watches-Onfone @ same time
19. Oscar Sevilla @ same time
24. Liam Holohan Team Raleigh @ same time
58. Michael Rasmussen Christina Watches-Onfone @ same time
71. Daniel Holloway Team Raleigh 14:17
73. Brennan Townshend Team Raleigh @ same time
81. Tobyn Horton Team Raleigh @ same time
101. Russel Hampton Team Raleigh @ same time
