Philip Deignan is continuing to ride well in the US after strong performances already this year in Argentina and Italy
Philip Deignan has put in another very strong rider in a season of re-emergence for him, taking 5th in the time trial stage at the Tour of the Gila (2.2) in the US and moving into 3rd overall with just two stages remaining.
One of those stages still to come is a tough mountainous route and after having finished 4th at the summit finish on the opening stage on Wednesday, the Irishman has moved himself into a race-winning position and appears to have the legs to capitalise.
The Unitedhealthcare professional was 4th overall going into today’s 26km individual test, having finished in that position on stage 1 and come home in the bunch yesterday. While known for his world class climbing ability rather than for his record against the clock, he came home in a fantastic 5th place today, 24.5 seconds down on stage winner Tom Zirbel of Optum-Kelly Benefit.
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That result was enough to see him leapfrog over his own team mate Lucas Euser into third place overall. Deignan also started the day some 34 seconds down on race leader Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Jamis-Hagens) but has narrowed the gap to the Colombian to just 21 seconds.
Tomorrow’s stage is a criterium before the much more undulating affair on Sunday where the former Vuelta stage winner will be looking to make his presence felt and take the lead or at least book his place on the final podium.
The other Irish rider in the field, Stephen Clancy (Novo Nordisk) was 119th today, 5:52 down and is now in 125th overall.
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Tour of the Gila (UCI 2.2)
Stage 3 TT, 26km in Tyrone, New Mexico
1 Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:34:45.50
2 Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:00:04.89
3 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Development Team 0:00:09.95
4 Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:00:14.07
5 Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:00:24.50
6 Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:27.47
7 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:30.06
8 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:31.99
9 Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman 0:00:37.62
10 Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:00:37.85
11 Chad Haga (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:00:40.60
12 Nathaniel English (USA) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda 0:00:51.32
13 Jakub Novak (Cze) BMC Development Team 0:00:54.54
14 Jeremy Vennell (NZl) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:54.79
15 Julian Kyer (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:57.03
16 Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:01:00.26
17 Marsh Cooper (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:01:08.05
18 Ian Burnett (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:01:13.60
19 Andrès Miguel Diaz Corrales (Col) Predator Carbon Repair 0:01:15.11
20 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:01:15.35
General Classification after three stages
1 Janier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Jamis-Hagens Berman 7:18:05
2 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:04
3 Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:00:21
4 Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:00:39
5 Phillip Gaimon (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:00:43
6 Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:00:46
7 Nathaniel English (USA) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda 0:00:59
8 Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 0:01:20
9 Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda 0:01:23
10 Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:01:33
11 Gavin Mannion (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:01:38
12 Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:01:40
13 Kirk Carlsen (USA) Predator Carbon Repair 0:01:45
14 Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 0:01:56
15 Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:01:57
16 Nathan Wilson (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team 0:02:07
17 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Development Team 0:02:14
18 Chad Haga (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:02:35
19 Ian Burnett (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda 0:03:00
20 Matt Cooke (USA) Champion System p/b Stan's NoTubes 0:03:03
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