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<\/a><\/p>\nWith the leading women once again starting separately, and ahead of the rest of the field, they had a clear run through the scintillating trails of Oak Valley and Paul Cluver Wine Estates. Raising their speed as they hit the trails, the general classification leaders split the group of five teams which had traversed the early kilometres together. For 15 kilometres Summit had played the waiting game, happy to allow Ariane L\u00fcthi and Barbara Benko, of Team Spur to set the pace. Also in that group were; Robyn de Groot and Michelle Vorster, of Ascendis Health, Mariske Strauss and Jennie Stenerhag, Silverback CBC, and Galileo Risk\u2019s Theresa Ralph and Sarah Hill.<\/p>\n
Once Lill and Morath\u2019s wheels touched the singletracks they launched the day\u2019s decisive move \u2013 simply riding away from their rivals. \u201cThe girls all sort of rode together for the first 15 kays. Then there was a singletrack followed by a hill and another singletrack followed by a hill. We went to the front there and the gaps started to open\u201d Lill explained. \u201cIt was just an amazing stage\u201d Morath chimed in. \u201cWe enjoyed it from the start to the finish. Especially the bridges, I love it\u201d the German rider smiled.<\/p>\n
The pair\u2019s stage victory was never in doubt from the moment they established that initial gap. Once they were out of sight the distance between the Summit riders and the chasing group of Silverback CBC and Ascendis Health rapidly ballooned. The only heart their rivals can take is the fact that they limited that advantage to 5 minutes compared to Stage 1\u2019s 11.<\/p>\n Silverback CBC and Ascendis Health shadowed each other\u2019s every move throughout the 66 kilometre long stage, eventually ensuring that the day came down to a sprint for second position. As on the opening stage Strauss and Stenerhag positioned themselves perfectly and held off De Groot and Vorster.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you can see the stoke is high\u201d laughed Strauss on the finish line. \u201cAwesome trails at Oak Valley and Paul Cluver. Thanks to all the farmers and thanks to Wines2Whales\u201d the effervescent rider enthused. Telling the story of how the race for second unfolded De Groot said: \u201cIt was still quite hectic for me. But it was nice to have their (Strauss and Stenerhag\u2019s) company. We rode nicely together and it was definitely a better day than yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n Further back Ralph and Hill were locked in a battle with L\u00fcthi and Benko. The Galileo Risk pair won out and raced home to Oak Valley to cross the line forth. \u201cWe\u2019re finding our rhythm riding as a team\u201d Ralph recounted. \u201cThis terrain isn\u2019t my strong point but following Sarah (Hill\u2019s) wheel it becomes a strength. We seemed to be making up time on Ariane (L\u00fcthi) and Barbara (Benko) on the singletracks. They were ahead of us until the final 30 kilometres, then we overtook them and extended the gap in each singletrack that followed\u201d the senior partner in the Galileo Risk team concluded.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n