Check out the link below for a great article on Diadora-Pasta Zara’s climbing domestique Rachel Neylan.

An interview with Rachel Neylan: “the harder you work, the luckier you get”

Reigning Tour of the Gila champion Mara Abbott finished second in the race’s general classification Sunday, proving yet again to be a top contender in Silver City’s annual race.

After winning the opening mountain stage and retaining the leader’s jersey in the 128.7- km Stage 2, Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes took the lead with a dominant performance in the Stage 3 Tyrone Individual Time Trial.

Mara placed 4^th in the 3^rd stage, and in the 4^th stage Downtown Silver City Criterium, Abbott’s Diadora Pasta-Zara teammate – Eleonora Patuzzo – sprinted to third.

While Abbott outmatched her opponents on the fifth stage’s final climb, she finished 8^th and was not able to make up the two-minute gap Hughes held at the start of the final stage.

But it was a terrific overall performance for Abbott, who also finished 3^rd in Gila’s Mountain Classification, as well as for young Italian rider Eleonora Patuzzo.

It was also a strong performance for the Diadora-Pasta Zara team, who patrolled the front of the peloton for nearly all five stages.

Final General Classification (Women)

1          Clara Hughes (Pactimo Cycling Team)                          13:19:15

2          Mara Abbott (Diadora-Pasta Zara Team)                   0:02:52

3          Kathryn Donovan (Missing Link Coaching Systems)      0:03:15