American Katie Hall wins Stage 2 of Amgen women's race in Lake Tahoe

The winner of Stage 2 of the 2017 Amgen Breakaway From Heart Disesase Women's Race Empowered with SRAM race in South Lake Tahoe was decided on the last uphill climb of the day on Ski Run Blvd, the last kilometer of a long and hilly, 67.1 mile long race.

Katie Hall of the United States crossed the finish line first, edging Dutch cyclist Anna van der Breggen by 21 seconds.

Hall, a 30-year-old from Oakland cycles for UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling took 3 hours, 9 minutes and 56 seconds to complete the course that started and ended at Heavenly Mountain Resort. The racers went down Pioneer Trail to Christmas Valley, over Luther Pass to Hope Valley and down to the base of Kingsbury Grade. Up and over, then back to Ski Run Blvd. This was Hall's second Amgen win

Thursday's winner, American Megan Guarnier, came in 49 seconds behind Hall, finishing in 6th.

During the final – mostly uphill – 15 miles of the race, Hall rode out ahead with Boels-Dolmans’ 2016 Olympic Games road race gold medalist Anna van der Breggen (NED), who placed second in the stage and also stands second in the overall midway through the race. Team Sunweb’s Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Calif.) was also part of the breakaway but was reabsorbed with 7 miles to go.

“Boels-Dolmans did a great job setting the pace on the climb,” said Katie Hall, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team. “We (Anna van der Breggen) went over the top together, and I got attacked at the bottom of the descent, and was able to pull her back in the final kilometer.”

Presented by Visit California, the second of two South Lake Tahoe stages was an all-new route that included Amgen Tour of California’s first encounter with Kingsbury Grade, an 8-mile climb that gains 2,700’ in elevation.

Tomorrow’s Stage 3 presented by Lexus will take riders on a 73.3-mile flat and fast course from first-time host Elk Grove to the veteran race city of Sacramento, where the race will conclude Sunday following a circuit race around the California State Capitol building.

Today’s Breakaway from Cancer® / Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Most Courageous Rider Jersey went to Team Sunweb’s 18-year old Juliette Labous, a five-time French National Champion, for making a break during the first Queen of the Mountain (QOM) climb today.

Stage 2 Podium
1. Katie Hall (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA) 3:09:56
2. Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team (NED) 0:00:21
3. Kristabel Doebel-Hickok (USA), Cylance Pro Cycling (USA) 0:00:37

Stage 2 Jersey Winners
Amgen Race Leader Jersey – Katie Hall (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Breakaway from Cancer® / Breakaway from Heart DiseaseTM Most Courageous Rider Jersey – Juliette Labous (FRA), Team Sunweb (NED)
Lexus Queen of the Mountain (QOM) Jersey – Katie Hall (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)
Visit California Sprint Jersey – Anna van der Breggen (NED), Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team (NED)
TAG Heuer Best Young Rider Jersey – Ruth Winder (USA), UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team

Overall leaders after the first two stages:

1 Katharine Hall (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 6:13:54
2 Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:00:03
3 Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cyclingteam 0:00:29
4 Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Cylance Pro Cycling 0:00:33
5 Ruth Winder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:00:37
6 Arlenis Sierra (Cub) Astana Women's Team 0:00:40
7 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:00:53
8 Coryn Rivera (USA) Team Sunweb Women 0:00:59
9 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon SRAM Racing 0:01:17
10 Martina Ritter (Aut) Drops Cycling Team 0:01:26