Cycling: Stevens takes tour, Trotman finished fifth

Evelyn Stevens of the United States. Photo / Getty Image

American Evelyn Stevens has taken out the women's cycling tour of New Zealand after finishing safely in the peloton of today's final stage in Palmerston North.

Stevens, leading Australian Shara Gillow by five seconds overnight, had her lead trimmed to just one second but managed to hold one and claim the title.

Kiwi Linda Villumsen won the fifth stage solo to cap a promising tour for New Zealand riders.

Novice Reta Trotman proved she has a bright future after finishing as the highest ranked Kiwi in fifth overall, while BikeNZ teammate Kaytee Boyd took out the queen of the mountains classification.

A strong early break that included current world time trial champion Judith Arndt and reigning Olympic champion Kristin Armstrong established a three minute lead today, but it was hauled in 60km into the race by a group of three riders, including Villumsen. Villumsen attacked and managed to sustain her lead over the final 40km to take the stage win by two minutes.

Trotman, a former New Zealand representative gymnast who only entered the elite cycling ranks late last year, rode a consistent tour to finish just 27 seconds behind Stevens.

"I was trying to keep up the front closer to the yellow jersey so I was in the action. The rest of the team was great at helping me keep in position because I have a tendency to drift back through the bunch," Trotman said.

"I don't really look on my results as being the best Kiwi overall as it was definitely a team effort. But, in saying that, it's fantastic to get such good a result in my first international race. I look up to the other girls I have been racing with and it's been great learning from them."

Supported by teammates Boyd, Rosara Joseph, Kate Chilcott, Emily Collins and Sequoia Cooper, Trotman has spent the weeks learning the ropes of tour racing.

"The biggest thing I learnt the tour is about team dynamics, about how things pan out on the road, trying to figure out what the other teams are doing, and why. It's all quite complicated."

Trotman's focus now turns to the Oceania road championships in Queenstown in two weeks.