Cruas, France – 4 September, 2015 – Tayler Wiles has continued her winning form by yesterday claiming victory on Stage Three at the Tour Feminin de l’Ardeche. Wiles won easily from a two rider break to finish ahead of Elena Kuchinskaya (Servetto Footon) and Valentina Scandolara (Orica-AIS).
The Velocio-SRAM rider is guest riding for Reva Cycling Ladies Team at the six-day stage race in southern France this week, along with team mate Loren Rowney, while Tiff Cromwell rides for the Australian National Team. A double stage yesterday saw Wiles finish second in the morning Individual Time Trial. Wiles said, “The time trial was great, it was a super technical course with two steep pitches, fast downhill sections, and tons of turns. I felt good and confident throughout but just missed the top spot by one second to Lauren Stephens who is a very good time trial list.”
The riders then had a one hour transfer and short turn around time before the afternoon stage, a 64 kilometre stage from Le Pouzin to Craus. Wiles, who was in a good position on the general classification decided to make her intentions for the overall win known. “I was in the mountains jersey just from the TT so I thought I’d just give a crack at the QOM and try to keep it. I knew I was only out of first on GC by 4 seconds and two of my teammates are in the top 6, so the team wanted to be aggressive, there was a big split after the first QOM on a fast technical descent and then I attacked over the top of the second climb and got a away with one other rider (Kuchinskaya). We got a big gap quickly so I just put my head down and time trialled the last 20 km with her. With 500 metres to go I jumped hard because I knew if I got a gap on her I could hold it to the line.”
Wiles now takes over the pink leaders jersey with a significant lead of 27 seconds from Lauren Stephens (Team Tibco-SVB) and 49 seconds from Rosella Ratto (Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi) with four stages remaining. Wiles said, “I’m really excited about the win, and about being in pink. I’ve always loved this race and even though we are a mixed team we are really strong and have a lot of cards to play so I am looking forward to the next 4 days of tough racing.”
