Emily Ehrlich wins stage 4 of the Tour of the Gila(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Before the stage 4 Silver City Downtown Criterium, Jerseys and top ten in the GC got called to the line at the start of the women's race(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Race director Jack Brennan presented a Golden Cowbell to Martyn Pearson's mother. The race was named the Martin and Alex Tour of the Gila this year after Martyn and his partner Alex Olseon, owners of Gila Hike and Bike, were killed in an automobile crash in October of last year.(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
A beautiful day under bright New Mexico sunshine for stage 4(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Virginia Blue Ridge 2024 took to the front early trying to animate the stage 4 criterium with repeated attacks(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Holly Breck (DNA Pro Cycling) leading teammate Shana Powless who started the race in the sprinters jersey(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Emily Ehrlich (Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24) attacked a number of times trying to get away solo and take time on GC leader Austin Killips(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
DNA Pro Cycling Team owner Cathy Fegan-Kim congratulates Holly Breck on her second place finish on stage 4(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
Stage 4 women's podium (L to R): Holly Breck (DNA Pro Cycling) in second, stage 4 winner Emily Ehrlich (Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24) and Rylee McMullen (InstaFund Pro Cycling) in third(Image credit: SnowyMountain Photography)
With a time trial victory already on the books after Friday's stage 3 of the Tour of the Gila, Emily Ehrlich (Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24) picked up another win for good measure on Saturday's stage 4, the Downtown Silver City Criterium.
The women's peloton at the Tour of the Gila raced 43.5 km (27 miles) on a crit circuit of a little over a mile in Silver City, New Mexico. Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24 played an active role on the day; the squad spent time on the front along with the DNA Pro Cycling team in the early goings, and Ehrlich herself spurred moves that got clear for cash prime sprints.
Things came back together for the final laps to set up a sprint finish on an uphill stretch of road, where Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY24 took control to set up Ehrlich. No one could match her speed on the uphill finish.
For the second straight day, Ehrlich delivered, sprinting to the stage 4 victory ahead of DNA's Holly Breck. Rylee McMullen (InstaFund Pro Cycling) took third on the day. Austin Killips (Amy D Foundation) finished in the peloton to retain the overall lead ahead of the final stage, a day for the climbers that will cover 110.9 km (65.9 miles) from Silver City to Piños Altos.
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