Cheatley, Sergent grab stage wins in top US cycle tour

New Zealand cyclists have been in outstanding form in the Tour of Gila that finished in New Mexico today.

Beijing Olympian Catherine Cheatley staked her claim for a place in the road team for the Commonwealth Games when she won the final 171km stage to Pinos Altos today for her US team Colavita Baci.

Cheatley and overall winner Mara Abbott cleared out with the kiwi proving too strong to claim the stage win and finish third on overall standings.

New Zealand track star Jesse Sergent also starred when he won the 26km individual time trial stage at the weekend, beating off overall winner Levi Leipheimer, US time trial champion Dave Zabriskie and Lance Armstrong.

The world pursuit silver medallist clocked 34:09 which was 14 seconds faster than Leipheimer who was full of praise for the Manawatu rider.

"Jesse is a silver medallist in the World Pursuit Championships so it makes sense," Leipheimer said. "I don't think anyone expected him to win but it's great to see from an Under 23 kid on our team. I heard I was second and I figured it was Dave [Zabriskie] who beat me. I said, ‘how much time did I lose to Dave by," and they told me I beat Dave, so I asked who beat me and they said Jesse did. I thought that was cool."

Sergent was delighted with the effort, going on to finish 15th on overall classification with two other top 10 stage efforts.

"It's a pretty good feeling and to be able to make the fastest time was pretty special to me and I definitely didn't expect it," Sergent said. "I was already at home and took a shower when I got the phone call that I won. I'm very happy with my ride. I felt good out there but I just assumed that I wouldn't be on the podium with guys like Levi and Zabriskie. I lost about three minutes to Levi last year so this is a big improvement."

The other telling effort from the kiwi camp went to Taupo teenager Patrick Bevin, in his first year in the US riding for Rubicon Orbea. Bevin’s best effort was a fifth placing in the penultimate stage criteria, recording the same time as winner and world pursuit champion Taylor Phinney.