Leading American Road Cyclist confirmed to Race in NZ

Top international road cyclist, American Evelyn Stevens is set to appear in next month’s Trust House Women’s Cycle Tour of New Zealand being held in the Wairarapa.

The appearance of the former team time trial world champion, as well as winner of numerous international races around the world, is a major coup for the event organisers. The five-day international cycle tour will take place entirely in the Wairarapa from February 18th – 22nd and is the third event of the 2015 UCI Women’s Cycling Calendar following races in Argentina and Qatar.

Stevens has been confirmed in the highly acclaimed USA national team alongside experienced teammates Lauren Hall, Tayler Wiles, Megan Guarnier and Andrea Dvorak. Since making the improbable leap from the analyst floor at a New York investment firm to the world of professional road cycling, Stevens has amassed numerous titles in a short time.

These include winning the world team’s time trial championships three times, capturing the US time trial title on two occasions, winning a total of 12 major international tours, including the women’s tour de France, Tour of The Netherlands, Tour of Germany and Italy’s Giro de la Trentino among others.

The USA team’s confirmation is great news for race director Jorge Sandoval who says they will travel to New Zealand with five riders and four staff, arriving in the Wairarapa five days before the Tour begins to do a training camp.

“Having the USA national team in the Wairarapa riding the Trust House Women’s Tour is a big deal.  They will come here fully prepared to win and news of their results will go around the world helping lift the profile of the race,” says Sandoval.

“International teams know that winning this Tour will enable them to pick up valuable international ranking points which will help qualify riders and teams for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.”

“Having a training camp before the tour will encourage other teams to do the same next year and reinforce what a great region the Wairarapa is for road cycling,” says Sandoval.

Sandoval expects to confirm the appearance of other overseas teams in the next few days as well as the New Zealanders who will take part.
 

The Trust House Women’s Tour of New Zealand begins on Wednesday 18th February at 3.00pm with a 15km team time trial around Masterton.