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By Brian Murphy
bmurphy@idahostatesman.com

Americans Amber Neben and Evelyn Stevens – contenders for the U.S. Olympic team in the time trial — finished first and second, respectively, in the Kuna Time Trial Stage 2 of the Exergy Tour on Saturday.

Neben and Stevens are competing with Boise Olympic gold medal cyclist Kristin Armstrong for two spots on the U.S. Olympic time trial team. Armstrong won the 2008 gold medal in the event in the Beijing Games.

Neben finished the 10.4-mile course in 21 minutes, 37 seconds unofficially. Stevens was second at 21:52. Canadian Clara Hughes finished third at 21:57.

Neben, riding for Team Specialized-lululemon, captured the yellow leader's jersey with her performance.

It rained throughout the race on the third day of the five-day inaugural Exergy Tour, a $100,000 women's professional cycling race in Southwestern Idaho.

Stage 3 is Sunday from Garden Valley to Idaho City.

Pre-race

Wet conditions awaited the professional women cyclists in Saturday's Stage 2 of the Exergy Tour in Kuna. It has been raining all morning in Kuna and the forecast calls for a 30-percent chance of rain all day. (Judging from the rain falling currently, I'd say that number percentage is a little low.)

The 10.4-mile time trial stage is very flat with just 150 feet of elevation change.

It will be a showcase for the time trialists in the field, which is down to 98 from the original start list of 103. The biggest loss for the tour is Boise Olympic gold medal cyclist Kristin Armstrong, who crashed in Thursday's prologue and fractured her clavicle.

Saturday's time trial was expected to have an Olympic-sized subplot with Armstrong and American rivals Amber Neben and Evelyn Stevens racing head-to-head-to-head for the first time this season — and less than three weeks before USA Cycling selects its Olympic team on June 15.

Stevens, the reigning U.S. time trial champion, and Neben, the 2008 time trial world champ, will compete as will former time trial national champions Clara Hughes (Canada), Shara Gillow (Australia), Allison Powers (U.S.), Olivia Dillon (Ireland), Emilia Fahlin (Sweden) and Latoya Brulee (Belgium).

Armstrong was the 2008 Olympic gold medalist at the Beijing Games.

The first rider begins at 10:55 a.m. and the final one starts at 12:36 p.m. with riders going off in one-minute intervals in reverse order of overall standings.

Start order for Stage 2: Kuna Time Trial

Order, Time, Bib number, Last name, First name, Team, Team Abbreviation, Country

1. 10.55'00" 82 DE NYS Sofie Sengers Ladies Cycling Team SLT BEL

2. 10.56'00" 94 LEE Yu Hsuan Axman Team Taiwan ATT TPE

3. 10.57'00" 64 UEBELHART Jessica Forno D'Asolo Colavita FCL SUI

4. 10.58'00" 84 ROCKX Anouk Sengers Ladies Cycling Team SLT NED

5. 10.59'00" 62 GAGGIOLI Whitney Forno D'Asolo Colavita FCL USA

6. 11.00'00" 25 GALLOWAY Myfanwy Faren Honda Team FHT AUS

7. 11.01'00" 141 BERTINE Kathryn EspnW Pro Cycling ESW SKN

8. 11.02'00" 35 ROWNEY Loren Team Specialized-lululemon SLU AUS

9. 11.03'00" 81 BUYL Kimberly Sengers Ladies Cycling Team SLT BEL

10. 11.04'00" 71 GOSS Belinda ABUS Nutrixxion NXX AUS

11. 11.05'00" 136 ALBERSHARDT Addyson NOW and Novartis for MS NOW USA

12. 11.06'00" 104 PURCELL Jennifer Team Tibco - To the Top TIB USA

13. 11.07'00" 146 DONOVAN Kathryn EspnW Pro Cycling ESW USA

14. 11.08'00" 115 ROORDA Stephanie Canadian National Team CAN CAN

15. 11.09'00" 153 WERNER Rebecca Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR AUS

16. 11.10'00" 92 HUANG Ho Hsun Axman Team Taiwan ATT TPE

17. 11.11'00" 145 MACGREGOR Moriah EspnW Pro Cycling ESW CAN

18. 11.12'00" 5 PIERCE Amber Diadora-Pasta Zara DPZ USA

19. 11.13'00" 38 STACHER Ally Team Specialized-lululemon SLU USA

20. 11.14'00" 43 FRY Rowena GreenEdge-AIS GEW AUS

21. 11.15'00" 134 GOKEY-SMITH Christina NOW and Novartis for MS NOW USA

22. 11.16'00" 37 FAHLIN Emilia Team Specialized-lululemon SLU SWE

23. 11.17'00" 154 WELSH Alisha Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR USA

24. 11.18'00" 83 VAN SEVEREN Celine Sengers Ladies Cycling Team SLT BEL

25. 11.19'00" 23 HOHL Jennifer Faren Honda Team FHT SUI

26. 11.20'00" 157 KURTH Jackie Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR USA

27. 11.21'00" 26 NADALUTTI Chiara Faren Honda Team FHT ITA

28. 11.22'00" 1 BRONZINI Giorgia Diadora-Pasta Zara DPZ ITA

29. 11.23'00" 91 HSIAO Mei Yu Axman Team Taiwan ATT TPE

30. 11.24'00" 53 BEYEN Ine Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 VLL BEL

31. 11.25'00" 61 OLIVEIRA Flavia Forno D'Asolo Colavita FCL BRA

32. 11.26'00" 22 LUPERINI Fabiana Faren Honda Team FHT ITA

33. 11.27'00" 125 RAMSDEN Denise Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC CAN

34. 11.28'00" 144 GULOIEN Leah EspnW Pro Cycling ESW CAN

35. 11.29'00" 4 D'ETTORRE Alessandra Diadora-Pasta Zara DPZ ITA

36. 11.30'00" 65 RACCHETTO Liza Forno D'Asolo Colavita FCL USA

37. 11.31'00" 156 SANDERS Anna Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR USA

38. 11.32'00" 52 BELMANS Els Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 VLL BEL

39. 11.33'00" 24 GILMORE Rochelle Faren Honda Team FHT AUS

40. 11.34'00" 152 LASASSO Kristen Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR USA

41. 11.35'00" 74 JÖHREND Marlen ABUS Nutrixxion NXX GER

42. 11.36'00" 155 WEINBRECHT Jen Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR USA

43. 11.37'00" 112 CANUEL Karol-Ann Canadian National Team CAN CAN

44. 11.38'00" 142 CARON Joanie EspnW Pro Cycling ESW CAN

45. 11.39'00" 128 LOWE Courteney Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC NZL

46. 11.40'00" 148 ZIDER Mary EspnW Pro Cycling ESW USA

47. 11.41'00" 51 POLSPOEL Maaike Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 VLL BEL

48. 11.42'00" 21 COOKE Nicole Faren Honda Team FHT GBR

49. 11.43'00" 41 HÄUSLER Claudia GreenEdge-AIS GEW GER

50. 11.44'00" 137 NEWELL Elizabeth NOW and Novartis for MS NOW USA

51. 11.45'00" 72 MACKIE Emma ABUS Nutrixxion NXX AUS

52. 11.46'00" 14 DVORAK Andrea Exergy Twenty12 EXG USA

53. 11.47'00" 54 D'HOORE Jolien Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 VLL BEL

54. 11.48'00" 107 MYERS Lindsay Team Tibco - To the Top TIB USA

55. 11.49'00" 122 NUMAINVILLE Joelle Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC CAN

56. 11.50'00" 55 DRUYTS Kelly Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley 2012 VLL BEL

57. 11.51'00" 151 KACHOREK Emily Primal/MapMyRide p/b BH Bikes Pro Women's racing PMR USA

58. 11.52'00" 75 SCHNITZMEIER Ana Bianca ABUS Nutrixxion NXX GER

59. 11.53'00" 135 GORRY Devon NOW and Novartis for MS NOW USA

60. 11.54'00" 143 DINKINS-BOOKWALTER Jamie EspnW Pro Cycling ESW USA

61. 11.55'00" 2 BATAGELJ Polona Diadora-Pasta Zara DPZ SLO

62. 11.56'00" 138 SAMPLONIUS Anne NOW and Novartis for MS NOW CAN

63. 11.57'00" 85 SCHREURS Gerrike Sengers Ladies Cycling Team SLT NED

64. 11.58'00" 3 CILVINAITE Inga Diadora-Pasta Zara DPZ LTU

65. 11.59'00" 103 MILLER Amanda Team Tibco - To the Top TIB USA

66. 12.00'00" 16 TETRICK Alison Exergy Twenty12 EXG USA

67. 12.01'00" 147 CALLE Maria-Luisa EspnW Pro Cycling ESW COL

68. 12.02'00" 132 DILLON Olivia NOW and Novartis for MS NOW IRL

69. 12.03'00" 111 BEVERIDGE Julie Canadian National Team CAN CAN

70. 12.04'00" 18 WILES Tayler Exergy Twenty12 EXG USA

71. 12.05'00" 45 MACLEAN Jessie GreenEdge-AIS GEW AUS

72. 12.06'00" 133 FARINA Robin NOW and Novartis for MS NOW USA

73. 12.07'00" 124 SMALL Carmen Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC USA

74. 12.08'00" 15 MCGRATH Kristin Exergy Twenty12 EXG USA

75. 12.09'00" 44 RHODES Alexis GreenEdge-AIS GEW AUS

76. 12.10'00" 63 SAARELAINEN Sari Forno D'Asolo Colavita FCL FIN

77. 12.11'00" 17 SHAW Rhae-Christie Exergy Twenty12 EXG CAN

78. 12.12'00" 123 KIRCHMANN Leah Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC CAN

79. 12.13'00" 113 GLAESSER Jasmin Canadian National Team CAN CAN

80. 12.14'00" 127 ALBRECHT Lex Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC CAN

81. 12.15'00" 46 CROMWELL Tiffany GreenEdge-AIS GEW AUS

82. 12.16'00" 105 HALL Lauren Team Tibco - To the Top TIB USA

83. 12.17'00" 13 CROWELL Jacquelyn Exergy Twenty12 EXG USA

84. 12.18'00" 121 HOLCOMB Janel Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC USA

85. 12.19'00" 101 GUARNIER Megan Team Tibco - To the Top TIB USA

86. 12.20'00" 12 CLIFF-RYAN Theresa Exergy Twenty12 EXG USA

87. 12.21'00" 116 BROWN Laura Canadian National Team CAN CAN

88. 12.22'00" 34 NEBEN Amber Team Specialized-lululemon SLU USA

89. 12.23'00" 73 NEYLAN Rachel ABUS Nutrixxion NXX AUS

90. 12.24'00" 36 WORRACK Trixi Team Specialized-lululemon SLU GER

91. 12.25'00" 126 WILCOXSON Jade Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies OPC USA

92. 12.26'00" 42 GILLOW Shara GreenEdge-AIS GEW AUS

93. 12.27'00" 31 STEVENS Evelyn Team Specialized-lululemon SLU USA

94. 12.28'00" 131 POWERS Alison NOW and Novartis for MS NOW USA

95. 12.30'00" 32 HUGHES Clara Team Specialized-lululemon SLU CAN

96. 12.32'00" 114 CARLETON Gillian Canadian National Team CAN CAN

97. 12.34'00" 102 WHITTEN Tara Team Tibco - To the Top TIB CAN

98. 12.36'00" 33 TEUTENBERG Ina Yoko Team Specialized-lululemon SLU GER