Cycling: Boyd best of NZers in US race

New Zealand cyclist Kaytee Boyd. Photo / Greg Bowker

Cath Cheatley has crashed out while Kaytee Boyd has moved into contention with a strong performance in the third stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix in the United States.

Boyd was ninth overall today and given the same time of the winner and world champion Giorgia Bronzini in the 107km Cannon Falls Road Race near Minneapolis.

This moved her to 15th overall, one minutes 13 seconds down on the leader Kristin Armstrong, a former Olympic gold medallist.

The best placed of all the New Zealanders in the race is Rushlee Buchanan, riding for her pro tour team Colavita Forno. She finished seventh today to retain her lead in the young rider category.

It was not such good news for her teammate and fellow New Zealander Cheatley, who crashed out of the tour in last night's criterium.

The national champion landed heavily on a wet surface, breaking bones in her pelvis that could sideline her for six weeks. Cheatley, who is defending her US national series title, had just returned to top level racing after a knee injury.

Tomorrow's fourth stage is a 56km criterium around the streets of uptown Minneapolis.

Meanwhile, Aaron Gate remains in the hunt for the sprint points jersey after the fourth stage of the Thuringen Rundfarht under-23 tour in Germany.

Gate earned points at two of the intermediate sprints to retain third place overall in the points race on seven, five behind German leader Michael Humbert.

- NZPA