Tour of the Gila: Lauren Stephens extends her women’s GC lead with stage 2 solo win while Robinson López takes men’s victory atop Mogollon climb

Lauren Stephens (Aegis x Leaders of Enchantment) made it two for 2 on the 2026 Tour of the Gila on Thursday, claiming the Mogollon summit win on the finish of stage 2 and rising her GC lead from six seconds to over one minute.

Ashley Frye (Aggressive Edge Racing) crossed the road 13 seconds again to take second, shifting up one spot on GC. Emily Gilbert (Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28) rounded out the rostrum at 34 seconds again.

After using the 71.2-mile course with 3,669 toes of climbing, Frye was now the one rider inside two minutes of Stephens within the total classification, 1:31 again. Gilbert jumped seven spots to 3rd total, 2:29 down.

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Stephens additionally leads the mountains classification, whereas her teammate Kylee Hanel, who’s sixth on GC, tops one of the best younger rider standings. Olivia Cummings (Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28) leads the dash classification.

Within the elite males’s contest at theMogollon Highway Race p/b Gila Regional Medical Heart, Robinson López (GW Erco SportFitness) was the strongest on the Mogollon climb, with ramps maxing out at 19%, claiming the victory in a dash forward of USA’s Kieran Haug (Fashionable Journey Professional Biking). Colombian compatriot Diego Camargo (Crew Medellín-EPM) was three seconds again in third.

After crossing the road in twelfth place, 45 seconds down, stage 1 winner Walter Vargas (Crew Medellín-EPM) retained the general lead, although the windy, tough 92-mile course with 4,252 toes of climbing delivered a GC shake-up for the remainder of the highest 10 placings.

Fifth on the stage, Henrique de Silva Avancini (Localiza Meoo-Swift Professional Biking) moved as much as second total, 20 seconds down, whereas Camargo is now in third, 41 seconds again. Defending champion Haug jumped 10 spots as much as fourth total, at 45 seconds down, whereas his teammate Tyler Stites, the 2024 winner, remained in fifth place, 53 seconds in arrears.

Friday brings the Interior Loop Highway race p/b Lyman Communications, a 74.1-mile (119.3km) course for the ladies and 76.2 miles (122.6) for the lads, each beginning and ending 9 miles east of Silver Metropolis at Fort Bayard.

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