The HTC-Columbia women’s team took home their first victory of the 2010 season Friday in the inaugural Merco Classic 20-mile Team Time Trial in Merced, California. The team included four riders: Ina Teutenberg [GER], Kim Anderson [USA], Evelyn Stevens [USA] and Chloe Hosking [AUS].

“The team did a good job in this very technical event,” noted sport director Rene Wenzel. “We had two very experienced TTT riders with Ina [Teutenberg] and Kim [Anderson], and two inexperienced riders with Evelyn [Stevens] and Chloe [Hosking], and considering that it was the first team time trial of the season together, we had an excellent outcome.”

On a rolling and relatively windy course the HTC-Columbia women clocked a time of 43:51. Tomorrow the team continues the Merco Classic with the Downtown Criterium, followed by the Merco Classic Foothills Road Race on Sunday.