Sevilla Answers All Challenges; Retains Overall Lead
Rock Racing’s Sevilla Answers All Challenges; Retains Overall Lead
San Dimas, Calif. –
Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla successfully fought off a series of attacks
to remain the overall leader of the San Dimas Stage Race with only
Sunday’s 90-minute Cannondale Incycle Old Town Classic Criterium left
to go.
Some
extraordinary work by his Rock Racing teammates helped Sevilla finished
comfortably in the lead group of Saturday’s 84-mile (135 km) San Dimas
Hospital Road Race to retain his eight-second advantage over Peter
Stetina (VMG/Felt/RGM). Ben Day (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) remains
third, 17 seconds behind.
“It
was a great team effort,” Rock Racing Team Director Marino Friedick
said. “We knew from the beginning that there would be attacking from
the gun and that’s exactly what happened. But we were ready for it.”
Several
times, Rock Racing worked to bring back small breakaways that escaped
during the 12-lap race along a rolling, seven-mile course. But the task
of chasing down attacks – and counterattacks – began to take its toll
and the front group began to shrink. Still, Rock Racing’s Tyler
Hamilton, Kayle Leogrande and Jeremiah Wiscovitch remained with Sevilla
to defend his yellow leader’s jersey.
“Jeremiah
and Tyler were doing an incredible amount of work for me the last two
laps,” Sevilla said. “It is nice to have Tyler as a teammate while
being the race leader. He has so much experience and knowledge that it
has taken a lot of pressure off me.”
Sevilla
also let his own legs do the talking during a pivotal point late in the
race. When a rider initiated an attack up the final climb, Sevilla
purposely let a gap open up. When it was clear no one else was going to
counter the move, Sevilla used a burst of speed to bridge up to the
escapee and quickly extinguish any chance the move would put his lead
in jeopardy.
“We’re not celebrating overall victory yet, but Oscar is obviously riding super strongly,” Friedick said.
Sunday’s final stage is a six-corner criterium in the city center of San Dimas, beginning at 3 p.m. PST.
Sevilla
convincingly won Friday’s Stage 1 Glendora Chevrolet Mountain Time
Trial despite a mechanical mishap in the final hundred meters of the
3.8-mile (6.1 km) race. Rock Racing Team Mechanic Chris Hunter said the
hub on Sevilla’s rear wheel separated, causing the cassette to lock up.
With the rear wheel unable to turn and no follow vehicles allowed for
support, Sevilla could only run with his bike to the finish, Hunter
said.