Rock Racing’s Sevilla Conquers Cascade Classic
Rock Racing’s Sevilla Conquers Cascade Classic

Bend, Ore. — Rock Racing stamped its authority on the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in a big way during Sunday’s final stage of the six-day race in Bend, Ore.

Yellow jersey wearer Oscar Sevilla helped Rock Racing teammate Francisco Mancebo put in an attack in the final miles of the Deschutes Brewery Awbrey Butte Circuit Race that moved Mancebo from third to second overall in the final standings.

In addition to the 1-2 finish overall, Rock Racing also took home the team title to cap a week that saw it win two stages and place third in two others.

“It was a good job by the boys,” Rock Racing Team Director Lorenzo LaPage said. “This was a difficult racem but all season long, this team has shown that it is strong and every guy has good experience. They just keep getting better and better.”

Jeff Louder (BMC Pro Cycling) was the rider Mancebo displaced for second place. Louder finished 20 seconds behind Sevilla and Mancebo in the final 83-mile (133 km) race that was won by Anthony Colby (Colavita-Sutter Homes presented by Cooking Light).

About the only disappointment of the race, LaPage said, was a crash Sunday that left David Vitoria with a lot of road rash but no broken bones.

“Thankfully, he’s OK,” LaPage said. “The idea was to bring Sevilla, Pena and Mancebo into good position on the last lap but after he (Vitoria) fell off, we had to do all the work with just three guys.”

Sevilla’s victory is Rock Racing’s 30th on the year to go along with 63 podium (top three) placings. It is also the Spaniard’s first win at a stage race in the United States and his first overall victory at a stage race since capturing the RCN Classic in Colombia last October.


Photos courtesy: Brian Hodes, VeloImages (www.veloimages.com)

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Mon, Jul 27, 2009 7:41 pm
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