Near Solvang, Calif. — Team Type 1 scored its first victory of 2009 on Saturday when Ricardo Escuela out-sprinted teammate Moises Alape to win the Poor College Kids Road Race near Solvang, Calif.

Sergio Hernandez (Rock Racing) was third in the 68-mile race that served as the season-opener for a number of Southern California riders and teams.

Team Type 1 placed nine riders in the top 20 – and it would have been 10 had fifth-place finisher Valeriy Kobzarenko not been disqualified for a centerline violation.

Escuela is in his first year with the team that includes four riders who have Type 1 diabetes.

(Ricardo Escuela scores Team Type 1′s first victory of the year in a field sprint Saturday at the Poor College Kids Road Race)

“I felt really confident,” Escuela said. “We had two or three – or more – guys in every break today.”

The 25-year-old Argentinian said the lead-out for the sprint was one the team had practiced earlier this week.

“Valeriy (Kobzarenko) and Jesse (Anthony) gave me a strong lead out and Moises was right there on my wheel to make sure no one came around,” Escuela said.

Team Type 1 is holding its training camp in the Santa Ynez Valley as it prepares for the Amgen Tour of California. Sunday, it will send a team of nine racers to compete in the Mothballs Criterium in Santa Barbara.

(The peloton enjoyed sunny skies and ideal weather conditions Saturday for the Poor College Rids Road Race)

(A number of breakaways shook loose from the peloton and each time contained a number of riders from Team Type 1)

Photo Credits: Copyright, Marco Quezada.