Stage one of the Redlands Bicycle Bicycle Classic presented by PossAbilities for the men was won by John Bennett from the California Giant Team. Bennett edged out talented 19-year-old Lachlan Morton (Chipotle Development Team) and Andreas Diaz (Team Exergy), who finished second and third respectively. Fransisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) was able to stay within the chase group and retained his overall lead in the race.
"Today's race was tough. To keep our front position, the team had to work to keep the gap closed," Mancebo commented after the stage. "The hills were big, but they weren't as tough for me. It was on the flats where everyone attacked that you have to really work hard to keep your position."
The trio broke clear of the peloton on a scorching hot day marked by a hilly 24.1 mile circuit and a fast pace. The five trips around the course took its toll on the peloton, and the taunting from the nearby snow-capped mountains saw more than thirty riders pack in their bags on the first road stage in the event. By the time the race saw the final kilometers in Beaumont, it had splintered all over the road, with the trio coming across the finish with a 12 second advantage over the 30-strong chase group.
Anibal Borrajo from the Jamis Sutter Home team took the field sprint, with Kenda's Shawn Milne just behind. Chipotle Development's Jacob Rathe finished strongly in fifth place to punctuate the team's performance on the day.
The women's race was also a grueling battle around the California town of Beaumont that saw Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita Forno D'Asolo) sprint to victory out of the leading group to beat Christi Gokey-Smith (Rouse Bicycles) who was followed by Jen PUrcel (Danbury Audi).
"All in all, today was a good race. There were a couple of crashes on the course, so that brought some chaos, but we were successful," explained Cliff-Ryan. "I was stuck in the middle about 150 meters before the turn, but I saw a space, so I took it. It was a major team race today. We were talking, looking after each other, and Janel stayed with me on the last hill, helping me stay relaxed. Redlands has a big history, so this was a great race to start off our season."
By the time the women were on the second of three laps, the war of attrition had already set in. Midway through the second lap it was Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12’s Tayler Wiles who decided to animate the race. Her move forced the HTC-Highroad team of race leader Amber Neben to give chase and bring her back into the fold.
Peanut Butter & Co. TWENTY 12 again took the reins on the final lap, this time with Alison Starnes. With no initial reaction from the heat-battered field, Starnes forced a gap of more than a minute on the main field. However, on the final ascent of the climb, HTC-Highroad’s Amanda Miller and Evelyn Stevens increased the pace, and caught the lone leader, leaving a small group of ten at the front.
The descent saw the peloton come back together into a front group of close to forty riders. As the group powered around the final corner, nobody could follow the acceleration of Clif-Ryan, with the Colavita rider earning victory on the day. HTC-Highroad is still in control of the overall, with Amber Neben in the lead and teammate Evelyn Stevens just 8 seconds behind in second. Erinne Willock (Tibco-To The Top) is a further 5 seconds behind in third.
2011 Redlands Bicycle Classic men's stage 1 result:
1. John Bennett (California Giant-Specialized) in 04:40:01
2. Lachlan Morton (Chipotle Development) s.t.
3. Andres Diaz (Team Exergy) s.t.
4. Anibal Borrajo (Jamis Sutter Home) @ 00:00:12
5. Shawn Milne (Kenda-5hr Energy-GearGrinder) - s.t.
6. Jacob Rathe (Chipotle Development) - s.t.
7. Jesse Anthony (Kelly Benefit Strategies) - s.t.
8. Joeseph Lewis (Trek-Livestrong) - s.t.
9. Alejandro Borrajo (Jamis Sutter Home) - s.t.
10. Fransisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) - s.t.
11. Travis Mccabe (Rideclean pb Patentit.com) - s.t.
12. Matt Cooke (Team Exergy) - s.t.
13. Benjamin Day (Kenda-5hr Energy-GearGrinder) - s.t.
14. Christian Helmig (Elbowz Racing) - s.t.
15. Sean Sullivan (Fly V Australia) - s.t.
16. Michael Creed (Kelly Benefit Strategies) - s.t.
17. Cesar Grajales (Realcyclist.com) - s.t.
18. Scott Lyttle (Pure Black Racing) - s.t.
19. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) - s.t.
20. Hayden Brooks (Fly V Australia) - s.t.
21. Tyler Wren (Jamis Sutter Home) - s.t.
22. Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly pb Kenda) - s.t.
23. Phil Zajicek (Monster Media Racing) - s.t.
24. Darren Rolfe (Fly V Australia) - s.t.
25. Chris Baldwin (Juwi Solar-First Solar) - s.t.
26. George Nelson Bennett (Trek-Livestrong) - s.t.
27. Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling) - s.t.
28. Andrew Bajadali (Kelly Benefit Strategies) - s.t.
29. Andrei Krasilnikau (Chipotle Development) - s.t.
30. Heath Blackgrove (Elbowz Racing) - s.t.
31. Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) - s.t.
32. Alex Hageman (Jelly Belly pb Kenda) - s.t.
33. Michael Olheiser (Juwi Solar-First Solar) - s.t.
34. Paul Mach (Bissell Pro Cycling) - s.t.
Men's overall after stage 1:
1. Fransisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) in 4:49:52
2. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) @ 00:01
3. Chris Baldwin (Juwi Solar-First Solar) @ 00:03
4. Andres Diaz (Team Exergy) @ 00:06
5. Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell Pro Cycling) @ 00:09
6. Jeremy Vennell (Bissell Pro Cycling) @ 00:14
7. Cesar Grajales (Realcyclist.com) @ 00:14
8. Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly pb Kenda) @ 00:15
9. Tyler Wren (Jamis Sutter Home) @ 00:16
10. Darren Rolfe (Fly V Australia) @ 00:17
11. Matt Cooke (Team Exergy) @ 00:17
2011 Redlands Bicycle Classic women's stage 1 result:
1. Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita Forno D’asolo)
2. Christina Gokey-Smith (Rouse Bicycles) - s.t.
3. Jen Purcel (Danbury Audi) - s.t.
4. Carmen Small (Team Tibco-To The Top) - s.t.
5. Erinne Willock (Team Tibco-To The Top) - s.t.
6. Kristen Lasasso (Rouse Bicycles) - s.t.
7. Tiffany Pezzulo (Primal-Map My Ride) - s.t.
8. Emily Kachorek (Primal-Map My Ride) - s.t.
9. Veronique Labonte (Team Juvederm) - s.t.
10. Catherine Cheatley (Colavita Forno D’asolo) - s.t.
Women's overall after stage 1:
1. Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad)
2. Evelyn Stevens (HTC-Highroad) @ 00:08
3. Erinne Willock (Tibco-To The Top) @ 00:13
4. Andrea Dvorak (Colavita Forno D’asolo) at 00:30
5. Kristen Armstrong (Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty 12) at 00:34