NRC: Gaimon and Guarnier off to fast starts atop the NRC

  
  


The USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) kicked off Thursday with the Redlands Bicycle Classic in California. The four-day race in southern California consisted of a time trial, two road races and a criterium. The overall winner of each of the men's and women's general classification opened with a win in the time trial on Thursday and clung to the yellow jersey throughout the event.

Phil Gaimon earned the yellow jersey in the prologue and didn't let go throughout the Redlands Bicycle Classic. (Photo by Wil Matthews)
Phil Gaimon earned the yellow jersey in the prologue and didn't let go throughout the Redlands Bicycle Classic. (Photo by Wil Matthews)
MEN
Phil Gaimon (Athens, Ga./Kenda-5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder) won a stage and placed fifth in another to secure the top spot in the Redlands Bicycle Classic general classification and get out to an early lead in the NRC men's standings with 217 points.

Gaimon won the individual time trial on Thursday by three seconds and never relinquished the yellow jersey.

Patrick Bevin (NZL/Bissell Pro Cycling), who won the last three stages of the event to secure second place in the NRC standings, tallied 195 points while Alexander Candelario (Reno, Nev./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) sits in third place with 108 points. Last year's calendar winner, Francisco Mancebo (ESP/Competitive Cyclist) is two points behind Candelario in fourth place while Evan Huffman (Elk Grove, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) rounds out the top five with 92 points.

Powered by Gaimon's overall win, Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder holds a 32-point cushion over Bissell Cycling in the NRC men's team standings. Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder's 295 points is 32 points ahead of Bissell. Bissell holds a 55-point edge on third-place Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies. California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized sits in fourth place, 48 points behind Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies and 47 points ahead of Competitive Cyclist Racing Team.

WOMEN
Megan Guarnier (Mountain View, Calif./Team TIBO-To the Top) has an early lead in the NRC women's standings after wearing the yellow jersey wire to wire at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Bolstered by four top-five finishes, including winning Thursday's time trial and placing second in Saturday's criterium, Guarnier racked up 237 points to top the NRC women's standings.

Joelle Numainville (CAN/Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies), who trails Guarnier by 76 points, totaled a stage win and a pair of second-place results to finish second to Guarnier. Alison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./NOW and Novartis) won Sunday's road race to earn third place in the standings with 155 points, six points behind Numainville. Amber Neben (Lake Forest, Calif./Specialized-lululemon) finished second in Thursday's time trial to place fourth, 47 points behind Powers and seven points ahead of Loren Rowney (AUS/Specialized-lululemon), who sits in fifth place.

After the first week of racing, Team TIBCO-To the Top is off to an early lead accumulating 310 points at the Redlands Bicycle Classic to top the NRC women's team standings. Optum Pro cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies is in second place, 20 points behind TIBCO and 41 points ahead of third-place NOW and Novartis for MS. Exergy Twenty12 sits in fourth place, 117 points behind NOW and Novartis for MS and 38 points ahead of FCS-Rouse p/b Mr Restore.

Full results from the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

 

USA Cycling NRC Standings:

Men
1. Phil Gaimon (Athens, Ga./Kenda-5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder) — 217
2. Patrick Bevin (NZL/Bissell Cycling) — 195
3. Alexander Candelario (Reno, Nev./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) — 108
4. Francisco Mancebo (ESP/Competitive Cyclist Racing Team) — 106
5. Evan Huffman (Elk Grove, Calif./California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized) — 92

Women
1. Megan Guarnier (Mountain View, Calif./Team TIBCO-To the Top) — 237
2. Joelle Numainville (CAN/Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) — 161
3. Alison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./NOW and Novartis for MS) — 155
4. Amber Neben (Lake Forest, Calif./Specialized-lululemon) — 108
5. Loren Rowney (AUS/Specialized-lululemon) — 101

Men's Team
1. Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder — 295
2. Bissell Cycling — 263
3. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 208
4. California Giant Berry Farms-Specialized — 159
5. Competitive Cyclist Racing Team — 111

Women's Team
1. Team TIBCO-To the Top — 310
2. Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 290
3. NOW and Novartis for MS — 249
4. Exergy Twenty12 — 132
5. FCS-Rouse p/b Mr Restore — 94
 

For complete standings, visit the Pro NRC's official webpage at usacycling.org/nrc.

The NRC continues for the men in two weeks with the Tour of the Battenkill on April 15 in Cambridge, N.Y. The women rejoin the fray at the Joe Martin Stage Race p/b Nature Valley in Fayetteville, Ark., on April 26-29.

 

 



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This Article Updated March 28, 2012 @ 10:50 AM For more information contact: