NRC: Standings clinched with three events remaining

  
  


The six-day Cascade Classic Stage Race in Bend, Ore., was the focus of the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar (NRC) last week. In the end, the top spots of all four standings were clinched, leaving the fields to fight for second place.

MEN

Francisco Mancebo topped the podium at the Cascade Classic Stage Race in Bend, Ore. (Photo by Jonathan Devich)
Francisco Mancebo topped the podium at the Cascade Classic Stage Race in Bend, Ore. (Photo by Jonathan Devich)
After topping the general classification at the Cascade Classic Stage Race, Francisco Mancebo (ESP/Competitive Cyclist Racing Team) for the second year in a row will top the final NRC men's standings.

Mancebo now has 918 points and leads Rory Sutherland (AUS/UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis) by 473 points with one men's race remaining on the calendar. Only three points behind Sutherland in third place is Tom Zirbel (Boulder, Colo./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) while Chad Beyer (Tucson, Ariz./Competitive Cyclist Racing Team) is in fourth only 38 points behind Zirbel. Phillip Gaimon (Ellicott City, Md./Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder) rounds out the top five with 381 points, 23 behind Beyer.

Competitive Cyclist Racing Team secured its spot atop the NRC men's team standings. The top five teams and their positions are unchanged after the Cascade Classic Stage Race. Competitive Cyclist Racing Team holds a 276-point cushion over Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies. Bissell Cycling remains in third place, 196 points out of second place and only 42 points ahead of Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder, which sits in fourth place. Bontrager Livestrong Team sits in fifth place with 938 points.

WOMEN

Kristin McGrath was all smiles after winning the final day's race in Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Devich)
Kristin McGrath was all smiles after winning the final day's race in Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Devich)

Carmen Small (Durango, Colo./Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) secured her spot atop the NRC women's standings after finishing second in Oregon. Small holds a 268-point lead over second-place Alison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./NOW and Novartis for MS) with two women's events remaining on the calendar. Powers, who won the women's stage race in Oregon, is 63 points ahead of Jade Wilcoxson (Talent, Ore./Optum Pro cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) while Megan Guarnier (Mountain View, Calif./Team TIBCO-To the Top) sits 77 points behind Wilcoxson in fourth place. Amber Neben (Lake Forest, Calif./Specialized-lululemon) rounds out the top five, 69 points behind Guarnier.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of Small and Wilcoxson, Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies, which holds a lead of 1,033 points, has clinched the top spot of the NRC women's team standings. Exergy TWENTY12 sits in second place, 119 points ahead of the third place Team TIBCO-To the Top. NOW and Novartis for MS sits in fourth place, 329 points out of third place and 571 points ahead of the fifth-place FCS-Rouse p/b Mr Restore.

Full results from the Cascade Cycling Classic.

 

USA Cycling NRC Standings:

Men
1. Francisco Mancebo (ESP/Competitive Cyclist Racing Team) — 918
2. Rory Sutherland (AUS/UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis) — 445
3. Tom Zirbel (Boulder, Colo./Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) — 442
4. Chad Beyer (Tucson, Ariz./Competitive Cyclist Racing Team) — 404
5. Phillip Gaimon (Ellicott City, Md./Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder) — 381

Women
1. Carmen Small (Durango, Colo./Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) — 1,010
2. Alison Powers (Pinecliffe, Colo./NOW and Novartis) — 742
3. Jade Wilcoxson (Talent, Ore./Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) — 679
4. Megan Guarnier (Mountain View, Calif./Team TIBCO-To the Top) — 602
5. Amber Neben (Lake Forest, Calif./Specialized-lululemon) — 533

Men's Team
1. Competitive Cyclist Racing Team —1,716
2. Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 1,440
3. Bissell Cycling — 1,244
4. Kenda 5 Hour Energy p/b Geargrinder — 1,202
5. Bontrager Livestrong Team — 938

Women's Team
1. Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies — 2,503
2. Exergy Twenty12 — 1,470
3. Team TIBCO-To the Top — 1,351
4. NOW and Novartis for MS — 1,022
5. FCS-Rouse p/b Mr Restore — 451
 

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

COMING UP:

The women take center stage for the next two NRC stops — the ninth and tenth races of the 11-contest calendar — as they will will contest the Tour of Elk Grove in Illinois from Aug. 3-5 and the Blue Ribbon Alpine Challenge from Aug. 21-23 in Aspen, Colo. The men will contest the calendar's finale, the Grand Prix in Souderton, Pa., on Sept. 15.


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This Article Updated July 24, 2012 @ 05:40 PM For more information contact: