Redlands, CA - “We were going for the overall win or bust today,” said team directeur sportif Mike Tamayo.

The team wasted little time lighting up the field on the difficult Sunset Loop course, initiating numerous breaks. Brad White was the first to get off the front along with Cesar Grajales (Rock Racing) and Frank Pipp (Bissell).



When that move was brought back, Karl Menzies went off the front with three other riders. The most dangerous move of the day came when Tim Johnson escaped with Peter Stetina (Garmin-Holoweko Partners-Felt). The duo opened up a lead of over a minute that put Stetina in the virtual race lead, with Johnson a threat to the top of the standings, as well.

The aggressive racing was part of a plan to soften up the field and set up Rory Sutherland for a late bid to wrest the overall title away from Jeff Louder (BMC), who was less than half a minute ahead of Sutherland.

“The course is selective on its own,” Johnson said. “But we wanted to make it more selective and disrupt BMC’s rhythm.”

“Rory was waiting for the finish,” Tamayo added. “The last time up the climb, he put in his attack.”

Sutherland pushed over the top of the climb with a 0:20 advantage on the pack. But the attack had served to isolate race leader Jeff Louder (BMC) on the final climb. However, Louder got some unexpected help when Fly V Australia spearheaded the chase in an effort to protect the 3rd overall position of their rider, Ben Day.

Sutherland was caught just before entering the circuits in downtown Redlands, setting up the sprint finish won by Kyle Wamsley (Colavita-Sutter Home). Sutherland finished 15th on the stage, and a five-scond time bonus moved him up to 6th overall.

“The team rode a great race today,” Johnson said. “We just didn’t have much to show for it at the end of the day.”

Notes:

While the main race was being run out on the Sunset Loop, a pro/1/2 criterium was being held in town on the same course that the stage race used the day prior. OUCH Presented by Maxxis riders John Murphy and Bobby Lea were part of that field.

Murphy was part of a three-man break that lapped the field during the race. Once the trio had rejoined the back of the main field, Murphy found teammate Lea’s wheel. Lea executed a perfect lead-out into the final turn on the course and Murphy sprinted to the win.