23rd Redlands Bicycle Classic, Stage 1 Woman
Mara Abbott wins the mountain stage. She out climbs Amber Neben, who remains in the lead.

By Bart Hazen

Stage 1: Oak Glen Road Race, 115.2 km
Stage 1 in the 23rd Redlands Bicycle Classic is won by Webcor Builder's Mara Abbott. In the Oak Glen Road Race over 115,2 Km she out climbs defending champion and winner of the proloque Amber Neben (Team Flexpoint) and her team mate Christine Thorburn. Despite the attacks of the Webcor team, it's Amber who remains in the lead with two more stages to go. Webcor did a really good stage because Kathryn Curi finished fourth.

The most significant break in the race split from the peloton over the first of three climbs up Lamb Canyon Road. At the beginning of the final climb up Oak Glen, the break of seven riders had been reduced to six. The group included Tina Pic (Colavita/Sutter Home), Leigh Hobson (Cheerwine), Anne Samplonius (Expresscopy.com), Kathryn Curi (Webcor) and Chantel Beltman (T-Mobile).

Kathryn Curi gave the strongest impressions in the break and attacked on the early parts of the climb and no-one could go with her. With 15 kilometres to go Curi sat on to rest for the final climb up Oak Glen and the others came back together with Amber Neben, Dotsie Bausch, Christine Thorburn and Mara Abbott.

In the final kilometers of the stage, with about 2 km to go it was Abbott who attacked the small leading group and hold her small gap to the finish line. Amber took second and remains in the lead.

Tomorrow the Redlands Classic will go on with a criterium over 60 minutes.

Amber Neben comes in as second. Photo c. Mark Adkison Phd.

Results Stage 1
1 363 Abbott, Mara Webcor Builders 3:30:41 10 3:30:41
2 301 Neben, Amber STAHL/SC Velo 3:30:59 6 @ 18
3 361 Thorburn, Christine Webcor Builders 3:31:24 4 @ 43
4 365 Curi, Katheryn Webcor Builders 3:31:30 @ 49
5 332 Hobson, Leigh Team Cheerwine 3:32:11 @ 1:30
6 383 Gomez, Felicia Aaron's Corporate Fu " "
7 343 Bausch, Dotsie Colavita/Sutter Home 3:32:31 @ 1:50
8 312 Beltman , Chantal T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:33:00 @ 2:19
9 351 Samplonius, Anne Team Expresscopy.com 3:33:06 @ 2:25
10 403 Asplund, Marisa Team TIBCO 3:33:12 @ 2:31
11 302 Calderon, Priscilla STAHL/SC Velo 3:33:19 @ 2:38
12 334 Bamberger, Sarah Team Cheerwine " "
13 335 Ourada, Brooke Team Cheerwine 3:33:25 @ 2:44
14 341 Pic, Tina Colavita/Sutter Home 3:33:38 @ 2:57
15 313 de Goede, Suzanne T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:34:06 @ 3:25
16 327 Seehafer, Kori TEAm Lipton " 2 "
17 311 Anderson, Kim T-Mobile Women's Pro " "
18 362 Heal, Rachel Webcor Builders 3:34:11 @ 3:30
19 342 Wrubleski, Alex Colavita/Sutter Home " "
20 402 Marple, Stacy Team TIBCO " "
21 317 Wood, Oenone T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:34:37 @ 3:56
22 326 Miller, Meredith TEAm Lipton 3:34:41 @ 4:00
23 333 Hold, Betina Team Cheerwine " "
24 324 LaSasso, Kristen TEAm Lipton " "
25 322 Franges, Lauren TEAm Lipton 3:35:08 @ 4:27
26 404 Bastide, Victoria Team TIBCO 3:35:48 @ 5:07
27 364 Rais, Amber Webcor Builders " "
28 344 Powers, Allison Colavita/Sutter Home 3:36:35 @ 5:54
29 356 Testroete, Alison Team Expresscopy.com " "
30 435 McLaughlin, Jill ValueAct Capital Cyc 3:36:47 @ 6:06

Christine Thorburn third of the day. Photo c. Mark Adkison Phd.

General Classification:
1 301 Neben, Amber STAHL/SC Velo 3:41:45 3:41:45
2 363 Abbott, Mara Webcor Builders 3:42:17 @ 00:32
3 361 Thorburn, Christine Webcor Builders 3:42:45 @ 01:00
4 365 Curi, Katheryn Webcor Builders 3:43:23 @ 01:38
5 343 Bausch, Dotsie Colavita/Sutter Home 3:44:05 @ 02:20
6 383 Gomez, Felicia Aaron's Corporate Fu 3:44:10 @ 02:25
7 332 Hobson, Leigh Team Cheerwine 3:44:16 @ 02:31
8 351 Samplonius, Anne Team Expresscopy.com 3:45:08 @ 03:23
9 312 Beltman , Chantal T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:45:21 @ 03:36
10 335 Ourada, Brooke Team Cheerwine 3:45:42 @ 03:57
11 403 Asplund, Marisa Team TIBCO 3:46:01 @ 04:16
12 311 Anderson, Kim T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:46:05 @ 04:20
13 362 Heal, Rachel Webcor Builders 3:46:07 @ 04:22
14 334 Bamberger, Sarah Team Cheerwine 3:46:14 @ 04:29
15 327 Seehafer, Kori TEAm Lipton 3:46:20 @ 04:35
16 402 Marple, Stacy Team TIBCO 3:46:32 @ 04:47
17 342 Wrubleski, Alex Colavita/Sutter Home 3:46:33 @ 04:48
18 317 Wood, Oenone T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:46:36 @ 04:51
19 341 Pic, Tina Colavita/Sutter Home 3:46:41 @ 04:56
20 313 de Goede, Suzanne T-Mobile Women's Pro 3:46:42 @ 04:57
21 326 Miller, Meredith TEAm Lipton 3:47:03 @ 05:18
22 333 Hold, Betina Team Cheerwine 3:47:34 @ 05:49
23 324 LaSasso, Kristen TEAm Lipton 3:47:50 @ 06:05
24 364 Rais, Amber Webcor Builders 3:47:55 @ 06:10
25 322 Franges, Lauren TEAm Lipton 3:47:56 @ 06:11
26 302 Calderon, Priscilla STAHL/SC Velo 3:48:36 @ 06:51
27 404 Bastide, Victoria Team TIBCO 3:48:49 @ 07:04
28 344 Powers, Allison Colavita/Sutter Home 3:48:56 @ 07:11
29 381 Carroll, Katharine Aaron's Corporate Fu 3:49:01 @ 07:16
30 435 McLaughlin, Jill ValueAct Capital Cyc 3:49:10 @ 07:25

General Classification after stage 1. Photo c. Mark Adkison Phd.

Redlands Classic Report
Women’s Stage One Race Powers up Oak Glen’s Most Grueling Hills
A steady stream of colorful jerseys exploded past the Oak Glen finish line at the Redlands Bicycle Classic’s Stage One Women’s race. Mara Abbott stormed to the front of the pack on the final challenging hill, pedaling her way to first place. Amber Neben clenched second and Christine Thorburn rounded out the top three finishers.

“I knew it would be tough today,” said Neben, who came in second in the race, but is currently in first overall. “This race is hard. It gets raced hard by all the teams. The climb at the end is difficult and makes life difficult, but it’s great.”

Neban’s teammates from Stahl/SC Velo helped her conquer the challenge. “My teammates used their horsepower efficiently and helped me. They kept it to where I could ride hard on Oak Glen. At the end of the race it was like four against one.” Indeed the teams were a central component of the race. Both Abbott and Thorburn ride with Webcor. .

ValueAct Capital Women's Cycling Team Report
Redlands Bicycle Classic - Prologue and Stage 1.
Patella goes for the sprinter's jersey!
The ValueAct Capital Women's Cycling Team headed south from Visalia for the 4-day Redlands Bicycle Classic. Redlands is the first race of the Women's Prestige Cycling Series, along with Nature Valley GP, Tour de Toona and the Bermuda Grand Prix. With all of the top teams represented, and a stacked field of over 110 riders, the VAC women were ready for the challenge.

The Prologue features a tough 5K course with a steep grueling climb to the finish. Amber Neben, who rides for the European Flexpoint team and is riding for Stahl/SC Velo for this race, won the stage over Christine Thorburn of Webcor. The VAC women all placed in the top 50%, with guest rider, Jill McLaughlin, placing 24th, beating some of the top riders in the country.

Stage 1 saw the return of the infamous Oak Glen climb - a 70 mile road race with several tough climbs, with the finish on top of the grueling 10K Oak Glen climb. The ValueAct Capital girls were ready for the challenge, with the goal of covering the attacks and trying for sprint points. The race was aggressive from the beginning, with the top teams forcing Neben to chase them down. VAC was present in all of the right moves, the most important being vying for the Sprint competition. Martina Patella didn't let her teammates down after their hard work of setting her up for the all important sprints, with a victory over Kori Seehafer of Team Lipton on Sprint #2. Patella is now in second place in the sprint competition going into the criterium stage tomorrow. The pace continued to be high until a break got up the road, and it was Mara Abbot of Webcor who claimed the victory at Oak Glen. Not far behind were Neben and Thorburn, and Neben held on to the leader's jersey. Jill McLaughlin finished in a respectable 30th place, with Patella, Sato and Brown not far behind. Unfortunately, Sharon Allpress had to pull out of the race, suffering from a respiratory infection.
Tomorrow, the sprinters will battle in the 60 minute criterium in downtown Redlands at 2PM.

For more information on the race, including official times, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.

About the Redlands Bicycle Classic
The Redlands Bicycle Classic is an all-volunteer organization, including the race directors. The 23rd Annual Redlands Bicycle Classic is scheduled for March 22–25, 2007. The event was founded in 1985 by a community group, chaired by then-Mayor Carole Beswick, to promote awareness of downtown Redlands. Since that time, professional cyclists from around the world have been racing in this event, which is centered around the city of Redlands, California. The Redlands Bicycle Classic is on the United States Cycling Federation (USCF) National Racing Calendar (NRC).

About Team PossAbilities
PossAbilities is a community outreach program of Loma Linda University Rehabilitation, Orthopaedic, & Neurosciences Institute. Membership to PossAbilities is free and there are no age restrictions. For more information, visit www.mypossabilities.com.

The ValueAct Capital Cycling Team is managed under the umbrella of Momentum Sports Group, LLC, which also manages the Health Net p/b Maxxis Cycling Team. Additional sponsors include Serotta Competition Bicycles, the Dubai International Financial Exchange, Reynolds, Speedplay, Rudy Project, Ritchey, Maxxis, fi'z:ik, Beljum Budder, Capoforma, Cytosport and the U.S. Women's Cycling Development Program.

ValueAct Capital is one of the premiere value-investing firms in the United States, taking large ownership positions in publicly-traded companies and then working closely with company management to generate strong returns. ValueAct Capital is excited to sponsor a dedicated, talented cycling team that embodies the firm's own work ethic and drive for success.