San Dimas, Calif. – Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla successfully fought off a series of attacks to remain the overall leader of the San Dimas Stage Race with only Sunday’s 90-minute Cannondale Incycle Old Town Classic Criterium left to go.

Some extraordinary work by his Rock Racing teammates helped Sevilla finished comfortably in the lead group of Saturday’s 84-mile (135 km) San Dimas Hospital Road Race to retain his eight-second advantage over Peter Stetina (VMG/Felt/RGM). Ben Day (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) remains third, 17 seconds behind.

“It was a great team effort,” Rock Racing Team Director Marino Friedick said. “We knew from the beginning that there would be attacking from the gun and that’s exactly what happened. But we were ready for it.”

Several times, Rock Racing worked to bring back small breakaways that escaped during the 12-lap race along a rolling, seven-mile course. But the task of chasing down attacks – and counterattacks – began to take its toll and the front group began to shrink. Still, Rock Racing’s Tyler Hamilton, Kayle Leogrande and Jeremiah Wiscovitch remained with Sevilla to defend his yellow leader’s jersey.

“Jeremiah and Tyler were doing an incredible amount of work for me the last two laps,” Sevilla said. “It is nice to have Tyler as a teammate while being the race leader. He has so much experience and knowledge that it has taken a lot of pressure off me.”

Sevilla also let his own legs do the talking during a pivotal point late in the race. When a rider initiated an attack up the final climb, Sevilla purposely let a gap open up. When it was clear no one else was going to counter the move, Sevilla used a burst of speed to bridge up to the escapee and quickly extinguish any chance the move would put his lead in jeopardy.

“We’re not celebrating overall victory yet, but Oscar is obviously riding super strongly,” Friedick said.

Sunday’s final stage is a six-corner criterium in the city center of San Dimas, beginning at 3 p.m. PST.

Sevilla convincingly won Friday’s Stage 1 Glendora Chevrolet Mountain Time Trial despite a mechanical mishap in the final hundred meters of the 3.8-mile (6.1 km) race. Rock Racing Team Mechanic Chris Hunter said the hub on Sevilla’s rear wheel separated, causing the cassette to lock up. With the rear wheel unable to turn and no follow vehicles allowed for support, Sevilla could only run with his bike to the finish, Hunter said.

— RRC—