Reading, Penn. — Rock Racing scored its biggest victory of the season Thursday when Oscar Sevilla soloed to victory in the Commerce Bank Reading Classic.

The Spaniard attacked a trio of breakaway companions in the final six miles of the 74-mile (119 km) race that finished with three ascents of the challenging switchback climb of Mount Penn. Sevilla crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team High Road) while Bernhard Eisel (Team High Road) won the field sprint for third three seconds later.

In the decisive moments, Sevilla rode Bernardo Colex (Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara) and Moises Aldape (Team Type 1) off his wheel before dropping Team Type 1’s Valeriy Kobzarenko midway up the final climb.

“I am on good form after the Vuelta a Colombia, which was very mountainous,” Sevilla said. “The race was hard but my team was very good today. This is a fantastic moment for Rock Racing.”

The victory was Sevilla’s third of the year and the 18th overall by Rock Racing this season. Sevilla also scored wins at the San Dimas Stage Race (Stage 1) and the Vuelta a Colombia (Stage 9) in May.

On Sunday, Sevilla will lead Rock Racing’s assault on the Philadelphia International Championship. His teammate, American Fred Rodriguez, is a three-time winner of the race, which is the signature event of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling.

“Oscar’s win sets the stage for us perfectly for Sunday,” Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball said. “He animated the race in Allentown on Tuesday and won decisively today. But we have a lot of weapons in our arsenal – guys like Freddie, Tyler Hamilton, Victor Hugo Peña and Mike Creed are all on great form. Any one of them is a threat to win.”

In addition to a talent-laden roster, Rock Racing will also be a prominent part of the race in the Lifestyle Expo, as well as the sponsor of the famed Manayunk Wall, a challenging climb featuring a 17 percent grade.

Sunday’s 156-mile (251 km) race begins with three one-mile parade laps around Central Philadelphia’s Eakins Oval and Logan Circles, followed by 10 laps of a 14.4-mile (23.1 km) circuit that begins and ends on Benjamin Franklin Parkway near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

— RRC—