Amaran impressive in Cascade time trial

Image 1 of 34

Kristin Armstrong (Exergy-Twenty12) continued her buildup for the upcoming Olympics by stacking up another win Thursday at the stage 2 time trial of the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic, while Luis Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home) knocked out an impressive winning ride in the men's race, putting 1:33 into Francisco Mancebo and taking over the yellow jersey from the Competitive Cyclist team leader.

Starting in Prineville about an hour north east of Bend, Oregon, Thursday's individual time trial offered up another new course after the traditional Skyliners route west of town was scrapped for a 25.7 km out-and-back test that paralleled the scenic Crooked River as it meandered through a canyon south of town.

Starting last, Armstrong powered over the course in 34:40, eclipsing the mark of previous stage leader Alison Powers (Now & Novartis for MS) by 1:17. Carmen Small (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) rounded out the women's podium, coming in 1:27 slower than Armstrong.

The 2008 Olympic time trial champion, who will compete in the 2012 London time trial on Aug. 1 as well as the road race on July 29, joked that her winning streak at Cascade may be part of an elaborate plot on the part of her competitors.

"I've decided that I think the peloton's made a pact, because you know we're all patriotic and we want to send me off to London in good fashion. So I think they're all like, 'Hey, let's make Kristin feel really good about herself.'"

The "pact" has been very effective, as Armstrong has collected three wins in three tries. She now leads Powers in the overall competition by 2:23 and Small by 2:37 heading into Friday's 112 km stage 3 Cascade Lakes Road Race. Despite the joking, the new course, which will be used for the USA Cycling Masters National Championships later this summer, provided a big challenge for Armstrong.

"This is a true time trial course," she said. "It's going to be a great course for the Masters at the beginning of September. It took true fitness and true focus today. They wanted to make the course a little fairer and flatter than the other course, but I'm not sure which one's harder, to be honest. I may have to vote for this one."

Amaran counting on power of yellow

Before the Crooked River race, Jamis-Sutter Homes' Amaran had never won a time trial in the US, but he broke that drought Thursday by flying over the course in 31:19, just 21 seconds faster than runner-up Nate English (Kenda/5-Hour Energy) and 33 seconds faster than Optum's Mike Creed in third.

"It's a bit of a surprise, but I was feeling good just from the start today," Amaran said. "I probably haven't had that feeling in years. I've had the conditions to do a good time trial, but this is the first one I've won in the US, so I'm very, very happy. I've always been right there but never won it. So I'm happy to win today in front of the best TT guys in the country."

Amaran picked the right day to put in his winning time trial ride. With Mancebo finishing a disappointing 14th and losing 1:33, the Cuban national, who has been racing in the US since 2008, also climbed into his first yellow jersey at Cascade. Now he has to defend it through Friday's 148 km road race that finishes on the summit of Mt. Bachelor west of Bend. Amaran said he has raced Cascade three times previously and knows the courses and the climbs well.

"I know tomorrow is going to be a hard day, and the group that goes to the top is going to be very small," he said. "I hope to be there. I haven't felt great all year climbing, but I believe the jersey gives extra power, so I'm going to fight for it and try to defend as best I can and end the day with the jersey."

The 25.7 km race of truth caused quite a few disruptions to the closely packed riders in the overall competition. Amaran now leads Mancebo by five seconds, with Tom Zirbel (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies), who finished sixth Thursday, claiming the third spot, just 13 seconds out of the lead. Bissell's Jeremy Vennell benefited from an eighth-place ride and moved into fourth overall, while Creed climbed to fifth. English is now the top Kenda/5-Hour Energy rider, sitting in sixth just 20 seconds off the leader's time.

With time bonuses at the finish of 10, six and four seconds, the Cascade Lakes stage is likely to upset the overall standings once
again, but Jamis team director Sebastian Alexandre said his team is up to the challenge of defending yellow.

"It's going to be a tough day," he said. "But I have confidence in the boys. We have a very good group of people, and we will try to defend the best we can. I'm very confident we can do it."

Prologue winner Chad Haga (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) did not start Thursday's time trial after being involved in the crash near the beginning of Wednesday's stage 1 McKenzie Pass Road Race and suffering injuries to both hands.

Haga, who is also a concert pianist, finished Wednesday's stage with a broken scaphoid bone in his left hand and another broken bone in his right thumb, but he failed to start Thursday, choosing instead to fly home to Dallas, Texas, where he will undergo medical procedures to repair the broken bones, according to team director Eric Wohlberg.

Full women's results

Full Men's Results