Zirbel's done it again!

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If there was ever any doubt as to who is the fastest US domestic time trialist, Tom Zirbel (Bissell) laid them to rest as he smashed the Cascade Classic stage three time trial in 32:05. The Boulder native outpaced runner up Ian McKissick (BMC) by 11 seconds and race leader Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) by 44 seconds.

"I didn't know what to expect today because yesterday I felt awful," said Zirbel, who has taken the domestique role for overall contender Ben Jacques-Maynes. "I wanted to be there to help Ben yesterday on the last climb but it didn't go well. I guess getting another stage win for us is good and I'm happy to do that for the team. I'm hoping I can help Ben more as the week goes on because he has been such a big help to me in our last two tours. This is my opportunity to help him and I'm more than happy to do it."

Sevilla increased his overall lead to 40 seconds ahead of Jeff Louder (BMC), who moved up from fourth place after placing fourth in the time trial. Francisco Mancebo sits in third overall, trailing his leading teammate by 1:04.

"Today's time trial went well even though I missed a little time because I'm a little tired from the racing and travel," said Sevilla. "I took the first few kilometres easier and felt better after that. I think we have many options in the stages to come with overall riders and stage winners."

The Skyliner 25km course offered no rest for the GC riders. The out and back parcours offered a challenging uphill drag on the first leg followed by a predominately downhill return.

"I've been working on my time trial bike with my coach Charlie Livermore," said McKissik. "We've been working really hard to get my time trial up to par - trying to reach Zirbel. I'm getting a little closer even though I didn't do it today. We are out here to be aggressive, have a strong team. It might be hard to reach Sevilla but we are going to try to make it hard."

The BMC Cascade Cycling Classic will continue with stage four tomorrow, the second mountain top finish. The route brings the pelotons on a 132km trek noted as the 'queen stage.' It starts in Bend at the base of the first KOM, the route will wrap around Crane Prairie Reservoir, Elk Lake and beginning the challenging Sparks Lake climb before finishing at the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort.

Phillips smacks the Cascade TT course

Former US national road champion, Jessica Phillips (Lip Smackers) won the women's time trial, her biggest win in recent history. Phillips took the 25km course by the reins, clocking in at 38:45, 10 seconds ahead of runner up Alison Starnes (TIBCO) and 12 seconds ahead of US national time trial champion Alison Powers (Team Type 1).

"I like the time trial course a lot, especially on my Fuji time trial bike which felt awesome," said Phillips, who got some added motivation from watching Alberto Contador win the coinciding Tour de France stage 18 time trial this morning. "The time trial is similar to the elite nationals time trial course and I was speaking with Kristin Armstrong this morning about what gears to use and where not to get bogged down."

Overall race leader Evelyn Stevens (Webcor-Builders) increased her advantage as the race heads back in to the mountains for stage four finish atop Mt Bachelor Ski Resort. Her Webcor-Builders team will have their hands full controlling an array of talented TIBCO riders who follow in the overall. Runner up Amber Rais moved up from sixth place followed closely by her two teammate Katharine Carroll in third and Julie Beveridge in fourth.

The time trial course offers the women's peloton a good training platform for the up coming elite national road championships held in Bend, Oregon, the following week. "This course is supposed to be very similar to the nationals course," Powers said. "It has a good combination of fast sections and powerful sections. I like this course and I am super excited about nationals. I'm happy with how I rode today and I couldn't have done anything better."

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