Cycling classic zips through Sisters

Cyclists rolled through Sisters so fast the action seemed to be over in seconds. photo by Jim Cornelius

The 24th annual Columbia River Bank Cascade Cycling Classic, featuring some of the finest male and female cyclists in the United States and Canada, zipped through Sisters Country on Thursday, July 10, for the second stage of the five- stage competition.

The Deschutes Brewery Road Race, as the stage is called, began at the Santiam Junction and wound its way up and over the McKenzie Pass, through Sisters, and on up to the finish near the Three Creek Lake Sno-Park.

Competitors faced hot and smoky conditions for much of the 70-mile course, which included over 6,000 feet of climbing. Converted mountain bike racer Tom Danielson of the Saturn team won the stage with a late push over the final three miles. His time was two hours, 53 minutes and 51 seconds (2:53:51).

Jonathan Vaughters, a former Tour de France competitor and 1997 Cascade Cycling Classic champion, finished second in the same time.

Andy Bajadale edged defending CCC champion Chris Wherry for third, 21 seconds behind Danielson.

The stage is considered the toughest of the five-day event.

The race was quite an improvement for Danielson, who finished near the back of the pack last year after suffering through the heat and subsequent dehydration.

Lynn Bessette, a nationally ranked cyclist who, like Danielson, competes for the Saturn team, had little competition in claiming the stage in 3:31:10.

Heather Albert, riding for Team Basis, finished second, 1:7 behind Bessette.

The two women rode most of the final 50 miles alone as the third place rider was more than eight minutes behind the winner.

Bessette said that she entered the Classic in honor of her friend and former roommate Nicole Reinhart, who died in a cycling road race in 2000 and for whom the women's first place trophy is named.

The Classic featured a 110-mile road race on Wednesday, July 9, along the Cascade Lakes Highway, a time trial in Tumalo along with an evening criterium in Bend on Friday, a circuit race near Awbrey Butte on Saturday, and a finale criterium on Sunday in the Old Mill District of Bend.

Racers competed for prize money in each stage; the event featured a $20,500 purse.

Complete results and information on volunteering for next year's race and about hosting a rider are available on the CCC website at www.cascade-classic.org.

Tom Danielson and Lynn Bessette kept up their winning pace to win the overall event on Sunday.