Cyclists blast through Sisters in race

Cyclists approach the finish line on Three Creek Road. photo by Elise Gourguechon While Lance Armstrong battled in the first week of the Tour de France, more than 200 Olympic-level men and women cyclists from throughout the U.S. and Canada tested their strength, speed and stamina in last week's 25th Cascade Cycling Classic (CCC), the second stage of which passed through Sisters on Thursday, July 8.

In fact, Armstrong is a former participant in the CCC, winning the race in 1998.

Similar to the Tour de France, the CCC includes a number of stages and a variety of races. It is the longest-running stage race in America.

The first stage on Wednesday, July 7, was men only and traversed 110 miles in total in a loop around Crane Prairie Reservoir.

Thursday's 70-mile stage, sponsored by Deschutes Brewery for both the elite men and women, began at the Santiam Junction, wound up the old McKenzie Highway over the McKenzie Pass, through Sisters, and concluded at the Upper Three Creek Lake Sno-Park.

Locals lined the streets near the Monson Building to witness the racers as they whizzed through town. In the men's race a group of eight leaders had broken away from the rest of the field by the time they arrived in Sisters. A few riders came through individually before a pack of about 70 thrilled the spectators with the speed and unity with which they rounded the corner of Hood Avenue onto Pine Street.

Mike Creed of Boulder, Colorado, riding for the U.S. Postal Service team, out-gutted the competition up Three Creek Road to win by 39 seconds in 2 hours 58 minutes and 4 seconds.

He was later assessed a 30-second penalty for crossing the center line, which even his rivals felt was harsh on the part of officials.

Top women's finisher, Christine Thorburn, flanked by Lynn Gaggioli, second place and Lyne Bessette (right), third place. photo by Bob Cosner

The women's elite racers, who started 15 minutes after the men, swept through town about 40 minutes after the men with winner Christine Thorburn leading by about 30 seconds.

She held on for a nine-second victory over a group of T-Mobile racers that included Olympian Kristen Armstrong, in 3 hours 32 minutes and 54 seconds.

Thorburn, a native of Iowa and graduate from Stanford Medical School, qualified for the Olympics last month. She races for Webcor Women's Builders.

The remainder of the race schedule, which concluded Sunday, July 11, included the seven-mile Tumalo Time Trial, a twilight criterium in downtown Bend, an 82-mile circuit race and a concluding criterium in the Old Mill District.

The top three men's finishers in the Sisters stage were:

Mike Creed, U.S. Postal Service, 2:58:04; Michael Sayers, Health Net 2:58:43; Jeff Louder, Navigators, 2:59:01.

The top women were Christine Thorburn, Webcor Builders, 3:32:54; Lynn Gaggioli,T-Mobile, 3:33:03; Lyne Bessette, Quark, 3:33:13.

The CCC has become a premier race, drawing top cyclists.

The CCC is in its first year under the management of the Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation.