Cascade Cycling Classic tears through Sisters

Sisters residents were treated to a brief glimpse of some of the finest cyclists in the world as the 29th annual Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic ripped through Sisters Thursday, July 10.

The second stage of the multi-day event finished at Upper Three Creek Sno-Park.

Chris Horner, a Bend resident, and Levi Leipheimer have both ridden in the Tour de France, while the women's leader Kristen Armstrong, along with Leipheimer, will represent the United States in the Olympics this summer in Beijing, China, showing that the CCC attracts some of the best cyclists in the United States and beyond.

The 80-mile stage started at Summit High School in Bend and passed through Redmond and Terrebonne before heading through Lower Bridge and into Sisters. People lined the streets as the racers zipped through town, followed by frenzied drivers of support vehicles.

In both the men's and women's races, the eventual winners were not leading when the cyclists passed through town. In fact, Kelly McDonald had a commanding lead as she passed through town, but finished 10th as the lead group hunted her down on the grind up Three Creek Road.

Since the overall standings are determined by cumulative time over the different stages, the individual winners of the event may not actually ever win a stage. Matt Wilson won the stage among men in 3 hours 1 minute and 17 seconds and Kristen Sanders lead the women in 3:44:20.

The sixth and final stage was completed Sunday, July 13, in Bend.