Chihuahua, Mexico — Rock Racing stamped its authority on another stage race Saturday when Oscar Sevilla captured the overall title at the Vuelta a Chihuahua.

Sevilla’s win in Mexico adds to victories by Rock Racing at three other stage races this year: the Vuelta a Asturias (Francisco Mancebo), Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic (Sevilla) and Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah (Mancebo).

Not bad for a team many were writing off even before the 2009 season was underway, Team Owner Michael Ball said.

“This has been a spectacular year for us and we’re not done yet,” Ball said, referring to Rock Racing’s five-rider squad that is readying for Sunday’s start of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Australia.

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Camargo, Mexico — Only Saturday’s 72-mile (118 km) stage at the Vuelta a Chihuahua stands in the way of Oscar Sevilla delivering a milestone victory for Rock Racing.

If the Spaniard maintains his overall lead, he will have scored Rock Racing’s third straight overall title at a stage race this year, adding to wins at the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in July and the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in August.

“I’m feeling relaxed, with no pressure,” Sevilla said. “I have very talented teammates around me who know what to do to make sure I maintain my lead through to the end.”

Rock Racing protected Sevilla’s six-second advantage over Gregorio Ladino (Tecos Trek) on Friday’s Stage 5 by riding the front throughout the 88-mile (142 km) race from Parral to Camargo. A breakaway group of seven riders was reeled in three miles from the finish and César Vaquera (Orven) won the field sprint.

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Cali, Colombia – Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla became the first non-Colombian in 48 years to win the RCN Classic when the Spaniard finished second in Sunday’s final stage individual time trial to secure a 40-second overall victory.

Competing for the “Mayor of Tunja” composite team, Sevilla scored his fifth win of the season and his first in an international stage race since the 2006 Vuelta Ciclista Asturias in Spain.

“I am particularly happy with this win because Colombia is my second home,” Sevilla said. “The people here make me feel very much at home.”

Sevilla took the lead on the opening stage of the nine-day race when his team bested the 13 other squads in the 18-mile (30 km) team time trial. After relinquishing the lead the following day (to teammate Felix Cardenas), Sevilla hovered in the top five of the overall standings until the decisive seventh stage.

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London — Rock Racing fans of all ages – and even Harrods Owner Mohammed Al-Fayed himself – turned out to meet the pro cycling team at a special engagement at the renowned store in the heart of London on Monday.

Hundreds of people turned out at Harrods to meet Rock Racing’s six riders who competed in the Tour of Britain. Rahsaan Bahati, Santiago Botero, Tyler Hamilton, Victor Hugo Peña, Fred Rodriguez and Oscar Sevilla signed autographs and posed for pictures.

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Manhattan Beach, Calif. — Rahsaan Bahati won his sixth race of the season in convincing fashion Sunday, scoring an impressive second straight victory at the 47th edition of the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix.

Bahati swept across the finish line on a sun-splashed afternoon at Live Oak Park ahead of runner-up Ricardo Escuela (Successful Living presented by Parkpre) and Brad Huff (Jelly Belly Pro Cycling).

“I had a lot of trust in my teammates and they delivered,” Bahati said before being congratulated by Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball and a host of teammates and cheering fans. “With a lap to go, I was concerned about us getting swarmed. But our lead out was tremendous. The guys started sprinting with a kilometer to go.”

Ball said he was thrilled that Rock Racing could be a part of the long-standing event. Several thousand fans lined the 1.4-mile (2.2 km) hot dog-shaped course that borders the Pacific Ocean.

“Being able to celebrate a victory again makes our involvement this year even sweeter,” Ball said.

Rock Racing was an official sponsor of the race and the team’s official vehicle, a Cadillac CTS, served as the pace car. The iBN Sports network also provided live, online coverage of the entire event, which is available on-demand at www.ibnsports.com.

The victory was Rock Racing’s 20th of the season and its second at a National Race Calendar event. Santiago Botero won the overall title at the Redlands Bicycle Classic to open the NRC calendar in April.

In last year’s race, Bahati edged out Ivan Dominguez (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) while Hilton Clarke (Navigators Insurance) was third.

This time, Bahati said having so many teammates around him at the end of the 90-minute race was reassuring. Rock Racing controlled the front the final laps of the race on the strength of Fred Rodriguez, Kayle Leogrande, Peter Dawson, Jeremiah Wiscovitch and Sterling Magnell. Rock Racing even chased down a move of six late in the 90-minute race that included its own Rudolph “Rudy” Napolitano.

“We just couldn’t put all that pressure on Rudy to come through at the end so we told him to just sit on and the rest of our guys helped bring them back,” Bahati said.

Halfway around the world Sunday, Rock Racing’s Oscar Sevilla scored a runner-up finish at the Spanish national championship road race. Racing without any teammates, Sevilla finished second to Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) in the challenging 130-mile (210 km) race. Oscar Pereiro, another one of eight riders from Caisse d’Epargne in the race, was third.

Reading, Penn. — Rock Racing scored its biggest victory of the season Thursday when Oscar Sevilla soloed to victory in the Commerce Bank Reading Classic.

The Spaniard attacked a trio of breakaway companions in the final six miles of the 74-mile (119 km) race that finished with three ascents of the challenging switchback climb of Mount Penn. Sevilla crossed the finish line six seconds ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team High Road) while Bernhard Eisel (Team High Road) won the field sprint for third three seconds later.

In the decisive moments, Sevilla rode Bernardo Colex (Tecos de la Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara) and Moises Aldape (Team Type 1) off his wheel before dropping Team Type 1’s Valeriy Kobzarenko midway up the final climb.

“I am on good form after the Vuelta a Colombia, which was very mountainous,” Sevilla said. “The race was hard but my team was very good today. This is a fantastic moment for Rock Racing.”

The victory was Sevilla’s third of the year and the 18th overall by Rock Racing this season. Sevilla also scored wins at the San Dimas Stage Race (Stage 1) and the Vuelta a Colombia (Stage 9) in May.

On Sunday, Sevilla will lead Rock Racing’s assault on the Philadelphia International Championship. His teammate, American Fred Rodriguez, is a three-time winner of the race, which is the signature event of the Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling.

“Oscar’s win sets the stage for us perfectly for Sunday,” Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball said. “He animated the race in Allentown on Tuesday and won decisively today. But we have a lot of weapons in our arsenal – guys like Freddie, Tyler Hamilton, Victor Hugo Peña and Mike Creed are all on great form. Any one of them is a threat to win.”

In addition to a talent-laden roster, Rock Racing will also be a prominent part of the race in the Lifestyle Expo, as well as the sponsor of the famed Manayunk Wall, a challenging climb featuring a 17 percent grade.

Sunday’s 156-mile (251 km) race begins with three one-mile parade laps around Central Philadelphia’s Eakins Oval and Logan Circles, followed by 10 laps of a 14.4-mile (23.1 km) circuit that begins and ends on Benjamin Franklin Parkway near the Philadelphia Museum of Art.