The Rock Racing team successfully protected the 54-second lead Santiago Botero had gained while soloing to victory on Stage 1 on Friday in Beaumont. Chris Baldwin (Toyota-United) finished second overall and Burke Swindlehurst (Bissell Pro Cycling) was third. The result was Botero’s first-ever win in the United States and the Colombian also took home the red jersey of best climber in the four-day race.
The Rock Racing team made sure that Redlands was not a repeat of previous weekend’s San Dimas race when they lost the lead in the last stage by one second, by controlling the front of the field throughout the race, never letting a rider get more than a one-minute gap.
After his Colavita-Sutter Home team executed a perfect leadout train in the ultimate lap of the five laps of Saturdays’ criterium course, Alejandro Borrajo won the field sprint ahead of Tony Cruz (BMC) and Rory Sutherland (Health Net p/b Maxxis).
