April 6, 2008
Contact:
Brian
McCulloch
Tel: 951-313-4322
Women's Racing Comes to an Last Minute Battle as the
Final Stage of the 2008 Redlands Bicycle Classic Hits
Downtown
Redlands, Calif. - April 6, 2008 - There was no telling
who would hold onto the yellow jersey as the professional
women cyclists approached the starting line of the 2008
Redlands Bicycle Classic famous Sunset Road Race starting
line. Pure determination was present on every face as
the riders started the selective 68-mile course, with
circuits in the Sunset Drive hills. For most of the race,
two were in front of the field of 20 riders. As they
hammered it out through the downtown Redlands finish,
Alex Wrubleski of Webcor Builders charged, drilling across
the line first, and not only winning today's stage race,
but narrowly beating Mara Abbott of High Road for the
overall 2008 Redlands Bicycle Classic win, by a slim
one second margin. Leigh Hobson of Cheerwine and Kim
Anderson of High Road were second and third for today's
stage race, respectively.
The Stage Four race started in downtown Redlands before
it climbed into the Sunset Drive hills for nine laps
of approximately seven miles. The pros displayed their
super talents as they sped through the corners up and
down the sharply graded hills. The biggest battle came
to the last few yards of the race as Wrubleski and Abbott
put everything on the line for the championship, with
Wrubleski edging past Abbott for the win. "We knew
what we had to do, but it didn't happen today," reflected
Abbott.
Today's win was pivotal, with the overall points balancing
a miniscule gap. The win pushed Wrubleski to the front
for the overall win. Abbott finished right behind Wrubleski
and Katherine Carroll of Aaron's was third in overall
points. Cheerwine took top honors for the overall team
winner.
Right after the women's race, Chris Wherry of Toyota
United was presented with the Carole King Sportsmanship
Award for his representation of extraordinary sportsmanship. "You
guys support this race more than so many cities I've
raced in," said Wherry. "Thank you, Redlands."
About the Redlands Bicycle Classic
The Redlands Bicycle Classic is an all-volunteer organization, including the board of directors. The 24th annual Redlands Bicycle Classic is scheduled for April 3-6, 2008. The event was founded in 1985 by a community group chaired by then Mayor Carole Beswick to promote awareness of downtown Redlands. Since that time, professional cyclists from around the world have been racing in this event centered around the city of Redlands, California. The Redlands Bicycle Classic is on the United States Cycling Federation (USCF) National Racing Calendar (NCR).
About PossAbilities
PossAbilities is a community outreach program of Loma Linda University Rehabilitation, Orthopaedic, and Neurosciences Institute. Membership to PossAbilities is free and there are no age restrictions. For more information: www.mypossabilities.com
About the city of Beaumont
The city of Beaumont is a growing community nestled in the San Gorgonio Pass between Mount San Gorgonio and Mount San Jacinto. Founded in 1912, the city has a population approaching 32,000 and was named the fastest growing city in the state of California for the year 2006. Beaumont is attracting a host of newcomers who are eager to enjoy the city's numerous amenities, including a strong history, low crime, high quality of life, and planned growth. Along with an increasing number of residents, many businesses have also moved into the area, resulting in a well balanced community that is becoming known as a great place to live, work, and play.
