Sevilla Overcomes

It's been sometime since we heard the name Oscar Sevilla tied to a result; his name bandied about with the doping scandal Operacion Puerto with more regularity these days. But there he was, like former Rock Racing teammate, Mario Cipollini, fresh off a plane and in California riding well once again.

The cynic in me is aligned with the race organizers, doping and cycling organizations, and the multitude of those disenchanted that look at riders, like Sevilla, as a large stain that needs to be extracted from the sport.

The realist, and perhaps optimist, in me, however, says that the baby-faced precocious talent we once saw emerge at cycling's highest level has some ability and looked only to level the playing field in a dope riddled peloton.

Regardless of which side you fall on, I am not here to advocate for summarily dismissing those past offenses, but rather a refrainment of passing judgment on the remainder of his body of work as a result of those past indiscretions.

Afterall, with doping agencies and laboratories such as the LNDD purporting to the infallibility of their own results [as in the Landis case], if Sevilla and any of those other implicated or confessed riders ever waivers from the narrow path again, they should mostly likely get caught.


Sevilla Delivers a Victory for Rock Racing

San Dimas, Calif. — In his first race in the United States, Oscar Sevilla overcame a mechanical difficulty Friday to deliver Rock Racing an impressive victory at the San Dimas Stage Race.

A shifting problem with his rear derailleur forced Sevilla to get off his bike and remount his chain in the final half-mile of the uphill Glendora Chevrolet Mountain Time Trial.

Despite those troubles, Sevilla still bested runner-up Peter Stetina (VMG-Felt-RGM) by eight seconds and third-place finisher Ben Day (Toyota-United Pro Cycling) by 16 seconds. Sevilla’s winning time of 13 minutes and five seconds on the twisting, 3.8-mile (6.1 km) course would have certainly been faster had he not had mechanical difficulties, Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball said.

“He lost at least 35 seconds – or even more by having to stop,” Ball said. “To have him pull off this victory today is very gratifying. Our original track was to see Oscar at the top of the GC (general classification) at any given race, especially domestically. So we’re back on track.”

Sevilla was one of three Rock Racing riders excluded by race organizers from competing at the Amgen Tour of California last month. The former best young rider at the Tour de France (2001) and a two-time runner-up at the Vuelta a España (2001, 2002) scored his first victory since winning the Route de Sud in France last June. It was the fourth win of the season for Rock Racing.

“I was very nervous before the start, but I was motivated to do well today,” Sevilla said. “I haven’t been able to race in so long that I had a lot of butterflies.”

Sevilla said his biggest concern was jet lag following a 10-hour flight Tuesday from Madrid to Los Angeles.

“Last week I was feeling pretty good but with all the traveling, I didn’t know if I would have my racing legs today,” the 31-year-old said.

Rock Racing Team Director Mariano Friedick is now a familiar position – having to help defend the race lead. In 2006, he was racing in San Dimas in support of former Toyota-United teammate Heath Blackgrove, who won the race overall.

“I know exactly what this race is like and I have complete faith in these guys,” Friedick said.

Rock Racing’s Michael Creed was also impressive Friday with a ninth place finish, 26 seconds behind. Other Rock Racing finishers were: Tyler Hamilton, 23rd at 41 seconds; Jeremiah Wiscovich, 50th at 1:09; Peter Dawson, 67th at 1:33; Kayle Leogrande, 84th at 1:52; Adam Switters, 90th at 1:55, and Rahsaan Bahati, 126th at 3:26.

Saturday’s second stage is the San Dimas Hospital Road Race. The 84-mile (135 km) race comprises 12 laps of a seven-mile loop over rolling terrain. The final stage on Sunday is the Cannondale Incycle Old Town Classic, a six-corner, 90-minute criterium in the San Dimas city center.