Chicago — Rock Racing’s Sterling Magnell was among a breakaway group of 10 riders who lapped the field on his way to winning the Beverly Hills Cycling Classic Friday night in Chicago.
On a day when Rock Racing fielded teams at three races across the globe – the Tour of Qinghai Lake in China, the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in Oregon and the International Cycling Classic that begins in Chicago – it was the 25-year-old from Laguna Beach, Calif., who scored the team’s 22nd victory of the season.
“This was a team effort,” Magnell said. “Justin (Williams) and Rahsaan (Bahati) covered moves early and it just so happened that I was in the move that got away. Then, they covered things until we came back together.”
The powerful, 6-foot-4, 190-pounder won for the third time this season by escaping with nine others midway through the 62-lap race around the one-mile neighborhood course. After the breakaway lapped the peloton, Magnell won the field sprint ahead of Chad Hartley (Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling) and Johnny Sundt (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast Pro Cycling Team).
In last year’s International Cycling Classic, better known as the “Superweek” series, Magnell’s best result was a third place in the Saturn Whitnall Park Road Race in Hales Corners, Wis. With only Bahati and Williams competing with him in the 17-day series, Magnell said he will gladly take the victory.
“I’m finally getting the opportunity to show I can win races after being more of a helper to others,” Magnell said. “I’m also getting a lot of support from my Rock Racing teammates, so it’s been good.”
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