Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team 2007

Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett has either raced in, or served as a team director, at the Cascade Classic all but one year since 1990. (He even competed in the Masters 35+ division last year.) With that in mind, here is his stage-by-stage assessment of this year’s five-day, six-stage National Race Calendar event that runs in and around Bend, Ore.

Wednesday, July 11
Stage 1: Ironhorse-Brooks Resources Prineville Road Race
91.2 miles (146.7 km)
“This is actually a deceptively hard stage. Two things have traditionally happened: either a breakaway has gotten away and held off the rest of the field or a good-sized group has come to the foot of the mile-long climb up Pilot Butte and it becomes a sprint from there. It is supposed to be close to 100 degrees, too, so that will make this race even more difficult. There is also one good climb about two-thirds of the way through the race and if the wind is just right – a crosswind – that climb never ends because you’re in echelons all the way into town, then it’s up Pilot Butte at the end.”

Thursday, July 12
Stage 2: Meridian Realty McKenzie Pass Road Race
79.5 miles (127.9 km)
“This is a rolling stage until about the last 10 kilometers when it climbs up McKenzie Pass. It is never steeper than five percent but it’s hard enough that the non-climbers will be eliminated. Still, for the top 10 to 15 riders, it is unlikely to be a decisive stage.”

Friday, July 13
Stage 3: Bend Research, Inc. – Skyliners Time Trial
15 miles (24.1 km)
“This stage – and Saturday’s race – are the really important ones. It’s uphill all the way out and downhill all the way back. That’s where the top 15 guys in the race are going to be separated by big chunks of time. You’re going to have to ride a great time trial in order to win the race overall.”

Friday, July 13
Stage 4: Desert Orthopedics/Rebound Physical Therapy Criterium
90 minutes
“We’re the defending champions on this course so hopefully we’ll be able to set up Ivan Dominguez to have a good sprint. This is a really special race with it being at twilight and always in front of a large crowd. If a team can control the front, it takes a pretty special rider to come around a lead-out train on this course.”

Saturday, July 14
Stage 5: Pacific Power Cascade Lakes Road Race
92.4 miles (148.7 km)
“This stage has the most difficult uphill finish of this year’s race. It’s not quite as steep as Pilot Butte, but on the fourth day of racing and at a higher elevation (almost 6,500 feet), it’s about a 5 km climb that really separates the top riders. You won’t see 10 guys coming into the finish together. There will likely be groups of two or three. And thought the time gaps between them won’t be huge, there will be solid separation.”

Sunday, July 15
Stage 6: Deschutes Brewery Awbrey Butte Circuit Race
80 miles (128.7 km)
“This circuit race is hard. A lot of times if a strong team has the general classification lead, it can be controlled fairly well. But if a strong team does not have the lead, this course is hard enough that you’ll see a lot of splits. There are also multiple time bonus sprints on this stage so that adds a little extra tactical twist to the entire week. If there are four or five guys within 20 seconds and a team has a guy who can sprint well, he can come from behind and win.”

Labels: Kirk Willett