Carmen Small is sitting pretty in second place overall at the Cascade Cycling Classic.
The 36-year-old Durangoan is 27 seconds behind Canada’s Tara Whitten in the overall standings after three-of-five stages at the road race in Bend, Oregon. Small, who won the opening 90-mile road stage up McKenzie Pass and finished second in the time trial second stage, has a total time of 8 hours, 44 minutes, 1 second and is 13 seconds clear of third place Leah Thomas and 47 seconds ahead of 42-year-old Kristin Armstrong, who was selected ahead of Small for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Small placed 14th in Friday’s third stage that finished at Mount Bachelor’s ski area. She completed the 83-mile ride in 3:57:16. Twenty16RideBiker cyclist Kaitlin Antonneau won the stage in 3:55:06. She led a breakaway of only two riders and finished 3 seconds ahead of Melinda McCutchen. Whitten was fifth in the stage 1:47 back. Armstrong crossed ninth in the same time as Small.
Small is also fourth in the Queen of the Mountain standings behind Whitten, Kate Buss and McCutchen. Small’s Cyclance Pro Cycling Team sits 10th in the team standings, with Twenty16RideBiker 26 seconds ahead of Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling in first place.
Saturday’s fourth stage is a downtown twilight criterium through Bend. The women will compete in the circuit race for 50 minutes. Sunday’s final stage is a 49-mile ride that starts and ends at Central Oregon Community College. After completing the 49 miles, the riders will then complete three laps to make for an exciting conclusion.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com