Tour of the Gila: Stage 5, Gila Monster Road Stage

By Eddie Clark

Francisco ‘Paco’ Macebo outclasses field with solo win on Queen stage to solidify overall GC victory.

(April 31, 2011) SILVER CITY, NM—“He just got another gear” was the announcement that echoed over the Tour of the Gila race radio as Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist.com) seemingly hit the after-burners to quickly distance  his last breakaway companion while ascending the last climb to the Stage 5 Gila Monster finish. 

Seeing the action unfold and the deft display of racing prowess and dominance reminiscent of a certain previous Gila competitor and 7-time Tour De France winner from the prime viewing vantage of the lead media car was a day of racing that this photographer and writer will long remember.

It all started with an early start from Gough Park in central Silver City on a brisk but sunny spring day.  Pro Men would take a 2.2 mile neutral rolling start out of town before doing battle on the freshly chip-sealed roads of southwest New Mexico to cover 105.7 miles and 9,131 feet of climbing before finishing in the community of Pinos Altos in the Gila Mountains.  Pro Women would contest a similar but condensed course featuring 5,610 feet of climbing over 71.8 miles.

As soon as the Pro Men passed the last stop light exiting Silver City, which signified the end of neutral racing, racers seeking sprint points immediately commenced with furious attacks until a lead pack of roughly 15 had formed.  However, with the stake being high for results from KOM points, bonus sprints, and the overall GC being on the line in this last day of racing, the pace was kept high. 

Danny Summerhill (Chipotle Development) looking for points took both the first bonus sprint and KOM ahead of his breakaway companions.  Soon after, the breakaway was rejoined by the peloton before reaching San Lorenzo.

On the rolling roads between San Lorenzo and the Sapillo Crossing, the lead break was whittled down to 2 men from Kenda 5-Hour Energy, 2 Bissel racers, a Fly-V Australia mate, a Pure Black Racing antagonist, and token breakaway markers from RealCyclist.com and the Chipotle Development teams. 

All were brought back on the slopes ascending from Sapillo Crossing to the next KOM deep in the Gila National Forest.  Tyler Wren (Jamis Sutter-Home) and Glen Chadwick (Pure Black Racing) would get KOM points in that order before descending towards the Cliff Dwellings previously inhabited by Apache Indians.  Wren would fall off pace, and Chadwick stayed ahead, but the trio of Chris Baldwin (Bissel), George Bennett (Trek-LIVESTRONG), and Mancebo continued to put time on the remaining field of chasers before catching and dropping Chadwick. 

Baldwin was first to pop from the pace setting of Mancebo, and Bennett would show class beyond his years to stay with veteran Mancebo before he too could no longer match Mancebo’s pace after cresting the fourth of five KOM points.

Finishing in a true champions style, Mancebo put on a show for all and continued to increase his time gap until crossing the finish line for a most impressive win and overall Gila GC victory.

Unfortunately, due to course constrictions and finishing times coverage was limited to the Pro Men’s race, but I did catch up with Pro Women’s overall GC winner Clara Hughes of Pactimo to get her take on the race and comeback win. “It feels great, it’s been a great week and experience.  I’ll never forget this week, it was fun”.

“There was a breakaway (of three) that got ten minutes on the peloton.  The main group broke up on the climb, and I fell off a little bit behind Mara (Abbott of Diaddora Pasta Zara), but was able to catch up and drop her on a descent with Andrea Dvorak (Colavita Forno-D’Asolo), and I was able to keep the leaders jersey, and Andrea got the climbers jersey.  I basically had to not get dropped and time trial to the finish” said an elated Hughes in her bold red Tour of the Gila leader’s jersey.