Mancebo, Häusler lead USA Cycling National Racing Calendar

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Spaniard Francisco Mancebo and German Claudia Häusler lead the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar at the mid-point of the series.

Following her fourth place overall at the Nature Valley Grand Prix and her victory in the Joe Martin Stage Race, Häusler moved ahead of Redlands Classic winner Alison Powers (Now and Novartis for MS), leading 822 points to 730. Shelley Olds (TIBCO) moved up into third place thanks to her overall victory in the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Mancebo (5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda) held onto a generous lead in the individual standings. With 674 points, he leads Chad Haga (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) by 254 points, despite skipping the Nature Valley Grand Prix. After winning at the opening event in Redlands, Mancebo finished on the podium in the Joe Martin Stage Race and Tour of the Gila, and placed seventh in the Philly Classic. Mancebo and his 5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda team contested Canada's Tour de Beauce instead of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, which ran concurrently.

Third overall in the men's individual rankings is Juan Jose Haedo (Jamis Hagens Berman p/b Sutter Home), who won all three of the criterium stages at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Thanks to an overall victory by Mike Friedman in Minnesota, Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies took over the top team classification spot from 5-Hour Energy p/b Kenda. Team Optum placed three riders in the top five of the general classification last week and has opened up a 538-point lead with two men's races remaining on the calendar, the Cascade Classic and Tour of Elk Grove.

Team TIBCO-To the Top extended its lead in the women's team standings, while Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies moved ahead of NOW and Novartis for MS in the rankings.

Brief NRC standings after Nature Valley Grand Prix (full standings)