Redlands Bicycle Classic: Ella Sabo and Kent Ross win stage 5 while Lauren Stephens and Eder Frayre secure overall titles

Ella Sabo and Kent Ross claimed victory in the final stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic, held on Sunday at the Community Alliance Medical Group Sunset Road Race. Sabo, representing Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28, secured her third stage win in five days, while Ross sprinted to the men’s stage 5 triumph for Cascadia Elite Racing. Despite not winning the final stage, Lauren Stephens and Eder Frayre emerged as the overall general classification (GC) winners, with Stephens finishing seventh in the women’s stage and Frayre taking third in the men’s race. Lauren Stephens of Aegis x Leaders of Enchantment successfully defended her overall title, finishing the event with a comfortable lead, while her teammate Jamie Chapman completed the podium in third place. Emily Ehrlich, also from Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28 and the initial race leader after stage 1, held on to second place overall, trailing Stephens by just 15 seconds. Stephens also claimed the mountain classification, while Olivia Cummins secured the sprint classification for the women, and Katherine Sarkisov was awarded the best amateur prize. On the men’s side, Eder Frayre of L39ION of Los Angeles made history by becoming the first Mexican rider to win the Redlands Bicycle Classic for a second consecutive year. He narrowly held off rising star Owen Cole of Team Winston Salem by nine seconds, with Cole also earning the best amateur accolade after improving significantly from his third-place finish last year. The men’s mountain and sprint classifications went to Ethan Dunham and Andrew Carr respectively, highlighting strong performances across the field. The final day’s races took place under overcast skies with intermittent rain, featuring challenging circuits that included multiple climbs on East and West Sunset drives, followed by technical finishing laps on East Citrus Avenue. Both the men’s and women’s races culminated in bunch sprints, underscoring the competitive nature of the event. Sabo’s stage win and overall performances by key riders demonstrated the depth of talent present, while the close time gaps in the GC standings reflected a tightly contested race throughout the week. Looking ahead, the results from Redlands signal continued growth and competition in North American road racing, with young talents like Owen Cole making significant strides. The event also reinforced the prominence of teams such as Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28 and L39ION of Los Angeles in shaping the electric future of cycling. As the season progresses, the performances here will likely influence team strategies and rider ambitions in upcoming races.