Ivan Stevic (Aerospace Engineering-VMG) and Maatje Benassi (Excel Sports) opened the 27th edition of La Vuelta de Bisbee with victories in the Mule Pass Individual Time Trial on Friday.

The prologue climbs 837 feet in just 2.8 miles, and Stevic wasted no time in getting to the finish, clocking a 9:39, nine seconds better than Phil Wong (Fiordifrutta) and 16 faster than Cody Peterson (3D Racing). David Clinger (Webcor) finished 13th, 37 seconds back .

In the women's race, meanwhile, Benassi crossed the line in 12:13, 20 seconds ahead of Brooke Ourada (T-Mobile) and a further seven seconds up on Carolyn Donnelly (Landis-Trek-VW).

Saturday is a double-stage day, with the Sulphur Springs Road Race in the morning and the Warren Time Trial in the afternoon.

Race note: Doug Loveday (Grand Canyon Racing), bettered his record in the B event (master men 30 and up, Cats. 1-4) en route to winning the stage. Loveday covered the course in 10:25; his previous mark, set in 2003, had been a full 12 seconds slower.

La Vuelta de Bisbee
Mule Pass Individual Time Trial
1. Ivan Stevic (Sb), Aerospace Engineering-VMG, 2.8mi in 9:39
2. Phil Wong, Fiordifrutta, at 0:09
3. Cody Peterson, 3D Racing, at 0:16
4. Clemente Cavaliere, Aerospace Engineering-VMG, at 0:22
4. Mike Dietrich, Fiordifrutta, same time
6. Matthew Willinger, Rhvilla.com, at 0:26
7. Dan Timmerman, Fiordifrutta, at 0:27
8. Hugh Moran, Aerospace Engineering-VMG, at 0:29
9. Ryan Blickem, Landis-Trek-VW, at 0:30
10. Bernard Van Ulden, Webcor Builders, at 0:32

Women
1. Maatje Benassi, Excel Sports, 2.8mi in 12:13
2. Brooke Ourada, T-Mobile, at 0:20
3. Carolyn Donnelly, Landis-Trek-VW, at 0:27
4. Anna Milkowski, Team Lipton, at 0:43
5. Heather Woodhouse, Team Kenda Tire, at 0:44
6. Cynthia Mommsen, The Olympic Club, at 0:53
7. Julie Mortello, Landis-Trek-VW, at 1:08
8. Merrill Sapp, Landis-Trek-VW, at 1:09
9. Sheila Orem, Team Kenda Tire, at 1:14
10. Lisa Hunt, The Olympic Club, at 1:25

For complete results, see www.lavueltadebisbee.us.