It was two former champions winning it all on Sunday in the fifth and final stage of the Outside Magazine Tour of the Gila, The Gila Monster Road Race.

The pro men’s race offered an exciting finish with Team Seasilver’s Burke Swindlehurst coming from behind to win for the third time. Starting the stage 23 seconds behind overall leader Andrew Bajadali of Vitamin Cottage, Swindlehurst won the 106.4-mile stage in 4:55:38. Tecos’ Ubaldo Mesa followed Swindlehurst 25 seconds later to take second while Aerospace Engineering-VMG’s Ivan Stevic finished third, 33 seconds behind the leader.

Bajadali crossed 10th, nearly a minute back, which meant that Swindlehurst moved up from third to first on GC, with Stevic taking second, 23 seconds back. Mesa placed third overall at 42 seconds back. Bajadali slipped from first to fourth, 48 seconds back.

“I can’t remember the last time in memory someone scooped it on the last day,” Swindlehurst said. “That just makes it all the better. The team, my team, Team Seasilver, teammates rode for me, protected me all day and were really counting on me. I’m so happy I could come through for them.”

Swindlehurst previously took the title in 1996 and 1998.

Tecos took the team GC in 44:21:06, followed by Vitamin Cottage at 10:53 off the leader. Vitamin Cottage took third, 19:12 behind.

T-Mobile finished the 71.8-mile pro women’s race in grand fashion, taking both the individual and team titles. Kimberly Baldwin not only protected her lead, she won the stage, finishing in 3:31:29, 1:34 ahead of her closest competitor, Geneviève Jeanson. Webcor Builders’ Betina Hold finished third, 2:11 back.

The stage win locked up the overall for Baldwin, with Jeanson second at 2:45 and Monex’s Lynn Gaggioli third at 7:46.

“The team was perfect,” Baldwin said. “I couldn’t do it without teamwork. Yeah, I like this place. I love Silver City.”

Baldwin last won the stage in 1999.

As a team, T-Mobile dominated the competition, finishing the race in 39:24:56, 18:41 ahead of their closest competitors, Webcor Builders. Colavita-Cooking Light placed third 22:05 behind.

Tour of the Gila
Gila Monster Road Race
Men
1. Burke Swindlehurst, Team Seasilver, 106.4mi in 4:55:38
2. Vbaldo Mesa (Mex), Tecos, at 0:25
3. Ivan Stevic (Sb), Aerospace Engineering-VMG, at 0:33
4. Gregorio Ladino (Mex), Tecos, at 0:41
5. David Salomon, Tecos (Mex), at 0:45
6. Todd Wells, GT-Hyundai, at 0:47
7. Mitch Moreman, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, at 0:47
8. Phil Wong, Fiordifrutta, at 0:48
9. John Hunt, Cal Giant-Village Peddler, at 0:53
10. Andrew Bajadali, Vitamin Cottage, at 0:56

Women
1. Kimberly Baldwin, T-Mobile, 71.8mi in 3:31:29
2. Geneviève Jeanson, at 1:34
3. Betina Hold, Webcor Builders, at 2:11
4. Chrissy Ruiter, Ford, at 2:27
5. Lynn Gaggioli, Monex, at 3:00
6. Dotsie Cowden, Colavita-Cooking Light, at 3:04
7. Ann Trombley, Excel Sports, at 3:11
8. Dara Marks-Marino, Ford, at 3:11
9. Suz Weldon, Subway, at 3:17
10. Michelle Beltran, Colavita-Cooking Light, at 3:54

Overall
Men
1. Burke Swindlehurst, Team Seasilver, 14:44:41
2. Ivan Stevic (Sb), Aerospace Engineering-VMG, at 0:23
3. Vbaldo Mesa (Mex), Tecos, at 0:42
4. Andrew Bajadali, Vitamin Cottage, at 0:48
5. Todd Wells, GT-Hyundai, at 1:05
6. Phil Wong, Fiordifrutta, at 1:36
7. John Hunt, Cal Giant-Village Peddler, at 2:05
8. Gregorio Ladino (Mex), Tecos, at 3:09
9. James Mattis, Webcor Builders, at 3:34 53
10. Michael Dietrich, Fiordifrutta, at 3:48

Women
1. Kimberly Baldwin, T-Mobile, 13:00:44
2. Geneviève Jeanson, at 2:45
3. Lynn Gaggioli, Monex, at 7:46
4. Dotsie Cowden, Colavita-Cooking Light, at 8:17
5. Katheryn Curi, Webcor Builders, at 10:01
6. Brooke Ourada, T-Mobile, at 10:41
7. Dara Marks-Marino, Ford Cycling, at 10:50
8. Kristen LaSasso, Team Lipton, at 12:19
9. Sima Trapp, Subway, at 12:46
10. Kori Seehafer, T-Mobile, at 12:59