With just one stage remaining, Michael Grabinger (Successful Living) and Meshy Holt (Expresscopy.com) lead their respective categories in the 29th La Vuelta de Bisbee.

Grabinger scored a pair of runner-up finishes on Saturday’s wind-whipped, double-stage day to move into the overall lead, just five seconds ahead of Phil Zajicek (Navigators Insurance).

The victory in the Stage 1 Sulphur Springs Road Race went to Mexico’s Antonio Aldape (Halcones). Adalpe, countryman and teammate David Salomon and Grabinger had been part of a 13-man break that formed at the first bonus sprint in the 79-mile stage, and at one point had more than three minutes on the bunch despite battling winds gusting at 20 to 30 mph.

The leaders stayed away and together until the run-up to the finish line, where Aldape took the win and Solomon slipped into the overall lead.

He wouldn’t keep it long, though. In the afternoon’s Stage 2 Warren Time Trial, Ron Jenson (Team WM) turned in the best time, but Grabinger’s second-place finish was good enough to put him in the leader’s jersey, with Salomon crossing in 12th place, more than 30 seconds down.

Holt hammers ‘em
Holt, who won Friday’s prologue time trial, put on another impressive display of strength in Stage 1, riding away from the field at the halfway point of the 45-mile stage to win by 7 minutes and 25 seconds.

She wouldn’t score the hat trick — the afternoon time trial went to Carol Hutton (Excel Sports), the runner-up in the morning’s road race — but Holt took second, just four seconds slower, and holds what would seem to be an insurmountable lead going into Sunday’s finale, the Tombstone Road Race.

The final stage packs 6427 feet of climbing into the 87-mile course (58.4 miles for the women). The fields will head west over the Mule Mountains and into the basin-and-range landscape of southeastern Arizona. Riders will pass the infamous O.K. Corral in Tombstone on their way back to Bisbee and tackle 17 miles of climbing in the last 21 miles — including two five-mile-long, 6-percent-grade climbs in the final 15 miles.

Holt, all alone out front and loving it

Photo: Mason Ibas

La Vuelta de Bisbee
Stage 1: Sulphur Springs Road Race
Men
1. Antonio Aldape, (Mex), Halcones, 79mi in 3:02:04
2. Michael Grabinger, Successful Living, at 0:03
3. David Salomon, (Mex), Halcones, same time
4. David McCann (Irl) Colavita Olive Oil-sutter Home, s.t.
5. Phil Zajicek, Navigators Insurance, s.t.

Women
1. Meshy Holt, Expresscopy.com, 45mi in 2:21:22
2. Maatje Benassi, Excel Sports, at 7:01
3. Carol Hutton, Excel Sports, at 7:04
4. Maria Monica, Touchstone Climbing, at 7:07
5. Melissa McWhirter, unattached, s.t.

Stage 2: Warren Time Trial
Men
1. Ron Jenson, Team WM, 8.3mi in 14:42
2. Michael Grabinger, Successful Living, at 0:04
3. Phil Zajicek, Navigators Insurance, at 0:05
4. Brian Forbes, Rideclean, at 0:06
5. Jacob Rubelt, Rideclean, at 0:07

Women
1. Carol Hutton, Excel Sports, 8.3mi in 16:09
2. Meshy Holt, Expresscopy.com, at 0:04
3. Heather Sborz, unattached, at 0:09
4. Maatje Benassi, Excel Sports, at 0:28
5. Maria Monica, Touchstone Climbing, at 0:37

Overall (as of Stage 2)
Men1. Michael Grabinger, Successful Living, 3:27:05
2. Phil Zajicek, Navigators Insurance, at 0:05
3. David Salomon, (Mex), Halcones, at 0:27
4. David McCann (Irl), Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home, at 0:41
5. Daniel Ramsey, Successful Living, at 1:05

Women
1. Meshy Holt, Expresscopy.com, 2:49:44
2. Carol Hutton, Excel Sports, at 7:25
3. Maatje Benassi, Excel Sports, at 7:38
4. Maria Monica, Touchstone Climbing, at 7:44
5. Heather Sborz, unattached, at 7:49

Complete results