Redlands, CA - Rory Sutherland of the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis didn't have to go far for his first two NRC wins of the 2007 season, but he certainly earned them.

The 25-year-old Australian has been living in Redlands, California since the end of the team's training camp in January, and after this weekend, he just might be able to get elected Mayor of the town.

Sutherland followed his victory in the Redlands Downtown Criterium on Saturday with a strong victory in the Sunset Road Race on Sunday. It was a hard-fought win, and definitely a team win.

"This was definitely a hard day," Sutherland said.

Just two laps into the 12-lap circuit race covering 146 km, Sutherland and teammate Jeff Louder were part of a move that escaped off the front.

"There were a couple of GC guys in there, and then all of the sudden, I see TJ (Tim Johnson) with us," Sutherland said. In all nearly 20 riders joined the move that would serve to blow the race apart, and serve up the overall win for Andrew Bajadali (Jelly Belly).

In the closing laps, "Louder buried himself and got a gap that forced everyone else in the break to chase," Sutherland said. "That allowed TJ and me to just sit in and get a free ride into town on the last lap." It also served to ramp up the pace up front, as well as shed a few riders from the break, and open the gap to the chasing group of race leader Scott Moninger (BMC) out beyond three minutes after it had closed to about 20 seconds with three laps to go.

Once the lead group got into the five downtown finishing circuits - the same course on which Sutherland won the criterium - Johnson played the role of consummate teammate. "TJ put me in perfect position for the sprint," Sutherland said. "You could have put a blindfold on me and put me on his wheel and he'd have dropped me off in the right spot."

That spot was sitting second wheel on Chris Wherry (Toyota-United), who won the 2005 Redlands title while riding for Health Net Presented by Maxxis. And just as he did on Saturday, Sutherland punched it coming out of the final corner and bolted around Wherry, holding off charging Aussie Ben Brooks (Navigators) at the line for the victory.

"TJ and Jeff were just amazing today," Sutherland said. "Louder absolutely put it on the line."

The win and time gain moved Sutherland up to 6th overall, the position held by his teammate Ryder Hesjedal, who came in with Moninger's group at 3:55 back and moved down to 14th overall. Johnson made the biggest jump up the overall classification. His 9th place finish on the stage vaulted him up from 98th overall to 25th.

Notes

With Johnson and Sutherland making big moves up the overall classification, Health Net Presented by Maxxis was able to secure the team overall title for the Redlands Classic. "After the way everyone worked this weekend, it was good to have the entire team up on the podium today," Sutherland added.

Sutherland will participate in a photo shoot Monday afternoon for the fashion issue of the Los Angeles Times Magazine. The issue will come out in the April 15 edition of the L.A. Times.