Andy Tullis / The BulletinAndrea Dvorak raises her hand at the finish line as she wins the pro womenís Cascade Lakes Road Race and claims the yellow leaderís jersey of the Cascade Cycling Classic at Mount Bachelor Friday.

MOUNT BACHELOR — Andrea Dvorak has been a professional cyclist for seven years, and on Friday afternoon, she pulled on a yellow leader’s jersey for the first time in her career.

Dvorak got into an early break of 10 riders and attacked near the finish to win the pro women’s 73-mile Cascade Lakes Road Race on Friday. Her performance moved her into the overall leader’s jersey of the Cascade Cycling Classic presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon.

Dvorak, of team Twenty16, finished in 3 hours, 39 minutes, 31 seconds. Abigail Mickey of United Healthcare was second, five seconds back, and Amanda Miller of Visit Dallas finished third, 1:24 back.

Dvorak, 34 and from Charlottesville, Virginia, overtook her teammate Kristin Armstrong for the overall lead, but because cycling is a team sport, both riders were happy with the result.

“This is one of my favorites races,” Dvorak said of the Cascade. “It couldn’t have worked out better. It gives us even more cards to play. Sunday’s always a challenge. It’s a tough race. There should be some more fireworks from us, hopefully.”

Friday’s Stage 3 started in Bend and took riders past Mount Bachelor, then south down Cascade Lakes Highway before looping back to the finish at Bachelor’s Sunrise Lodge.

Dvorak got into a 10-rider break just 10 kilometers into the race along the climb to Bachelor. The riders’ lead grew to as much as 6 minutes. Armstrong said she was content to stay back in the main pack, knowing Dvorak was in the lead group.

“I’m super happy for Twenty16,” Armstrong said. “Being back in the pack is always hard to sit in, but that was how we played it today. We wanted to get Andrea up there because we knew that she could move into first or second.”

Armstrong finished eighth on the stage, 3:50 back. Amber Neben of Visit Dallas was ninth, also 3:30 back. Dvorak has a 1:12 overall lead on second-place Armstrong, and a 2:05 lead on third-place Neben.

Neben came into the stage in second place overall behind Armstrong, who said she was surprised that Visit Dallas did not attack earlier in the race.

“It was up to Visit Dallas to chase, and they waited too long,” Armstrong said. “It’s going to be really difficult, because Visit Dallas now has two people to watch.”

Dvorak credited her teammates Lauren Hall, Chloe Dygert and Kaitlin Antonneau in helping her get up to the base of the final climb.

“I attacked and got a gap on Abbie (Mickey), and she closed it,” Dvorak said. “Then I jumped her at the finish, right when we turned in (to Sunrise Lodge). This time a break rolled, it stuck, and it ended up being a major factor in the race today.”

Armstrong said she and Dvorak will play off each other during Sunday’s final stage, the Awbrey Butte Circuit Race, forcing other teams to make a decision on who to follow.

“I know how the peloton is, they always watch me,” Armstrong said. “So the chances for Andrea to be let go is much higher than for them to let me go. If Visit Dallas wants to stay back and watch me, that’s fine. But they have a lot of work in front of them.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0318,

mmorical@bendbulletin.com