Mancebo and Neben are early leaders of the NRC

Francisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) and Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) sit atop the season’s first National Racing Calendar standings after their overall wins at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Realcyclist.com and HTC also lead the team classifications for men and women, respectively.

Mancebo and Neben each earned 217 points with their GC wins at Redlands. With 330 team points, Realcyclist.com sits above runner-up Ben Jacques-Maynes’ Bissell squad by 72 points.

With two riders on the final Redlands podium in Neben and Evelyn Stevens, HTC earned 391 points in the season’s NRC opener. Three-stage winner Colavita-Forno D’Asolo sits second at 319 points.

Jacob Rathe (Chipotle) and Lindsay Myers (Danbury Audi) are the top American U23 male and female.

The NRC resumes Saturday April 9 with the Sunny King Criterium in Anniston, Alabama.

NRC Standings April 4, 2011

Men

• 1. Francisco Mancebo (Watkinsville, Ga./Realcyclist.com) — 217
• 2. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Watsonville, Calif./Bissell Pro Cycling Team) — 140
• 3. Christopher Baldwin (Boulder, Colo./Juwi Solar-First Solar) — 106
• 4. Andres Diaz Corales (Boise, Idaho/Team Exergy) — 98
• 5. Cesar Grajales (Decatur, Ga./Realcyclist.com) — 80

Men’s team

• 1. Realcyclist.com — 330
• 2. Bissell Pro Cycling Team — 158
• 3. Team Exergy — 141
• 4. Jelly Belly Team p/b Kenda — 96
• 5. Chipotle Development Team — 95

Women

• 1. Amber Neben (Lake Forest, Calif./HTC-Highroad Women) — 217
• 2. Erinne Willock (Pescadero, Calif./Team TIBCO-To the Top) — 130
• 3. Evelyn Stevens (Dennis, Mass./HTC Highroad Women) — 116
• 4. Carmen Small (Durango, Colo./Team TIBCO-To the Top) — 113
• 5. Catherine Cheatley (Colavita/Forno d’Asolo) — 102

Women’s team