Spence rode in 56 seconds after Stage 3 winner Christopher Phipps (ZTeam), while the rider who was closest to challenging him, Michael Larsen (Bend Bike 'N Sport), was dislodged from his second place spot when he finished 13th on the stage.

The podium placing for Spence increased his advantage to 1:28 over Phipps, who climbed into second place. Spence has been in the yellow leader's jersey since winning the 15-mile opening time trial Friday morning.

Only Sunday morning's Deschutes Brewery-Awbrey Butte Circuit Race remains between Spence and the overall title. The 63-mile race is run around a 17-mile circuit.

In the Cat. III competition, Team Kaos Matt Pavlovich finished 37th in the Pacific Power road race, 1:32 behind the winner, to climb to 35th overall, 3:49 behind.

Ian Gray and Matt Landen, who are competing in the Pro Men's I-II race, held their positions on overall classification with 29th and 55th places, respectively, on the day. With one stage to go, Gray is 30th and Landen is 47th.

As the Masters 35+ category got its competition underway Friday, Spence grabbed the lead with a sizzling performance in the opening 15-mile time trial. His time of 32 minutes and 36 seconds was 51 seconds better than second-placed Michael Larsen of Bend Bike ‘N Sport.

Making Spence’s victory even more remarkable than his 27.6 mph average and 2:24 margin of victory over third place was the fact that he believes he could have gone even faster.

“I was spinning out all the way back,” Spence said. “I definitely could have used a bigger front chain ring.”

Spence (pictured at right) had little time to celebrate his win, though. Hours later, he and teammates Mark Brackenbury and Marco Vasquez, who placed eighth and 14th, respectively in the time trial, were lining up for the Desert Orthopedics/Rebound Physical Therapy Downtown Criterium.

In one of the toughest stage races on the National Race Calendar, Gray and teammate Matt Landen continued their remarkable performances against a field of the nation’s top professionals at the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic.

In Thursday’s 79.5-mile race to the observatory at the summit of McKenzie pass, Gray outsprinted five others to take 14th place on the day, 56 seconds behind stage winner stage winner Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team presented by Bissell).

After his 23rd place in Wednesday’s opening road race, the former University of Nebraska-Lincoln long distance runner is up to 17th in the overall standings.

The pair completed the 91.2-mile Ironhorse-Brooks Resources Prineville Road Race within two minutes of stage winner Ricardo Escuela (Successfulliving.com presented by ParkPre). Gray finished one minute and 20 seconds behind with a group of nine riders that also included former Team Kaos rider Jarred Berger (Team Einstein’s Cycling). Landen rolled across the finish line at the summit of Pilot Butte in a group of five riders who were 1:57 behind.

“It was actually surprising how comfortable the first day was,” Gray said. “Despite the final 1.2-mile uphill finish, there was only one climb and while the field separated a bit, it came back together.”