(This article was originally published Feb. 25, 2008 in the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.)
PASADENA — With another dreary, rainy day of racing, Levi Leipheimer won the third Amgen Tour of California on Sunday, pedaling for about four hours among a depleted field that finally stopped at an iconic football stadium.
While George Hincapie (High Road) of Greenville, S.C., won seventh and final stage, Leipheimer placed 22nd in the stage to solidify his second race title in the third-year event that has stopped in his hometown, Santa Rosa, in each edition.
Leipheimer was victorious by 49 seconds over David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle) of Great Britain and a 1 minute, 8 second cushion over Miller’s teammate, Christian Vande Velde of Lemont, Ill.
Hincapie, the former U.S. National road titlist who was a teammate of Lance Armstrong in each of his seven Tour de France titles, won the 93.4-mile road race from Santa Clarita and ending on entrance road to the Rose Bowl in 3 hours, 50 minutes and 57 seconds.
Rory Sutherland (Health-Net) of Australia was second in the stage, with Jason McCartney (CSC) of Coralville, Iowa, third, both in the same time.
Leipheimer, riding as leader of Astana, the Luxembourg competing in its first United States event. finished 12 seconds behind the main field — what was left of it.
The most difficult version of the race to date, the Tour of California included two new mountain ascents, including the final climb Sunday to Millcreek Summit, elevation 4,906 feet.
Race officials considered a new course Sunday when flash floods and the possibility of snow were predicted. Although it rained Sunday, the severe conditions never arrived.
“It was the hardest of the three races,” said Leipheimer, the third-place finisher in the 2007 Tour de France. “But is it too hard? I don’t think that’s fair. The race has established itself as such an important race in the world of cycling.”
The race’s increased difficulty, injury and a virus that spread through field depleted the field. Only 77 riders from the starting field of 132 arrived in Pasenda.
Leipheimer finished sixth in the inaugural race in 2006 and claimed his first over title last year by 21 seconds over Jens Voigt (CSC) of Germany.
Leipheimer led this year’s for the final five days. He finished fourth in the prologue Feb. 17 and began the first stage trailing Fabian Cancellara (CSC) of Switzerland by six seconds.
With his second place to Robert Gesink (Rabobank) of the Netherlands in stage 3, the first mountain stage, from Modesto to San Jose, Leipheimer assumed a 13-second race lead.
Repeating his same stage win from last year, Leipheimer dominated the fifth stage last Friday in Solvang with his 15-mile individual stage by 29 seconds.
The eight-day began Feb. 17 in Palo Alto and progressed in a north to south route through 12 starting and finish cities.
Despite his title, Leipheimer’s win didn’t resolve his team’s pending uncertainty. Although the squad has a full itinerary, its primary goal was the Tour de France. But just prior to the Tour of California, the team was notified by Tour de France organizers it was being excluded because three of its former riders failed doping tests last year.
“It’s February and there’s so much that can happen; I don’t know what’s going on,” said Leipheimer. “It’s all out of my hands. All I know is that this race was a goal of mine no matter which races I did in the year.”