Stage 3: Gesink gets the Stage, Leipheimer in Yellow.

Stage 3 Results | Video | Press Release Astana’s Levi Leipheimer took a narrow lead in the Amgen Tour of California after finishing second in the third stage following a breakaway with stage winner Robert Gesink of Rabobank.

The two got a gap on the Cat. 1 Sierra Road climb and held off a steaming pack of about 20 chasers for the final 20 miles to the finish in San Jose. The chase group included CSC's Fabian Cancellara, who had become the leader on the road when the man in yellow at the start, Slipstream-Chipotle's Tyler Farrar, dropped out mid-race with a stomach bug.

Leipheimer and Gesink — the TOC's best young rider last year — finished with enough of a gap for Leipheimer to take the yellow leader's jersey. The diminutive Leipheimer, the third place rider at the 2007 Tour de France and defending champion in the Tour of California, tucked in behind the powerful, 6-foot-1 Dutch rider Gesink for much of the final 20 miles.

The stage served up a 102.7-mile leg-breaker from Modesto to San Jose, with five categorized climbs, including the hors categorie grind to the 4360-foot summit of Mt. Hamilton and the 2000-foot Cat. 1 Sierra Road ascent, which has been decisive in previous editions of the tour.
Excerpted from

Results

1. Robert Gesink (Nl), Rabobank
2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana
3. Jurgen Vandewalle (B), Quick Step
4. Kevin Seeldraeyers (B), Quick Step
5. Mauricio Ardila(Col), Rabobank
6. Thomas Peterson (USA), Slipstream
7. Christopher Horner (USA), Astana
8. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col), Rabobank
9. Alexandre Moos (Swi), BMC
10. Victor Hugo Pena Grisales (Col), Rock Racing