After a long, soggy day yesterday, the peloton welcomed sunshine and dry roads in Solvang for today's critical Amgen Tour of California Stage 5 time trial, sponsored by ADT. The day began with defending champion Levi Leipheimer in yellow, but 13 men were within 43 seconds, including time trial specialists David Millar, David Zabriskie and two-time World Time Trial Champion Fabian Cancellara. The 15-mile/24-km course was primarily flat with two small climbs. The reigning King of California asserted his dominance today by crushing the field with a time of 30:46, the only rider to complete the course in less than 31 minutes. British Time Trial Champion David Millar was 2nd in a time of 31:15 and his teammate, Christian Vandevelde, delivered a time of 31:31 to claim the last step of the podium. Leipheimer added to his GC lead as we head into tomorrow's Stage 6, sponsored by HealthNet.
Starting at 11 AM PST, the peloton will depart Santa Barbara en route to Santa Clarita, a 105.4-mile/169.6 km journey. Along the way, they will face four California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains climbs, including the menacing ascent of Balcom Canyon, and two Herbalife Sprints. We'll begin our live coverage right here at 10:30 AM PST with play-by-play by me, Rick Scott, your eyes & ears at the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. You can watch the entire race here as well with commentators Frankie Andreu & Fantastic Joe Silva. Thank you for being with us today. Enjoy the rest of your Friday and we'll see you tomorrow.
14:33:29
Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer initiative empowers patients and their caregivers with education and hope so they can live well with the disease. You can help by making a $2.00 donation when you text the word "DONATE" to 222377. When you do, you will receive discounts valid at the Amgen Tour of California online store and you'll automatically be entered to win daily prizes and a chance to win a 2009 Amgen Tour of California VIP Getaway.
14:32:10
This year, there is a wealth of fantastic Amgen Tour of California merchandise available at our online store, including jerseys, men's & women's T-shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces and hats. Today we have a special on Amgen Tour of California novelties. To enjoy a 20% discount, enter today's merchandise code: NVLT2008 at checkout.
14:29:27
We'll post the official results and the new GC on this site as soon as they are available.
14:25:59
Unofficially the podium is Leipheimer, Millar and Vandevelde.
14:25:55
Unofficially the podium is Leipheimer, Millar and Vandevelde.
14:25:50
Unofficially the podium is Leipheimer, Millar and Vandevelde.
14:23:40
Cancellara is in at 31:51, 4th place.
14:20:29
Gesink is next to finish followed by Cancellara.
14:18:35
David Millar's time is the new best! 31:15!
14:17:59
Here comes Millar. 1 km to go.
14:17:28
Gustav Larsson of CSC finishes in 31:43, 2nd place.
14:16:13
Next to finish will be Larsson.
14:15:24
Sorry we didn't get time splits on Zabriskie, Millar, Cancellara or Leipheimer. Zabriskie finishes in 32:01, 2nd best time.
14:14:23
Horner finishes 32:28, 9th place for now.
14:13:39
The Top 3 are currently Vandevelde, Brajkovic and Zirbel.
14:12:16
Cancellara looks smooth & steady. Millar is looking very fast.
14:08:09
17:13 is Gesink's intermediate time. Cancellara will be next.
14:05:16
We've got a helicopter shot of Dave Z. and he's rolling along nicely in his wild-looking kit. New best intermediate time by David Millar.
14:03:15
16:40 is the new best intermediate time by Gustav Larsson of CSC.
14:01:57
16:55 is Zabriskie's intermediate time, which is a bit slower than Bradley Wiggins' time.
14:00:07
Here at the finish line, we've got cameras on Leipheimer, Cancellara and Millar. We'll get you time splits as soon as they are available.
13:58:16
This year, there is a wealth of fantastic Amgen Tour of California merchandise available at our online store, including jerseys, men's & women's T-shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces and hats. Today we have a special on Amgen Tour of California novelties. To enjoy a 20% discount, enter today's merchandise code: NVLT2008 at checkout.
13:57:33
All the riders are on course. Leipheimer is wearing the yellow jersey along with black shorts in his one-piece skinsuit.
13:56:08
CSC's ironman Jen Voigt finishes in 34:25, 35th place for the moment.
13:54:29
Leipheimer won the time trial here in Solvang last year. The course has changed slightly and has incorporated a slightly bigger hill, but that will only help the defending champion.
13:53:35
The yellow jersey is on the course.
13:52:56
Bobby J.'s time is 33:04. 17:05 is the best intermediate time and it was by Brajkovic. Here comes Leipheimer.
13:51:35
World Time Trial Champion Fabian Cancellara, winner of the opening Prologue, has made his start. Only Leipheimer is left to start in two minutes.
13:50:39
Julich is flying towards the finish. He passes Brajkovic and the two finish almost together. Brajkovic's time is the new best time at 32:05.
13:48:30
Best Young Rider leader Robert Gesink, who won Stage 3, is up next. We'll see what kind of a time trial the pure climber can deliver here today on this primarily flat course.
13:46:32
Top 3 are still Zirbel, Wiggins and Gusev. Next to start is British National Time Trial Champion David Millar, riding for Team Slipstream.
13:44:59
Up next is Gustav Larsson from CSC, the Swiss Time Trial Champion.
13:43:36
Dave Z. is the reigning U.S. National Time Trial Champion and is wearing the stars & stripes skinsuit along with his 1970's retro 'stache.
13:41:51
Chris Horner is off on his start for Astana. Up next is David Zabriskie.
13:40:11
Christian Vandevelde has made his start for Team Slipstream.
13:38:44
Thankfully the roads are dry here in Solvang. Rory Sutherland finished at 32:54, 5th best time.
13:37:54
We're less than 20 minutes away from the start of race leader Levi Leipheimer. Don't go anywhere as the top GC contenders are about to start.
13:34:43
Top 3 currently are Zirbel, Wiggins and Gusev. Bettini finished 34:58.
13:33:33
Bettini is approaching the finish.
13:32:32
The Herbalife Sprint leader, Dominique Rollin, who won yesterday's stage, finished in 34:55.
13:31:09
32:10 is the new best time by Bissell's Tom Zirbel.
13:29:23
35:15 for J.J. Haedo, the man who has won more Amgen Tour of California stages than anyone (5).
13:28:03
32:29 from Vladimir Gusev is second best.
13:26:46
Fred Rodriguez finished in 34:09 for Rock Racing.
13:24:24
George Hincapie is in the start house.
13:22:38
Boonen finishes in 34:35 with the roar of the crowd ringing in Solvang.
13:20:45
Wiggins also has the best intermediate time of 16:42.
13:18:59
32:16 is the new best time from Bradley Wiggins from High Road.
13:17:53
Bobby Julich is off on his start and Janez Brajkovic has started for Astana.
13:16:07
Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer initiative empowers patients and their caregivers with education and hope so they can live well with the disease. You can help by making a $2.00 donation when you text the word "DONATE" to 222377. When you do, you will receive discounts valid at the Amgen Tour of California online store and you'll automatically be entered to win daily prizes and a chance to win a 2009 Amgen Tour of California VIP Getaway.
13:14:21
The Lion King, Mario Cipollini, came in at a respectable 35:47.
13:12:35
Ben Day, former Australian Time Trial Champion, has made his start.
13:11:59
The heavy-hitters are due to make their starts around 25 minutes from now.
13:09:46
I'm Rick Scott, your eyes & ears at the Amgen Tour of California crucial Stage 5 time trial, sponsored by ADT. O'Grady has just finished in 33:11, 4th best time.
13:07:14
Astana's Stage 3 MVP in the mountains Chechu Rubiera is now out on course.
13:05:08
HealthNet's Rory Sutherland has taken his start.
13:03:27
17:05 is the best intermediate time thus far, which is also by Belohvosciks.
13:02:12
We're looking at images of Paolo Bettini, who doesn't look to be pushing too hard today.
13:00:39
32:52 is now tops by Raivis Belohvosciks.
12:58:41
32:54 is the new best time from Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly).
12:55:23
Gerald Ciolek is on the course for High Road.
12:53:27
This year, there is a wealth of fantastic Amgen Tour of California merchandise available at our online store, including jerseys, men's & women's T-shirts, sweatshirts, fleeces and hats. Today we have a special on Amgen Tour of California novelties. To enjoy a 20% discount, enter today's merchandise code: NVLT2008 at checkout.
12:51:04
34:15 is the new best time by John Murphy of HealthNet.
12:49:47
New best time is 34:35 by Sergey Ivanov of Astana.
12:47:57
Tom Boonen, winner of stage 2, just started his time trial.
12:45:16
Justin England's time of 35:16 is second best.
12:41:46
Creed's time of 36:47 is second best thus far.
12:39:48
Top intermediate time thus far is 18:06 by Nydam.
12:38:51
Nydam finished in 34:58.
12:37:54
Mead's time is 37:09.
12:37:24
Mario Cipollini is off. The first rider is 1 km from the finish.
12:36:02
Stuey O'Grady has rolled off for CSC.
12:33:33
Kelly Benefit's Andrew Bajadali did not take his start today.
12:31:03
Rabobank's Paul Martens has taken off down the start ramp.
12:30:00
Parts of the course are dry and even basked in sunshine.
12:28:13
Ronan Kilun has flatted.
12:27:12
Scott Zwizanski of Bissell has begun. The road is getting wet and race radio just reported that the final corner of the course is treacherous when wet so let's hope it dries out for the GC contenders who will start later on.
12:23:53
The clouds are a bit ominous and have begun to sprinkle the crowd gathered here in Solvang. It's the perfect stage to watch in-person because the start line and finish line are a few short blocks apart so you can watch the riders start and finish.
12:21:11
First rider, Bryce Mead, is through the intermediate time check at 19:20.
12:20:15
Sorry about the technical difficulties. Please bare with us.
12:08:43
Riders are starting at one-minute intervals although the last 10 riders will start at two-minute intervals. Six riders have started thus far including Roman Kilun, Scott Tietzel, California Travel & Tourism KOM leader Scott Nydam, Michael Creed and Nicholas Waite.
12:03:43
Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer initiative empowers patients and their caregivers with education and hope so they can live well with the disease. You can help by making a $2.00 donation when you text the word "DONATE" to 222377. When you do, you will receive discounts valid at the Amgen Tour of California online store and you'll automatically be entered to win daily prizes and a chance to win a 2009 Amgen Tour of California VIP Getaway.
12:00:45
First rider to start today is Jelly Belly's Bryce Mead, who just rolled down the start ramp.
11:57:03
We lost a slew of riders in yesterday's miserable 135-mile/218-km slog down the Pacific Coast Highway in cold rain and windy conditions. 15 riders who started Stage 4 won by Toyota-United's Dominique Rollin have withdrawn, including Jonathan Sundt of Kelly Benefit's who flew through the rear window of the CSC team car and was taken to the hospital for x-rays.
11:44:59
You can watch the race unfold on our site live with commentary from Frankie Andreu & Fantastic Joe Silva. If you have comments or questions, you're invited to email us at ATOC2008@yahoo.com.
11:38:59
The sun is shining brightly in Solvang, an idyllic Danish enclave that will be the backdrop for a dramatic day at the 2008 Amgen Tour of California. I'm Rick Scott bringing you all the action as it happens starting at 12 PM PST. The Stage 5 time trial, sponsored by ADT, is 15 miles/24 kms long. The route is primarily flat, but there are two smaller risers to challenge the riders. Levi Leipheimer starts last as the yellow jersey wearer, but 13 men are within 43 seconds of taking that jersey off his shoulders. Many of are long shots who would have to deliver the time trial of their lives in order to take the jersey, but three men – British Time Trial Champion David Millar, U.S. National Time Trial Champion David Zabriskie and two-time World Time Trial Champion Fabian Cancellara – are capable of not only winning the stage, but taking the GC lead from the defending champion. Don't miss a single minute of the most important day of the race thus far.
11:26:32
Welcome to Solvang for Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California.
11:04:43
Today's stage is a 15 mile Time Trial beginning and ending in the city of Solvang.
10:32:50
Good morning everyone. Today's Amgen Tour of California Stage 5 live coverage will begin at 11:30 from Solvang, California.
