Amgen Tour of California

Omega Pharma champ will start the Tour of California with limited expectations following car-bike crash in April

From a cautiously optimistic Horner to an on-form Talansky and on-fire Nibali, there is no single favorite for the seventh Amgen Tour

In the pre-race press conference, three-time Amgen Tour champ Levi Leipheimer said that his hopes are gone for the overall in this year's race

Michael Rogers' 2010 Amgen Tour of California win was transformative

Gallery: Omega Pharma-Quick Step goes for a training ride before the Tour of California, through the lens of Brad Kaminski

Danielson, Talansky, Haussler front a motivated Garmin squad for the Amgen Tour of California

For the defending Tour of California champ, it’s Baldy or bust

Neal Rogers examines the 2009 Amgen Tour of California and whether the race can survive, or even thrive, with a new May date

Wil Matthews has a look around BMC Racing's U.S. service course in Santa Rosa, California

Three-time Amgen Tour champ continues to recover from car/bike crash ahead of California

Second-year Garmin pro has the fire back after second-place ride and is aiming for California then the Tour

Enjoying a breakout season, Marcel Kittel looks forward to racing in California for the first time, where he'll hone his form for the Tour

Sky can take green and yellow at Tour, says Cavendish; Gesink to race Tour of California; Voeckler clearing his head in Africa

Learning lessons in the heat of battle ahead of the biggest race on the Garmin sophomore’s calendar

Italian starts Liège–Bastogne–Liège with an eye toward the Amgen Tour and France

The road to California heads through the Ardennes for Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) this year

Levi Leipheimer said Wednesday that starting the Tour of California next month would be a success following broken leg

American should not require surgery, looks to Tour de France and Olympics

Southerland says team will regroup and move forward after disappointment

Continental teams include Optum and Bontrager-Livestrong

2012 route to include Beverly Hills and challenging time trial

Biotech firm Amgen, the title sponsor of the Tour of California since its inception in 2006, is weighing its future involvement with the race.

Frank Overton analyzes Rory Sutherland's power data from the final stage of the Amgen Tour of California.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (VN) — Chris Horner took a trip down memory lane Sunday as he rolled toward the biggest result of his career at the close of the Amgen Tour of California. Minutes after leaving the stage in gold leader’s jersey, the RadioShack veteran took aim at the Tour de France — and his doubters.

Stage Results 1. Matthew Goss (AUS), HTC-Highroad, at 2:56:39 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), Liquigas-Doimo, s.t. 3. Gregory Henderson (NZL), Team Sky, s.t. 4. Oscar Freire Gomez (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team, s.t. 5. Kevin Lacombe (CAN), SpiderTech-Planet Energy, s.t. Final GC 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 23:46:41 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 38 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 02:45 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 03:18 5. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Highroad, at 03:23

RadioShack's Chris Horner locked up the 2011 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday as Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) won the finale, a 129.1km leg from Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks.

Frank Overton analyzes Rory Sutherland's power data from stage seven of the Amgen Tour of California.

Nick Legan takes a look at the bikes used in the penultimate stage of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

Inside the Team RadioShack mobile kitchen

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

What exactly were Hesjedal and Talansky up to in Saturday's breakaway?

Newcomers Busche and King play major role in the Horner-Leipheimer show

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

Stage 7 Results 1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 3:33:01 2. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 00 3. Laurens Ten Dam (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 43 4. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:01 5. Steve Morabito (SUI), BMC Racing Team, at 01:21 General Classification 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, 20:50:02 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 38 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 02:45 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 03:18 5. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Highroad, at 03:23

Levi Leipheimer and race leader Chris Horner finished one-two in the queen stage of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California on Saturday

Five hours of bike work for 30 minutes of racing? Must be TT time.

Stage 5

• 1. David Zabriskie (USA/Garmin) in 30min 36secs
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) at 14
• 3. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) 40
• 4. Peter Velits (SVK) 48
• 5. Maarten Tjallingii (NED) 49

Overall

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA/RadioShack) in 17hr 17:01
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA) at 38
• 3. Rory Sutherland (AUS) 01:38
• 4. Christian Vandevelde (USA) 01:39
• 5. Thomas Danielson (USA) 01:44

Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervélo) won stage 6 of the Amgen Tour of California. Levi Leipheimer (Radioshack) and Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad) rounded out the podium, with Chris Horner putting in a fast enough time to hold onto the race lead.

Svein Tuft's prototype time trial bike

SOLVANG, Calif. (VN) — Peanut Butter & Co.'s Kristin Armstrong put the 'I' in individual time trial Friday, dominating the Tour of California women's invitational, ahead of three HTC-Highroad riders: Amber Neben (second), Charlotte Becker (third) and Evelyn Stevens (fourth).

A sneak peek at Levi Leipheimer's Giro TT helmet

For stage 6 of the 2011 Tour of California, Christian Vande Velde chose a 2010 bike.

Frank Overton analyzes Rory Sutherland's power data from stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (VN) - George Hincapie and Jim Ochowicz of BMC Racing were two of embattled Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong’s closest companions for much of his career. Ochowicz Thursday night called former U.S. Postal Service rider Tyler Hamilton’s accusations that he witnessed Armstrong use EPO “outrageous,” while Hincapie reserved comment.

Video highlights from stage five of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

Stage 5

• 1. Peter Sagan (SVK), Liquigas-Doimo, at 5:16:03
• 2. Leigh Howard (AUS), HTC-Highroad, at 00
• 3. Ben Swift (GBR), Team Sky, at 00
• 4. Paul Martens (GER), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 00
• 5. Alex Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 00

GC

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 16:45:35
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22
• 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:29
• 5. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:30

an email Tyler Hamilton sent to friends and family explaining his "long overdue" confession to doping

Rabobank's Oscar Freire, a sprinter, found himself in a rare solo break in stage five of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California. And he nearly took it all the way to the line.

Retired cyclist Tyler Hamilton has told the CBS program "60 Minutes" that he saw his then-U.S. Postal teammate Lance Armstrong inject EPO and use other doping methods.

PASO ROBLES, California (VN) — World champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) and race aggressor Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) were among the riders who left the Amgen Tour of California Thursday.

Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) won stage five of the Amgen Tour of California on Thursday, extending his lead in the sprint classification in the process.

Stage 4

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 3:27:51
• 2. Andy Schleck (LUX), Leopard-Trek, at 01:15
• 3. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:15
• 4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 5. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22

GC

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 11:29:32
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22
• 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:29
• 5. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:30

SAN JOSE, Calif. (VN) — Although he ended up in seventh place, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal not only earned stage 4’s most aggressive rider award but he also dynamited the race with his preemptive attack coming off the hors-cat Mount Hamilton climb that enabled his Garmin-Cervélo team to pack five riders into the top 12 of this sixth Amgen Tour of California.

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VIDEO: Race highlights from stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California

Taylor Phinney checks in with Brian Holcombe on the literal ups and down of the Amgen Tour of California.

Jesse Anthony’s Orbea Orca Silver