Discovery Channel Cycling Team Announces Tour de France Roster
By VOA Sports 27 June 2007

The United States-based Discovery Channel cycling team has announced its nine-man roster for the 94th edition of the Tour de France, which begins July 7 in London.

Team manager Johan Bruyneel said Levi Leipheimer will spearhead the team's drive for the yellow jersey. Leipheimer has finished in the top-10 three times during his Tour de France career, and Bruyneel says he has the "form and experience" to finish on the podium.

Bruyneel also announced that the Discovery team is ready to sign the International Cycling Union's anti-doping charter before the Tour de France.

The route for the 2007 Tour de France is 3,547 kilometers. The race consists of one prologue time trial and 20 stages, including 11 flat stages, six mountain stages, one medium mountain stage and two individual time trials.

Leipheimer says the team has selected "an amazing group of riders" to support him and that he could not be happier. Backing the Californian will be fellow-American George Hincapie, Alberto Contador, Benjamin Noval and Egoi Martinez of Spain, Portugal's Sergio Paulinho, Tomas Vaitkus of Lithuania, Russian Vladimir Gusev and Yaroslav Popovych of Ukraine.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP.

2007 Stage 7 Quotes

Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa, Calif.) General Classification Winner

Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On cycling as a profession
“For me it is special because this is exactly what I wanted to do with my life.”

On leading each stage of the race
“This year’s race was extremely competitive. Team CSC and the other teams really put a lot of pressure on us. Without that level of competition this victory wouldn’t be as satisfying as it is. It’s really one of my most satisfying victories.”

On his victory
“Maybe my most satisfying victory. I don’t know if I could call it my biggest victory. I have a wall at home with some jerseys on it and I can tell you this jersey is going on that wall.”

On Discovery Channel Pro’s plan of attack
“We knew that everyone was going to come out and be aggressive. We counted on the other teams trying to win the stage. We tried to keep the gap close, so it was manageable for those teams to bring it to a sprint.”

On Hincapie’s injury
“Obviously that’s a big blow to our team. Now he’s going to miss the Classics. This race wasn’t supposed to be so difficult for us to win. The team was put under a lot of pressure. It was a big blow for us to loose George (Hincapie). We’re looking forward to having him back. The team is not the same without him.”

On the climbs
“Sierra was the hardest climb. That’s where I had to put in the most effort to keep up with Jens (Voigt).”

Ivan Dominguez (CUB) Stage 7 Winner

Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the crowds
“This crowd was huge. I live here in LA (Agoura Hills) and so for me, this one is bigger than NY (referring to the crowds at another race).” On the climbs
“Every day was hard.”

Bobby Julich (USA) Representative for Overall Team Classification

Team CSC
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On overall competition
“I thought it (the race) was fantastic. It was just much more interesting this year. All of the riders here were more fit and aggressive. We got in a couple of wins as well. It’s good for us to start the season off with a couple of wins. We always want to win that classification (overall team) in every race that we do.”

On the difference in level of competition between teams
“There’s definitely a gap still (between ProTour and Continental teams). I was pretty impressed with Jonathan’s team (Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle). The Amgen Tour of California is very nice to let the American teams compete and not just let in ProTour teams. They (the Continental teams) need to step it up and take advantage of that.”

Jason McCartney (USA) Third Place, General Classification

Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race overall
“Last year was the inaugural year and no one knew what to expect, but it’s just fantastic. From start to finish, there was a lot of sweat on the road. And it ended up being a really great race.”

Christophe Laurent (FRA) Winner, California Travel and Tourism King of the Mountains Jersey

Credit Agricole
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On overall competition
“This week is a very good week for me. Fantastic finish. There were lots of people at the start and finish…and the encouragement was great. The races in Europe have to be envious of this race. There isn’t a race in Europe that is this well organized.”

Robert Gesink (NED) Union Bank Best Young Rider Winner

Rabobank
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race overall
“The organization, I think, was really good. It was a perfect race. The course was good, we had good conditions. I am very happy to win here in America. If it is on my team’s schedule next year, I won’t hesitate to come back here.”

Danny Pate (USA) Stage 7 Adobe Most Aggressive Rider Winner

Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race today
“We were trying to play for the breakaway finishes. Just being aggressive out there. I’m honored to receive the award. I was in a lot of important moves. We were out there and made a race of it.”

Gerald Ciolek (GER), Third Place, Stage 7

T-Mobile Team
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race overall
“I will take home some good impressions of California. It’s a really nice race. I’d like to compete here next year, and maybe come here for training. It’s well organized; many, many people come here to watch the race; it’s good.”

Michael Rogers (AUS), Seventh Place, Stage 7

T-Mobile Team
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race overall
“It’s superb. I think 99 percent of the races could learn a lot from the organization here. This is my second time here, and I’ll be back again next year for sure.”

Jonathan Vaughters (USA), Manager

Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle, Team Manager
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race overall
“It’s been great. The organization level, the crowd level, the enthusiasm surrounding it…it’s on par with the Grand Tours around the world. The atmosphere isn’t that of real excitement (at other races), but at this race the fans are like those at the Tour de France. The fans are ecstatic. After watching this race it shocks me that cycling isn’t bigger in the US. It’s enormously exciting …If we could build this race up to a three week tour, why would we even go race in Europe?”

Shawn Hunter

President AEG Sports, Race Presenters
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On AEG’s commitment to cycling
"In only its second year, the Amgen Tour of California continues to grow as the largest cycling event in America, and we've been proud to host the best field of cyclists ever to race on U.S. soil. We love this sport, and we are committed to making it bigger and better every year to come. We want this race to be as important on U.S. soil as the Tour de France is in that country one day." On the success of the race
“We’ve had 16 days of racing and 16 days of sunshine. I heard someone say, ‘God must be a cyclist.’ The race was exciting from start to finish. The communities did a wonderful job. There were close to 1.6 million fans. “

On the future of the Amgen tour of California
“One of the goals of the Amgen Tour of California is to make it has hard as possible on these guys, and secondly we want to showcase the state of California.”

On the possibility of being included in the ProTour
“The first time that would be available is 2009. We want this to be as important of a cycling event on us as the Tour de France.”

Jim Birrell

Race Director, Amgen Tour of California
Stage 7 Post-Race Comments

On the race overall
“We saw more than 4,000 volunteers this year. Our staff has dedicated their heart and soul to help these fine athletes perform.”

 

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LEVI GOLDEN IN 2007
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After eight days leading the peloton of 144 elite, international cyclists that included Olympic medalists and world champions, Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team's Levi Leipheimer (USA) was crowned as champion of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California today with a total time of 24 hours, 57 minutes and 24 seconds. A resident of Santa Rosa, Calif., Leipheimer is the second consecutive Californian to win the title.

"It's one of my most satisfying victories because our team really had to fight hard. I don't know if any other team could have done it besides the Discovery Channel team," said Leipheimer.

The race continued to attract record crowds, besting its own record of 1.3 million fans last year, and shoring its place as the most attended cycling race in the U.S.

"In only its second year, the Amgen Tour of California continues to grow as the largest cycling event in America, and we've been proud to host the best field of cyclists ever to race on U.S. soil," said Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports, presenters of the race. "We love this sport, and we are committed to making it bigger and better every year to come. We want this race to be as important on U.S. soil as the Tour de France is in that country one day."

Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) was one of the cycling fans on hand today, in support of Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer™ complementary initiative.

"The 2007 Amgen Tour of California has been a thrilling race that saw the world's best cyclists battle it out on some of the most punishing and spectacular terrain that California has to offer," said George Morrow, Amgen executive vice president, global commercial operations.

The seventh and final stage of the Amgen Tour of California was held in Long Beach, Calif., with enthusiastic crowds lining the ten laps of a 7.75-mile (12.5 km) circuit.

Leipheimer maintained a 21-second lead over Team CSC's Jens Voigt (GER) in the general classification to put Voigt second overall, with Discovery Channel Pro's Jason McCartney (USA) placing third overall. Team CSC riders took the next three spots, securing a win for Team CSC in the team classification.

"It's been an interesting race, and first of all I want to say the courses are very good. There is great potential in this race. I think it has a big future," said Bjarne Riis, Team CSC's Directeur Sportif.

Agoura Hills, Calif.-based Ivan Dominguez (CUB) of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team won the stage in an electrically charged sprint to the finish. He outpaced Rabobank's Graeme Brown (AUS) and T-Mobile's Gerald Ciolek (GER), who took second and third in the stage.

The attacks in today's stage began within the first minute of racing, and before halfway through the first lap, a breakaway group of seven riders had formed, including Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle's Danny Pate (USA), who was voted by journalists as the Adobe Most Aggressive Rider.

For the first four laps, the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team chased alone, but were eventually joined by Team BMC, then Rabobank and Team CSC. The gap slowly closed, absorbing the breakaway riders by the final lap, when sprinters were moved up to the front of the peloton by their teams for the final sprint to the line.

Team CSC's Juan Jose "J.J." Haedo (ARG) appeared to be boxed in approaching the line and finished tenth in the stage, but claimed the Herbalife Sprints classification jersey. Other jerseys awarded today included the Union Bank Best Young Rider Jersey to Rabobank's Robert Gesink (NED) and the California Travel and Tourism King of the Mountains Jersey to Credit Agricole's Christophe Laurent (FRA).

For full results, archived footage, team information and more, please visit the official race Web site at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Race title sponsor Amgen created the Breakaway from CancerTM initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsorship to the Amgen Tour of California. The initiative raises awareness and funds for vital non profit services and programs supporting people affected by cancer.

"Amgen is proud to sponsor this hugely successful race, which is helping advance the popularity of cycling in America," Morrow added. "As a company dedicated to tapping the power of pioneering science to fight serious illness, we are equally proud of our Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative."

At the conclusion of today's race, in celebration of the initiative, Breakaway from Cancer™ spokesperson and "Grey's Anatomy" television star Patrick Dempsey took the stage to recognize Amgen and the non profit organizations that are benefiting from the initiative this year: The National Coalition of Cancer Survivorship, the oldest survivor led advocacy organization in the nation, and The Wellness Community, an international organization dedicated to providing support, education and hope to people affected by cancer.

"I'm pleased and proud to be a part of the Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative as it raises awareness and funds for the extremely valuable resources and services offered by both The Wellness Community and The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship," said Dempsey.

"Through the Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative, Amgen, The Wellness Community and The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship have reached hundreds of thousands of people with hope and information about vital services for those affected by cancer," said Cynthia Schwalm, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. "We plan to continue the Breakaway from CancerT initiatives throughout the year and will continue to raise awareness and support for organizations that provide support and resources for people affected by cancer."

For the latest information on the Breakaway from Cancer initiative and ways to support those living with the illness, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

 

LEVI LEIPHEIMER HANGS ON TO OVERALL LEAD
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After facing the brutal Sierra Road Category 1 climb approaching San Jose, Team CSC won its second consecutive stage with Jens Voight (GER) dominating most of the 94.8-mile (152.2km) stage with a time of 3:43.44 to best Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team's Levi Leipheimer (USA). Predictor-Lotto's Chris Horner (USA) rounded out the top three.

As expected, the Sierra Road climb separated the riders and shook up the general classification. With Santa Rosa's Leipheimer retaining the overall leader position by three seconds, Voigt and Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis' Rory Sutherland (AUS) overtook second and third place respectively. San Jose's Ben Jacques-Maynes of the Priority Health team entered the day's stage in third place heading into his hometown, but faltered to finish 3 minutes and 3 second behind the leaders, falling to 38th place overall. Nine riders failed to cross the finish line within the qualifying time and were eliminated from the race.

"Today was an incredible day for the sport, both in terms of the competition, as well as the enthusiasm the fans showed from Stockton to San Jose," said Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports, presenters of the race. "When the peloton came over Sierra Road, it was like parting the red sea to get through all the fans. After a day like this, no one can argue that there is an enormous appetite for cycling in America." Voigt rode with a breakaway that formed within the first five miles and quickly opened a gap that grew to five minutes by mile 55. Seventeen riders were in the breakaway, spurred on by Voigt, who in addition to the stage win was awarded the Adobe Most Aggressive Rider Jersey and the Herbalife Sprint Jersey. The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, encouraged by words from Lance Armstrong following in a team car, battled to contain the deficit.

"Today was a bike ride. It was a huge battle; it was war out there," said Leipheimer, who talked with Lance Armstrong throughout the race for encouragement. "He [Lance] understands that today was a real battle. He was 100 percent behind us cheering us on. It really made everyone dig, so it was special."

Seventy-three miles into the race, at the start of the decisive Sierra Road climb, which gained about 1,700 feet (518 m) in 3.9 miles (6.3 km), the hard-charging peloton was only one minute behind the breakaway.

Discovery Channel Pro riders George Hincapie (USA) and Ivan Basso (ITA) launched Leipheimer's attack as he pursued the leaders up the climb, and the entire field exploded under the pressure of the 10%+ gradient.

Predictor-Lotto's Chris Horner of Bend, Ore., and Rabobank's Robert Gesink (NED) managed to keep Leipheimer's wheel, and the trio caught Voigt a little more than halfway up. Voigt and another breakaway rider, Leipheimer's teammate Jason McCartney (USA), hung onto this speeding trio and a group of five crested the summit together.

In only four miles on Sierra Road the race changed almost beyond recognition. A group of 12 riders containing the world champion, Team CSC's Paolo Bettini (ITA), followed the new leading group over the summit, about 30 seconds back. But the leaders descended faster on the narrow roads, and by the bottom, with only 12 miles (20km) remaining to the finish, the group had a lead of about one minute over a chase group that had grown to 27 riders. With the large chase group bearing down hard on the leaders, it was a frantic flight into downtown San Jose. With a little under two miles to go, Leipheimer attacked the group, and a counter attack quickly came from Voigt. But what brought a gasp from the large crowd watching the closing miles on the big screen at the finish was the sight of the main group swinging around a corner, catching the breakaway with less than 30 seconds behind the leaders. Leipheimer led the charge into the finishing straight, but Voigt came around him and powered to the win. The time bonuses Voigt picked up during the day - three seconds for winning an intermediate sprint at Livermore and 10 seconds for the line honors - put him within easy reach of Leipheimer for the time trial. With no intermediate or finish sprint time bonuses on the 135-mile Stage 4, this sets the stage for a nail-biting time trial on Friday - provided that there is not another successful breakaway like today. Neither of the current lead contenders is willing to commit to a prediction about the conclusion of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California. "Sure, we've got a fair chance, but also Levi's got a fair chance. He's a great rider, and it was only 15 seconds to the group behind us... it's hard to say where it goes from here," said Voigt. Leipheimer was of a similar mind: "Jens Voigt can time trial pretty well. I'm a long way from the overall victory... I would've liked to have got to the finish with a minute over the group." Today's King of the Mountain Jersey was awarded to Quick Step-Innergetic's Jurgen Van de Walle (BEL). The Union Bank Best Young Rider jersey went to Predictor-Lotto's Matthew Lloyd (AUS). Title sponsor Amgen will hold another "Breakaway Mile" tomorrow on the final mile of the course before the peloton streaks into San Luis Obispo. "Amgen continues to seek meaningful ways to communicate the progress we have made discovering and developing innovative and vital medicines to treat serious illnesses," said George Morrow, executive vice president, global commercial operations, Amgen. "Through the Amgen Tour of California sponsorship, we are raising awareness of the medical breakthroughs possible through biotechnology while creating the Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative to further support cancer patients and caregivers."

STAGE 4 PRESENTED BY ADT TOMORROW:
Thursday, Feb. 22 - Seaside to San Luis Obispo (132.6 mi/213.4 km)
Live Race Coverage
Estimated Start Time: 10 a.m.
Estimated Finish Time: 3:20-4:20 p.m.

The remarkable views of Stage 4 will make it a favorite for riders and spectators alike. Beginning in Seaside with a short neutral lap and traveling along a similar route to last year's Stage 4, the peloton will head south on scenic Highway 1 where the mountains and redwood forests flank the Pacific Ocean. At more than 130 miles and with three KOMs, this is the longest stage of the race and will test the riders on consistently hilly and technical terrain. The six-hour day will take the riders through Big Sur and by Hearst Castle before shifting inland toward the finish at the intersection of Osos and Monterey in San Luis Obispo.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, team and course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race Web site at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

 

 

 

 

RABOBANK'S GRAEME BROWN WINS STAGE ONE
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Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California from Sausalito to Santa Rosa ended in a dramatic photo finish win of two centimeters by Rabobank's Graeme Brown (AUS) following a crash on the second circuit around downtown Santa Rosa.

An earlier crash about 70 miles into the race resulted in one of the race favorites, Team CSC's Dave Zabriskie, being forced to abandon the event. He was taken to a local hospital for tests and has been released in good condition with a mild concussion and no fractures or other injuries.

Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) retained the Amgen Leader's Jersey after a determined dash over the final 30 miles, which was spearheaded by his teammate, Italy's Ivan Basso, to catch a breakaway group of four talented climbers.

"Ivan Basso was ripping it up. I am very proud, very honored to have him lead me into my home town. It feels great (to put on the leader's jersey) here in my home town. I did that last year, and I've been looking forward to repeating that," said Leipheimer.

Rabobank's Graeme Brown (AUS) won the bunch sprint to claim the stage win from T-Mobile Team's Greg Henderson (NZL), with Discovery Channel Pro's Allan Hansen (AUS) placing third.

An undulating 97.1-mile (156.3 km) course with several stiff climbs, including one category four and one category three climb, combined with unrelenting cross-headwinds of 10-15 mph to present a formidable challenge for the peloton.

King of the Mountain contenders Quick Step-Innergetic's Juergen Van de Walle (BEL) of Belgium, and Team Slipstream presented by Chipotle Tom Peterson (USA), of North Bend, Wash., initiated the key attack of the day at 64 miles (103km), taking a group of four away from the peloton on the second King of the Mountain competition climb - a steep Category 3 ascent that rose 827 feet (252m) in only 1.5 miles (2.4km).

Van de Walle went on to say, "If you look at the field in this race, it is the best field before the ProTour races start. I hope we can build on this."

The race came back together shortly before entering Santa Rosa for three laps of a 2.9-mile (4.9km) circuit. After one lap, a rider's hand slipped off the handlebars, which resulted in a large crash. No one was seriously injured, but the delay resulted in the panel of Commissaires determining that the finishing circuits would be neutralized.

Thomas Peterson (Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle) moved into the lead of the King of the Mountains classification. Allan Davis (Discovery Channel Pro) took the lead in the Sprint classification. The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team leads the overall team classification. T-Mobile Team's Greg Henderson and Discovery Channel Pro's Allan Davis took second and third in the stage respectively.

"Today is what cycling is all about. It was war out there," said Levi Leipheimer. "The crowd that came out was amazing; it was top-notch. I knew when we came into Santa Rosa that there would be a lot of people, but I didn't know it would be that many. For the crowd to come out like that in the U.S. is special."

Top-three general classification leaders after today are Leipheimer, Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle's Jason Donald in second and Priority Health Cycling Team's Benjamin Jacques-Maynes in third.

In addition to the exciting race finish, today's event included a special ride by local cancer survivors who cycled the final mile before the peloton came into the final circuits.

Amgen created the Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Last year, through the Breakaway from Cancer effort, Amgen raised more than $1 million to support The Wellness Community (TWC), an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people affected by cancer. This year, the initiative expanded and also benefits the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country.

Today's 'Breakaway Mile' took place at the finish line of the Amgen Tour of California, prior to the exciting conclusion of the professional race. The one-mile ride was led by Santa Rosa-area cancer survivors Marilyn Butcher and Bob Hammer. Butcher rode on a tandem bike paired with Amgen scientist Dr. Astrid Ruefil-Brasse who plays a crucial role in developing innovative medicines. Following Butcher and Hammer were each survivor's peloton, comprised of caregivers, family members and health care professionals who supported their win against cancer.

"Breakaway from Cancer is an integral grassroots component of the Amgen Tour of California that benefits cancer patients across the country," said Cynthia Schwalm, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. "We honor the courage of patients and their caregivers in their fight against cancer and are proud to sponsor our partners, The Wellness Community and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. The cancer survivors who were featured today during the 'Breakaway Mile,' along with their supporters and Amgen scientists, are an example of what we can do working together as a team to fight the war against cancer."

For the latest information on the Breakaway from Cancer campaign and ways to support those living with the illness, visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com.

STAGE 2 PRESENTED BY OLEVIA TOMORROW:
Tuesday, Feb. 20 - Santa Rosa to Sacramento
Estimated Start Time: 10 a.m.
Estimated Finish Time: 2-3 p.m.

Just 12 miles from the start, the peloton will face Trinity Road, one of the toughest climbs of the entire race. The peloton will pass through Sonoma and Napa wineries, Winters and Davis, which was recently crowned the best cycling town in the USA by Bicycle Magazine. The race will end with circuits at Capital Mall in Sacramento.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, team and course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race Web site at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

 

HOMETOWN HERO LEVI LEIPHEIMER WINS PROLOGUE IN
SAN FRANCISCO FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
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For the second consecutive year, Santa Rosa resident Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) rode to victory during the 2007 Amgen Tour of California Prologue stage before an enthusiastic crowd that San Francisco city officials estimated to be between 280,000 to 300,000 fans.

Reaching Coit Tower from San Francisco's famed Embarcadero in a record time of 4:49.05, Leipheimer will once again proudly ride into Santa Rosa wearing the Amgen Leader's Jersey when Stage 1 takes the riders from Sausalito to Santa Rosa Monday morning.

Among the record crowds, cycling fan Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) was on hand in support of race sponsor Amgen's complementary initiative, Breakaway from Cancer™.

Fitting for the largest sporting event in the state, two California cyclists placed in the top three. Behind Leipheimer, Jason Donald (Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle) took second place, followed by San Jose resident Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell). Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (USA) leads the general team classification after today with a total time of 14:45.

"I want to thank the city of San Francisco for having us back. They are an amazing host," said Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports, presenters of the race. "As we launch America's most important cycling race, we give our commitment to the million-plus spectators who will witness our event, the more than 100 million who will tune in on TV and to our Web site and 144 of the best cyclists ever, that not only will we present a first-class race but we will stay focused on making the Amgen Tour of California a race as respected worldwide as the Tour de France and other Grand Tours."

A 180-degree wind shift after the first 30 minutes of racing put the later riders at a disadvantage. The final rider of the day, Leipheimer rode hard into the wind to best last year's time of 4:53.43 by about 4 seconds for the 1.92 mile-course (3.1km), which ended with a steep climb to the San Francisco landmark, Coit Tower.

"This gives me the opportunity to wear the leader's jersey into my hometown of Santa Rosa," said the jubilant 33 year-old who stated in the pre-race press conference that doing so in this race one year ago had provided him with one of the best days of his career. "This race ranks up there with some of the best on a very short list in the world. It looks good for American cycling."

Early in the day, the seventh rider to start, neo-pro Jason Donald (Team Slipstream presented by Chipotle), from Winter Park, Colo. surprised everybody by posting a time of 4:50.97. Neither the road cycling world champion, Italy's Paolo Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic), who placed 122nd with a time of 5:31.57, nor the time trial world champion, Switzerland's Fabien Cancellara (Team CSC), who placed fifth with a time of 4:55.09, could better Donald's remarkable ride. San Jose's Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell), the second rider to start, surprised himself by finishing third today, with a time of 4:54.22.

Other pre-race favorites included Discovery Channel Pro's George Hincapie, who finished ninth (4:57:238) and Ivan Basso, who finished 23rd (5:03:351) in his return to racing, and Team CSC's Bobby Julich, who finished 22nd (5:03:221), and Dave Zabriskie, who finished 14th (4:59:169).

Title sponsor Amgen is continuing its complementary Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative in 2007.

"Our mission is to serve patients. Since our founding in 1980, Amgen has used the power of pioneering science to fight serious illness," said George Morrow, executive vice president, global commercial operations, Amgen. "The Amgen Tour of California sponsorship provides us with opportunities to raise awareness of the many medical advances made possible through biotechnology, and to provide additional support to people affected by cancer through our Breakaway from CancerT initiative."

Amgen created the Breakaway from CancerT initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. As a result of last year's Breakaway from Cancer effort, Amgen provided more than $1 million to The Wellness Community (TWC), an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people affected by cancer. This year, the initiative expanded and also benefits the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country. Patrick Dempsey, whose mother is a two-time cancer survivor, is also the initiative's spokesperson and attended today's race.

"I'm excited to be in San Francisco to help kick off the Amgen Tour of California as part of my participation in the Breakaway from Cancer initiative," said Patrick Dempsey. "Just as it takes a team approach to win a professional cycling race, it takes a team of health care providers, caregivers and supporters to beat cancer. The Breakaway from Cancer initiative connects people affected by cancer with services and programs that make a difference."

STAGE 1 PRESENTED BY HERBALIFE TODAY
Monday, Feb. 19 - Sausalito to Santa Rosa
Estimated Start Time: 11 a.m.
Estimated Finish Time: 3-4 p.m.

Stage 1 will bring the cyclists 96.8 miles from Sausalito to Santa Rosa. In 2006, Santa Rosa set the mark for one of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the entire race. Best viewing spots will include: the start in Sausalito near Spinnaker restaurant; the finish on Third Street in Santa Rosa; the sprint lines in Point Reyes and Bodega Bay; the climb up Coleman Valley Road; and Occidental as the race comes down the hill into town.

For full results, archived footage, GPS data, rider bios, course information, race play-by-play and more, please visit the official race website at www.amgentourofcalifornia.com