Kristin Armstrong, team leader of Exergy Twenty12 professional cycling team and pre-race favorite, crashed at the halfway point of the Prologue course in the 180-degree turn just beyond the Boise Train Depot. The 2008 Olympic gold medalist finished the race in obvious pain, and holding her left shoulder, just eight seconds behind the winner for 13th place.

More to come...

Results - Prologue: Boise (ITT - 3.2km)
1. Tara Whitten (Can) Team TIBCO - To the Top - 0:04:09.64
2. Gillian Carleton (Can) Canadian National Team - 0:00:00.34
3. Clara Hughes (Can) Team Specialized-lululemon

General Classification After Prologue
1. Tara Whitten (Can) Team TIBCO - To the Top - 0:04:09
2. Gillian Carleton (Can) Canadian National Team
3. Clara Hughes (Can) Team Specialized-lululemon - 0:00:01
4. Ina Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon - 0:00:03
5. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon
6. Alison Powers (USA) NOW and Novartis for MS
7. Shara Gillow (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS - 0:00:04
8. Jade Wilcoxson (USA) Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies - 0:00:06
9. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Team Specialized-lululemon
10. Amber Neben (USA) Team Specialized-lululemon - 0:00:07

Prologue Gallery

Los Angeles, CA – After eight epic days of racing along some of California’s most iconic roadways, highways and coastlines, the 2012 Amgen Tour of California concluded at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles, with Rabobank’s Robert Gesink of the Netherlands winning the overall crown.

Sunday’s Stage 8 route, the final stage of the eight-day, nearly 750-mile race, took cyclists from Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills to L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles where massive crowds lined the streets. In one of the fastest races ever on American soil, rising superstar Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas-Cannondale won Stage 8, claiming his fifth win of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California, a historic first for an American race. Tom Boonen (BEL) and Gerald Ciolek (GER), both of Omega Pharma-QuickStep, came in second and third, respectively.

For Gesink, the win marked a both a remarkable comeback and bittersweet win in remembrance of his father, who passed away after a cycling accident in October 2010.

“I dedicate this win for my father,” said Gesink, who said his father attended the 2009 Amgen Tour of California to see his son place 8th overall and win the race’s Best Young Rider jersey that year. “For me emotionally it is something really big to be back at this high level and to win a stage here, the toughest stage of all. It’s a good thing to be back in California and to be winning again.”

American teammates David Zabriskie and Tom Danielson of the Garmin-Barracuda team took second and third place overall. It was Zabriskie’s fourth second-place finish in America’s Greatest Race, having finished second in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012.

“Sure, I’d like to win, doesn’t anyone?,” said Zabriskie. “But it was a good tour for the Garmin-Barracuda team.”

“Emotionally, the time trial was the high point,” continued Zabriskie. “I came through with a win there and it was really, really good; really strong. I knew what I had to do yesterday at Mt. Baldy. I didn’t quite have it because this guy [Sagan] is really, really strong.”

Meanwhile, RadioShack-Nissan-Trek took the overall team competition; Sagan won the Visit California Sprint Jersey; Canada’s Sebastian Salas of team Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies won the Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey; the Netherlands’ Wilco Kelderman of Rabobank won the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey; New Zealand’s Jeremy Vennell of Bissell Pro Cycling won the Exergy Most Aggressive Jersey; while Australian Robbie McEwen, who announced earlier this year that the 2012 Amgen Tour of California would be his last professional race, won the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey.

“I’ve had a fantastic run; pain and suffering too,” said McEwen. “I had a terrific send-off in Australia and a fantastic send-off here in California, so I really appreciate it. This was a good race to pick as my last because I suffered so much this week I won’t miss it. “I was really pleased to be included in the final presentation on the podium and receive the beautiful work of art that signifies my career. And, to have so many people thank me for riding my bike was really amazing.”

Founded by Amgen in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California, Breakaway from Cancer continues to raise awareness of the important resources available to people impacted by cancer – from prevention to survivorship.

As part of the today’s race activities, Los Angeles resident professional vocalist and cancer survivor Julie Delgado sang the National Anthem and fired the official start gun.

And, Santa Monica cancer survivor Danielle McLaughlin was honored and celebrated today at the final Breakaway Mile, a special one-mile walk that crosses the finish line to honor the millions of cancer survivors worldwide. McLaughlin was selected for her work advocating for young adults with cancer and her extraordinary accomplishments as a paratriathlete. McLaughlin is currently the National and World Paratriathlon Champion for Female Below-Knee Amputees.

During the Breakaway Mile, McLaughlin was joined by approximately 150 community members – cancer survivors, patients, caregivers, and advocates – and Joseph Miletich, senior vice president of Research & Development, Amgen, who plays a crucial role in developing innovative medicines to treat cancer and other serious illnesses.

“The 17,000 staff members at Amgen come to work every day motivated by the chance to make a dramatically improve people’s lives,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “As a company dedicated to helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease and other serious illnesses, Amgen is proud to sponsor the Amgen Tour of California and pleased to have the opportunity to help increase awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer through our Breakaway from Cancer initiative.”

Tony Hooper, executive vice president, Global Commercial Operations, Amgen, today presented the overall race leader jersey to 2012 Amgen Tour of California winner Gesink.

Before the start of yesterday’s stage, which routed cyclists from Ontario to the top of Mt. Baldy, the race was anyone’s game. After a climactic finish atop Mt. Baldy, in which Gesink outclimbed Colombian Jhon Atapuma of Colombia-Coldeportes with less than one kilometer to the finish, Gesink had all but wrapped up his place as overall race leader.

Signaling from the start that this would not be a typical “parade stage,” Michael Creed (USA) from Optum Powered by Kelley Benefits Strategies attacked off the front early in the stage. But it was a break including the following seven riders that stuck and gained a 45-second lead: American Ben Jacques-Maynes; Rory Sutherland (AUS) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team; Thomas Dumoulin (NED) of Team Argos-Shimano; Scott Zwizanski (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelley Benefit Strategies; Morgan Schmitt (USA) of Team Exergy; Jasper Stuyven (BEL) of Bontrager Livestrong; and Nathan Haas (AUS) of Garmin-Barracuda. It was Gesink’s Rabobank Cycling Team that worked hard at the front of the peloton.

With the gap holding at 35 seconds, the riders entered the finishing circuits in downtown Los Angeles. Sutherland, Schmitt and Jacques-Maynes swept the intermediate sprint points as the gap was reduced to 25 seconds. With four laps to go, GreenEDGE moved to the front of the peloton. The breakaway group stayed steady with the seven initial riders, but the gap was closed to 15 seconds.

With two laps to go, Garmin worked up to the front, and Omega Pharma-QuickStep began working Boonen, the world’s No. 1-ranked cyclist, up as well. As the riders neared the finish, the attacks started flying, but it was only Haas’ that stuck, gaining a 17-second advantage on the pack. However, Liquigas-Cannondale and Rabobank moved to the front the peloton, and Hass was eventually caught.

Sagan’s team began pushing him to the front, and although Boonen had a great lead, it was Sagan who, once again, outsprinted everyone to capture the Stage 8 win.

“First, I’d like to congratulate all the riders, especially Robert [Gesink] from Rabobank who showed tremendous courage to come back from his injury last year to be a worthy winner of the Amgen yellow jersey” said Kristin Bachochin, executive director of the race and senior vice president of AEG Sports. “What a fantastic week of racing we have had. We witnessed the blossoming of a future cycling superstar in Peter [Sagan], who was unstoppable in the sprints. I don’t think anyone is as fast as him. We couldn’t have asked for a better week to showcase professional cycling in America, all against the beautiful scenery of the state of California.”

In addition to the professional race, for the first time in race history, fans lined up at the race’s official Stage 8 finish to ride a portion of the route on a 5-mile, closed-circuit course just before the pros raced on the very same roads. The ‘Nissan Ride Before the Pros’ drew 10,000 participants, including families, cycling fans and cycle club teams to L.A. LIVE for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which was led off by Los Angeles Kings Hall of Famer and current president of business operations Luc Robitaille. Robitaille was joined by former Los Angeles Galaxy soccer superstars Cobi Jones and Chris Klein.

Results - Stage 8 - Los Angeles (72km)
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale - 1:27:36
2. Tom Boonen (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
3. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quickstep

Final General Classification
1. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 30:42:32
2. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:46
3. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:54
4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:01:17
5. Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia - Coldeportes - 0:01:36
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:02:13
7. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 0:02:30
8. Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:02:49
9. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:02:54
10. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:03:05

Final Jersey Winners
Amgen Leader - Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
Visit California Sprint - Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
Nissan King of the Mountain - Sebastian Salas (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies
Rabobank Young Rider - Wilco Kelderman (NED) of the Rabobank Cycling Team
Exergy Most Aggressive Rider - Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) Colombia - Coldeportes
Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider - Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan

Photo: Leonard Basobas/LB Photos

The 24-year old Italian was undaunted and steadfast in his pursuit of a victory in front of his home crowd as he went off the front early on 172 kilometer stage. Breakaway companion, Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R La Mondiale), was not as fortunate as he was dropped halfway through the stage and swallowed up by the chase group behind. Bonnafond ultimately finished in 106th on the day.

As determined as Rabottini was to take the stage, Rodriguez was his equal in fighting for his place atop the General Classification. Having won the maglia rosa on Stage 10 only to lose it on Stage 14 to Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda), Rodriguez made sure he not only reclaimed the pink leader's jersey, but padded his lead heading into the second rest day.

Rodriguez now sits 30 seconds ahead of Hesjedal and 1 minute and 22 seconds in front of Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) on the General Classification.

Results - Stage 15 - Busto Arsizio - Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli (172km)
1. Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia - 5:15:30
2. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
3. Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:23

General Classification After Stage 15
1. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 65:11:07
2. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:30
3. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:01:22
4. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 0:01:26
5. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team - 0:01:27
6. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD - 0:01:36
7. Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team - 0:01:42
8. Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling - 0:01:55
9. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:02:12
10. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat - 0:02:13

Jersey Leaders After Stage 15
maglia rosa - Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda
maglia rosso passione - Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
maglia azzurra - Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
maglia bianca - Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling

Next: Rest Day 2; Tuesday, May 22nd, Stage 16 - Limone sul Garda - Falzes/Pfalzen (174km)

Photo: Associated Press/Mattia D'Alberto

Mt. Baldy, CA – After what can only be described as an epic battle to the 6,445-foot summit atop Mt. Baldy, Robert Gesink (NED) of the Rabobank Cycling Team emerged victorious and took over the race lead, outclimbing two Colombia-Coldeportes riders to take the Stage 7 win of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California.

The 25-year-old Dutch rider, who suffered a serious four-place fracture in his leg last September, took the leader’s jersey from American David Zabriskie of Garmin-Barracuda, by making up 39 seconds while adding another 46 to his lead going into the final day’s finish in at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 20. Zabriskie, who has finished second overall in the 2006, 2007 and 2010 editions of the Amgen Tour of California, slipped into second overall, while his American teammate Tom Danielson climbed from 7th to 3rd overall with their finishes Saturday. American Tejay van Garderen of the BMC Racing Team entered the day in second place, but lost two places and out of podium range after Saturday’s stage.

“I am very happy to take the stage victory, and of course am very happy with the effort the team put in,” said Gesink, who finished 6th overall and wore the Best Young Rider Jersey in the 2010 Tour de France while only a 23-year-old. “We started riding very early because we saw [Chris] Horner in the first group. A guy who does an attack like that has to be a really big rider to make a race as he did today. It was an incredible chase today; everyone was suffering. On the last climb I decided to go with five kilometers left. I think I looked back and the remaining group was small; it worked out perfectly. In the end, I was happy to take the stage victory. It’s a great day for me and also for my sponsor, Robobank.”

Gesink overtook Jhon Atapuma (COL) of Colombia-Coldeportes with a little under 1 kilometer to the finish on Saturday, crossing the finish line first after a stage that took the cyclists 78.3 miles from Ontario to the top of Mt. Baldy. Atapuma’s teammate and fellow Colombian, Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo, finished third.

Defending Amgen Tour of California champion Chris Horner (USA) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek rode alone with Atapuma for more than 20 miles during Saturday’s race, but faded in the final three miles to finish in sixth place on the day. Danielson finished in fifth place, moving him to third place overall.

What the stage lacked in distance, it more than made up for in vertical climbs, featuring two brutal King of the Mountains (KOM) at Glendora Ridge Road and Glendora Mountain Road and 15 switchbacks before the finish. Compared to the epic stages of the European Grand Tours, Stage 7 of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California routed cyclists from the city of Ontario to the top of Mt. Baldy.

As with yesterday, the attacks started early after the official start of the race. Initially, it was Jens Voigt (GER) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek and Dries Devenyns (BEL) of Omega Pharma-QuickStep that took off in front of a break of about 10 riders, but Devenyns dropped back and Voigt was joined by Michael Matthews (AUS) of the Rabobank Cycling Team and Bontrager Livestrong’s Nathan Brown (USA).

About eight kilometers from the first KOM of the day, there was a big group off the front with a one minute, 10 second advantage on the peloton. The group consisted of Voigt, Horner, George Bennett (NZL), Gregory Rast (SUI), all of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek; Timothy Duggan (USA) of Liquigas-Cannondale; Maxime Bouet (FRA) and Mikael Cherel (FRA) of AG2R La Mondiale; Marc De Maar (AHO) and Bradley White (USA) of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team; Atapuma; Alexandre Geniez (FRA) of Team Argos-Shimano; Lucas Euser (USA) of Spidertech Powered by C10; Christopher Baldwin (USA) of Bissell Pro Cycling; and Brown.

Points for the first KOM competition of the day went, in order, to Bennett, Voigt, Horner and White, and as the riders descended the twisty and technical road, the gap was at one minute, 45 seconds. The Rabobank Cycling Team, Garmin-Barracuda and Omega Pharma-QuickStep were taking turns at the front the group, and the gap held at two minutes. Shortly thereafter, Euser and White dropped from the break, leaving the initial eight riders.

Horner and Atapuma began working alone at the front of the break, while the rest continued to chase or dropped back to the main group. With a three minute, 40 second lead, they continued on as BMC Racing Team worked at the front the peloton for teammate van Garderen (USA). Atapuma and Horner were the first riders of the second KOM of the day, followed by Duggan and De Maar. With 20km from the finish, Atapuma and Horner’s lead held steady at two minutes, 25 seconds.

The two leaders continued to work together as they headed toward the base of Mt. Baldy one minute, 25 seconds ahead of the nearest chasers. The BMC Racing Team continued to push the pace at the front of the peloton. As Atapuma attacked and Horner responded, Gesink moved out in front of the peloton, attempting to catch the race leaders alone. He was followed by Danielson and van Garderen. Gesink and Danielson rode ahead of van Garderen, with Gesink just 35 seconds behind Atapuma.

Moving swiftly up the hill, Gesink dropped Danielson, then caught and passed Horner, but Horner didn’t give up easily, hanging onto Gensink’s wheel. Meanwhile, Arevalo began moving up, passing van Garderen and charging upwards. With less than one kilometer to go, Gesink passed Atapuma. Atapuma answered the attack, but was no match for Gesink, who crossed the line first.

“It was a very hard day,” said Atapuma during the post-race press conference. “I got in the break and I was looking at [Chris] Horner when I attacked so I could stay in his wake and contest for a stage win until the last climb. Then I moved away from Horner and couldn’t get the stage win. But, for our team to get second and third in a tough stage, and in such an important race, is a very good result anyway.”

Results - Stage 7 - Ontario - Mt. Baldy (126km)
1. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 3:37:08
2. Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) Colombia - Coldeportes
3. Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia - Coldeportes - 0:00:14

General Classification After Stage 7
1. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 29:14:52
2. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:46
3. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:54
4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:01:17
5. Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (Col) Colombia - Coldeportes - 0:01:36
6. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:02:13
7. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 0:02:30
8. Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:02:49
9. Tiago Machado (Por) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:02:54
10. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:03:05

Jersey Leaders After Stage 7
Amgen Leader - Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
Visit California Sprint - Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
Nissan King of the Mountain - Sebastian Salas (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies
Rabobank Young Rider - Wilco Kelderman (NED) of the Rabobank Cycling Team
Exergy Most Aggressive Rider - Darwin Atapuma Hurtado (Col) Colombia - Coldeportes
Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider - Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan

“Amgen is proud to be part of this amazingly successful race, which is helping advance the popularity of cycling in America while also helping increase awareness of the resources that are available to those affected by cancer,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “The Breakaway from Cancer nonprofit partners collectively offer people affected by cancer a broad range of support services complementing those provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals.”

Founded by Amgen in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsorship of the Amgen Tour of California, Breakaway from Cancer continues to raise awareness of the important resources available to people impacted by cancer – from prevention to survivorship.

As part of the today’s race activities, Ontario resident and cancer survivor Ruben Estrada fired the official start gun, and Mike Monroe had the honor of awarding Horner with the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider jersey. In fact, Monroe designed this year’s Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider jersey.

“As an avid cyclist, I’m well aware of how great an event the Amgen Tour of California is, and I’m blown away by being selected as the winner of the jersey design contest,” explained Monroe. “The biggest honor is to be part of such a great initiative like Breakaway from Cancer. When I first heard of the contest, I was excited to combine my love of cycling and art in the same project. I really wanted to design a piece where the Breakaway from Cancer logo stands out, and I believe my design does that,” Monroe added.

For access to resources or to learn more, visit breakawayfromcancer.com.

Next: Stage 8 - Sunday, May 20 – Beverly Hills to L.A. LIVE Downtown Los Angeles (42.6 mi/68.5 km)
Start Time: 10:10 a.m.
Estimated Finish Time: 11:42 – 11:58 a.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 12:50 – 1:05 p.m. PT

Stage 8 of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will start in what is quite possibly the most quintessential L.A. city – Beverly Hills. A first in the history of the race, the start line will be just across Rodeo Drive, where the Ferraris, Lamborghinis and the occasional Bugatti Veyron will be replaced with Giants, Treks, BMCs, and Specialize bikes. Designer dresses will give way to high-tech lycra.

A quick turn after the start will take the riders onto Santa Monica Boulevard and then north on Doheny Drive into the city of West Hollywood. Following the route of the famous LA Marathon, the race will reach Sunset Boulevard and then make a right turn, heading towards Hollywood. Heads in the peloton are sure to turn as the riders pass the likes of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Kodak Theater, Mann’s Chinese Theater, the intersection of Hollywood and Vine, and the Pantages Theater. The route will then turn southeast and travel past Dodger Stadium.

At Grand and Caesar Chavez avenues, the riders will enter the five-mile long circuit that will take riders through Chinatown, past Los Angeles City Hall, the historic Biltmore Hotel, Disney Hall and the LA Music Center as they race past STAPLES Center and L.A. LIVE to the finish line.

The winner of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will be crowned on a special awards stage in Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE, a suiting location given the countless number of winners who have also tasted victory here, including GRAMMY, American Music Award, Emmy, ESPY, MTV and American Idol winners. At the end of the race, the winner, along with the team who supported him, will take top honors for having survived the longest and most difficult stage race ever contested in the America.

Also taking place tomorrow, for the first time in the race's history, cycling fans and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to participate in the Amgen Tour of California by riding on the actual race course just prior to the eighth and final stage of the 750-mile, Tour de France-style competition.

The 'Nissan Ride Before the Pros,' taking place in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 8-9:30 a.m., will allow cyclists of all levels to ride on a 5-mile, closed-circuit course that will be part of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California's eighth and final stage taking place that same day. Free to participants of all experience levels, the 'Nissan Ride Before the Pros' will begin and end at the official finish line where the professional riders competing in the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will cross to complete the 42.6-mile stage they started in Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive earlier in the day.

Photo: Leonard Basobas/LB Photos

"It is a dream to win in the Giro, especially when it is one of the mountain stages like this," Amador told Cyclingnews. "I am proud. This victory shows that if you work, the results follow. This year I have done many things, mentally and physically."

Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin - Barracuda), who finished just off the day's podium crossing the line 20 seconds behind Amador, reclaimed the overall lead in the battle for the maglia rosa as Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha Team) was unable to keep pace in the closing kilometers.

Results - Stage 14 - Cherasco - Cervinia (205km)
1. Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team - 5:33:36
2. Jan Barta (Cze) Team NetApp
3. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Androni Giocattoli - 0:00:02

General Classification After Stage 14
1. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 59:55:28
2. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:09
3. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:41
4. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat - 0:01:05
5. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:01:06
6. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team - 0:01:07
7. Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team
8. Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling - 0:01:19
9. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD - 0:01:20
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox - 0:01:21

Jersey Leaders After Stage 14
maglia rosa - Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda
maglia rosso passione - Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
maglia azzurra - Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
maglia bianca - Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling

Next: Stage 15 - Busto Arsizio - Lecco/Pian dei Resinelli (172km)

Photo: Associated Press/Daniele Badolato

Big Bear Lake, CA – Sylvain Georges (G2R La Mondiale) soloed to victory on Stage 6 of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California. in thrilling fashion, riding solo out in front of the break for a majority of the finishing stretch and crossing the line in front of thousands of screaming fans who were cheering him on.

The Frenchman, overcome with emotion after such a grueling stage, crossed the line with his hands in the air, but quickly collapsed into the arms of his teammates after holding off a charging peloton that included race leader Dave Zabriskie (USA) of the Garmin-Barracuda team and Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas-Cannondale, who has won four stages of this year’s race and finished second Friday.

“This is the fifth win of my career – but the biggest win of my life,” said Georges at a post-race press conference. “This is also my biggest win with the biggest team I’ve been a part of. I thought I’d tempt fate on the second KOM because I knew I had the legs, and from that point on, it was all or nothing. I held it in my head and was able to hold it until the end.”

With only two stages remaining in this year’s Amgen Tour of California, Zabriskie holds a 34 –second lead over fellow American Tejay van Garderen of the BMC Racing Team heading into Saturday’s decisive mountainous stage from Ontario to the summit of Mt. Baldy.

Stage 6 took riders from Palmdale to Big Bear Lake, repeating a similar route from the 2010 edition of the race. A fan and rider favorite, the stage featured four King of the Mountain (KOM) climbs and two sprints before finishing at the Snow Summit ski area, more than 7,000 feet above sea level.

The attacks came fast and furious at the start of Stage 6 in Palmdale. Right away a break formed, including Gregory Rast (SUI) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek; Mikael Cherel (FRA) and Georges of AG2R La Mondiale; Yukihiro Doi (JPN) of Team Argos-Shimano; David Boily (CAN) of Spidertech Powered by C10; Jeremy Vennell (NZL) of Bissell Pro Cycling; and Andrew Bajadali (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies.

As the break reached the first climb of the day – Mt. Emma – they had a three minute, five second advantage on the peloton. Boily picked up maximum King of the Mountain Points (KOM) after crossing the line first, followed by Sebastian Salas (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies, Bajadali, and Rast. After the decent from Mt. Emma, the break increased their lead over the peloton, stabilizing around seven minutes, 15 seconds about 13 kilometers from the second climb. As the break reached the top, they had increased their lead to a solid eight minutes, as the peloton clipped along comfortably.

At the top of the second KOM, Salas attacked and Boily couldn’t keep up. Bajadali countered, edging out Boily, forcing him to cross the line third, while Rast crossed shortly thereafter. On the decent, the riders picked up speed and the gap narrowed to six minutes, 33 seconds. As the race rolled along Highway 15, there were a few attempted attacks, but none that stuck. The gap stabilized at six minutes, 20 seconds.

Salas drove the break to the top of the third KOM of the day, crossing first, followed by Boily, Bajadali, Doi and Georges, further fueling the fight for overall KOM points between Salas and Boily. After a short sprint competition, the gap was four minutes, five seconds, and Vennell began fading off the break while Boily and Salas turned up the heat as they worked toward the next KOM of the day. Boily couldn’t keep up the rapid pace, leaving Salas to go forward with Georges and Doi. Liquigas-Cannondale, working for initial race leader Sagan, pedaled hard at the front of the peloton.

Salas reached the fourth and final KOM of the day first, all but securing the Nissan King of the Mountain Jersey for good, followed by Georges. The peloton remained behind with a gap of four minutes, 45 seconds, Liquigas-Cannondale still working hard at the front. As the peloton crested the climb, it was Georges who rode out in front solo, with Rast, Salas, Vennell and Doi working together to reel him back. However, Georges worked up a two minute, 10 second lead on Rast and Vennell, and a three minute, 10 second lead over Salas and Doi. The break stayed at five minutes, five seconds ahead of the peloton.

Showing incredible resolve, Georges continued to go it alone at the front, working four minutes, 50 seconds ahead of the peloton. Salas and Doi were pulled back as Pieter Weening (NED) of Orica-GreenEDGE went out on the attack. Garmin-Barracuda and Liquigas-Cannondale continued to work hard at the front of the peloton as Wilco Kelderman (NED) of the Rabobank Cycling Team counterattacked Weening. As the peloton inched closer to Vennell and Rast, Vennell dropped back. Georges was still four minutes, 10 seconds up the road.

Weening caught and passed Rast, so he began working with Kelderman to catch Georges, but there was no catching him. As the chasers were caught, Sagan, Jens Voigt (GER) of RadioShack-Nissan-Trek and Peter Velits (SVK) of Omega Pharma-QuickStep launched one last attack, but Georges remained one minute ahead and crossed the finish line alone, arms raised in triumph.

After a grueling day of racing, Georges walked away with the Stage 6 win, followed by Sagan in second and Velits in third. Georges was also awarded the Exergy Most Aggressive Rider Jersey for his impressive efforts. General Classification standings after Stage 6 remained nearly the same, with Zabriskie in the yellow Amgen Race Leader Jersey, van Garderen in second and Robert Gesink (NED) of the Rabobank Cycling Team moving into third.

“The gap Sylvain was holding was pretty impressive,” said Zabriskie. “A lot of other teams came up to help, and my team was amazing all day. We got the gap down enough in the end. Hats off to this guy [Sylvain Georges].”

When asked about keeping the yellow Amgen Race Leader Jersey, Zabriskie continued, “I expect people to attack me. That’s pretty much the only way they’re going to win. I expect me to try and follow and try to retain this jersey and my dream.”

Results - Stage 6 Palmdale - Big Bear Lake (186.3km)
1. Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale - 5:07:06
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:28
3. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep

General Classification After Stage 6
1. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 25:37:05
2. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:34
3. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 0:00:39
4. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:00:45
5. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:48
6 Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:01:01
7. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:01:07
8. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team - 0:01:10
9. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:01:26
10. Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team - 0:01:30

Jersey Leaders After Stage 6
Amgen Leader - David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda
Visit California Sprint - Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
Nissan King of the Mountain - Sebastian Salas (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies
Rabobank Young Rider - Luke Durbridge (AUS) of Orica-GreenEDGE
Exergy Most Aggressive Rider - Sylvain Georges (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider - Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale

“For more than 30 years, Amgen has tapped the power of pioneering science and innovation to discover and develop innovative human therapeutics,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “That’s why Amgen is proud to sponsor the Amgen Tour of California and to continue Breakaway from Cancer as a vehicle to raise awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer – from prevention through survivorship.”

Amgen created the national Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Through Breakaway from Cancer, Amgen and its four nonprofit partners offer a broad range of support services complementing those provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals.

Today’s activities featured cancer survivor Becky Stafford who fired the official start gun to begin the stage, and cancer survivor Nigel Holland had the honor of awarding Duggan with the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider jersey.

For access to resources or to learn more, visit breakawayfromcancer.com.

Next: Stage 7 - Saturday, May 19 – Ontario to Mt. Baldy (78.3 mi/126 km)
Start Time: Noon PT
Estimated Finish Time: 3:17 – 3:56 p.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:50 – 5:05 p.m. PT

Stage 7 of the Amgen Tour of California will be the ultimate test of the rider’s resolve to capture the Amgen Leader Jersey. It’s been called the “Queen’s Stage” and compared to the epic stages of the European Grand Tours – a return to the mountain top finish that thrilled so many during Stage 7 of the 2011 race.

This is the training ground for many of the local racers in southern California, but only a handful have done the entire route, and none have done it after six days of racing nearly 750 miles. It is very possible that the winner of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will be decided on the final 15 switchbacks to the finish on Mt. Baldy.

The race will begin in the thriving city of Ontario, situated just 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Just a few miles from the start, the riders will start a 13-mile climb to the Village of Baldy. After an acute left, the racers will face another mile of climbing up Glendora Ridge Road to their first of three monster KOMs. From there, they will have 12 miles of narrow and twisting roads that gradually descend to a fast and technical descent down the backside of Glendora Mountain Road. Riders and fans alike can expect spectacular vistas throughout the Angeles National Forest.

Another descent down East Fork will take the riders to Highway 39 and the town of Azusa. Heading east, they’ll race through the City of Glendora for the only Sprint of the day. At this point, the remaining number of flat miles for Stage 7 will have dwindled to less than two,
and there are still nearly 30 miles to the finish.

A left turn onto Glendora Mountain Road and it will be game on. The next KOM will be a nine-mile climb, followed by 12 miles of a slight climb back to Baldy Village. A left turn back onto Baldy Road will see the race gain 1,000 feet in just three miles…and the real climbing has not even started! At Ice House Canyon, the route will make a hard left turn where the sign to the ski area points towards the sky. Over the next 2.5 miles, the riders will face 10 switchbacks on a road that is so steep that many of the race vehicles cannot make it to the top. With 1.2 miles to go, the road will straighten out and the finish will be seen ahead. At .25 miles to go, the route will make a hard left and the racers will face the final five switchbacks to the finish line. This will be the stage where legends are made and winners are decided.

Photo: Reuters/Patrick T. Fallon

Reigning World Champion, Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling), regaled in the maglia rossa passione as the leader in the Points Classification, took the bunch sprint in front of Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team) and his former lead-out man Mark Renshaw (Rabobank Cycling Team) to up his Giro d'Italia stage tally to three, and ten overall.

"Everything turned out perfectly for me in the finale, Cavendish told Cyclingnews. The team did a good job, my friends are very committed, but Geraint and the other lack a bit of experience. Give us a little time and our train will be perfect."

Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha Team) remained in pink for a fourth day.

Results - Stage 13 - Savona - Cervere (121km)
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling - 3:02:07
2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team
3. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team

General Classification After Stage 13
1. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 54:21:15
2. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:17
3. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat - 0:00:26
4. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:32
5. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:49
6. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:52
7. Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team
8. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:57
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:01:02
10. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:01:03

Jersey Leaders After Stage 13
maglia rosa - Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
maglia rosso passione - Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
maglia azzurra - Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
maglia bianca - Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

Next: Stage 14 - Cherasco - Cervinia (205km)

Photo: Associated Press/Gian Mattia D'Alberto

Riders set off at minute intervals in windy hot conditions, the pavement sticky with melting asphalt and the wind blowing like a hot hairdryer. "No free speed on this course," mentioned Armstrong after the race. After the turnaround, Armstrong's endurance began to show, she passed several of her competitors as they began to fade on the demanding course. With a strong finish she sprinted for the line with almost 1:25 back from her nearest competitor Alison Powers. Armstrong's sub 40 minute ride would have placed her 63rd in the men's field.

"I am very pleased with my result, each time trial I approach just as if it were a World Championship, the same preparation, the same focus," commented Armstrong. "Today was no different. This was one of the hardest courses and conditions I’ve done in my 10-year career. The heat was really hard and real heavy. The road was recently repaved and black as black so the heat that came off of that was really hard. It was a true time trial course. A true test of fitness, and I think the strongest person won.”

Armstrong continued, “Having AEG and Amgen bring women in for the time trial, I can’t even thank them enough. It’s so awesome to put women on the same stage as the men. It’s really nice to mix the men and women. I do a lot of World Cups in Europe and just the hype…I really appreciate what everyone has done and all the sponsors that have backed it.”

Results - 2012 Amgen Tour of California Women's Time Trial Race
1. Kristin Armstrong (Exergy TWENTY12) - 39:59.28
2. Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) 41:23.88
3. Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefits Strategies) - 41:58.08
4. Alison Tetrick (Exergy TWENTY12) - 42:09.68
5. Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS) - 42:32.92
6. Tayler Wiles (Exergy TWENTY12) - 43:40.40
7. Emilia Fahlin (Specialized-Lululemon) - 43:42.02
8. Janel Holcomb (Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefits Strategies) - 44:12.46
9. Loren Rowney (Specialized-Lululemon) - 44:15.59
10. Bridie O'Donnell (Vanderkitten-Focus) - 44:23.34

Photos: Wil Matthews (top); Greg Erwin (bottom)

It came as no surprise to see David Zabriskie (Garmin - Barracuda) stop the clock in the Individual Time Trial with the best time. The soft spoken Zabriskie is a master of the discipline as evidenced by the US National Time Trial champion stripes that accent his Captain America kit.

Under cloudless skies and temperatures that reached above 100 degrees, Zabriskie made short work of the rest of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California field as he crossed the line in 35 minutes, 59 seconds to take Stage 5 and the yellow Amgen Race Leader Jersey in Bakersfield. Surprisingly, coming in 23 seconds behind him was Jens Voigt (GER) from RadioShack-Nissan-Trek.

Tejay van Garderen (USA) of BMC Racing Team finished 42 seconds behind Zabriskie and moved into second place overall only 34 seconds behind.

“My house is two hours from here, so I came out in the winter,” said Zabriskie, who is hopeful his result here at the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will bode well for his Olympic ambitions to represent the United States at the London Olympic Games. “I rode it. I videotaped it on the iPad and watched it quite a few times. I knew where I wanted to go hard. I knew when I wanted to go easy – soccer field, petting zoo, make it to the tree line go down easy come up strong. I had a real plan going into this race.”

Zabriskie took over the lead of the eight-day race from Peter Sagan (SVK) of Liquigas-Cannondale, who has dominated the race thus far, holding the Amgen Race Leader Jersey for four days straight. Sagan, who said he “didn’t feel good from the start,” finished the Time Trial in 52nd place with a time of 39 minutes, 26 seconds.

In what many of the cyclists cited as “one of the toughest time trial courses in the history of the Amgen Tour of California”, cyclists raced on an 18.4-mile route that included several 100-foot rollers. As the cyclists neared the finish, they still had one climb to tackle – China Grade – which presented an eight percent climb to the top and then a hard left. Then, the riders faced a slightly uphill, .44-mile run to the finish.

“I spent a lot of time on the time trial bike in training,” said van Garderen when asked about his preparation for today. “The course today was a tough one because there were no corners; pretty much just straight road. Yeah, there were a few ups and downs but the entire time was in the bars with the exception of the final climb. Just staying in that position for that long is hard on your arms, whereas, if you had a few corners you can kind of sit up and take a bit of a breather. So it was on the power the whole time which was really hard.”

Also taking place today was the second annual Amgen Tour of California Women's Time Trial Race, presented by SRAM. Using the same course as the professional men, the women’s event featured 10 of the world’s best female cyclists, including American Olympic hopeful Kristin Armstrong (USA), who rides for the Exergy TWENTY12 team. It was Armstrong who finished with the best time of 39 minutes, 59 seconds. Alison Powers (USA) of the NOW and Novartis for MS placed second with a time of 41 minutes, 23 seconds, and Jade Wilcoxson (USA) of Optum Pro Cycling Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies took third with a time of 41 minutes, 58 seconds.

Results - 2012 Amgen Tour of California Women's Time Trial Race
1. Kristin Armstrong (Exergy TWENTY12) - 39:59.28
2. Alison Powers (NOW and Novartis for MS) 41:23.88
3. Jade Wilcoxson (Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefits Strategies) - 41:58.08
4. Alison Tetrick (Exergy TWENTY12) - 42:09.68
5. Robin Farina (NOW and Novartis for MS) - 42:32.92
6. Tayler Wiles (Exergy TWENTY12) - 43:40.40
7. Emilia Fahlin (Specialized-Lululemon) - 43:42.02
8. Janel Holcomb (Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefits Strategies) - 44:12.46
9. Loren Rowney (Specialized-Lululemon) - 44:15.59
10. Bridie O'Donnell (Vanderkitten-Focus) - 44:23.34

“This was one of the hardest courses and conditions I’ve done in my 10-year career,” said Armstrong. “The heat was really hard and real heavy. The road was recently repaved and black as black so the heat that came off of that was really hard. It was a true time trial course. A true test of fitness, and I think the strongest person won.”

Armstrong continued, “Having AEG and Amgen bring women in for the time trial, I can’t even thank them enough. It’s so awesome to put women on the same stage as the men. It’s really nice to mix the men and women. I do a lot of World Cups in Europe and just the hype…I really appreciate what everyone has done and all the sponsors that have backed it.”

Results - Stage 5 - Bakersfield (ITT - 29.7km)
1. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:35:59
2. Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:23
3. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:34

With Stage 5 favoring the General Classification hopefuls, all came out to play and as such the equivalent of a golf tournament's "moving day" occurred. The race of truth proved to be decisive as Zabriskie now leads the race in first place, followed by van Garderen in second and Robert Gesink (NED) of the Rabobank Cycling Team. Previous race leader Sagan now sits in 31st place.

When asked if he was going to fight to keep the Amgen Race Leader Jersey, Zabriskie responded, “Definitely. I’m not going to lie down and give it away. David Zabriskie is going to fight until he’s lying on the ground almost dying. To win would be the biggest win in my life, my career. It would be amazing; definitely not an easy thing to come by. It would be a beautiful thing.”

General Classification After Stage 5
1. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 20:29:31
2. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:34
3. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team - 0:00:39
4. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:48
5. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:00:49
6. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:01:01
7. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:01:07
8. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team - 0:01:10
9. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:01:26

Jersey Leaders After Stage 5
Amgen Race Leader - David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Barracuda
Visit California Sprint - Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
Rabobank Best Young Rider - Luke Durbridge (AUS) of Orica-GreenEDGE
Nissan King of the Mountain - Sebastian Salas (USA) of Optum Powered by Kelly Benefit Strategies
Amgen Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider - Markel Irizar Arranburu (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan
Exergy Most Aggressive Rider - Yannick Eijssen (BEL) from BMC Racing Team

With no Sprint or King of the Mountain (KOM) competitions today, Sagan will now wear the Visit California Sprint Jersey.

As part of the today’s race activities, Bakersfield resident and cancer survivor Ann Press fired the official start gun and had the honor of awarding Arranburu the Amgen Breakaway from Cancer Most Courageous Rider jersey.

“Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world fight cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease, and other serious illnesses,” said Stuart Arbuckle, vice president and general manager, Amgen Oncology. “Through the Amgen Tour of California sponsorship, we are able to raise awareness of the contributions the biotechnology industry makes toward advances in medicine while also helping those impacted by cancer through Breakaway from Cancer.”

Amgen created the national Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Breakaway from Cancer is a collaboration between Amgen and four nonprofit organizations – Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. These organizations offer a broad range of support services complementing those provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals. For access to resources or to learn more, visit breakawayfromcancer.com.

Earlier in the day, an amateur time trial was held, which was won by Roger Martin of Danville, Calif., who crossed the line with a finish time of 43 minutes, 13 seconds. He was followed by American sportscaster for cycling Craig Hummer, who finished of 43 minutes, 24 seconds.

Stage 6 - Friday, May 18 – Palmdale to Big Bear Lake (115.7 mi/186.3 km)
Start Time: 10:25 a.m. PT
Estimated Finish Time: 2:59 – 4:21 p.m. PT
Satellite Feed Time: 4:50 – 5:05 p.m. PT

After a hiatus during the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, Big Bear Lake is back on the race map, challenging riders to face a daunting Stage 6, which will kick off the race’s first and only “Daily Double”: Big Bear Climb and Mt. Baldy (on Stage 7). If the 2010 route was a killer, this slightly toned down route will be a crusher. Stage 6 will be all about strategy as the riders will still be feeling the sting of the Bakersfield Time Trial from the day before. Will riders leave it all on the mountain climbs on Friday in hopes they can survive the brutal ascent to Mt. Baldy on Saturday? Or will they match the move of their nearest rivals and let Mt. Baldy decide the ultimate winner of the Amgen Leader Jersey?

After a cruise down historic Sierra Highway, the racers will head into the Angeles National Forest. After a short stretch on Angeles Forest Highway, the route will turn onto Mt. Emma Road. Following the first climb of the day and then a descent to Fort Tejon Road, the first KOM at Mountain High ski area will be reached via a 12-mile climb to a 7,000-foot summit at Angeles Crest Highway. There will be a brief respite as the riders descend into Wrightwood and then over to Highway 138. The route will once again go vertical as it passes through Crestline and Lake Arrowhead, and then onto the Rim of the World Highway. Entering the Big Bear area, the riders will take the northern route around Big Bear Lake and then tackle the last ascent to the finish at a more than 7,000-foot elevation at the Snow Summit ski area.

Photo: Leonard Basobas/LB Photos

A third of the way into the 157 kilometer Stage 12, a group of nine, including Lars Bak (Lotto Belisol), Sandy Casar (FDJ-BigMat), Ivan Santaromita (BMC), Jan Bakelants (RadioShack-Nissan), Amets Txurruka (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Andrey Amador (Movistar), Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela), Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), finally broke free from the restraints of the peloton.

Each would take his chances over the course of the next 107 kilometers, but a well-timed, late attack by Lars Bak decided the stage's final outcome. The 32-year old Dane soloed across the line in Sestri Levante to take his first grand tour victory. Casar and Amador would round out the podium.

By virtue of his second place, Casar vaulted up the overall standings into third, just 26 seconds in arrears of current maglia rosa wearer Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha Team).

Results - Stage 12 - Seravezza - Sestri Levante (157km)
1. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol Team - 3:58:55
2. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat - 0:00:11
3. Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar Team

No General Classification After Stage 12
1. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 51:19:08
2. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:17
3. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat - 0:00:26
4. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:32
5. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:49
6. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:52
7. Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team
8. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:57
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:01:02
10. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:01:03

Jersey Leaders After Stage 12
maglia rosa - Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
maglia rosso passione - Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
maglia azzurra - Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
maglia bianca - Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

Next: Stage 13 - Savona - Cervere (121km)

Photo: Associated Press/Fabio Ferrari