The lead grows for Leipheimer
SOLVANG -- Levi Leip- heimer bounced through the windy turbulence of the Amgen Tour of California cycling time trial course Friday with a bit of a smile and absolute purpose.
The 34-year-old from Santa Rosa, who rides for Kazakhstan’s Astana team, won the 15-mile time trial in 30 minutes 46.803 seconds and widened his overall lead to 49 seconds over British national champion David Millar, who rides for Slipstream-Chipotle.
Millar finished second in the time trial, 29 seconds behind Leipheimer. Millar’s teammate, Christian Vandevelde, another American, was third, 45 seconds behind Leipheimer.
Barring an unexpected bad patch of riding by Leipheimer and his support team, he is expected to defend his Tour of California title when the race ends Sunday at the Rose Bowl. Today’s sixth stage goes from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita.
Leipheimer, who finished third at last year’s Tour de France while competing for the since-disbanded U.S. Discovery Channel team, gave an impassioned speech after Friday’s stage on behalf of Astana. Last week, the Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), which runs the Tour de France and several other major European races, banned Astana from competing in this July’s Tour.
Astana made an embarrassing exit from last July’s race after several riders, including star Alexandre Vinokourov, were accused of doping. But Astana was only one of several teams to have faced doping scandals during the world’s biggest race. Yet only Astana, with all new riders and a new management structure, has been banned from the Tour.
Leipheimer asked Tour de France officials to reconsider their decision. “We’re pleading to them, pleading our case,” he said. “Logically, after looking at all the facts, everyone knows this is a completely different team. My best cycling years are right now. I’ve worked my whole life to get to the Tour de France and they are taking away the opportunity for someone who’s dreamt about this his whole life.”
Pat McQuaid, president of the international cycling federation known as UCI, also spoke Friday in defense of Astana and Leipheimer. The UCI is in a power struggle with ASO over who will control the sport that, despite constant doping scandals, is growing in race viewership and worldwide participation.
McQuaid supported Leipheimer.
“I think it’s a completely unjustified decision,” McQuaid said. “It’s not consistent. The people who made the decision aren’t cyclists and have never been cyclists. It’s unsporting and against fair play. All I can say is, UCI will fight this decision right until the first of July.”
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
UP NEXT: STAGE 6
*--* STAGE 5 Rider, From Time Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa 0:30:47 David Millar, Britain 0:31:16 C. Vandevelde, Lemont, Ill. 0:31:32 Gustav Larsson, Sweden 0:31:44 Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland 0:31:51 *--*
*--* OVERALL Rider, From Time Levi Leipheimer, Santa Rosa 21:14:52 David Millar, Britain 0:49 behind C. Vandevelde, Lemont, Ill. 1:08 Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland 1:18 Gustav Larsson, Sweden 1:19 *--*
* Today: The riders will traverse 105 miles from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita. The route takes them over four categorized climbs before finishing with a three-lap circuit in Santa Clarita.