May 19, 2010 (Bakersfield, CA) – With the sun hanging high in a flawless blue sky, enthusiastic crowds turned out in Visalia for at the start of today’s race to watch the peloton of world-famous cyclists, including defending champion Levi Leipheimer (USA) and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong (USA) of Team RadioShack, lined up at the start line. Equally impressive crowds lined the streets in Bakersfield to witness the incredible sprint to the finish line that saw Peter Sagan (ITA) of Liquigas-Doimo take his first stage win in the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. (Sagan also was awarded the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey for the previous three days as well.)

Stage 5 (121.5 miles/195.5 km) took the riders through the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley and into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. After the neutral start in Visalia, the cyclists headed due south through Exeter and Lindsey and up the narrow and twisty Old Stage Road; the day’s first of two KOMs. The race got to a rough start, with a big crash less than thirty minutes after the start in Visalia as the road narrowed heading out of town, that included Leipheimer and Armstrong, along with several other riders. Proving to be a devastating crash to the group, Stuart O’Grady (AUS) of Team Saxo Bank and Armstrong abandoned the race to secure medical attention (both are being treated for their injuries and will not be returning to the race). Heinrich Haussler (GER) of Cervélo TestTeam abandoned the race shortly after as well, but had not been involved in the crash.

With incredible crowds lining the street, the first sprint of the day took place in Lindsay and was taken by Robbie Hunter (RSA) of Garmin-Transitions, followed by Michael Rogers (AUS) and Mark Cavendish (GBR) both of HTC-Columbia. About 20 miles into the stage, Thomas Leezer (NED) of Rabobank and Davide Cimolai of Liquigas-Doimo broke away from the pack, creating a small gap, but were quickly swallowed back up. Shortly after, another breakaway formed that included Marcus Berghardt (GER) of BMC Racing Team, Tony Martin (GER) of HTC-Columbia and Jeremy Hunt (GBR) of Cervélo TestTeam and as the group neared the second sprint of the day additional riders joined to form a break of 15.

The second and final sprint of the day in Porterville was nabbed by Karl Menzies (AUS) of UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis, followed by Jeremy Powers (USA) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda and Martin. In a chase led by HTC-Columbia, the break of 15 was brought back in, which was promptly followed by several counter attacks until one finally took, which included Paul Mach (USA) of BISSELL, Ben Day (AUS) of Fly V Australia, Grischa Nierman (GER) of Rabobank, Mark Renshaw (AUS) of HTC-Columbia, Kurt Hovelynch (BEL) of QuickStep and Will Dicksen (AUS) of Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda.

Continuing on to Bakersfield, the route headed into the Kern River oil field, the fifth largest in the United States, where the riders encountered several short, steep climbs. The route then took the riders further inland to tackle the narrow and twisty Old Stage Rd. climb (Cat. 3 – 3,345 ft.), which was taken by Mach, followed by Nierman and Hovelynch. The breakaway powered on, but an elite chase group led by Team RadioShack was following at about four minutes behind. As the riders continued on the way to the final climb of the day, Round Mountain Rd. (Cat. 4 – 1,421 ft.), which was just 21 miles from the finish line in Bakersfield, different teams took turns leading the chase group. From the apex of the final climb, the cyclists will be able to look down onto the finish at Bakersfield College. On the ascent, Day took the opportunity to launch an attack and pulled out ahead of the breakaway, followed closely by Renshaw, but they were caught by the remainder of the breakaway on the descent.

The final obstacle of the day was a 10 percent climb up China Grade, which was part of two finishing circuits in Bakersfield. With one lap to go Day pulled away from the group and the rest were caught by the chase, but at the base of the grade on the final circuit, he too was absorbed by the group. In an all out sprint to the finish, Liquigas-Doimo pushed Sagan to the front for the win, followed by Rogers in second and David Zabriskie (USA) of Garmin-Transitions, who started the day as the race’s overall leader, in third.

“It was a pretty tough day today with the hard climb, the strong wind and the breakaway that got away. With two laps to go, it was Liquigas-Doimo and Garmin-Transitions who did the work to bring it back,” said Sagan. “Dave Zabriskie took off early in the sprint and with a couple meters to go. It was the right moment and I found a gap.”

There were several changes in the jerseys today, with Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer® Most Courageous Rider Jersey going to Day, the Herbalife Sprint Jersey going to Sagan, and the Amgen Race Leader Jersey changing hands from Zabriskie to Rogers. The other jersey winners remain unchanged with Sagan in the Rabobank Best Young Rider Jersey and Ryan Anderson (CAN) of Kelly Benefit Strategies in the California Travel & Tourism King of the Mountains (KOM) Jersey.

“Once again, my team delivered for me pretty well. I’m very happy to put on the Amgen Leader Jersey…and every second counts,” said Rogers.

Result

1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 4:52:28
2. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
4. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
5. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team
6. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
7. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack
8. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions
9. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
10. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
11. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
12. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
13. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
14. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
15. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank
16. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
17. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
18. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
19. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia
20. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
21. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team
22. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team
23. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia
24. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
25. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1
26. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell
27. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
28. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step
29. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
30. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 0:13
31. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:30
32. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia 0:32
33. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia
34. Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
35. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo
36. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank 0:37
37. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:43
38. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 0:48
39. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:50
40. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia
41. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank
42. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 1:27
43. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Radioshack
44. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team 1:45
45. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 2:01
46. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions 2:13
47. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step 2:44
48. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team
49. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team
50. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
51. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell
52. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia
53. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack
54. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
55. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions
56. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 3:27
57. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 4:04
58. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
59. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 6:23
60. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 9:14
61. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia 0:27:34
62. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
63. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank
64. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Team HTC-Columbia
65. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
66. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
67. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell
68. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
69. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
70. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team
71. Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team
72. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
73. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1
74. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
75. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
76. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
77. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
78. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo
79. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
80. Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
81. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
82. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
83. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team
84. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
85. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team
86. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1
87. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step
88. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
89. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack
90. Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
91. Cody O’reilly (USA) Bissell
92. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
93. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
94. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
95. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell
96. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
97. Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
98. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
99. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions
100. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
101. Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
102. Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
103. Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
104. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
105. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda
106. Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
107. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
108. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Cervelo Test Team
109. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
110. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
111. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
112. Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
113. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step
114. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step
115. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team
DNF Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Fly V Australia
DNF Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team
DNF Daniel Holloway (USA) Bissell
DNF Stuart O’grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank
DNF Lance Armstrong (USA) Team Radioshack

GC after Stage 5

1. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 22:56:59
2. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Transitions
3. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack 0:10
4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Doimo 0:15
5. Marc De Maar (Ned) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:28
6. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Transitions 0:31
7. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Team Radioshack
8. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis
9. Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack
10. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
11. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Transitions
12. Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team HTC-Columbia
13. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank
14. Phil Zajicek (USA) Fly V Australia
15. Steve Morabito (Swi) BMC Racing Team
16. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 1:48
17. Lucas Euser (USA) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
18. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell
19. Christopher Jones (USA) Team Type 1 2:01
20. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 3:10
21. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 3:12
22. Francesco Bellotti (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 3:15
23. Tony Martin (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 3:17
24. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 3:18
25. Brian Vandborg (Den) Liquigas-Doimo 4:10
26. Paul Mach (USA) Bissell 4:37
27. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 5:32
28. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 5:33
29. David Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 9:09
30. Bernard Sulzberger (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:10:29
31. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Cervelo Test Team 0:11:56
32. Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:12:27
33. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Team Type 1 0:13:22
34. Benjamin Day (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:14:06
35. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell 0:14:29
36. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:16:37
37. Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Spa) Quick Step 0:16:57
38. Jonathan Cantwell (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:17:27
39. Christopher Butler (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:18:08
40. Aaron Kemps (Aus) Fly V Australia 0:18:27
41. Thomas Peterson (USA) Garmin-Transitions
42. Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank 0:18:38
43. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:19:10
44. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Team Radioshack 0:22:11
45. Charles Dionne (Can) Fly V Australia 0:24:14
46. Darren Lill (RSA) Fly V Australia 0:25:41
47. Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Team Radioshack 0:28:05
48. Francois Parisien (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
49. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team HTC-Columbia 0:29:35
50. Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team 0:29:47
51. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:31:32
52. Max Jenkins (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:33:41
53. Matthew Crane (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:34:30
54. Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank 0:34:35
55. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Garmin-Transitions 0:34:47
56. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:35:25
57. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin-Transitions 0:36:08
58. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) Team HTC-Columbia 0:36:29
59. Kurt Hovelynck (Bel) Quick Step 0:36:42
60. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:37:18
61. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team HTC-Columbia 0:37:25
62. Jason Mccartney (USA) Team Radioshack 0:37:38
63. Simon Zahner (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:38:03
64. William Dickeson (Aus) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:41:12
65. Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz) Team Radioshack 0:41:32
66. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:41:35
67. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:42:55
68. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:45:25
69. Robert Britton (Can) Bissell 0:45:51
70. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 0:46:00
71. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team 0:46:14
72. Karl Menzies (Aus) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 0:46:54
73. Davide Frattini (Ita) Team Type 1 0:46:59
74. Will Routley (Can) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:47:45
75. Ryan Anderson (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:48:22
76. Reid Mumford (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:48:53
77. Bernard Van Ulden (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:49:17
78. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Quick Step 0:49:48
79. Oscar Pujol Munoz (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 0:56
80. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank 0:54:34
81. Andrew Randell (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 0:54:44
82. Michael Friedman (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:54:46
83. Peter Latham (Nzl) Bissell
84. David Veilleux (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:56:01
85. Maarten Tjallingii (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:56:06
86. Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team 0:57:51
87. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) BMC Racing Team 0:59:08
88. Alex Candelario (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies 0:59:14
89. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
90. Steven Cozza (USA) Garmin-Transitions 0:59:16
91. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Presented by Kenda 0:59:25
92. Kevin Hulsmans (Bel) Quick Step 0:59:59
93. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:00:43
94. Mark Cavendish (Gbr) Team HTC-Columbia 1:01:13
95. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 1:01:22
96. Bradley White (USA) Unitedhealthcare Presented by Maxxis 1:01:27
97. Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo 1:01:32
98. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Quick Step
99. Ken Hanson (USA) Team Type 1
100. Theo Bos (Ned) Cervelo Test Team
101. Martin Gilbert (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
102. Neil Shirley (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies
103. Zachary Bell (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies
104. Andy Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell
105. Bruno Langlois (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy
106. Cody O’reilly (USA) Bissell
107. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team HTC-Columbia 1:01:51
108. Guillaume Boivin (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 1:01:52
109. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
110. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank 1:02:08
111. Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step 1:02:17
112. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 1:02:52
113. Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Cervelo Test Team 1:03:01
114. Eric Boily (Can) SpiderTech p/b Planet Energy 1:03:45
115. Javier Megias Leal (Spa) Team Type 1 1:04:23