February 18, 2007 (San Francisco, CA) – Welcome to our on line “live update” coverage of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California. The eight-day, 1,029-kilometre event begins shortly with a 3.1-kilometer Prologue in San Francisco under blue skies with scattered clouds and a slight breeze. The field of 144 riders from 18 teams will start in one-minute intervals, with the exception of the final 10 riders who will start with two-minute intervals.

Canada’s Charles Dionne (Colavita/Sutter Home) rides at 2:39 p.m., Michael Barry (T-Mobile) at 3:04 p.m. and Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net) at 3:11 p.m. local time. Jean Marc Marin (Credit Agricole) of France is the first rider scheduled to depart at 1 p.m. while the USA’s Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel), the defending Prologue stage winner (4.53.43 last year), will be the last starter beginning at 3:32 p.m.

1:00 p.m. PST
The Prologue began with Credit Agricole’s Jean Marc Marino as the first rider off… Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health followed soon after.

1:25 p.m. PST
Through the first 30 riders, American Jason Donald (Slipstream), the seventh rider on the course, has set the early Prologue pace, with a finishing time of 4:50.49 seconds. A sporadic crowd is watching the event from the start with the biggest gathering, several rows deep, watching on the Telegraph Hill climb to Coit Tower.

2:06 p.m. PST
After 60 riders have completed the Prologue course, Jason Donald (Slipstream) continue to hold the fastest time with a posting of 4:50.49. American Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health) has the second-fastest time, 4: 51.22, with Australian Rory Sutherland (Health Net) in third with 4:55. David Zabriskie (USA) CSC is now on the course.

2:20 p.m. PST
We’re halfway through the field and the times seem to be slowing. Michael Rasmussen (DEN) Rabobank, the 69th rider out and former world time trial champion, finished in 5:35, more than 30 seconds slower than leading finisher, American Jason Donald (Slipstream), who was the eighth rider on the course. The top-three leading times remain unchanged.

1. Jason Donald (USA) Slipstream 4:50.49
2. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health 4:51.22
3. Rory Sutherland (AUS) Health Net 4:55

2:41 p.m. PST
American David Zabriskie (CSC), who finished second in the GC last year and is the leading returning rider in the race (Floyd Landis won the ToC last year), has broken into the top 5 with a 4:58 finish. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel just finished in 4:57, one position ahead Zabriskie.

3:10 p.m. PST
The relatively unknown Jason Donald (USA) Slipstream continues to lead as Canada’s Michael Barry (T-Mobile) and road world champ Paulo Bettini (Quickstep) are on course.

1. Jason Donald (USA) Slipstream 4:50.49
2. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health 4:51.22
3. Rory Sutherland (AUS) Health Net 4:54.7
4. Adam Hansen (T-Mobile) 4:54.8
5. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (COL) Rabobank 4:55
6. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) CSC
7. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators
8. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators 4.57
9. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC
10. David Zabriskie (USA) CSC
11. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) CSC
12. Tom Danielson (USA) Discovery

3:20 p.m. PST
We’re into the final 25 riders of the day. Michael Barry (T-Mobile) of Canada has just finished in 5:20. No changes still among the top-3 times, but the field’s strongest riders are still to come with American defending prologue stage winner Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel scheduled to ride at 3:32. Reigning world champ Paolo Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic) has just finished in 5:31. Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net) is on course.

3:30 p.m. PST
Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net) finishes in 4:58! The last top riders are starting two minutes apart now – Chris Baldwin (USA) Toyota, “Fast” Freddie Rodriguez (Predictor-Lotto), Bobby Julich (CSC), Rabobank’s Robert Gesink, Mick Rogers (T-Mobile) and Discovery’s Levi Leipheimer (USA).

3:40 p.m. PST
Baldwin comes up short in 5:03 and so does Rodriguez with a time of 5:07. CSC’s Bobby Julich has just finished in 5:03 like Balwin – and the remaining riders are on the course.

3:45 p.m. PST
Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel, the last of 144 riders, has won the prologue with a finishing time of 4:49.50 and led an American top-three sweep. Jason Donald (Slipstream), of Brighton, Colo., who set the early pace as the eighth rider on the course, finished second in 4:50.49, with Ben Jacques Maynes (USA) Priority Health of San Jose, Calif., in third at 4:51.22.

Leipheimer of Santa Rosa, Calif., a three-time top-10 finisher at the Tour de France, also won the prologue last year in the inaugural Tour of California, and finished sixth overall.

Results (partial)

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery 4.49.05
2. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream 0.01.45
3. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health 0.05.18
4. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Maaxis 0.05.62
5. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) CSC 0.06.05
6. Adam Hansen (Aus) T-Mobile 0.06.55
7. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank 0.07.86
8. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 0.07.91
9. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery 0.08.19
10. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance 0.08.25
11. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net Maaxis 0.08.96
12. Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile 0.09.51
13. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC 0.10.10
14. David Zabriskie (USA) CSC 0.10.12
15. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance 0.10.23
16. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) CSC 0.10.37
17. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery 0.10.78
18. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Maaxis 0.12.57
19. Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream 0.13.10
20. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 0.13.31
21. Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance 0.13.68
22. Bobby Julich (USA) CSC 0.14.17
23. Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery 0.14.30

90. Michael Barry (Can) T-Mobile 0:31
133. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita/Sutter Home 0:49

GC

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery 4.49
2. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream 0.01
3. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health 0.05
4. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Maaxis 0.06
5. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) CSC 0.06
6. Adam Hansen (Aus) T-Mobile 0.07
7. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank 0.08
8. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance 0.08
9. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery 0.08
10. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance 0.08
11. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net Maaxis 0.09
12. Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile 0.1
13. Jens Voigt (Ger) CSC 0.1
14. David Zabriskie (USA) CSC 0.1
15. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance 0.1
16. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) CSC 0.1
17. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery 0.11
18. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Maaxis 0.13
19. Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream 0.13
20. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 0.13
21. Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance 0.14
22. Bobby Julich (USA) CSC 0.14
23. Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery 0.14