February 23, 2007 (Solvang, CA) — Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) pedaled to a dominating time trial win today and expanded his race lead in the windy fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California.

Leipheimer, the last of 127 cyclists on the 23.4-kilometer course, posted the fastest halfway split and then increased his pace to complete the route in 29 minutes, 40.44 seconds and at an average speed of 47.325 kph.

Germany’s Jens Voigt (CSC), who began the stage in second place and trailing Leipheimer by three seconds, finished second 18 seconds behind in 29:58.51. American Jason McCartney (Discovery Channel) was third in 30:05.14.

Steady winds hindered the field for much of the first half of the course, and the lead riders, who started in two-minute intervals, encountered headwinds of more than 35 kph.

Fabian Cancellara (CSC) of Switzerland, the reigning time trial world champ, finished fourth in 30:17.91.

Leipheimer, a three-time top-10 Tour de France finisher, now leads the second-year race by 21 seconds over Voigt with two stages of the eight-day race remaining. McCartney is third overall, 54 seconds behind.

Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net), the top Canadian finished 17th in the stage in 31:18.35 and dropped from seventh to 10th overall and trails by 1:57. Fellow Canuck, Michael Barry (T-Mobile), who placed 60th today in 32:41.77, is 54th overall and trails by 6:50. Charles Dionne (Can) Coalavita/Sutter Home was 81st in the stage in 33:26.19 and is 114th overall.

Leipheimer won the prologue in San Francisco last Sunday by one second but hadn’t yet won a stage while maintaining a slim lead through the five stages.

The 1,029-kilometer race continues Saturday with Stage 6, a 169.6-kilometer road road race from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita.

The Amgen Tour of California concludes with the seventh stage circuit race Sunday in Long Beach, Calif. The winner earns $15,000, plus various daily stage and bonus money, from a total purse of $165,000.

Results

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 29.40.44 (47.32 km/h)
2. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 0.18.07
3. Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.24.70
4. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 0.37.47
5. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.40.10
6. Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 0.41.86
7. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 0.56.66
8. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC 0.59.95
9. Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.02.66
10. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 1.14.17
11. Michael Rogers (Aus) T-mobile 1.14.86
12. Tom Zirbel (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 1.16.43
13. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 1.18.45
14. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.19.99
15. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 1.20.37
16. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1.20.54
17. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 1.37.91
18. Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 1.38.24
19. Jakob Piil (Den) T-mobile 1.43.05
20. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 1.47.06
21. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 1.47.82
22. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 1.50.76
23. Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-mobile 1.51.46
24. Christopher Horner (USA) Predictor-Lotto 1.53.29
25. Glen Alan Chadwick (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1.53.69
26. Christophe Kern (Fra) Credit Agricole 1.57.36
27. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1.59.44
28. Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick Step 2.00.72
29. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 2.01.49
30. Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 2.03.04
31. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota United Pro 2.07.23
32. Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 2.10.34
33. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2.13.06
34. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 2.13.86
35. Viktar Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.15.36
36. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC 2.17.34
37. Justin England (USA) Toyota United Pro 2.20.95
38. Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 2.24.93
39. Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2.28.22
40. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto 2.30.76
41. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 2.35.26
42. Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor-Lotto 2.36.73
43. Grischa Jan Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 2.38.52
44. Adam Hansen (Aus) T-mobile 2.38.80
45. Darren Lill (RSA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.39.66
46. Peter Hatton (Aus) Colavita Sutter Home 2.40.06
47. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 2.40.13
48. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC 2.41.07
49. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas 2.42.93
50. Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank 2.45.16
51. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.47.71
52. Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.48.38
53. Christophe Laurent (Fra) Credit Agricole 2.48.73
54. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota United Pro 2.48.81
55. Alejandro Acton (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home 2.49.66
56. Greg Henderson (NZl) T-mobile 2.50.76
57. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 2.54.35
58. Nicolar Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 2.56.12
59. Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 2.56.56
60. Michael Barry (Can) T-mobile 3.01.33
61. Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 3.01.97
62. Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 3.02.16
63. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 3.05.33
64. Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 3.07.78
65. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 3.10.18
66. Philip Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 3.10.47
67. Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 3.11.31
68. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota United Pro 3.12.72
69. Bart Dockx (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 3.17.82
70. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank 3.19.49
71. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) T-mobile 3.21.50
72. Brian Sheedy (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 3.21.84
73. Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step 3.24.54
74. William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 3.31.05
75. Shawn Milne (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 3.32.15
76. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Slipstream powered by tle 3.39.36
77. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step 3.39.15
78. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 3.40.08
79. Ian McKissick (USA) BMC 3.41.08
80. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 3.41.42
81. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita Sutter Home 3.45.75
82. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Quick Step 3.52.33
83. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 3.55.04
84. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Credit Agricole 3.55.37
85. Russell Downing (GBr) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 3.57.68
86. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole 3.59.01
87. Aaron Olson (USA) T-mobile 4.00.78
88. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota United Pro 4.01.15
89. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC 4.03.42
90. Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 4.04.14
91. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC 4.05.88
92. David Vitoria (Swi) BMC 4.07.02
93. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 4.07.06
94. Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA National team 4.10.82
95. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas 4.12.13
96. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Toyota United Pro 4.14.23
97. Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 4.19.40
98. Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 4.21.43
99. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 4.22.70
100. Alexander Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 4.24.46
101. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step 4.28.71
102. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 4.35.27
103. Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 4.36.14
104. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC 4.37.25
105. Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 4.41.86
106. Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 4.42.82
107. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 4.49.97
108. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 4.53.12
109. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank 4.53.36
110. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC 4.58.22
111. Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 4.58.35
112. Nicolas Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 5.02.08
113. Nic Ingels (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 5.02.55
114. Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5.07.38
115. Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner 5.09.92
116. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home 5.10.06
117. Caleb Manion (USA) Toyota United Pro 5.11.66
118. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 5.15.06
119. Charly Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 5.23.16
120. Brian Dziewa (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5.33.23
121. Michael Sayers (USA) BMC 5.35.89
122. Ken Hanson (USA) BMC 5.35.92
123. Caleb Fairly (USA) USA National team 5.39.88
124. Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 5.44.08
125. Michael Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 5.45.96
126. Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 6.01.13
127. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 6.18.56

GC after Stage 5

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 18.21.52
2. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 0.21
3. Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.54
4. Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC 1.06
5. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC 1.2
6. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 1.24
7. Michael Rogers (Aus) T-mobile 1.34
8. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 1.38
9. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 1.41
10. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 1.57
11. Christopher Horner (USA) Predictor-Lotto 2.09
12. Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-mobile 2.16
13. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
14. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.19
15. Jakob Piil (Den) T-mobile
16. Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole 2.21
17. Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 2.31
18. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota United Pro
19. Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick Step 2.37
20. Glen Alan Chadwick (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 2.38
21. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2.44
22. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 2.5
23. Justin England (USA) Toyota United Pro 2.51
24. Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 2.54
25. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas 3.1
26. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
27. Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor-Lotto 3.11
28. Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
29. Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank 3.19
30. Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 3.31
31. Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 3.35
32. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank 3.36
33. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 3.43
34. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 3.55
35. Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 4.02
36. Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.26
37. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 4.28
38. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Quick Step
39. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step 4.31
40. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 5.14
41. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 5.16
42. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 5.26
43. Christophe Kern (Fra) Credit Agricole 5.29
44. Viktar Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 5.54
45. Adam Hansen (Aus) T-mobile
46. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto 5.58
47. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 6
48. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 6.02
49. Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 6.2
50. Darren Lill (RSA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 6.22
51. Christophe Laurent (Fra) Credit Agricole
52. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC 6.23
53. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 6.26
54. Michael Barry (Can) T-mobile 6.41
55. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 6.5
56. Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step 7.01
57. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Slipstream powered by potle 7.10
58. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 7.3
59. Russell Downing (GBr) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 7.32
60. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
61. David Vitoria (Swi) BMC 7.41
62. William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 7.42
63. Peter Hatton (Aus) Colavita Sutter Home 7.47
64. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC 8.2
65. Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 8.25
66. Ian McKissick (USA) BMC 8.33
67. Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 9.19
68. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 9.2
69. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 9.55
70. Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 10.05
71. Aaron Olson (USA) T-mobile 10.19
72. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 10.2
73. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 11.31
74. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 11.39
75. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 12.09
76. Greg Henderson (NZl) T-mobile 13.11
77. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) T-mobile 13.59
78. Shawn Milne (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 14.22
79. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas 14.36
80. Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 14.37
81. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
82. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole 15.18
83. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 15.29
84. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Credit Agricole 15.49
85. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota United Pro 16.19
86. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 16.3
87. Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA National team 16.57
88. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC 17.3
89. Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 17.43
90. Grischa Jan Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 18
91. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 18.1
92. Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 18.16
93. Tom Zirbel (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 18.24
94. Philip Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 18.3
95. Nicolar Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 18.32
96. Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 18.37
97. Bart Dockx (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 18.41
98. Charly Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 19.01
99. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step 19.54
100. Alexander Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 20.04
101. Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 20.08
102. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank 20.13
103. Nicolas Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 20.4
104. Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner 20.5
105. Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 21.52
106. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota United Pro 22.06
107. Nic Ingels (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 22.08
108. Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 22.33
109. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC 22.41
110. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 22.45
111. Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC 23.12
112. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota United Pro 23.26
113. Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 23.37
114. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita Sutter Home 23.51
115. Caleb Manion (USA) Toyota United Pro 24.06
116. Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 24.08
117. Alejandro Acton (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home 25.01
118. Brian Sheedy (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 25.03
119. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Toyota United Pro 25.25
120. Michael Sayers (USA) BMC 26.29
121. Caleb Fairly (USA) USA National team 26.36
122. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 27.45
123. Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 28.41
124. Michael Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 28.57
125. Brian Dziewa (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 29.09
126. Ken Hanson (USA) BMC 29.46
127. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home 29.51