February 24, 2007 (Santa Barbara, CA) — Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery likely won the Tour of California with his animated four-hour ride today, but it didn’t occur without damage.

Juan Jose Haedo (CSC) emerged from a large pack sprint to claim the 169.6-kilometer road race sixth stage from Santa Barbara by half bike length with a time of 3:56.5. It was Haedo’s fourth stage win in total at both editions of the Amgen Tour of California.

Greg Henderson (T-Mobile) of New Zealand was second today and current world road champion Paolo Bettini (Quick-Step/Innergetic) was third with the same time.

Leipheimer, who has been in yellow since he won the prologue last Sunday, finished 25th in the main group and still has a 21-second margin over Jens Voigt (CSC) of Germany going into the final stage tomorrow.

Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Health Net) is showing great form and is poised for a top-10 finish. Fellow Canucks Michael Barry (T-Mobile) Charles Dionne (Colavita/Sutter Home) are in 48th and 112th respectively among the remaining field of 118.

Several teams, including CSC who hoped to advance Voigt, tried to reduce the leader’s margin and two of Leipheimer’s teammates crashed while protecting it.

Discovery’s George Hincapie, a double-stage winner at last year’s inaugural Tour of California, and Tony Cruz, both went down in the first few kms of the stage. Both riders finished, but Hincapie, a 10-time Tour de France finisher, was later diagnosed with a broken left wrist and will not race tomorrow. Cruz has severe bruises, but is still scheduled to ride.

“The other teams came out to crack the race leader,” said Leipheimer. “That’s expected. I’ve been on the other side so I know what it’s like. But there’s a reason why this team has won seven Tours de France. It knows what it’s doing. You could see it how their faces at the finish how hard they worked.”

Leipheimer’s team and its former sponsor, the U.S. Postal Service employed Lance Armstrong during his seven Tour de France victories.

During today’s stage Leipheimer lost his race lead to Stuart O’Grady (CSC) of Australia who rode in a breakaway that gained a 2-1/2-minute advantage. O’Grady began the day trailing by 1:20.

But the lead group’s margin was steadily reduced and was nullified about halfway through the last of the 3.5-mile finishing circuits.

Haedo, who also won the second stage last Tuesday in Sacramento, worked his way to the front of the group in the final 30km.

“There was a little headwind and it was slightly uphill,” said Haedo. “I really didn’t expect it to end in a sprint. There were attacks all day. I thought the leaders might still have 30-40 seconds, but I had to get myself ready.”

The 639.2-mile race concludes Sunday with the 77.5-mile Long Beach circuit race, a stage that’s not conducive to making a dent in the race’s leader’s margin.

“Everyone thinks it will be the easiest stage, a parade,” said Leipheimer. “But it will be very fast.”

Results

1. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC 3.56.04
2. Greg Henderson (NZl) T-mobile
3. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step
4. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole
5. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto
6. Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
7. Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas
8. Alexander Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
9. Alejandro Acton (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home
10. Russell Downing (GBr) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
11. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
12. David Vitoria (Swi) BMC
13. Bart Dockx (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
14. Shawn Milne (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
15. Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank
16. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
17. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step
18. Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
19. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team
20. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC
21. Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
22. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC
23. Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
24. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole
25. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
26. Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank
27. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) T-mobile
28. Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
29. Dimitri Fofonov (Kaz) Credit Agricole
30. Nicolas Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
31. Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-mobile
32. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota United Pro
33. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
34. Jakob Piil (Den) T-mobile
35. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
36. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
37. Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA National team
38. Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner
39. Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole
40. Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
41. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
42. Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step
43. Christopher Horner (USA) Predictor-Lotto
44. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas
45. Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor-Lotto
46. Peter Hatton (Aus) Colavita Sutter Home
47. Michael Barry (Can) T-mobile
48. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
49. Grischa Jan Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
50. Michael Rogers (Aus) T-mobile
51. Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
52. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC
53. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
54. Christophe Laurent (Fra) Credit Agricole
55. Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
56. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Toyota United Pro
57. Bram Tankink (Ned) Quick Step
58. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
59. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
60. Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
61. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank
62. Nicolar Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
63. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
64. Philip Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
65. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
66. Jason McCartney (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
67. Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner
68. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
69. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC
70. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
71. Viktar Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
72. Charly Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas
73. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank
74. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Quick Step
75. Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
76. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas
77. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
78. William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
79. Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank
80. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
81. Aaron Olson (USA) T-mobile
82. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step
83. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
84. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas
85. Darren Lill (RSA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
86. Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle
87. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
88. Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 0.4
89. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
90. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC
91. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
92. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 1.32
93. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 2.09
94. Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
95. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step
96. Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 2.48
97. Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 7.02
98. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank 13.11
99. Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
100. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole
101. Christophe Kern (Fra) Credit Agricole
102. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Credit Agricole
103. Nic Ingels (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
104. Glen Alan Chadwick (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
105. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota United Pro
106. Justin England (USA) Toyota United Pro
107. Caleb Manion (USA) Toyota United Pro 13.12
108. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Toyota United Pro
109. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota United Pro
110. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team
111. Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team
112. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team
113. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita Sutter Home
114. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home
115. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
116. Ken Hanson (USA) BMC 13.13
117. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC
118. Caleb Fairly (USA) USA National team
HD Bryce Mead (USA) Jelly Belly
HD Brian Dziewa (USA) Jelly Belly
DNF Adam Hansen (Aus) T-mobile
DNF Michael Jones (USA) Jelly Belly
DNF Tom Zirbel (USA) Priority Health
DNF Jonathan Garcia (USA) BMC
DNF Michael Sayers (USA) BMC

GC after Stage 6

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 22.17.56
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 1.16
6. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC 1.24
7. Michael Rogers (Aus) T-mobile 1.32
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. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
14. Rory Sutherland (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis
15. Jakob Piil (Den) T-mobile 2.19
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. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2.44
21. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 2.5
22. Mads Kaggestad (Nor) Credit Agricole 2.54
23. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas 3.1
24. Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita Sutter Home
25. Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor-Lotto 3.11
26. Veleriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
27. Bram De Groot (Ned) Rabobank 3.19
28. Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 3.31
29. Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank 3.35
30. Mauricio Alberto Ardila Cano (Col) Rabobank 3.36
31. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 3.43
32. Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner 4.02
33. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick Step 4.27
34. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 4.28
35. Geert Verheyen (Bel) Quick Step
36. George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 4.35
37. Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Gerolsteiner 5.14
38. Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 5.16
39. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Credit Agricole 5.26
40. Viktar Rapinski (Blr) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 5.54
41. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Predictor-Lotto 5.58
42. Hilton Clarke (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 6.02
43. Sven Krauss (Ger) Gerolsteiner 6.2
44. Darren Lill (RSA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 6.22
45. Christophe Laurent (Fra) Credit Agricole
46. Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC 6.23
47. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team CSC 6.4
48. Michael Barry (Can) T-mobile 6.41
49. Mauro Facci (Ita) Quick Step 7.01
50. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 7.1
51. Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 7.14
52. Jason Donald (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 7.3
53. Russell Downing (GBr) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 7.32
54. William Frischkorn (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 7.42
55. Peter Hatton (Aus) Colavita Sutter Home 7.47
56. David Vitoria (Swi) BMC 8.01
57. Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC 8.12
58. Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC 8.2
59. Mario Aerts (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 8.25
60. Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 8.35
61. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Quick Step 8.58
62. Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas 9.19
63. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 9.2
64. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 9.55
65. Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 10.05
66. Aaron Olson (USA) T-mobile 10.19
67. Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 11.31
68. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Credit Agricole 11.39
69. Kirk O’Bee (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 11.52
70. Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas 12.09
71. Greg Henderson (NZl) T-mobile 13.05
72. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) T-mobile 13.59
73. Shawn Milne (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 14.22
74. Mauro Da Dalto (Ita) Liquigas 14.36
75. Karl Menzies (Aus) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 14.37
76. Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas 15.29
77. Glen Alan Chadwick (Aus) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 15.49
78. Justin England (USA) Toyota United Pro 16.02
79. Chris Wherry (USA) Toyota United Pro 16.19
80. Kyle Gritters (USA) Health Net Presented By Maxxis 16.46
81. Brent Bookwalter (USA) USA National team 16.57
82. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC 17.2
83. Grischa Jan Niermann (Ger) Rabobank 18
84. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank 18.1
85. Philip Zajicek (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 18.3
86. Nicolar Reistad (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 18.32
87. Christophe Kern (Fra) Credit Agricole 18.4
88. Bart Dockx (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 18.41
89. Charly Wegelius (GBr) Liquigas 19.01
90. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step 19.54
91. Alexander Candelario (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 20.04
92. Taylor Tolleson (USA) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 20.08
93. Nicolas Gates (Aus) Predictor-Lotto 20.4
94. Volker Ordowski (Ger) Gerolsteiner 20.5
95. Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner 22.32
96. Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 22.33
97. Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner 23.37
98. Brice Jones (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 24.08
99. Alejandro Acton (Arg) Colavita Sutter Home 25.01
100. Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 25.18
101. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) Credit Agricole 28.29
102. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Credit Agricole 29
103. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling Team 29.42
104. Edward King (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 30.55
105. Antonio Cruz (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 31.48
106. Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank 33.22
107. Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Toyota United Pro 35.17
108. Nic Ingels (Bel) Predictor-Lotto 35.19
109. Scott Nydam (USA) BMC 35.54
110. Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 35.57
111. Henk Vogels (Aus) Toyota United Pro 36.38
112. Charles Dionne (Can) Colavita Sutter Home 37.03
113. Caleb Manion (USA) Toyota United Pro 37.18
114. Sean Sullivan (Aus) Toyota United Pro 38.37
115. Caleb Fairly (USA) USA National team 39.49
116. Garrett Peltonen (USA) Priority Health Cycling Team 40.57
117. Ken Hanson (USA) BMC 42.59
118. Davide Frattini (Ita) Colavita Sutter Home 43.03