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Tour of California - 2.HC
USA, February 14-22, 2009
Main Page Results & report Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 7 - February 21: Santa Clarita - Pasadena, 143 km/88.9 mi
Complete live report
Live commentary by Sue George with reporting from Kirsten Robbins and Laura Weislo in California
11:37 PST
Cyclingnews' live coverage of the Tour of California stage seven from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, covering 143 km/88.9 mi, will begin just before noon local time. We hope you'll join us.
11:39 PST
The opening 25 miles will be a gradual climb from Santa Clarita, through Acton, to the intersection of Angeles Forest Road.
From there, the route will continue uphill, showcasing the San Gabriel Mountains. It will reach the second highest elevation ever in the Tour of California at the Millcreek Summit (4,906 ft.) of the Angeles Forest Road.
A 15-mile descent to Angeles Crest Highway follows, and later the riders will plunge sharply to Rose Bowl in Pasadena. After more than 65 miles from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, the peloton will complete the stage with five, five-mile laps on a demanding circuit through the area surrounding the Rose Bowl.
11:46 PST
There are lots of people out here at the start in Santa Clarita. It's a nice day to be out - 70 degrees (Fahrenheit) which is the warmest it's been so far all week. The sun is not out - it's overcast, but it's still great weather for bike racing and for spectating.
11:47 PST
Everyone seems relaxed today. We can all feel that the race is working its way toward its close - tomorrow will be the final stage. This morning, riders have been rolling around outside more than before the start of the previous stages. It's not like the beginning of the race earlier this week, when there were no riders around and the weather was so often cold and wet.
11:48 PST
Thank you for all your emails with comments and questions during our live coverage this week. Don't worry, even though we can't reply to everyone, we are reading them and trying to answer as many of your questions as we can without missing any of the racing action.
11:51 PST
Our current GC leader, Levi Leipheimer (Astana) won yesterday's stage, an individual time trial in Solvang. US National Time Trial Champion David Zabriskie (Garmin - Slipstream) finished second with Gustav Larsson (Team Saxo Bank) in third.
11:54 PST
Behind Leipheimer in the GC is Zabriske at 36 seconds. Michael Rogers (Team Columbia-Highroad) is sitting in third at 46 seconds. Jens Voigt (Team Saxo Bank) and Thomas Lövkvist (Team Columbia - Highroad) complete the top five, and Leipheimer's teammate Lance Armstrong is in sixth place.
11:56 PST
Racers are all lined up as they listen to the US national anthem, which is played just prior to the start. Today, riders will begin with a 3.5-mile neutral section.
11:57 PST
A ninth grade girl, Annie di Georgio, is singing the anthem. It's warm and still cloudy, but the clouds are not menacing and seem unlikely to produce any rain on us today.
11:58 PST
Singing is done. Some of the riders are talking and joking around with each other. No one looks too nervous - at least not outwardly.
12:00 PST
That doesn't mean today won't be a tough stage. The best way to describe it is up, then down, then relatively flat. Nearly all of the first 38 miles are uphill as racers will work their way up to the Millcreek summit on the Angeles Forest Highway.
12:00 PST
The riders roll off for their neutral start.
12:05 PST
Riders are on the McBean Parkway rolling along. The official start will happen at Santa Clarita's Central Park.
12:07 PST
Three riders are off the back in the neutral: Rock Racing's Freddy Rodriguez and Tyler Hamilton are getting their bikes looked at and Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) is also getting some attention from the mechanics.
12:09 PST
The Fly V Australia team is down to just two riders left in the race: Ben Day and Curtis Gunn. One of their riders broke his wrist and had to withdraw, and the others have been battling the flu before pulling out one by one. Day was barfing yesterday, but he is still soldiering bravely on.
12:10 PST
Our Kirsten Robbins is following the race today in a car along with Kim Baldwin, the wife of Rock Racing's Chris Baldwin.
12:12 PST
Chris Baldwin is one of the Rock Racing riders who will be helping Francisco Mancebo get more points today. He is in the mountains classification leader's jersey and would very much like to keep it. Today and tomorrow, there will be plenty of climbing which means lots of work for Mancebo's teammates.
12:12 PST
The field, still in the neutral section, is spread wide across the road. You might almost say they are lollygagging along.
12:14 PST
The race has started. Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly Cycling Team) is the first to attack.
12:16 PST
Van Ulden is pedalling hard, and he is soon joined by Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale). The two have a very slight gap on the field.
12:16 PST
Two more riders have bridged up to the two leaders.
12:17 PST
They aren't really working well together. They are taking turns looking at each other and surging.
12:18 PST
A little more shuffling and we've got Bernard Van Ulden (Jelly Belly Cycling Team), Christophe Riblon (AG2R La Mondiale), Kevin De Weert (Quick Step), Jonathan Patrick Mccarty (OUCH p/b Maxxis), Kevin Hulsmans (Quick Step) and
Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) in the lead group.
12:20 PST
Those six are caught by the peloton. Now Garmin is setting the pace.
12:22 PST
We're in an interesting area with lots of rolling peaks with plenty of green vegetation on either side of the road way. It's not trees, but more sparse vegetation. It's hard to describe, but even though we haven't gone very far out of Santa Clarita, it feels like we're in the middle of nowhere, almost like we're in another country.
12:24 PST 6.5mi/82.4mi to go
We just passed a painted sign along the highway that says "Lance + Levi = Power". That sure seems to be the case so far this Tour of California.
12:25 PST
Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing) and Svein Tuft (Garmin - Slipstream) try an attack, but they can't get away. Another three riders counter them.
12:30 PST
Our Laura Weislo had a chat with George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad) prior to the start this morning. Some of you may recall that Big George won this stage last year, when it was the finale for the entire Tour. He was in the break which went for it off the descent, going into the closing circuits - Rory Sutherland, Tom Zirbel and Jason McCartney were also in there. Zirbel did a last-minute solo attack, but was caught on the final lap, and Hincapie won the sprint.
12:31 PST
The peloton crested a small climb, going about 16mph. After a short descent, they are climbing again. They're spread pretty far across the road - seems like they are not going super hard at the beginning of today's stage. But then they all know what's coming - lots more climbing up until mile 38 of the race.
12:35 PST
In our survey of riders this morning, we got mixed opinions about whether or not the stage would finish in a bunch sprint. Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) seemed to think it would end with a breakaway, but of course, he is hoping for another sprint finish to have the possibility of adding to his stage win of earlier this week.
12:35 PST 11.6mi/77.3mi to go
Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing) launches a solo attack and gets a small gap. There is one rider chasing him not too far back.
12:37 PST
Sevilla and the other rider have been re-absorbed into the peloton. The peloton is now all together but charging hard now. It is headed directly to a fast descent with a sharp turn at the bottom. Hopefully everyone is paying attention and riding safe today.
12:39 PST
Svein Tuft (Garmin - Slipstream) and Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) have attacked and gotten a gap.
12:40 PST
We're back in a more populated area now - on a busy road with lots of traffic and structures. We're seeing lots of yellow signs encouraging Lance Armstrong and pink hearts cheering on Levi Leipheimer.
12:40 PST
Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) joins Svein Tuft (Garmin - Slipstream) and Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) off the front.
12:42 PST
Valeriy Kobzarenko (Team Type 1) joins the three leaders off the front. Their gap is about 10 seconds - so they are just dangling there - trying hard to get a bigger, more secure separation.
12:45 PST 14.4mi/74.5mi to go
The break has been caught. The peloton is mostly together, but there are 12 riders off the back. They're at about 20 seconds - we're not quite sure why they are gapped off. It could be tired legs or a group trying to come back from mechanical or other issues.
12:46 PST
Racers will hit the first sprint of this stage in the town of Acton, at mile 26. According to our race information, they are about to go through a tunnel.
12:48 PST
We are on our way to Acton, a small residential community in the Sierra Polona Mountains. It's about 47 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Must be a good place to spend the winter as we just passed a bunch of RV parks.
12:49 PST 15.0mi/73.9mi to go
There they go - into the tunnel. It's a short one - you can see the end of it from the beginning.
12:50 PST
There goes a Liquigas rider giving it a go.
12:51 PST
He's got two riders right on him. They are racing through some sparsely populated mountainous terrain right now.
12:52 PST
There are two tunnels today. The first one, which they just went through is normally lit, but for the second, coming at mile 45.4, race organizers had to bring in lighting just for the race.
12:53 PST
About eight riders total have a small gap on the peloton.
12:55 PST
In general, all the riders are quite strung out. There are constant efforts. By the time we get a radio reading of numbers of the riders off the front, they are caught and a new set goes. We presently have two riders off.
12:56 PST
The two riders off are joined by two more riders, making a total of four riders off the front. The peloton still has them in sight.
12:58 PST
There are about 20 riders off the back of the peloton. There was some concern among management that maybe there was something bad in last night's food, but in fact, it seems the official verdict on their status is that they feel fine but are riding a little lazily today! They'll have to be careful though - so that they don't miss the time cut.
12:59 PST
A fifth rider joins our break of four.
13:01 PST
Ouch team director Mike Tamayo explained to Laura Weislo this morning why his rider Floyd Landis had a rough day in yesterday's time trial, finishing in 54th. Landis is sick - he's been fighting a head cold and feeling very achy in his body.
13:03 PST 21.2mi/67.7mi to go
The peloton has caught the break, but the attacks are continuing at a frantic rate. We're going through a high desert-type area with lots of rock formations. The rock formations are red and smooth. We can also see snow on the high mountains in the distance.
13:05 PST 23.0mi/65.9mi to go
5km to go until the sprint line in Acton.
13:05 PST
Acton was founded by gold miners in 1887. For a time, not only gold, but also Copper and Titanium ores were also mined in the area.
13:10 PST 23.5mi/65.4mi to go
The Angeles Forest Highway, on which the racers are now, was completed in 1941. It goes over the San Gabriel Mountains. The attacks are continuing fast and furious - there's no slacking in this group!
However, off the back, our group of about 20 is well behind and the technical race directors are already becoming concerned about how they will provide enough security to protect that group's rolling enclosure during the race if it falls too far behind.
13:12 PST
When the peloton does bunch up, it looks quite small. It's got us wondering if there are more than 20 riders in that group off the back.
13:13 PST 25.4mi/63.5mi to go
That laughing group, the group off the back, is at 3.40 behind the main peloton. Meanwhile at the front, the action is still plenty hot, with 1km to go until the sprint in Acton.
13:15 PST
Mark Renshaw (Team Columbia - Highroad) has abandoned.
13:15 PST
One rider is slightly off the front, going for the sprint points.
13:16 PST
We'll see if he can hold off the others enough to get the top points.
13:17 PST
Three men counter attack after the sprint and get a slight gap off the front.
13:18 PST 26.0mi/62.9mi to go
Official results for the first sprint at Acton are
1 Serge Pauwels (Cervélo TestTeam)
2 Tyler Farrar (Garmin - Slipstream)
3 Michael Rogers (Team Columbia - Highroad)
13:19 PST
It's interesting to see that Michael Rogers (Team Columbia - Highroad), a GC rider, was going for the sprint. Perhaps there were also time bonuses on the line? Rogers is third in the overall, but he is only ten seconds behind second - placed David Zabriskie.
13:20 PST
There were in fact time bonuses - 3, 2 and 1 seconds on the line - similarly to what we saw in other stages earlier this week.
13:23 PST
Ouch Team Director Mike Tamayo told us that last year that the weather played into the hands of the breakaway, but this year he thinks it will likely be the opposite. He said the final circuit is really fast, but since his team doesn't have a pure sprinter or any top riders to protect in the GC, his riders will be trying to get into any break that does form.
13:25 PST 30.4mi/58.5mi to go
The constant attacking has yielded a group off the front. The group consists of Gustav Larsson (Team Saxo Bank), Thomas Danielson (Garmin - Slipstream), Svein Tuft (Garmin - Slipstream), Jurgen Van De Walle (Quick Step), Grischa Niermann (Rabobank), Brian Vandborg (Liquigas), Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale), Dominique Rollin (Cervélo TestTeam), Cameron Evans (OUCH p/b Maxxis), Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Oscar Sevilla (Rock Racing). Another rider is trying to bridge.
13:26 PST
So much for that group. The break has just been caught. Three riders immediately counterattack.
13:31 PST
Race leader Levi Leipheimer told us at the press conference yesterday after his time trial stage win that he's a little worried about defending his jersey. He said that because of the bad weather in the beginning of the week, there are larger time gaps now. Leipheimer is pretty sure that all the teams will attack him like crazy today and tomorrow, so he thinks the race is far from over.
13:32 PST
So far, he seems to have been right - there has been no shortage of attacks today.
13:33 PST 33.7mi/55.2mi to go
We've got a new lead group. This time it's Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream), Addy Engels (Quick Step), Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) and Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team). At the moment, there is no response from the peloton.
13:35 PST
Before the start today, Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) backed up what Leipheimer has predicted. He told Kirsten Robbins that he and his team have nothing to lose at this point. Team Saxo Bank placed three riders in the top 10 of yesterday's time trial, and Voigt said he and his mates plan to continue attacking the yellow jersey today and tomorrow.
"I'm absolutely sure that if I were in the yellow jersey, everyone would attack me, too," he laughed.
13:37 PST
These climbs are pretty open - although groups keep escaping, none of them have managed to make it out of sight of the chasing peloton. If no group can get a substantial gap by the top of the KOM, it's quite likely that predictions of a sprint finish will come true.
13:40 PST 34.7mi/54.2mi to go
The KOM, Millcreek Summit, is a category three. 5km to go until the line. It will come at 4,906 feet (1,495 meters). It's quite likely that the riders will be passing by snow banks again at the top.
13:41 PST
There are more and more people as we approach the top. There are lots of spectators and plenty of chalk writing on the roads.
13:41 PST
Three more riders have joined the lead group: Pieter Weening (Rabobank), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) and Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing).
13:42 PST
That gives us a group of nine with a total advantage of 20 seconds: Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream), Addy Engels (Quick Step), Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale), Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team), Pieter Weening (Rabobank), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam), Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing).
13:43 PST
Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) and George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad) are setting the pace at the front group. It looks like a pretty tough group. It seems as if their pace is taking a toll - we may be losing a rider or two off the back of the break.
13:48 PST
The break has a gap of 1.05. Schleck is still setting the pace - we'll let you know which riders we dropped from it. Behind them, the peloton is rather bunched up. Still going along, but not in a full-on chase.
13:51 PST 37.1mi/51.8mi to go
One km to go until the KOM. The roads are wet in a splotchy way. The wetness is coming from the melting snow on either side of the road.
13:52 PST
There are plenty of people watching and there are almost as many people running next to the peloton as are in the break. One of them is carrying an American Flag. Let's hope they don't interfere with the riders.
13:52 PST
The riders cross through the KOM.
13:53 PST 37.7mi/51.2mi to go
Time to stuff the newspapers under their jerseys as they get ready for a nearly 10-mile descent.
13:53 PST
Astana is at the head of the peloton, controlling the pace.
13:53 PST
The crazy fans are now running next to the peloton as it approaches the KOM line.
13:54 PST
I wonder what the riders are thinking about all these folks running next to them.
13:56 PST
The peloton is riding up the yellow line with only two or three feet on either side of it. Spectators are everywhere along the top here.
13:57 PST
KOM results
1 Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing)
2 Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam)
3 George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad)
4 Pieter Weening (Rabobank)
5 Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank)
13:58 PST
Everyone's descending at high speeds now - on a wide open road with some sweeping turns. There is some gravel.
A bike has flown off one of the roof racks. Fortunately it didn't hit any riders or other cars.
13:58 PST
One rider has gone down - a Cervelo test team rider we think. We're not sure if he was involved with the flying bike incident.
13:59 PST
Three of our break rider fell off on the climb. Over the summit, they were sitting about 20 seconds off the rest of the break riders. We'll see if they can catch back up on this descent.
14:02 PST
Astana is driving the peloton as it chases. Looks like the break is all back together again.
14:04 PST
Tom Boonen told our Laura Weislo before the start today, "It won't be easy for all the sprinters to make it with the group over the climb, but it all depends on the other riders. If some guys on GC want to do something, that could make it hard, but Quick Step will probably be the only team going for a field sprint today." Boonen added that in past editions of the race, Quick Step had to take responsibility for controlling the race, but that it's gotten easier for the Quick Step team as other teams like Columbia and Cervelo are also playing a major role in the races, especially in chasing down breaks in order to set up the teams' sprinters like Cavendish and Hushovd.
14:05 PST
We haven't spotted Boonen yet, but the peloton is fairly large, so it's likely he made it over the KOM with it.
14:07 PST
Columbia-Highroad's sprinter, Mark Cavendish, who has already won two stages this Tour, told our Laura Weislo before the start today that he didn't think the gradient on the climb was so steep. "I think I can get over it for the sprint." If it does come together, he has a good shot at the sprint - last year he won the field sprint in Pasadena behind the break.
14:14 PST 49mi/39.9mi to go
Our break has grown slightly. We now have Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing), Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam), George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad), Pieter Weening (Rabobank), Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank), Addy Engels (Quick Step), Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale), Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream) and Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale). The gap is now 3.10.
14:17 PST
This is a really good break - it has a lot of potential to stay away. After all, we have last year's winner of this stage George Hincapie. Most of the major teams, excepting Astana, who is back protecting Levi Leipheimer, are represented.
14:18 PST
From the finish line, Laura Weislo tells us that conditions in Pasadena are 72 degrees Fahrenheit and warm. There are high, light clouds and mist.
14:18 PST
Lance Armstrong is getting a wheel change.
14:18 PST
Chris Baldwin (Rock Racing) is also off the back getting help with a flat.
14:19 PST
Two teammates have dropped back to help Armstrong chase back onto the group. It'll be tough to catch back up with the peloton speeding along.
14:20 PST
Baldwin has gotten his front flat fixed and he's working to try to regain the break.
14:22 PST
Just to clarify - Armstrong and Baldwin can't work together to catch back up because Baldwin got his flat while he was in the break, and Armstrong was in the peloton when he got his.
14:23 PST
Earlier we mentioned that a Cervelo rider had gone down. In fact, that wasn't true. The bike that flew off the roof was a Cervelo and in the confusion, officials were looking for a crashed rider to go with the downed bike, but there wasn't one since it had come off a car.
14:24 PST
Since Astana was at the front of the peloton, they waited up for Armstrong and company to regain contact. They are safely back in the peloton.
14:28 PST 53.7mi/35.2mi to go
Baldwin is still working his way back through the caravan to try to catch back up to the rest of the break. The break is now on the main descent that heads down to the finishing circuit in Pasadena.
14:31 PST
The finishing circuits are five miles long. Riders will do five laps. There are no major climbs, but it's not flat either. The circuit goes around the Rose Bowl stadium, a national historic landmark. Every New Year's day, the Rose bowl holds a college football game and a parade. All floats in the parade are covered with colorful flowers, stems, leave and other bits of nature.
14:31 PST
Looks like Mancebo has gone done.
14:31 PST
He is sitting ont he ground, not getting back up. In fact, he's laying down.
14:32 PST
This is a big blow as Francisco Mancebo is the leader in the mountains classification.
14:32 PST
It doesn't look like he will be getting back into the race. He is surrounded by medical staff, being tended to on the road.
14:34 PST
In case you were wondering, Chris Baldwin was successful in regaining the break.
14:34 PST
If Mancebo can't go on to finish today, Jason McCartney (Saxo Bank) will take over as leader of the mountains classification.
14:39 PST 61.5mi/27.4mi to go
Vande Velde gets a flat and a super fast wheel change.
14:40 PST
Last year, it was rainy and windy, and the descent was really scary. This year, riders barely had to touch their brakes. It was wide dry and open.
14:41 PST
Vande Velde is obviously sitting on his car and getting a little tow.
14:42 PST
Vande Velde is going around cars left and right as he moves up through the caravan. It's quite impressive to watch as he's negotiating these cars at high speed.
14:42 PST
There's another crash! A bunch of riders everywhere. It's in the peloton.
14:43 PST
Vande Velde is back up with the break.
14:44 PST
The crashed riders are getting assistance. There may have been as many as a half dozen involved in total - it was rather chaotic. Two riders just got up and are rolling again.
14:45 PST
A Colavita rider is still standing by the side of the road - it looks like he might not get back in. Someone else is holding his bike for him while he is simply standing there, hands on hips.
14:46 PST
Three Astana riders are driving the peloton, which is at 4.25 behind the break.
14:47 PST 62mi/26.9mi to go
The break is not far from the finishing circuit. They have a pretty good margin, which they may be able to hold until the end. The first time across the finish line on the circuit, riders will be going for sprint points. They'll also see five laps to go.
14:47 PST 66.0mi/22.9mi to go
The break away has just entered the circuit and is going for the sprint.
14:48 PST
They're through the sprint - five to go.
14:49 PST
Pasadena is in the midst of a citrus producing area. We passed a broken down double trailered truck filled with lemons en route to the finish this morning.
14:51 PST
Francisco Mancebo, is officially a DNF. He is en route to the hospital for treatment. So that means Jason McCartney will take over as mountains leader after today.
14:53 PST
The leaders are still working together. They are rotating through - each taking a turn at the front. Some of them on are on their drops, some are on the hoods. There are some decent-sized climbs on this circuit as we are seeing some riders standing up out of their saddles on them.
14:55 PST
There are no less than five Astana riders at the front of the peloton, which is all strung out and flying through the streets of Pasadena.
14:56 PST
Some of the break riders are getting some advice and possibly even some more food from their team cars. It'll be interesting to see how long they continue to work together.
14:58 PST
The break is doing a classic double echelon. The wind must be coming from the left at this point on the course as they are advancing up the right, back on the left.
14:59 PST
The break is working well together, but the gap has dropped. It's down to 3.25, thanks to a hard-driving peloton.
15:04 PST
One of the crashes earlier in the stage caused a split in the peloton. There is a group of about 20 riders that was separated off the back as a result. They are on the finishing circuit, but they are a lap down, out of contention. That group includes Thom Peterson (Garmin), who won a stage. It also includes Tom Zirbel, who played a role in the finishing action last year during this stage.
15:04 PST
The break's gap is at 3.45. They will see three to go when they come through the finish line on the next pass.
15:05 PST
There's an attack within the break and it's splitting up.
15:05 PST
George Hincapie has just been awarded the most courageous rider of the stage for his role in organizing the break today.
15:06 PST
The attack within the break and subsequent re-group has left us with five leaders, who are working together.
15:07 PST
Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale) was the one who initiated the attack within the break. Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team) followed him and the others who made the cut are George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad), Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) and Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam). That means Christian Vande Velde did not make the cut.
15:10 PST 76mi/12.9mi to go
So as a reminder, we have five leaders from the original break leading the remaining five riders. The two break groups are separated by about 15 seconds, while the Astana-led peloton is at 3.15.
15:13 PST
Astana is leading the peloton, but they don't look very worried. However, Astana is not getting any help from the other teams because those teams are represented in the break.
15:14 PST
Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team) attacks! Schleck follows, with Hincapie right on his wheel.
15:15 PST
Vande Velde just almost killed himself with the effort required to bring the rest of the break back up to the front part of the break, so they are all back together again, but attacking each other.
15:18 PST 79.9mi/9mi to go
The break riders are coming through and getting two laps to go. Hincapie is having to quite a bit of work because everyone knows he is one of the favorites in this group. Everyone is making him chase.
15:18 PST
Frank Schleck attacks. Everyone else looks at each other - who will chase? It's Big George again.
15:19 PST
Schleck had launched himself like a rocket. He's off the front by himself, wearing number 13.
15:20 PST
Frank Schleck is fully committed and going for it. Has he attacked too early or will he be able to hold it?
15:21 PST
The gap to the peloton is at 3.20. They don't look too interested in chasing the break back. That's probably because Astana is driving it and they feel pretty comfortable about Leipheimer having enough of a margin on all the break riders to keep his GC lead.
15:22 PST
Schleck takes a look back over his shoulder to evaluate what's happening behind him.
15:23 PST
Two riders are trying to bridge up to Schleck. It's Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) and George Hincapie (Team Columbia - Highroad).
15:24 PST
The whole break is back together again.
15:25 PST
Pieter Weening (Rabobank) attacks. But he doesn't get away. Everyone keeps looking to Hincapie to do the work, but he's not biting.
15:25 PST
Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team) attacks now. This time Hincapie chases.
15:25 PST
It's a 10 person cat and mouse game.
15:26 PST
One of the two AG2R riders attacks. Zberg follows.
15:26 PST
They're all back together again.
15:27 PST 84.4mi/4.5mi to go
Probably the only chance for the break to split up for good is on the climb where Schleck attacked and got away for his brief solo. Schleck leads them through the finish with one lap to go.
15:27 PST
One of the AG2R rider attacks and pulls three riders with him.
15:29 PST
The break is back together. Looks like it was Hincapie who brought it back together.
15:29 PST
Addy Engels (Quick Step) attacks the break.
15:30 PST
Now it's Christian Vande Velde (Garmin - Slipstream) who's attacking, but no one will let him stay away.
15:30 PST
There are five or six riders at the front of the peloton from Astana. Garmin and Columbia-Highroad are right behind Astana. They are forming up for a sprint just in case.
15:31 PST
Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale) and Pieter Weening (Rabobank) attack and get off the front of the break.
15:32 PST
Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) bridges up to those two, making a three-person group in the lead.
15:33 PST 87.1mi/1.8mi to go
Addy Engels (Quick Step) is leading the chase. Hincapie was right behind him, but he pulls out of second, so he doesn't have to take a pull.
15:34 PST
Of these three, Roulston is probably the favorite, but the guys behind this trio are really pushing hard. Hincapie is trying to stay out of the chase and stay fresh in case it comes down to a sprint.
15:35 PST
Our three front riders - Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale), Pieter Weening (Rabobank), and Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) - are working well together. They are taking short pulls.
15:35 PST
Behind them, the remaining seven are taking turns trying to jump across the gap.
15:36 PST 88.3mi/0.59mi to go
Weening attacks with one km to go.
15:36 PST
The three leaders are back together - looking at each other. They'd better be careful or they will get caught.
15:36 PST
Weening does a test sprint to see who will follow.
15:36 PST
400m to go to the line. They are all starting the sprint.
15:37 PST
Nocentini goes for it.
15:37 PST
He takes it to the line.
15:37 PST
Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale) wins.
15:38 PST
Hayden Roulston (Cervélo TestTeam) was second and Pieter Weening (Rabobank) was third.
15:39 PST
The two AG2R riders are hanging out together on the pavement. They'd better get out of the way for the peloton to come through. They are less than one kilometer away.
15:39 PST
There are still some points on the line for the peloton, so it's worth their sprinting.
15:39 PST
Thor Hushovd takes the peloton's sprint - that'll give him a few more points for the sprint classification.
15:40 PST
The remaining seven riders of the break did finish in between the lead trio and the peloton - we just couldn't catch in what order.
15:41 PST
Looks like it was Markus Zberg (BMC Racing Team) and Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) in fourth and fifth.
15:52 PST
Levi Leipheimer has held onto his leader's jersey.
15:53 PST
That wraps up our live coverage for stage seven. Thanks for following our coverage today. Please join us tomorrow for the eighth and final stage of the Tour of California. Coverage will begin at noon local time.
15:55 PST
Stage 8 will run from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido over 96.8 miles.
Racers will face four climbs and two sprints in what will be the most difficult-ever final stage of the Tour of California.
Racers will tackle the Palomar Mountain climb (5,123 ft.). At 11.7 miles, with a seven percent average grade, 4,200 feet of climbing and 21 switchbacks, Palomar Mountain will provide a challenging conclusion; however, organizers expect a hard sprint to the finish.
