Levi Leipheimer came one day closer on Saturday to winning his third straight Amgen Tour of California bicycle race title by finishing comfortably in the peloton in Pasadena.
A member of a 10-man breakaway, Rinaldo Nocentini of Team AG2R, won the stage. He and two other riders made a break on the laps around Pasadena and held off the chase to win the 89-mile stage from Santa Clarita.
On a sad note, one of the cyclists who had really made his mark during this year's Tour of California left the race after crashing.
Crash
Francisco Mancebo of the Rock Racing team had earned the yellow jersey after his solo break in Stage 1 and still held the King of the Mountains jersey. He crashed on the descent from Millcreek Summit, however, and was taken to the hospital for observation.
The Rock Racing website on Twitter later reported he had suffered a concussion as well as a broken hand and elbow. Said Team owner Michael Ball:
“The fact he is unable to continue the race does not in any way diminish his accomplishments.”
Break
As far as the breakaway that formed on the climb, George Hincapie of Team Columbia and Christian Vande Velde of Garmin-Slipstream were members of that 10-man break.
Vande Velde received Stage 7's “Most Courageous” cyclist award. He sits in 18th place, 5 minutes out of first.
Top 10 overall
1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
2 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin – Slipstream — 36 seconds behind
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia – Highroad — :45
4 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank — 1.10
5 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia – Highroad — 1.29
6 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana — 1.46
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank –1.54
8 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana — 1.59
9 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana — 2.13
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas — 2.21
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