Race against the clock will decide USA Pro Cycling Challenge winner

With the USA Pro Cycling Challenge coming to an end today, defending champion Levi Leipheimer has gone to the front as the overall leader.

Levi Leipheimer

The race has been a dead-heat between Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp) for most of the week, with Leipheimer lurking down in fourth place just a few seconds behind.

On Saturday, Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) surged ahead by attacking the leader’s group as they approached the finish in Boulder. He gained time on both Vande Velde, who remained in 2nd overall at 9 seconds, and van Garderen, who fell to 3rd, 21 seconds behind.

Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthCare) won the stage by riding away from the breakaway on the climb up Flagstaff Mountain. Although an Australian, Sutherland lives at least some of the time in Boulder.

Time trial

The week-long stage bike race ends with a 9.5-mile individual time trial around Denver. All three are strong riders against the clock, although historically Leipheimer has the advantage.

The first bike rider takes off on the ITT at 1 p.m. (Mountain time). Van Garderen, Vande Velde and Leipheimer are scheduled to go off at 3:11, 3:13 and 3:15 respectively.

Online viewing is available at the USA Cycling Challenge RadioShack TourTracker. The ITT also will be televised on NBC.

Top 10 overall

1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega

2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin – 9 seconds behind

3. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC – 21 seconds

4. Joseph Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager – same

5. Ramiro Rincon (Col) EPM – 22 seconds

6. Andreas Kloden (Ger) Radioshack – 26 seconds

7. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin – 38 seconds

8. Janez Brajkovic  (Slo) Astana – 41 seconds

9. Ivan Rovny (Rus) RusVelo – same

10. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas – 52 seconds