VARESE, Italy, Sept 26, 2008 (AFP) – American Levi Leipheimer has pulled out of the blue ribbon event of the men’s road race at the world championships here, it was announced Friday.

Leipheimer, who last week finished runner-up at the Tour of Spain behind Astana teammate Alberto Contador, failed to claim a medal in his main event of the time trial here on Thursday.

Andy Lee, USA Cycling spokesman, said Leipheimer, who also competed in the Olympics where he took time trial bronze, “didn’t feel up for the leadership of our relatively young team at the road race”.

Leipheimer just missed out on a medal when he finished fourth in the time trial here won by German Bert Grabsch ahead of Canada’s Svein Tuft and American David Zabriskie.

His departure leaves the US team down to five riders – Zabriskie, Brent Bookwalter, Steven Cozza, Lucas Euser and Tyler Farrar.

The men’s road race on Sunday is being tipped as a battle between two-time defending champion Paolo Bettini and Spain’s three-time world champion Oscar Freire.