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Astana Cycling Team continues winning top races. Levi Leipheimer was the fastest rider in the 5.6 K prologue of the Dauphiné Libéré. Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) was second, one second behind, Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) third. It is the 3rd victory of the season for the American road champion and his 2nd in a time trial.

Astana against all Tour riders. That was the subject of all talks before the start of the French stage race. Many racing in the Tour de France this July are also participating in the Dauphiné Libéré. The Dauphiné is an ideal prep-race, sort of a “mini-Tour,” compressed into eight days. Levi Leipheimer, already overall winner of the Dauphiné in 2006, made a goal of this race. It couldn’t start better for him.

The American rider was followed in the car by Team Manager Johan Bruyneel, who was impressed by the performance of his leader. “Levi’s last kilometer was especially impressive,” commented Bruyneel. “Since he was one of the last riders to start, we knew most intermediate times. With one K to go, Levi still was one second behind specialist Thor Hushovd. We knew that Levi was ready for this job; he couldn’t have had a better start.”

The fastest man on the flat circuit between Le Pontet and Avignon was of course more than happy. “You always hope to win, but it is so unpredictable, races over such a short distance. I knew my condition was very good. Many people had their doubts about me after the Giro, but we knew better. Don’t forget that I was in California and in moderate training mode before getting the last-second call to ride the Giro. I crashed the first week and had cheek and elbow injuries. As I could not get a good classification in the Giro, I worked one-hundred percent for Alberto Contador in the mountains. I felt the last week in Italy that my condition was getting better and better. I hope to continue that way. My team mates believe in me. I’m not planning to shake their confidence.”

Result Prologue Le Pontet - Avignon, 5.6 K:
1 Levi Leipheimer 6.10.05 (54.486 K/h); 2 Thor Hushovd 0.01; 3 Alejandro Valverde 0.06; 4 Maxime Monfort 0.12; 5 Vladimir Efimkin 0.12; 6 Cadel Evans 0.13; 7 Brett Lancaster 0.13; 8 Manuel Quinziato 0.13; 9 Carlos Barredo 0.14; 10 Haimar Zubeldia 0.14