Tom Zirbel Delivers More Than Pizza, Hincapie Charges to the Stage Win, Levi Leipheimer Keeps the Yellow Jersey
The Amgen Tour of California came into Metro LA today with a point to point course from Santa Clarita to Pasadena. The finish line was close enough to the Beverly Hills headquarters of your Bicycle.Net crew that we were able to gather up the wives and kids.
Yes, even Velowife pulled it together and got her tribe out in the pouring rain to watch VeloGuy zoom by in a Mavic support car and to watch the peleton whiz by. The race finished with six circuits around the Rose Bowl on a course popular amongst southern cal riders.
A ten-man break initiated by Rock Racing’s Mike Creed took off early in the stage with the right mix of riders, none of whom was a threat to the top of the GC. With Astana’s Levi Leiphemier comfortably in the overall lead, the break’s advantage grew, but never by more than 3 minutes. The weather got worse as the riders approached the circuits around the Rose Bowl, which seemed to benefit the break.
Bissell’s Tom Zirbel, a gifted time trial rider, attacked the break and jetted on a solo flight. He managed to hold off the splintered chase group until the final lap.
Tom Zirbel gave the crowd a rush with his effort. Every time he passed the crowd, the cheers were huge. When the live announcer told the crowd that two years ago Tom Zirbel had been a category three amateur and worked as a pizza delivery guy, the cheers got even louder as the crowd pulled for him to pull it out. (When he walked off the course after the race, he received cheers to equal Hincapie and Leipheimer the winners of the day and the week respectively.)
The remnants of the breakaway finally pulled up to Zirbel as his energy petered out. Rock Racings Michael Creed, HealthNet’s Rory Sutherland, CSC’s Jason McCartney and High Road’s George Hincapie countered and settled the day in a thrilling dash to the line.
One of America’s most popular riders, Hincapie claimed the top prize as winner of Stage 7, sponsored by Amgen. Hincapie won two stages at the first Amgen Tour of California two years ago. When Leipheimer crossed the finish line safely, he became the first repeat winner of the Amgen Tour of California. Team Slipstream riders David Millar and Christian Vande Velde finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
As the riders crossed the finish, we all got a hint as to just how special the race was, when the sun broke out and a rainbow led the way to victory at the Rose Bowl.
Stay tuned for exclusive video, audio, photos, interviews and commentary.
Categories: Features, News, Races, Tour of California
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Nice to have met your family at the presentation ceremony under the oak tree. My wife, Myrna, had the oversized umbrella. Your site looks great and is another bookmark on my computer. If you are looking for more sources for photography I met a fellow at Solvang who was shooting some great action shots on the backside of Ballard Canyon. His name is Michael McClure and I have to say I was impressed with what he forwarded to me. If you’d like a sample I’ll be glad to send some your way. Good luck on your site and I’ll be back often.
Super job on the ToC coverage. Better take Velowife out for dinner to say thanks for setting you free for all that time.
Hi Ron,
It was a pleasure meeting your family also.
we’d love to see the pictures, send them along with Michael’s contact info to content (at) bicycle.net