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THIS WEEK IN PRO CYCLING »

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• 11:48 AM: Good day...
  and welcome to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the fifth stage of the 2008 Tour of California. Today's time trial is going to be a very decisive stage. With the leader's jersey still within the grasp of several riders, we'll see quite a few people giving it their all today.
• 11:50 AM: The first riders up
  Riders will start in reverse order of the G.C. Here are the first five riders up, starting at 12:00 PST:
  1. Bryce Mead (USA), Jelly Belly, 12:00:00
  2. Roman Kilun (USA), Health Net Maxxis, 12:01:00
  3. Scott Tietzel (USA), Jelly Belly, 12:02:00
  4. Scott Nydam (USA), BMC, 12:03:00
  5. Michael Creed (USA), Rock Racing, 12:04:00
• 11:54 AM: With the heavy hitters starting at 1:35 PST
  Here's where the top ten sit on the G.C.
  
  1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana, 20:44:06
  2. Fabian Cancellara (Swi), CSC, 0:13
  3. Robert Gesink* (Nl), Rabobank, 0:15
  4. David Millar (GB), Slipstream-Chipotle, 0:20
  5. Gustav Larsson (Swe), CSC, 0:21
  6. David Zabriskie (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle
  7. Christian Vandevelde (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle, 0:23
  8. Christopher Horner (USA), Astana, 0:25
  9. Alexandre Moos (Swi), BMC, 0:29
  10. Pena Grisales Victor Hugo (Col), Rock Racing, 0:31
• 11:57 AM: Unlike yesterday's epic stage
  the sun is finally shining on the riders in Solvang
• 11:58 AM: Full start list
  Click here for today's full list of start times
• 12:02 PM: Roman Kilun from Health Net
  is on the road. We have two riders on the course and it will be at least 90 minutes before we see the heavy hitters come to the start house.
• 12:03 PM: The weather
  is much nicer than we expected it to be. Right now it's sunny and the winds are only around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. and we've seen some scattered showers today, but it's clear now.
• 12:12 PM: Richard England
  The Aussie from Bissel and we should be getting time splits soon. That will give us an idea what competitors will have to aim for later in the day.
  
• 12:16 PM: We are still waiting
  for split times and timing data.

  As most of you know, today's starting order - as with any stage race time trial - is in reverse order of GC. So the first rider off at noon was Bryce Meade from Jelly Belly and the last rider off is race leader Levi Leipheimer.

  We see Mike Creed on the road today. We're glad to see him out there, because we know he's been suffering from the crud and had doubts he was even going to make it to the finish, both Wednesday and Thursday.

• 12:22 PM: Rain
  The scattered showers are showing up again.
• 12:24 PM: The top 10
  The top ten riders will be rolling off the start line in about an hour-fifteen.

  Until then, riders will be rolling out of the start house at 1:00 intervals, but these final ten will start at two minute intervals:

  1:35 p.m. - PENA GRISALES Victor Hugo RRC
  1:37 p.m. - MOOS Alexandre BMC
  1:39 p.m. - VANDEVELDE Christian TSL
  1:41 p.m. - HORNER Christopher AST
  1:43 p.m. - ZABRISKIE David TSL
  1:45 p.m. - LARSSON Gustav CSC
  1:47 p.m. - MILLAR David TSL
  1:49 p.m. - GESINK Robert* RAB
  1:51 p.m. - CANCELLARA Fabian CSC
  1:53 p.m. - LEIPHEIMER Levi AST
  
  

• 12:30 PM: We're still not getting split times
  But we should be getting that feed up and running pretty soon.
• 12:34 PM: Frank Pipp
  BMC rider Frank Pipp is on course. Here's an interesting interview with him from a day or two ago, where he talks about what it's like being a criterium specialist trying to stay with an elite field on a very hilly day.
  
• 12:35 PM: Tim Johnson
  National cyclocross champion Tim Johnson is on the road. We'll try to get time checks for him.
• 12:37 PM: Cipo' in da house
  Man, people like that guy. He's off on the road.
• 12:39 PM: Feel free to ask
  If you have any questions, hit the "Contact the Editors" link below the update window. We'll try to answer as many as possible.
• 12:40 PM: Rain
  It's spotty. There are portions of the road that are a bit damp... and others quite dry.
• 12:41 PM: Scott Nydam
  has the finished with the fastest time. He's turned in a 34:58.06. Mike Creed is in and he has a 36:47.488.
• 12:43 PM: The sun
  is coming back out.
• 12:47 PM: Jonathan Mumford
  The Kelly Benefits rider has taken over the hot seat, with a time of 34:48.055.
• 12:51 PM: The predictions
  for weather are pretty accurate. It's cloudy and the rain is sporadic.
• 12:57 PM: Reader question
  We got an interesting note from one reader:

  "I am wondering if course roads are prepared in any way before each stage, including sweeping crud away. For example, I have attended Tour de France stages in two different years and noticed that, at least occasionally, some course roads were re-paved in anticipation of the race. In contrast, while waiting for the race last Tuesday, I was standing near a pothole. Also have there been more flat tires in this race than you might normally expect?"

  Certainly any good organizer will do the minimum of sweeping corners and scanning the route for crud, but you're right, in some small communities in Europe, entire stretches of road are repaved and repaired. Indeed, some of Italy's toughest passes were actually paved in anticipation of Giro stages.

• 01:00 PM: Raivis Belohvosciks
  just blasted in with a 32:52.175. Jelly Belly's Bernard Van Ulden had just moved into the top spot, with an impressive time of 32:54.959, more than 1:20 better than John Murphy's, but nw his in second by two seconds.
• 01:04 PM: We've heard you
  Years and years of toying with our live updates, we've tried most-recent-first and we've tried stacking updates so that you need to scroll to the bottom for the latest. The one thing we've learned is that no matter what we do, half of you aren't happy. So the choice is yours. Check the option on top of the viewer box if you want the most recent update on top. You make the call.
• 01:09 PM: Tim Johnson
  Finishes with 34:39, 1:54 off the best time.
• 01:10 PM: Stuart O'Grady
  finishes in 33:11. That's the fourth best of the day, so far. Not bad for a guy we thought might be forced into retirement after last year's Tour de France crash.
• 01:15 PM: Cipollini
  finishes with a time of 35:47.720, 24th best so far, one slot above Tony Cruz from BMC, bettering his younger rival by three seconds.
• 01:18 PM: Sunny again
  The weather may finally be cooperating. It's been sketchy for much of the morning, but the sun is working it's way out, but the wind is now picking up.
• 01:20 PM: Bradley Wiggins
  comes in with a time of 32:16, nearly 30 seconds ahead of Belojvosciks' time. He's a world pursuit champ and it worked for him today.
• 01:22 PM: A common question
  Brian R. writes in with a common question:
  
  "Question for the guys at ToC ITT: Why do the racers warm up with the things sticking in their nostrils?"

  A lot of riders use cotton soaked with eucalyptus oil to open up their sinuses. We've heard various opinions regarding the value of that, but it sure does smell good.

• 01:26 PM: We're coming up
  on some of the biggies today. 10th placed Victor Hugo Pena starts in about 10 minutes. We see George Hincapie on the road.
• 01:29 PM: Gusev
  has turned in the second-best ride of the day, thus far. The Astana man turned in a 32:21.595, five seconds off of Wiggins' time.
• 01:31 PM: Picks?
  VeloNews editor in chief Ben Delaney picks Tom Zirbel as an early starter to watch out for. Zirbel started at 12:58. The Bissell rider was 12th last year in the Solvang TT. Zirbel is in with a strong 32:10, five seconds better than Wiggins and the new leader in the hot seat.
• 01:35 PM: And we're in the top ten
  Victor Hugo Pena is in the start house. We'll see riders going off at two-minute intervals from here on out and every one of these guys is within 30 seconds of the yellow jersey.
• 01:36 PM: Up next is Alexandre Moos
  from BMC.
• 01:38 PM: Rory Sutherland
  came in with a strong ride. He powered in with a 32:54, good enough for fifth.
• 01:40 PM: Zirbel's time is still tops
  Will his 32:10 hold for the day?

  Several of the men lining up right now hope - and expect - to beat that.

• 01:43 PM: Zabriskie
  is on the road.

  Christian Vande Velde and Chris Horner are out on the road.

• 01:44 PM: Zabriskie
  the only American to win stages in all three grand tours, is looking smooth, decked out in his Captain America national TT champion's skin suit.
• 01:46 PM: Reader comment
  Robert W. writes:
  
  "Yesterday you guys mentioned how much more interesting stages like yesterday's might be if race radio were done away with. I totally agree. But what are the real chances of it ever happening? Have there ever been any motions more substantial than wistful statements by spectators and journalists?"

  No, we agree. It won't happen, but complaining is an American tradition, no?

• 01:50 PM: David Millar
  is on the road. Meanwhile, CSC's Bobby Julich just came in with a time of 33:04. That's 10th best of the day.... Janez Brojkovic (Astana) comes in right on his heels with a time of 32:05, five seconds better than the time of Tom Zirbel.
• 01:51 PM: Cancellara
  is in the start house. Robert Gesink is out on the road. We're picking him as the day's dark horse. He has a ton of potential. He may surprise folks, even today.
• 01:53 PM: Leipheimer
  is stepping into the start house. The race leader won here last year with a blistering time of 29:40.44.
• 01:54 PM: Leipheimer
  on his way.
• 01:56 PM: Cancellara
  is really driving it hard out there. The man in the rainbow skinsuit is on a flat portion of the course and is powering through with a big, big gear.
• 01:58 PM: Hincapie
  has come across the line with a 32:59, 12th best of the day... and just in front of Bobby Julich.
• 02:01 PM: Wow
  Ben Jacques Maynes (Bissell) comes in with a 32:11. His time is just one second off of his teammate Tom Zirbel and good enough for third, so far.
• 02:02 PM: Zabriskie
  at the halfway mark, has turned in a 16:55, which is a little slower than Bradley Wiggins, who is now in fifth place.
• 02:03 PM: Gustav Larsson
  has turned in a 16:40 split at the halfway mark. That's the fastest of the day to this point.
• 02:08 PM: David Millar
  has set a new best time at the halfway mark. He has a 16:38.
• 02:09 PM: Gesink
  turns in a weak intermediate time of 17:13
• 02:12 PM: Vande Velde
  has set the new best time. His 31:31 is a full 33 seconds out of Brajkovic's time. Wow.
• 02:14 PM: Chris Horner
  comes in with a time of 32:28. That's good enough for ninth.
• 02:14 PM: Zabriskie
  is heading into the finish.
• 02:15 PM: Zabriskie
  earns a time of 32:01, could enough for second, but that's still 30 seconds off of Vande Velde's time.
• 02:17 PM: Gustav Larsson
  The Astana rider comes in with a 31:44, 12 seconds off of Vande Velde's time.
• 02:18 PM: Millar
  is within one kilometer of the finish.
• 02:19 PM: Millar
  is the new leader. He turns in a 31:15, 16 seconds ahead of Vande Velde's time. Nice work. That means Slipstream has three riders in the top four.
• 02:22 PM: Gesink
  Robert Gesink comes in with a time of 32:49. He holds his best young rider's jersey, but may lose a spot or two on GC.
• 02:23 PM: Cancellara
  Comes in with a time of 31:52... the fourth best of the day.
• 02:25 PM: Leipheimer flies in!
  Leipheimer takes the stage with a 30:46, that's a full 28 seconds ahead of David Millar. He made it look easy
• 02:30 PM: Top Ten
  1. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 30:47
  2. David Millar (GB) Slipstream, at 0:29
  3. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream, at 0:45
  4. Gustav Larsson (Swe) CSC, at 0:57
  5. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) CSC, at 1:05
  6. David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream, at 1:15
  7. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana, at 1:19
  8. Tom Zirbel (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling, at 1:24
  9. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell, at 1:25
  10. Kim Kirchen (Lux) High Road, at 1:28
  
  
• 02:36 PM: Well that was a terrific ride
  Congratulations to Levi Leipheimer. He's put his mark on this race in spectacular fashion.

  Looking ahead to tomorrow's stage, covers a hilly 105 miles from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita. That kicks off at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow. Remember this is the stage in which George Hincapie broke his wrist. We're wishing him better luck tomorrow.

  Meanwhile, check in soon for results, a complete race report and other features right here on VeloNews.com

  Thanks again for checking in today and we hope to see you tomorrow.

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