Gerolsteiner News

American Levi Leipheimer says he retired from professional cycling when his six-month ban for doping violations ended March 1 and he was unable to sign with a new team.

The start of Stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California. Stage 3 winds from Palmdale to Santa Clarita.

The day before the Amgen Tour of California commenced, pre-race favorite Tejay van Garderen wasn't showing much of his hand, downplaying expectations and noting the weight upon his BMC Racing team's broad shoulders.

Eight hours is a long time to ride a bike ... unless you happen to be on the same team as an Olympic medalist such as Levi Leipheimer.

Riders retire. Teams fold. A rival one year is a teammate the next Santa Rosa resident Levi Leipheimer will not compete in the Tour of California this year, the first time he has missed the race.

The finish line: Landis, the first Tour of California champion, capped his fourth day in the leader's jersey cruising in the lead pack through the 123.1-kilometer Redondo Beach Circuit course while his Phonak teammates controlled the field.

Jan Barta of the Czech Republic secured the overall victory in the Szlakiem Grodow Piastowskich on Sunday after Davide Rebellin won the fourth stage of the race.

Mark Cavendish took the stage win and the Giro d'Italia's pink jersey on Saturday, but it nearly all went wrong.

GC Mojo: Pozzovivo is a solid bet for a top ten or a DNF. Betancur is by far the more interesting prospect, a former GiroBio winner with only one grand tour start under his belt.

The Croatian moved from Astana to the Luxembourgeois outfit during the close season and has already made an impression at his new team.

I may not be looking hard enough, but other than road cycling, I can't think of one.

Fans are kept at bay outside the RadioShack-Leopard team bus, awaiting the emergence of Andy Schleck.