Tour de Georgia: Leipheimer again!

With less than two miles to the top of Brasstown Bald Mountain, American Levi Leipheimer of Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team made his move past a group of four riders to capture Stage Five of the 2007 Tour de Georgia. The victory, in a time of 4.33’33”, is Leipheimer’s second straight at the Tour de Georgia. His teammate, Tom Danielson (USA) of Discovery, last year's Brasstown Bald stage winner, took second (38 seconds back).  Third place on the signature mountain stage went to American Anthony Colby of Colavita/Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, the highest placing rider out of the original eight-man break. He finished one minute behind Leipheimer.   

"David Millar (Prodir-Saunier Duval) really turned up the gas at the end of the climb. (Gilberto) Simoni (Prodir-Saunier Duval) took over. He’s very smart with his effort. He was hitting it hard on the steep parts. After a while, at the 5k to go mark, it was just Tom (Danielson) and I on his wheel. I sensed that he had slowed down a little bit and I tried hitting him hard a little bit," said Leipheimer of his determined charge. "I felt great yesterday and today and I had the legs to keep going." 

The standings in the General Classification will remain unchanged as, Slovenian Janez Brajkovic of Discovery Channel will remain as the overall leader, ahead of American Christian VandeVelde of Team CSC by a slim 12 seconds. Prodir-Saunier Duval’s David Canada Gracia moved into third place. 

It was a picture-perfect day through the southern Applachian Mountains for Stage Five, sunny skies, mild temperatures and a light breeze made weather less of a factor than in last year’s rainstorm. Today's 107 mile (172.1 km) stage saw riders contest Category 2 and 3 and climbs en route to finishing at Brasstown Bald, an H.C. (hors categorie) mountaintop finish. Excited fans, who lined the entire three miles of the road leading to Georgia’s highest point (4,784 feet/ 1458 meters), witnessed a group of eight riders in an eight-man break, including third-place finisher Colby.    

Discovery riders Leipheimer, Danielson, and Brajkovic and Team CSC’s VandeVelde stayed at the front of the peloton most of the day. Brajkovich shadowed VandeVelde up the final climb, maintaining the AT&T Leader’s jersey. "I just focused on his wheel... He attacked at least 20 times and I have to say it was hard, but I was able to stay with him and that’s all that matters," said Brajkovic of his strategy. "For sure we kept the jersey, but there are two stages more until the race is over, I cannot say that I’ve won the race. We’ll have to wait for the next couple of days."    

Daniele Contrini of Tinkoff Credit Systems continues as the Maxxis Sprint Leader. For his efforts in dictating the pace throughout the race and being in the eight-man break, Alexandre Moos of BMC Racing was awarded the Dent Wizard Most Aggressive Rider. Ryder Hesjedal of Health Net presented by Maxxis captured the United Community Bank King of the Mountain jersey.  Belgian Kevin Seeldrayers of Quick Step-Innergetic will remain as the GE Energy Best Young Rider.     

Stage Six will start at Lake Lanier Islands, the first time the Tour has held a Stage Start at this lake resort in Hall County. Lake Lanier Islands Resort with its picturesque shoreline is one of Georgia’s top attractions, hosting more than seven million visitors each year. The race begins at 12:00 noon and will cover 113.7 miles/ 182.9 km. With climbing over for the week, riders will face Maxxis Sprint Lines at Buford and Social Circle. Another first will be the finish at the 3,200-acre Stone Mountain Park, which hosts some four million visitors annually.  Riders will make two laps in the park and are expected to complete the course between 4:10 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.

Results stage 5 Tour de Georgia 2007

1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel  4.33.33
2 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel  0.38
3 Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home  1.00
4 Nathan O'neill (Aus) Health Net  1.06
5 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir                                     1.19
6 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team                                             1.25
7 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net  1.29
8 John Devine (USA) USA National Development Team                                 1.30
9 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC                                              1.38
10 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel                                                     11 Glen Alan Chadwick (NZl) Navigators Insurance  2.07
12 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC                                                 2.17
13 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir                                2.20
14 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quick Step - Innergetic                                      2.26
15 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic                                 2.28
16 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance 2.32
17 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team                                               2.46
18 Scott Moninger (USA) BMC Racing Team                                               
19 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC                                                  2.52
20 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quick Step - Innergetic                                     3.03
21 Ruggero Marzoli (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems                                    3.05
22 Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream                                                3.09
23 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel 3.14
24 Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel 3.18
25 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval - Prodir                                 3.22

General Classification after stage 5

1 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel                      18.57.03
2 Christian Vandevelde (USA) Team CSC                                              0.12
3 David Canada Gracia (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir                                 3.04
4 Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Saunier Duval - Prodir                                  3.06
5 Kevin Seeldrayers (Bel) Quick Step - Innergetic                                  4.22
6 Scott Nydam (USA) BMC Racing Team                                                5.35
7 Jeffry Louder (USA) Health Net  6.00
8 Timothy Johnson (USA) Health Net  6.59
9 Lucas Euser (USA) Team Slipstream                                               10.08
10 Ivan Santaromita (Swi) Quick Step - Innergetic                                 12.15
11 Tyler Wren (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home 12.26
12 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel 24.48
13 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel 26.57
14 Nathan O'neill (Aus) Health Net 27.15
15 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC                                                 28.21
16 Anthony Colby (USA) Colavita/Sutter Home   28.55
17 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Health Net 29.09
18 Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream                                               29.55
19 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir                                   30.00
20 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel  30.17
21 Alexandre Moos (Swi) BMC Racing Team                                           30.30
22 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC                                                30.37
23 Brian Vandborg (Den) Discovery Channel 30.49
24 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quick Step - Innergetic                                    31.30
25 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team                         31.35

During the Tour de Georgia Cyclingheroes will publish a riders diary of Henk Vogels. Today no new diary entry of Henk, we will publish one about stage 5 & 6 tomorrow. For now you can read the fourth part, stage 4: Henk Vogels Tour de Georgia riders diary: stage 4