
The sprint came down to a match-up between JJ Haedo, Francesco Chicchi
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Lots of fans rode the climb before the peloton arrived.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

The riders waste no time checking out the view back down the gully.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

David Zabriskie is just one of four Garmin-Transitions riders inside the
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Garmin-Transitions kept a close eye on the break's gap, after all, what
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

The five break away riders had a few good chances to get a visual idea
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

The front of the bunch was filled with Garmin-Transitions and Radioshack
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Jurgen Van De Walle (Quick Step) leads up one of the day's two climbs.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank) rides near the back of the peloton.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Lance Armstrong (Radioshack) was the focus of attention before the stage.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) will be the first rider to spend
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Lance Armstrong (Radioshack) had a crash inside the final three kilometres,
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Spidertech tried to upset the balance as the sprint neared.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Dutch rider Lars Boom (Rabobank Cycling Team) made a dash for the line
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Lars Boom (Rabobank Cycling Team) put the hammer down, before his attack
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Austria's Bernhard Eisel rides back near his Team HTC-Columbia team car.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Despite the move to May the riders just can't seem to escape the wet stuff
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

USA Road Champion George Hincapie leads his BMC Racing Team team-mates
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

On the penultimate lap, Cervelo Test Team was trying to set up Theo Bos.
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Lars Boom (Rabobank) entered the first of the three finishing circuits
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

George Hincapie searches for lunch.
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Andy Schleck hasn't looked comfortable throughout the tour
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

BMC's Jackson Stewart collects his bidons while waiting for a bike exchange
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Mark Cavendish is paced back through the caravan after a puncture on Sierra
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas-Doimo) with his 'Sheriff' bike before the
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Spirits weren't high in the HTC-Columbia camp after they failed to win
Photo credit © Wil Matthews

Ryan Anderson (Kelly Benefit Strategies) leads the breakaway riders during
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Riders on the 195.5 kilometre fourth stage.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

The peloton passes through some fields on its way to Modesto.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

The break away gained momentum early in the race, but never gained a huge
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

The peloton passes through some rolling hills in California.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

HTC-Columbia tried to control the action at the end of the race, but it
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Garmin-Transitions' man with the mo' is the first to rise over the crest.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo Test Team) has a look.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Easy for you to say; Sierra Road fan advice.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Fly V Australia Technical Director Ed Beamon.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

George Hincapie in stars and stripes.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Moto marshal prep in front of San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Michaec Ackley came to the San Jose start in full Belgian spirits.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Garmin-Transitions stretches the thread on the way up Sierra Road.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

The faces say it all; this is serious bike racing in America.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Getting a food delivery from Fly V Australia director Henk Vogels.
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Henk Vogels makes a live call in to Australian TV coverage of the Amgen
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Joao Correia (Cervelo Test Team) and Aldo Ino Ilesic (Team Type 1) failed
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Garmin-Transitions controls the peloton's pace, followed by Team Radioshack.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Canada's Robert Britton (Bissell) picked up valuable mountains points.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

David Zabriskie rides protected by his Garmin-Transitions team-mates.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Garmin-Transitions worked to control the pace for its race leader, closely
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Belgian Jurgen Van De Walle (Quick Step) sets the break away group's pace.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas-Doimo) kicks his Tour of California into gear
Photo credit © Jon Devich

Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

Fly V Australia's Aaron Kemps gets a wheel change from team mechanic Chris
Photo credit © Mark Johnson/www.ironstring.com

No wonder Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo) is fighting so hard to keep his
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Stuart O'Grady (Saxo Bank) rides in the peloton.
Photo credit © Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us

Lars Boom (Rabobank) gives it everything he's got in the finale
Photo credit © Jon Devich

The machinations were underway to determine the break's composition on
Photo credit © Jon Devich

Garmin-Transitions and RadioShack were controlling proceedings up Sierra
Photo credit © Jon Devich

Garmin-Transitions looks after the business of looking after its leader,
Photo credit © Jon Devich

Robbie Hunter rides ahead of race leader and teammate Dave Zabriskie
Photo credit © Jon Devich

Rob Britton (Bissell) does a turn on the front of the break
Photo credit © Jon Devich

HTC-Columbia riders Mark Renshaw and Michael Rogers on the front of the
Photo credit © Jon Devich




