USA Pro Cycling Challenge 2011 Photos August 22 - August 28

USA Pro Cycling Challenge 2011 Dashboard: Results, Photos, Video

The prologue was at Garden of the Gods on the outskirts of Colorado Springs	And we are underway with Carlos Alzate (Team Exergy) first down the start ramp on the 5.2 mile run into Colorado Springs	Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo set the early best time of 8:29 good for second at the end of the day
Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing was third + 0:04	Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad was the 41st starter posting the best time: 8:27	The first half of the twisty downhill run into Colorado Springs
Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad was 8th + 0:08	Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek was 57th + 0:36	Captain America David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo was 15th + 0:15 who is still covering from his crash at the Tour de France last month
Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing, was a very respectable 9th + 0:08	Your first "stage" winner of the first USA Pro Cycling Challenge is Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad	Winner and crowd panoramic
24 year-old Patrick Gretsch enjoying the rewards of his second pro win	The prologue podium: 2nd Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo + 0:02, 1st Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad 8:27 and 3rd Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing + 0:04	HTC-Highroad were wearing all the jerseys at the end of the day. Best local boy, Danny Pate, is on the far right.
The god of thunder moved in at the end of the day

Stage 1:  Salida → Crested Butte, 99 mi  Full Results and Report

The stage 1 start was in Salida. With a population of just 5,500, it is the smallest host of this year's race.	Tour de France champ Cadel Evans enjoying the ride before the big climb of the day	The main break of the day was up by 4 minutes after just 12 km of racing: Bradley White (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), Jay Thomson (Bissell Cycling), William Dickeson (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda) and Eduard Beltran (EPM-UNE)
	HTC Highroad with three leaders' jerseys including the race leader (behind Danny Pate far left) and one national champ kit (Hayden Roulston in the middle)	Race leader, Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad, on the far right would only spend one day in the Yellow
Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM - UNE won the Monarch Pass KOM	Next over was Bradley White (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling and Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Bissell Cycling	The peloton led by Garmin-Cervelo cresting Monarch Pass
	Big crowds in all the towns along the route
	More postcards from the road...
		On the uphill finish at Crested Brutte, Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) jumped with 400m to go and held off Colombian Sergio Henao (Gobernacion De Antioquia - Indeportes Antiquia) who finished 4s back
Your stage 1 winner and new race leader by 11s, Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack)	Your stage 1 podium: 2nd Sergio Henao (Gobernacion De Antioquia - Indeportes Antiquia) + 4s, 1st Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) and 3rd Fränk Schleck (Leopard Trek) + 7s

Stage 2:  Gunnison → Aspen, 131 mi  Full Results and Report

The peloton crosses path with the locals during the rollout from Gunnison	Postcards from stage 2	Lots of streams and rivers on today's route
The main break starting the climb of Cottonwood Pass, the first of two big climbs that will take the peloton over 12000 ft twice.	Peloton panoramic	A good portion of the Cottonwood Pass is on hard pack
The break including Danny Pate on the Cottonwood Pass	Cottonwood Pass panoramic	Onto the final of two big climbs
	Ominous weather moving in as the peloton rides past Twin Lake	The break working together on the run up to the long Independence Pass climb
Saxo Bank's André Steensen led for awhile on the final climb and was rewarded with the Most Aggressive Rider Award	Rafael Infantino (EPM-UNE) was first to the top of Independence Pass	After a wet descent into Aspen, George Hincapie (BMC Racing) claims his first win since 2009 after letting GC riders Tejay Van Garderen and Tom Danielson do the work in the break over the final kms.
Tejay Van Garderen's (HTC-Highroad) aggressive riding on the wet descent into Aspen has put him into the race leader's jersey. Previous leader Levi Leipheimer is now 4th + 0:34.	Podium ceremony panoramic	Your stage 2 all American podium: 2nd Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad), 1st George Hincapie (BMC Racing) and 3rd Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervelo)
The jersey leaders

Stage 3:  Vail 10 mi ITT  Full Results and Report

Vail start panoramic. The town is primarily known as the base village to Vail Ski Resort	Colorado cobblestones	Artsy TT shot
	Garmin-Cervelo's Dave Zabriskie set an early best time of 26:46 which was good enough for 7th + 0:59	Andy Schleck was 31st + 2:11
Swedish National TT Champ Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard was 14th + 1:15	Mountains classification Walter Pedraza (Col) EPM - UNE was 55th + 02:43	Gobernacion De Antioquia rider
A decent showing by Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek, 20th + 1:35	BMC's Cadel Evans was 9th + 1:01	Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo was 2nd just 0.058 seconds off the stage win
Levi Leipheimer being urged on by a huge crowd (photo courtesy: Ricardo Moreno-Contro)	Levi Leipheimer on his way to winning the Vail 10 mi ITT in 25:47	Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Cervelo fought off food poisoning the night before to finish 4th + 0:33
George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing was 10th + 1:11 and slips down to 5th overall + 0:53	Race leader going into today's ITT was Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad but he finished 6th + 0:51 and slips to 3rd overall + 17s	Your stage 3 winner, Levi Leipheimer
Your stage 3 podium: 2nd Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo + 0.058, 1st Levi Leipheimer (USA) RadioShack. 3rd Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM - UNE + 0:04	The jersey leaders after Stage 3	Jersey Leader's presentation panoramic. So long from Vail.

Stage 4:  Avon → Steamboat Springs, 83 km  Full Results and Report

The start from Avon	Patriotic face painter	Under an overpass
There were two modest climbs in the first half of the race before the long downhill run to the finish in Steamboat Springs	Jens Voigt leading up the first climb
		Liquigas monitoring the front of the race
Levi Leipheimer back in the leader's jersey for stage 4		The main break of the day included Janier Acevedo and Cristhian Montoya (Gobernacion de Antioquia), Rubens Bertogliati and Vladimir Efimkin (Team Type 1-Sanofi) and Stefan Denifl (Leopard Trek).
	Team Exergy at the front of the chase	The break
The break was easily pulled back as the race approached Steamboat Springs	The field sprint comin' atcha	Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale wins the first sprint finish at this year's USA Pro Challenge ahead of 2nd Michael Mørkøv (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard, left, and 3rd Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil - Shimano, right
Elia Viviani is hoping this win will earn him a spot on the Italian World's Team for next month	Cowboy Viviani	Your stage 4 podium: 2nd Michael Mørkøv (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard, 1st Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale and 3rd Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned) Skil - Shimano
The jersey leaders

Stage 5:  Steamboat Springs → Breckenridge, 106 mi  Full Results and Report

The rollout from Steamboat Springs. The crowds keep building each day.	Panoramic from the Wildhorse ski gondola in Steamboat Springs	Early break
Laurens ten Dam (Rabobank) initiating the next break much to the delight of some questionable fans	RadioShack at the front of the chase for Levi Leipheimer in Yellow	Colorado panoramic
Today's main break had four strong riders led by Andy Schleck and Ivan Basso followed by Tom Peterson and Laurens ten Dam	The peloton passing by one of several reservoirs along the way	Tom Peterson (Garmin-Cervelo) at the front of the break
RadioShack still at the front chasing as they did most of the day	Another pasture panoramic	RadioShack trying to bridge up
Ivan Basso leading the break now, but the cooperation ended on Swan Mountain and descent to the line. Here's a great shot of Andy Shleck cresting Swan Mtn amidst a big crowd.	The break was brought back with 300m to go and there was a bunch sprint in front of a huge Breckenridge crowd	Liquigas' Elia Viviani and Daniel Oss were first and third today with Jaime Castaneda (Col) EPM - UNE crossing second
Second win in a row for Elia Viviani who has a good shot at the natural hat-trick tomorrow in Denver on the final day	Your stage 5 podium, 2nd Jaime Castaneda (Col) EPM - UNE, 1st Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas and 3rd Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas	With just one more day of racing, race leader Levi Leipheimer looks safe; however, the same can't be said for the fans perched on the steep tin roof in this photo
The jersey leaders with Andy Schleck (right) awarded most aggressive rider today

Stage 6:  Golden → Denver, 74 mi  Full Results and Report

BMC Racing getting ready for the start in Golden	The jersey leaders being introduced in Golden	The rollout from Golden
		Levi Leipheimer followed by Tejay Van Garderen
Big crowds in Golden
Freddie Rodriguez	Liquigas at front	Liquigas goes 1-2 with Daniel Oss 1st (right), and two-time stage winner this week, Elia Viviani, 2nd (left) with Freddie Rodriguez crossing 3rd
Daniel Oss your stage 6 winner in Denver	Your inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge winner, Levi Leipheimer	Daniel Oss, stage 6 winner
3rd Freddie Rodriguez, 1st Daniel Oss (Liquigas) and 2nd Elia Viviani (Liquigas)	The jersey winners	Levi Leipheimer
Final GC Podium: 3rd Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad + 0:17, 1st Levi Leipheimer (USA) RadioShack 20:00:24 and 2nd Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo + 0:11	The crowd for the final presentation in Denver