Nebraska Cycling News

USA Cycling National Development Team Riders Bookwalter, Fairly Prepared to Finish

Santa Clarita, Calif. - An intense day of racing ended when Juan Jose Haedo (CSC) of Argentina captured his second stage win of the week as the 2007 AMGEN Tour of California nears its conclusion Sunday in Long Beach. 

Haedo won the field-sprint finish of the 169-kilometer stage six from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita Saturday as overall leader Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa, Calif.) relied heavily upon his Discovery Channel teammates to keep the yellow jersey with just one stage remaining.

After a threatening nine-man breakaway escaped early on in the race, the Discovery Channel Team led the chase to reel in the leaders and the field came back together in the closing kilometers.  In the ensuing sprint, Haedo, winner of four stages since the tour began last year, outsprinted New Zealander Greg Henderson for the win while world champion Paolo Bettini took third.

The two remaining USA Cycling National Development Team riders - Brent Bookwalter (Cedar Springs, Mich./VMG Racing) and Caleb Fairly (Amarillo, Texas/VMG Racing) - finished 37th and 118th respectively.  Bookwalter finished in the 87-man lead group, while Fairly finished in a group just seconds behind.

With Leipheimer's overall lead in jeopardy with a strong group of contenders up the road, the development team riders were immersed in one of the most challenging stages of the weeklong event.

"For me, it was the hardest day of the whole race", explained Bookwalter after stage six. "Maybe it's just because we're on day seven, and it's a lot for me, especially at this time of year, but I thought it felt like the pressure was on the entire day.  My watch and SRM confirmed that we weren't going easy at all."

Bookwalter remains the highest-placed rider for the development squad in both the general classification (81st) and in the Best Young Rider classification (13th).

The 2007 AMGEN Tour of California concludes Sunday with a 124-kilometer circuit race in Long Beach.

2007 USA Cycling Professional Tour

AMGEN Tour of California

February 18-25

Stage Six Results - Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita - 169 kilometers

1. Juan Jose Haedo (ARG) 3:56.04

2. Greg Henderson (NZL) s.t.

3. Paolo Bettini (ITA) s.t.

37. Brent Bookwalter (Cedar Springs, Mich.) s.t.

118. Caleb Fairly (Amarillo, Texas) +0:13.13

General Classification after Stage Four

1. Levi Leipheimer 22:17:56

2. Jens Voigt +0:21

3. Jason McCartney +0:54

81. Brent Bookwalter +16:57

115. Caleb Fairly +39:49

For complete results, visit www.tourofcalifornia.com