Leipheimer wins Tour of California; Hincapie takes final stage

Mon February 25 2008
Posted Feb 25, 2008
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PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Levi Leipheimer won the Tour of California for the second straight year Sunday, beating Britain's David Millar by 49 seconds in the eight-day, 650-mile race. The 34-year-old Leipheimer, third in the 2007 Tour de France, led the event for the final five days, finishing in 29 hours, 24 minutes, 32 seconds. He finished in the main pack Sunday in the rainy final stage, about a minute behind winner George Hincapie. Leipheimer (Astana) of Santa Rosa finished fourth in the prologue Feb. 17 and began the first stage trailing Fabian Cancellara (CSC) of Switzerland by six seconds. Leipheimer beat Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle) and his teammate Christian Vande Velde of Lemont, Ill., who took third finishing 1:08 behind the winner. Hincapie (High Road) of Greenville, S.C., the former U.S. National road titlist who was a teammate of Lance Armstrong in each of his seven Tour de France titles, won Sunday's 93.4-mile road race from Santa Clarita to Pasadena in 3:50:57.