Friday is "showdown" day

PASO ROBLES — Levi Leipheimer called it a “Showdown.” In cycling parlance, it’s often called “The Race of Truth.”

In either case or by any other name, cyclists win stage races via their ability to climb mountains and pedal swiftly in individual time trials. And it’s likely that’s how the Tour of California will be determined this year.

Following another pack finish and Mark Cavendish’s second straight sprint win Thursday in Stage5, Leipheimer will vie for his third straight time trial win today in Stage6 in Solvang.

Leipheimer finished safely in the main field in 15th place in the 134.3-mile stage, the longest in the race, and the first held under warm and sunny conditions. The Santa Rosa rider has led the race’s fourth edition since his strong second-place finish in the mountainous second stage Monday from Sausalito to Santa Cruz.

But just as he has the past two years, Leipheimer has focused his title intentions on the solo effort in Solvang, the Dutch-themed tourist town.

“There’s Michael Rogers, a three-time world titlist and Dave Zabriskie, a three-time national titlist,” said Leipheimer, whose dominating time trial win last year advanced his race lead. “It’s going to be a special day, and I am really looking forward to it.”

Leipheimer, who has four career stage wins and has led the Tour of California for 19 days in its four years, assumed the lead via two second-place finishes. But he doesn’t have a stage win this year.

“I can’t predict the future, but as long as I’m feeling the way I have been and ride the way I’ve been riding, it will be very difficult for him (Michael Rogers),” said Leipheimer. “And Zabriskie is the U.S. champion ... anything is possible.”

Leipheimer leads Rogers by 24 seconds and Zabriskie, a former time trial Tour de France stage winner, by 28 seconds. Lance Armstrong, Leipheimer’s teammate, a multiple time trial winner during his seven Tour de France wins, is fourth overall, trailing by 30 seconds.

Leipheimer led the race by 13 seconds entering the time trial stage last year and dominated the stage by 29 seconds.

“I feel good good and I’ve felt good the whole race,” said Leipheimer, whose third place in the 2007 Tour de France was culminated by his time trial win in the next-to-last stage. “I feel awesome about keeping the lead.”

Leipheimer’s confidence is well-founded, at least according to Armstrong. Although he’s defeated Leipheimer many times in time trials, Armstrong predicted his teammate would beat him by more than a minute in the sixth stage.

TIME TRIAL STARTING TIMES

Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) of Italy will be the first rider to start the time trial at noon. The field will progress in one-minute intervals in the reverse order of their overall standings.

The top-10 riders will start in two-minute intervals, with Leipheimer scheduled to start at 1:57 p.m. Leipheimer won last year in 30 minutes and 46 seconds on the nearly identical course scheduled today.

NOT-SO-SPEEDY SASTRE

Reigning Tour de France titlist Carlos Sastre is competing in the United States for the first time in his long career.

He’s among the world’s most enduring riders with 18 grand tour (three-week) race finishes.

But Sastre, the team leader of the new Cervelo Test Team and a national hero in his native Spain, is racing without much fanfare in the Tour of California. Sastre began the event suffering from the flu and he hasn’t fared well throughout the event’s first six days.

Sastre, whose victory in the Tour de France last July was prompted by his solo blast to the top of the famed L’Alpe d’Huez ski resort, finished 89th in Thursday’s fifth stage, 53 seconds behind.

Sastre is 100th overall, trailing Leipheimer by 33:39.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Good weather meant injury-free racing Thursday. After six riders, including Scott Nydam of Sebastopol, abandoned the race via crashes and injuries in the past two days, there were no departures in the fifth stage.

The day began with 108 riders and finished with 108 riders. The event began with a field of 136 last Saturday in Sacramento.

Last year, when the flu spread through the field early the race, there were only 77 finishers from a starting field of 132.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Eight riders per team is the Tour of California standard. The Tour de France and other grand tour races feature nine riders per team.

But with three stages remaining, only four teams — Astana, Garmin-Slipstream, Quick-Step and Liquigas — have the full complement of riders remaining.

Fly V Australia and Team Type 1 both have only three riders left.

PICK A BIKE, ANY BIKE

The stolen-but-returned, one-of-a-kind time trial bike of Lance Armstrong’s has arrived.

Armstrong said he would ride a second time trial bike constructed in the past few days. But Armstrong, via a posting on his Twitter account, said he’s changed his mind and will ride the original bike.