51° CLEAR, Levi well-protected midway through final stage
Last Modified: Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 5:02 p.m.
ESCONDIDO — Glen Chadwick (Rock Racing) has a few-second lead over pursuers Fränk Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) of Luxembourg, Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) of Italy, Bauke Mollema (Rabobank) of the Netherlands and about a minute advantage over a diminishing main field with slightly less than half of the eighth and final stage left Sunday at the Tour of California.
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Levi Leipheimer (Astana) of Santa Rosa, who has held the race lead since last Monday, began the final stage with a 36-second margin over David Zabriskie (Garmin-Slipstream) and a 45-second lead over Michael Rogers (Columbia-Highroad) of Australia.
Leipheimer rode in the company of several teammates, including Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, as the field crested Mt. Palomar (elevation 5,123 feet), the highest point ever in the race's four-year history.
The final stage, from Rancho Bernardo to Escondido, includes four climbs, with the field encountering some road sections of snow and a lively, sizable crowd on Mt. Palomar.
Several cyclist have dropped out of the race, including Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), who began the day in 24th position overall, and Fred Rodriguez (Rock Racing), who began the final day in 92nd position.
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