This photo by maxima25 at flickr.com shows stage winner Paolo Bettini (in white at extreme left) and other cyclists sweeping around a corner approaching the finish in San Luis Obispo.

Italian sprinter and world road race champion Paolo Bettini helped school the peloton at the Amgen Tour of California on Thursday when he took the Stage 4 sprint by a tire tread in San Luis Obispo.

Discovery Channel's Levi Leipheimer held onto his slim three-second overall lead ahead of Team CSC's Jens Voigt, setting the stage for a major contest in Friday's 14.5-mile individual time trial around Solvang.

The Tour of California ends Sunday, and whoever is wearing the leader's golden jersey after Stage 5 could have a good chance holding it through the finish in Long Beach. Last year the time trial was timed for an earlier stage in the Tour, but Floyd Landis was able to hold the gold all the way to the finish ...   more »

The 2007 Amgen Tour of California has been all about Levi Leipheimer over the prologue and first three stages. That might be about to change.

Although the 3-second lead he takes into Stage 4 is his largest of the Tour, the number 2 man is German cyclist Jens Voigt, a member of the strong Team CSC and a former Tour de France stage winner and yellow jersey holder.  He certainly has his eyes on the prize. ...   more »