Aussie leads Tour de Georgia with one day to go

Australian climber Trent Lowe protected the yellow jersey from a desperate attack by Levi Leipheimer on the slopes of Brasstown Bald on Saturday, setting the stage for a Tour de Georgia championship.

Neither won the stage, though. That honor goes to Team High Road's Kanstantin Siutsou of Belarus, one of the three that battled it out on the 3.1-mile climb to finish Stage 6 of the 2008 Tour de Georgia.

Leipheimer, who won this stage last year, needed just five seconds to pass Lowe and grab the overall lead in the race that ends Sunday with a circuit race in Atlanta.

Levi at front

The Astana rider from Santa Rosa, California, led the final trio most of the way up the mountain, with race leader Lowe of Slipstream-Chipotle comfortably riding on his wheel. In the thick of the crowds lining the roads, with about 500 or 600 yards remaining, Siutsou jumped ahead and sustained his lead to the finish.

Leipheimer tried to put Lowe away with an acceleration about 300 yards from the top, but he couldn't shake the Aussie. To ensure Leipheimer didn't get any time, Lowe made his own attack and finished second on the stage, five seconds ahead of Leipheimer.

In the final mile or so, the trio was joined briefly by Spain's Oscar Sevilla of Rock Racing; Rory Sutherland (HealthNet) tried to bridge up to the lead group but just couldn't quite make it.

Lowe is 23 years old and was a member of the Discovery Channel pro cycling team in 2006 and 2007.

Fans

Organizers were expecting 25,000 spectators on Brasstown Bald. The WCSN.com video streaming showed fans lining the route and running alongside their favorites, urging them on.

 Sunday's final stage is a 62.7-mile circuit race around Atlanta that starts at 1 p.m. (ET). The Slipstream cycling team's job is to protect Lowe and ensure that that he finishes close enough to the front to maintain his lead and win the championship.