Levi Leipheimer of Team Astana won his third straight Tour of California Sunday, with a final time of 31 hours, 28 minutes and 21 seconds. Leipheimer led the pack in overall time during the nine-day tour from last Monday on.
"It's the sweetest victory of the three," said Leipheimer in an interview with the Canadian Associated Press.
The win solidified the cycling world's view of Leipheimer as a confident leader of a team with a lot of depth, according to ESPN.com's Bonnie D. Ford.
Leipheimer is now looking to race in the Tour de France and the Tour of Italy.
Lance Armstrong, returning from retirement and playing the supporting role to Leipheimer, placed seventh overall. Not too shabby.
The Tour of California's coordinating board will be looking to lengthen the race and elevate it to the Pro Tour level in the coming years, giving America her first prestigious Pro Tour cycling race.
"We think there should be a great race in the United States, and we don't see any reason why it shouldn't be us,"Andrew Massick, President of AEG Sports, said.
photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
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