Photo report: The racing headed back south from its northernmost point from Steamboat Springs on Saturday with a bumpy stage highlighted by a star-studded breakaway that nearly went the distance. Unfortunately for Tour runner-up, Andy Schleck, there was nothing doing against the Liquigas leadout train – and once again, it was Elia Viviani with his hands held high across the line.


Photography by Darrell Parks – www.darrellparks.com


An early move rolled, but the real break went on Rabbit Ears Pass, just outside of Steamboat Springs. The super high speed ensured that the break was populated with some major names: Andy Schleck, Ivan Basso, Laurens Ten Dam, Tom Peterson, and Janier Acevedo. Not bad.


The field, often led by RadioShack, wasn’t too concerned.




After heading north to Steamboat the day before, the race turned back south to Breckenridge on Saturday.


The fans on the final KOM of the day, Swan Mountain, enjoyed themselves immensely.






Andy Schleck attacked his erstwhile breakaway companions on Swan Mountain and crossed the top with 15 seconds in hand. It wasn’t enough to hold off the likes of Basso and Ten Dam though.


Behind, the GC leaders did battle, but like Andy Schleck ahead, there just wasn’t enough climb to make a difference.


Jens Voigt leads the second group, which would reattach soon…and with it, a bunch sprint was ensured.










In the 50-rider bunch sprint that ensued, there was no touching the afterburners of Liquigas’s Elia Viviani.




Stage Five Results
1 Elia Viviani (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 4:04:31
2 Jaime Alberto Castaneda Ortega (Col) EPM – UNE
3 Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4 Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
5 Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team
6 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad
7 Andrй Steensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard
8 Rafael Montiel (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia – Indeportes Antioquia
9 Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Skil – Shimano
10 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo


General Classification With One Stage Remaining
1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack 17:33:14
2 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:11
3 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad 0:00:17
4 Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:00:21
5 George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:53
6 Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM – UNE 0:01:14
7 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:18
8 Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:01:42
9 Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard Trek 0:01:49
10 Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling 0:01:50
11 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Team RadioShack 0:02:07
12 Jeff Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:02:17
13 Frдnk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek
14 Juan Pablo Suarez Suarez (Col) EPM – UNE 0:02:20
15 Javier Alexis Acevedo Colle (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia 0:02:35
16 Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Cycling 0:02:38
17 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:02:46
18 Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Gobernacion De Antioquia 0:03:14
19 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa) Gobernacion De Antioquia 0:03:16
20 Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:03:26