Stage 1 – Sunday, May 16, 2010: Nevada City - Sacramento 167.8km
HTC-Columbia team-mate Mark Renshaw delivered Mark Cavendish to the perfect spot the “Manx Missile” did the rest.  Cavendish took the stage win and the first race lead of 2010.

Stage 2 – Monday, May 17, 2010: Davis - Santa Rosa 176.2km
Australian Bert Lancaster (Cervelo Test Team) grabbed a soggy stage win in Santa Rosa.  Lancaster out sprinted Peter Sagan (Liquigas) and Lars Boom (Rabobank) took third place.  The Cervelo stage win was designed for teammate Heinrich Haussler, but after Haussler had a mechanical Lancaster took over. 
The stage win and time-gain gave Lancaster the race lead.  Stage 1 leader Mark Cavendish succumbed to the bad weather and finished over 17 minutes behind.

Stage 3 – Tuesday, May 18, 2010: San Francisco - Santa Cruz 182.9km
Major GC fireworks went off on Stage 3.  On the climb of Bonny Doon Road David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) was able to launch a decisive attack with only Levi Leipheimer (Radio Shack) and Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) able to match his attack.  With 25km remaining into Santa Cruz over the top David Zabriskie held off Michael Rogers for the stage win in Santa Cruz.  The win and resulting time bonus gave the Garmin-Transitions rider the overall GC lead in the ToCal.

Stage 4 – Wednesday, May 19, 2010: San Jose - Modesto 195.5km
Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) out sprinted Saxo Bank’s J J Haedo and Mark Cavendish for the stage win in Modesto.   

David Zabriskie held the overall GC lead over Michael Rogers (+4”) and Levi Leipheimer (+6”).

Stage 5 – Thursday, May 20, 2010: Visalia - Bakersfield 195.5km
Slovak Peter Sagan (Liquigas) continued his successful run through the ToCal in Bakersfield.  Sagan took the uphill sprint ahead of a second placed Michael Rogers and race leader David Zabriskie.  The stage win moved Sagan into fourth place overall just +15” behind the new race leader Michael Rogers.  The second place finish on the stage gave Rogers enough of a time bonus to take the overall lead.

Stage 6 – Friday, May 21, 2010: Pasadena - Big Bear Lake 213.7km
Peter Sagan sprinted to his second sage win in a row and gave Liquigas its third successive stage winning.  

Sagan also gained the stage win time bonus and moved himself into third place in the overall GC just +9” behind Rogers.

Stage 7 – Saturday, May 22, 2010: Los Angeles 33.6km ITT
Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia) was the only rider to break the 42 minute barrier in the 33.6 km individual time trial.  The dominating effort was good enough to take the stage win.  Race leader Michael Rogers finished +22” behind Martin but -5” ahead of Zabriskie.  Rogers lead stood at 5 seconds with one stage to go.

Stage 8 – Sunday, May 23, 2010: TO/Westlake/Agoura Hills 134.4km
In an aggressive final stage David Zabriskie and Levi Leipheimer attack relentlessly on the final climb of Mulholland Highway.  The race leader answered every move.  Five riders came to the finish in Agoura Hills with Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) sprinted away from the other four and took the Tour of California’s final stage win of 2010.

Stage 8 winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) [ Photo by Doug Pensinger ]

Michael Rogers after a tough fight came away with a grand Tour of California victory. 

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