Leipheimer like a hawk

ByEurosport

Published 06/08/2006 at 12:31 GMT

Levi Leipheimer attacked on the descent of Sunday's final climb to win Stage 5 of the Tour of Germany, but Jens Voigt took the yellow jersey finishing fourth-place at three seconds behind the American. Leipheimer still has one mountain stage and one time

Though it was the first mountain stage of the race, the voyage from Bad Tolz, Germany to Seefeld, Austria was shortened by about 30-km because of difficult weather conditions, including snow on the HC Kühtaisattel, which was cut from the course in a last-minute change.

Leipheimer pulled away with Lenoardo Piepoli and Andrey Kashechkin on the day's final/lone climb before escaping on his own on the descent of the Cat. 1 Mosern.

Kazakhstan's Kashechkin ultimately took second, arriving with Italy's Marzio Bruseghin who just beat Voigt to the line to finish third.

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"The change in the route didn't affect the racing, it was equally tough with lots of attacks," said Leipheimer. "Winning a stage like this is always important, I didn't plan it, I just saw the right moment had come."

CYCLING 2006 Deutschland-Tour Bad Tölz - Seefeld Levi Leipheimer Kashechkin Piepoli

Image credit: dpa

Prologue winner Vladimir Gusev failed to retake the yellow jersey at three seconds behind Voigt in the GC crossing the line 17 seconds behind Leipheimer.

Gerolsteiner's Leipheimer, who won last year's race, is now fourth in the GC at 18 seconds behind stage-two winner Voigt.

The American is hoping for his second victory at a UCI Pro Tour stage-race this season after winning the Criterium Dauphine Libere in June and failing to live up to expectations at last month's Tour de France.

"Winning the Tour of Germany again would be a great result," Leipheimer said.

The peloton faces what will now be the biggest mountain stage of the race on Monday with the Cat. 2 Ettal, the HC Hanhtenjocch Passhone, and the finish at the Cat. 1 St. Anton climb in St. Christoph.

After Tuesday's penultimate 38.2-km time trial at Bad Säckingen, the yellow jersey should be decided.

Follow LIVE coverage of the last three stages of the Tour of Germany on www.eurosport.com.

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