* Pre-race scouting pays off for Zabriskie
* American still hopes to make London time trial
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BAKERSFIELD, California, May 17 (Reuters) – American David
Zabriskie grabbed the Tour of California lead on Thursday with a
dominant victory in the stage five individual time trial.
Zabriskie, 33, who has won stages in all of cycling’s grand
tours and led the 2005 Tour de France for three days, completed
the 29.7-kilometre flat course in 35 minutes, 59 seconds.
Germany’s Jens Voigt was 23 seconds behind while American
Tejay Van Garderen placed third, trailing by 34 seconds as
temperatures reached 35 degrees for the second successive day.
“I came out here in February and videotaped the course,”
Zabriskie said. “I had a few spots where I wanted to soft pedal
but maintain speed. It sounds weird, but you can do it. The
turnaround was one of those spots.
“This was a really good course for me,” added Zabriskie, who
also won the time trial last year and finished second overall in
the event in 2010.
“Any course where I don’t have to get out of the aerobars is
good for me. I really liked the course.”
Zabriskie, who began the stage in 38th position and trailing
Slovakian race leader Peter Sagan by 40 seconds, now leads Van
Garderen by 34 seconds in the general classification. Robert
Gesink of the Netherlands is third overall, 39 seconds behind.
Zabriskie is hopeful to be the sole U.S. time trial
representative in the London Olympics.
“It’s getting close to the time when they are going to have
make a choice,” said Zabriskie. “And I wanted to have a good
performance.”
Sagan, who claimed the race’s first four stages in sprint
finishes was 52nd on Thursday. He eased at the line, saluting
race fans for his four days in the lead.
Last year’s champion Chris Horner of the United States is
32nd overall, trailing by 2:50.
The eight-stage event continues on Friday with the
186.3-kilometre Palmdale to Big Bear Lake sixth stage, the first
of two mountain consecutive mountain stages.
The race ends on Sunday in Los Angeles.
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
