Tour de Georgia - Stage 4
A blistering time trial by Levi Leipheimer led the stage, as team mate Young Gun Janez Brajkovik takes yellow.

By Bart Hazen

Stage 4 Chickamauga - Lookout Mountain (ITT) 30.4 km
Today’s fourth stage, a 30.4 km time-trial between Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, is another ride which can effect the General Classification, with David Canada, Janez Brajkovic and Christian Vandevelde separated by seconds the three would be riding to see who would wear the race leaders jersey at the end of the day.

In the oddest start list in years, with the race favorites losing 29 minutes on yesterdays stage, the fans would watch as the favorites started in mid field position; not in their usual end of the list. The time machine speedsters who were favored for this stage (and in retrospect at the start for the overall) like among others Leipheimer, Danielson, Millar, Zabriskie and O’Neill would be racing for the stage win, and to see if they can reduce the gap somewhat in the chance that they can resurrect their chances on tomorrows mountain test.

There was no rider who had the fastest time for most of the day. First it was Adam Bergman (Colavita/Sutter Home) in 50:28, than Matthew Goss (CSC) in 48:04, Brian Vandborg (Discovery) weighed in with a fast time of 47:11 before Saunier Duval’s TT specialist David Millar was the first rider under the 47 minutes and clocked a time of 46:38.

But the time Millar set, as fast as it was, wasn’t destined to be the best time of the day; a few minutes later it was Predictor/Lotto's Dominique Cornu, the 2006 Under 23 time trial world champ who clocked a time of 46:32 putting Millar in second. The effort of young Cornu couldn't resist Australian Powerhouse Nathan O’Neill's effort. O'Neill who missed a part of the season due to an injury, bested the time of Cornu and set new best time to beat, 46:09.

At the end of the day, O’Neill 's time was good for the 3rd on the day. Levy Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) won the stage with a really outstanding time of 44.51. Levi led for the stage win at 41 seconds faster than USA time trial champion, David Zabriskie (CSC) and 1.18 on O’Neill.

Looking at the top riders in the G.C. all with tired legs after their participation in the over 100km break yesterday that set the G.C. upside down and the best candidates to win the tour,  Janez Brajkovic did the best things today. He finished 11th in the time-trial, which isn’t his fastest time trial; but after yesterdays effort in the break he bested his breakmates to take the yellow jersey.  CSC's Vandevelde made the leap to 2nd overall within 15 seconds of Brajkovic while Saunier/Duval's David Canada Gracia had what he might feel is a disappointing ride, losing about 2.30 on Brajkovic in the time-trial. The result of today has the top seven survivors of the break within three minutes of each other with Vandevelde in the best position to challenge for the lead.

The pre race favorites made up a max of 3 minutes with tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer in the best position if team mate Janez Brajkovik falters in the next two mountain stages. The race isn't over yet and we'll have to see if the leaders can make it through the remaining challenges in the Georgia mountains. Saunier Duval is well placed with two talented climbers, Bertogliati and Gracia. A quick look at the top 20 of the G.C. gives an idea of what it will take for major changes to the leadership in the next few days.

full stage results when available.

General Classification after Stage 4 (top 20)
1. 3 SLO 19831218 BRAJKOVIC Janez DSC 14.21'52"
2. 18 USA 19760522 VANDE VELDE Christian CSC 14.22'04" 12"
3. 32 SUI 19790509 BERTOGLIATI Rubens SDV 14.23'14" 1'22"
================== 2:00 ===============
4. 64 USA 19771208 LOUDER Jeff HNM 14.24'12" 2'20"
5. 33 ESP 19750311 CANADA GRACIA David SDV 14.24'14" 2'22"
6. 46 BEL 19860912 SEELDRAEYERS Kevin QSI 14.25'24" 3'32"
7. 125 USA 19770409 NYDAM Scott BMC 14.26'19" 4'27"
================== 5:00 ===============
8. 63 USA 19770805 JOHNSON Timothy HNM 14.27'01" 5'09"
9. 84 USA 19831205 EUSER Lucas TSL 14.29'18" 7'26"
================== 8:00 ===============
10. 44 SUI 19840430 SANTAROMITA Ivan QSI 14.30'50" 8'58"
11. 98 USA 19810304 WREN Tyler COL 14.30'56" 9'04"
12. 7 BEL 19851205 MEERSMAN Gianni DSC 14.32'45" 10'53"
================== 26:00 ===============
13. 5 USA 19731024 LEIPHEIMER Levi DSC 14.48'18" 26'26"
14. 11 USA 19790112 ZABRISKIE David CSC 14.48'59" 27'07"
15. 61 AUS 19741123 O'NEILL Nathan HNM 14.49'39" 27'47"
16. 2 USA 19780313 DANIELSON Thomas DSC 14.49'49" 27'57"
17. 23 BEL 19851010 CORNU Dominique PRL 14.50'02" 28'10"
18. 74 AUS 19781211 DAY Ben NIC 14.50'05" 28'13"
19. 34 GBR 19770104 MILLAR David SDV 14.50'08" 28'16"
20. 81 USA 19790324 PATE Danny TSL 14.50'16" 28'24"

Full results and Photos to come