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Back From The Tour of California

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The biggest professional cycling race in the U.S., the Amgen Tour of California, has concluded this week with Dutch rider Robert Gesink of Team Rabobank on top of the podium. The 26-year-old athlete came back, amazingly, from a broken leg just eight months ago to out-climb his competition in the late stages of tour.

Robert Gesink, overall winner of the 2012 Amgen Tour of California

Unlike many state-side pro cycling races, the ATOC draws some of the pro peloton’s biggest names. Jens Voigt, Tom Boonen, Robbie McEwen, Levi Leipheimer and more were there duking it out in the Golden State. The race course winds through some of the most spectacular scenery California has to offer and fans were out in force to cheer on the riders as they swooshed past.

David Boily of Team SpiderTech in the King of the Mountain jersey

GearJunkie contributing editor T.C. Worley attended the tour last week and rode in team SpiderTech’s car to report from the belly of the race. Squawking radios, honking horns, choppers in the air, and cyclists whizzing between the support vehicles were just a few of the sights and sounds he experienced. Look for his report and an in-depth article on the race coming soon.

—Photos by T.C. Worley.

Team cars snake along Hwy. 1 in California
Levi Leipheimer’s Specialized race bike
One of the many fans of veteran racer, Jens Voigt
The great Jens Voigt
2012 Paris-Roubaix winner, Tom Boonen

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