Tour of California Stage 8: Santa Clarita > Thousand Oaks (Photos by Will Swetnam)

< Previous Tour of California Stage 8: Santa Clarita > Thousand Oaks

We're off to a fast start past the citrus trees as HTC and the other sprinters teams won't let any break larger than four get up the road.
AToC stage 8
With this speed, Jonathan Vaughters seems to have brought the correct team car today...
Once a break of four gets up the road, the peloton relaxes...
AToC stage 8
The break isn't resting, they're trying to stay away today - they extend their lead to over three minutes.
AToC stage 8
The peloton keeps the gap steady as they pass a field of flowers.
Two others have gone up the road, they'll not get far and stay in no-man's land for about an hour.
AToC stage 8
The peloton climbs Balcom Canyon, the break holding around three minutes.
AToC stage 8
Danielson and Vandevelde are poised to take thrid and fourth in the overall.
These Kelly Benefits riders find little draft behind the new Garmin team car...
Liquigas, Saxo and HTC all have designs on the day - they work to bring back the break for a sprint finish.
AToC stage 8
Andy Schleck will leave California with a solid week of training behind him, his focus is on July.
AToC stage 8
The pace stays high as the pleoton climbs the Norwegian grade.
Once on the finishing circuits in Thousand Oaks, Tjallingii and Mortenson attack with four to go, hoping to steal a win...
AToC stage 8
The sprinters teams are having none of it...
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...and catch the pair with the remaining member of the original break, Jan Barta, with just 5 k to go.
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As Leigh Howard celebrates behind, HTC's Goss wins stage 8 over Sagan!
The stage 8 podium, of Goss, Sagan and Henderson.
AToC Goss HENDERSON HTC Liquigas PODIUM Sagan Stage Winner sky stage 8
Garmin win the team competition and receive a photo of un-raced past Emerald Bay of Lake Tahoe.
The overall GC podium, of Horner, Leipheimer and Danielson.
AToC DANIELSON GARMIN GC Podium HORNER LEIPHEIMER RadioShack stage 8
Chris Horner and Levl Leipheimer of RadioShack celebrate their one two finish in GC in the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.
AToC Gold Jersey HORNER LEIPHEIMER RadioShack stage 8