For the second consecutive year, Santa Rosa resident Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) rode to victory during the 2007 Amgen Tour of California Prologue stage before an enthusiastic crowd that San Francisco city officials estimated to be between 280,000 to 300,000 fans.

Reaching Coit Tower from San Francisco's famed Embarcadero in a record time of 4:49.05, Leipheimer will once again proudly ride into Santa Rosa wearing the Amgen Leader's Jersey when Stage 1 takes the riders from Sausalito to Santa Rosa Monday morning.

Among the record crowds, cycling fan Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) was on hand in support of race sponsor Amgen's complementary initiative, Breakaway from Cancer.

Fitting for the largest sporting event in the state, two California cyclists placed in the top three. Behind Leipheimer, Jason Donald (Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle) took second place, followed by San Jose resident Benjamin Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell). Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team ( USA) leads the general team classification after today with a total time of 14:45.

Commenting on his stage win Levi Leipheimer told Roadcycling.com that ?I didn?t feel my legs. I was obviously super-motivated to win today. Everybody came back and told me about this headwind, that the wind had changed, and a I think a few years ago that might have affected me, but I just told myself ?I have to win today,? and I knew exactly the pace I had to go, and Johan (Bruyneel ? his team manager) did an awesome job? he knows exactly what to say behind me. I was like, four, maybe five seconds ahead of George (Hincapie) at the bottom of the climb, and I knew I had so much left. I really saved a lot and then before halfway up the climb, he told me I had ten seconds. I knew that was enough to win. It hurt, but I did it??

A 180-degree wind shift after the first 30 minutes of racing put the later riders at a disadvantage. The final rider of the day, Leipheimer rode hard into the wind to best last year's time of 4:53.43 by about 4 seconds for the 1.92 mile-course (3.1km), which ended with a steep climb to the San Francisco landmark, Coit Tower.

"This gives me the opportunity to wear the leader's jersey into my hometown of Santa Rosa," added the jubilant 33 year-old who stated in the pre-race press conference that doing so in this race one year ago had provided him with one of the best days of his career. "This race ranks up there with some of the best on a very short list in the world. It looks good for American cycling."

Early in the day, the seventh rider to start, neo-pro Jason Donald (Team Slipstream presented by Chipotle), from Winter Park, Colo. surprised everybody by posting a time of 4:50.97. Neither the road cycling world champion, Italy's Paolo Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic), who placed 122nd with a time of 5:31.57, nor the time trial world champion, Switzerland's Fabien Cancellara (Team CSC), who placed fifth with a time of 4:55.09, could better Donald's remarkable ride. San Jose's Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team Presented by Bissell), the second rider to start, surprised himself by finishing third today, with a time of 4:54.22.

Other pre-race favorites included Discovery Channel Pro's George Hincapie, who finished ninth (4:57:238) and Ivan Basso, who finished 23rd (5:03:351) in his return to racing, and Team CSC's Bobby Julich, who finished 22nd (5:03:221), and Dave Zabriskie, who finished 14th (4:59:169).

Title sponsor Amgen is continuing its complementary Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2007.

?Our mission is to serve patients. Since our founding in 1980, Amgen has used the power of pioneering science to fight serious illness,? said George Morrow, executive vice president, global commercial operations, Amgen. ?The Amgen Tour of California sponsorship provides us with opportunities to raise awareness of the many medical advances made possible through biotechnology, and to provide additional support to people affected by cancer through our Breakaway from Cancer initiative.?

Amgen created the Breakaway from Cancer initiative in 2005 as a complementary component to its title sponsorship of the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. As a result of last year's Breakaway from Cancer effort, Amgen provided more than $1 million to The Wellness Community (TWC), an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing free support, education and hope to people affected by cancer. This year, the initiative expanded and also benefits the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS), the oldest survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country. Patrick Dempsey, whose mother is a two-time cancer survivor, is also the initiative?s spokesperson and attended today's race.

?I'm excited to be in San Francisco to help kick off the Amgen Tour of California as part of my participation in the Breakaway from Cancer initiative,? said Patrick Dempsey. ?Just as it takes a team approach to win a professional cycling race, it takes a team of health care providers, caregivers and supporters to beat cancer. The Breakaway from Cancer initiative connects people affected by cancer with services and programs that make a difference.?