Chris Horner wins Tour of California

Chris Horner of the USA Chris Horner's Tour of California triumph on Sunday had the US veteran looking back to his cycling roots and also looking forward -- to July's Tour de France. Horner, 39, sealed his Tour of California victory in the eighth and final stage won by Australian Matthew Goss, finishing 38 seconds ahead of compatriot and RadioShack team-mate Levi Leipheimer.

Horner, a Californian, admitted that the final stage, ending in Thousand Oaks in rolling countryside west of Los Angeles, had him thinking about his early days in cycling.
"I was nostalgic all day," Horner said. "I’ve done so much training up here on these roads, maybe going back as far as 1991. I’ve really built my career training here. This Southern California area has been my stomping grounds."
But he was also looking to the future, and questions about RadioShack's challenge in the Tour de France in July.
Horner said it remains to be seen who will emerge as the team leader in France, but he's excited to be in the mix.
"It’s a difficult transition at this period between the Tour of California and the Tour (de France) to come in at 100 percent form.
"Levi and I will have to do everything perfectly between now and then to make that happen. It's a very small window and it's a time that if you do something wrong it will affect your form for sure at the Tour.
"Make no mistake, with RadioShack this team is 100 percent dedicated to the rider who will perform at the Tour de France.
"I have no problem working for Levi and you see he has no problem working for me. We have fantastic Jani Brajkovic that could shine really bright at the Tour de France. And of course there is Andres Kloden.
"I expect to be with four guys who have a little bit of freedom and we will have five guys who will look after the four of us. It will become very clear after the first mountain stage who is the leader. At this team we get along very well and everyone is there to support the best rider."
HTC rider Goss, who in March triumphed in the Milan-Sanremo, seized the 132-km final California stage as the race concluded in a sprint finish.
Horner crossed the finish line near the back of the peloton with his arms raised in triumph.
He had led the overall standings on each of the final five days and won with a total time of 23 hours, 46 minutes and 41 seconds.
He was thrilled with a victory in a race in which he had previously helped Leipheimer to titles in 2007-2009.
The team-mates rode most of the final two stages together, Leipheimer supporting Horner after his team-mate seized the lead on Wednesday.
They turned back all challengers on the penultimate stage on Saturday, Leipheimer taking the victory at the finish of the demanding Mount Baldy climb and Horner second to preserve his overall lead.
Leipheimer said RadioShack would be the underdogs in France, unlike in California where they were among the most recognizeable riders to US fans.
"We won’t have any responsibility at the Tour like we do here," Leipheimer said. "We have the responsibility to carry the Amgen Tour of California on our shoulders. But at the Tour de France we don’t have that. We’re the underdogs.... We can use that to our advantage."
Garmin-Cervelo's Tom Danielson finished 2:45 behind Horner in third place overall.
Goss edged Peter Sagan for the final stage win, Sagan running out of room to overtake metres from the finish.
Goss and 78 riders behind him all finished with the same time of 2 hours, 56 minutes and 39 seconds.

Horner, whose best results have come late in his career, said he has no plans to wind things up just yet.
"I see no time in my near future when I plan on retiring," Horner said. "I believe there's at least five good years left in my legs."