Team Columbia-High Road’s Mark Cavendish, of Great Britain,

Mark Cavendish won a stage for the second straight day and
two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer kept his race lead
PASO ROBLES — Mark Cavendish won a stage for the second straight day and two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer kept his race lead for the fourth straight day Thursday after the fifth stage of the Tour of California.

Cavendish completed the 134.3-mile road race — the longest stage in the event — from Visalia to Paso Robles in 5 hours, 7 minutes and 28 seconds. He beat Tom Boonen for the second straight day.

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who began the day in fourth place, finished 19th in the main field. Armstrong remained 30 seconds behind Leipheimer.

Leipheimer of Santa Rosa finished 15th in the stage and kept his 24-second margin over Michael Rogers.

“It’s been a really hard and fast day,” said Leipheimer, who took the overall lead Monday. “At some point, it looked the contenders might give some time back today.”

David Zabriskie, of Salt Lake City, a former stage winner and leader of the Tour de France, remains third overall, trailing by 28 seconds.

After five days of inclement weather, the field of 108 from a starting field of 136 last Saturday in Sacramento, rode a primarily flat stage under sunny and warm conditions.

A group of six riders emerged at front and built more than a 7-minute lead. The field caught up to the leaders in the waning miles and Cavendish’s teammates negotiated their designated sprinter toward the front in the final half mile.

“This was the stage I was targeting since we got here, it worked out perfectly,” he said. “The guys worked so well for us. It was touch and go whether we were going to get the break back. Once again it was George (Hincapie) and Mark Renshaw who got me there. Once I get dropped off in that position, there’s no way I can do anything but win.”

The race continues Friday with a 15-mile individual time trial in Solvang, and the nine-stage event concludes Sunday.

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