Santa Clarita, CA - The Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis put on a show of power coming into the finishing circuits in Santa Clarita. The team sent four riders to the front to close a 1:30 gap to a dangerous break that had been away for most of the final 50 miles of the stage.

"We wanted the opportunity to go for the stage win," said the team's assistant directeur sportif, Mike Tamayo.

Coming into the first of three 3.5-mile finishing circuits, Kyle Gritters, Tim Johnson, Kirk O'Bee and Rory Sutherland went to the front and began whittling down the gap. By the end of the first circuit, the gap had come down to 0:45. A lap later, it was under 0:20 and the catch that had been in question since the break went on the final rated climb of the day became inevitable.

As the finish grew closer, the team set up a lead-out for Russell Downing, which led to a 10th place finish for the former British national road champion.

"We tried to control the front of the race toward the end," said Health Net Presented by Maxxis rider Karl Menzies, who was a strong part of the lead-out. "But it's hard for anyone to control the race with such a high quality field."

J.J. Haedo (CSC) won a chaotic sprint for his second stage win of the tour, finishing ahead of Greg Henderson (T-Mobile) and world champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step).

The Amgen Tour of California concludes with a 77-mile circuit race in Long Beach.

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