Tour of California in photos

Van Garderen took the overall lead after stage 5; a stage that was won by Jens Voigt (Radioshack-Leopard) who put in a late attack from the breakaway he helped create. The 24-year-old van Garderen went on to win the stage 6 ITT and held on to his overall lead on the final two stages to win his first ever stage race.

The win bodes well for BMC’s fortunes at the upcoming Tour de France with Cadel Evans also proving he’s in good form. But will BMC ride for Evans or for van Garderen? And is van Garderen good enough to win the Tour de France? He was fifth overall last year (and 1st in the best young rider classification) and he seems to have improved since then (he was 5th in the Tour of California last year).

Van Garderen himself told reporters after the final stage:

“There’s a big difference between being up there and winning,” he said. “I think I’ve finally showed I have the full package, having the patience and maturity.”

So what do you think? Could van Garderen win the Tour de France if BMC were to ride for him? While you’re pondering that, check out this gallery of terrific shots from photographer Wil Matthews from the Tour of California.

: Cannondale mechanic Win Allen positions the number placard on Peter Sagan’s primary race bike on the eve of the first stage.

: Peter Sagan, before the start of stage 1. The personable star’s popularity continues to soar with fans whether he wins or not.

: The peloton descends one of the many hills in the Antelope Valley area outside Los Angeles.

: The Vacansoleil-DCM team leads race-leader Lieuwe Westra through searing southern California heat on stage 2.

: California race fans continue to push the envelope on roadside enthusiasm.

: Jonathan Cantwell starts out on a replacement bike following a crash which also saw Tejay van Garderen, Phillipe Gilbert, and Timothy Duggan hit the deck. Cantwell abandoned the race two stages later as the road rash set in.

: The peloton begins a journey over the San Gabriel mountains en route to Palm Springs.

: California’s interior valleys provided terrain ranging from high mountains and meadows to barren desert.

: Francisco Mancebo sobs following his completion of stage two, an exhausting mountain finish in heat exceeding 38 degrees celsius.

: David De La Cruz is assisted after the stage 2 finish that saw riders competing in 44-degree heat en route to a mountain-top finish. Two riders were transported to local hospitals following the stage for heatstroke, sparking debate over what should be done with the race in extreme conditions.

: Antler Fan finds the peloton in hills outside Palmdale.

: World Champion Philippe Gilbert pursues a breakaway attempt, an example of the riding that led the BMC team to win the overall team classification. Gilbert withdrew the next day to attend the birth of his child.

: The peloton passes by Lake Castic in stage 3 on the way from Palmdale to Santa Clarita.

: Lucas Euser mows down a burrito and a liter of Pedialyte following the third consecutive day of hot and windy weather.

: Jesse Anthony attempts to stay hydrated on the hot and windy third stage.

: Michael Rogers (right), 2010 winner of the Tour of California, awaits the start of stage 4 with his Saxo-Tinkoff teammates.

: The peloton rides away from the hills of Santa Clarita en route to Santa Barbara.

: Team soigneurs position themselves in the feed zone in preparation for the peloton’s arrival.

: Jacob Rathe after stage 4 in which he helped teammate Tyler Farrar to a sprint victory.

: The peloton travels down a palm tree-lined road en route to Santa Barbara.

: Big Hair Superfan hollers to the racers outside Santa Barbara. Many of the race fan’s alternate identities have become fixtures of the race, from Big Hair Superfan to the Antler fan to the faux Pope.

: Tejay van Garderen’s reaction upon climbing the podium to collect the race leader’s jersey. His reaction showed just how much the young rider had been wanting this moment.

: Because of a 200-mile transfer, the BMC Racing Team mechanics spent a late night preparing the TT bikes in San Jose. Many teams were not finished with time trial preparation until midnight.

: Tejay van Garderen makes the first pedal strokes in his winning time trial ride.

: By the halfway point in the time trial, Tejay van Garderen had a nearly 30 second advantage on Michael Rogers, second in overall race standings.

: The peloton is strung out single file on the Mount Diablo climb.

: Leopold Konig solos in for the stage win atop Mount Diablo following a series of attacks on the lower slopes of the mountain.

: Tejay van Garderen, photographed in Livermore, CA.

: The peloton crests Patterson Pass in Livermore, CA, the second of three KOM points on the queen stage.

: Riders cool off after the summit finish on Mount Diablo, a twelve-mile climb known for its hot weather and steep pitches.

: On the final stage Highway 101 was closed to vehicle traffic as the riders made their way through the tunnel into Marin County.

: The final day’s stage offered steep climbs along the Pacific Ocean, but was largely ceremonial.

: The final stage began with a backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge.

: The Golden Gate Bridge has been closed for only four special events in the last three decades, twice for the Amgen Tour of California and twice for the bridge’s anniversary party.