The Start area 40 minutes before the Race.

A big crowd was forming about 35 minutes before the Start.

The crowd about 35 minutes before the Start of the Race.

The lead caravan cars after the Start area about 30 minutes before the Race.

The sign in board for the Racers. By the 8th Stage 14 racers had dropped out of the Tour with the Continental Teams hit the hardest.

Kristijan Koren, Cannondale, leaving the sign in Stage with other Racers still signing in about 20 minutes before the Start.

The Start of the Race. Several lead Caravan vehicles followed by the Racers.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, at the very front of the Peloton at the Start of the Race. Other notable Racers at the front include Will Routley, Optum, in the King of the Mountain Jersey, Thor Hushovd, BMC, Norwegian National Champion, Luis Enrique Davila, Jelly Belly, Mexico's National Champion and Lawson Craddock, Giant - Shimano, in the Best Young Rider Jersey.

The mass of the Peloton at the Start of the Race.

The Peloton at the Start of the Race including Michael Schar, BMC, Swiss National Champion.

The Peloton at the Start of the Race including Fredie Rodriquez, Jelly Belly, US National Champion.

The last Racers in the Peloton at the Start of the Race.

The initial 8 man Breakaway about to end the first lap of the circuit around Thousand Oaks, 3 minutes ahead of the Peloton.

The 8 man Breakaway;
Niki Terpstra, Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Carlos Verona Quintanilla,
    Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Chad Haga, Giant - Shimano (hidden)
Jack BoBridge, Belkin
Jens Voigt, Trek
Chris Jones, UnitedHealthcare
Alex Candelario, Optum (hidden)
Matthew Hayman, Orica - GreenEdge

The 8 man Breakaway with Matthew Hayman, Orica - GreenEdge, at his Team car.

7 members of the Breakaway;
Jack BoBridge, Belkin
Niki Terpstra, Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Jens Voigt, Trek
Carlos Verona Quintanilla,
    Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Chad Haga, Giant - Shimano
Alex Candelario, Optum
Chris Jones, UnitedHealthcare

The Peloton being lead by Martin Kohler, BMC, nearing the end of the first circuit around Thousand Oaks.

Martin Kohler, BMC, followed by Cameron Wurf, Cannondale, and four Racers in the Sky team at the front of the Peloton.

The front of the Peloton;
Martin Kohler, BMC
Cameron Wurf, Cannondale
Luke Rowe, Sky

Just behind the Sky Team came Taylor Phinney followed by Michael Schar, Swiss National Champion, both with BMC.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Leaders Jersey, was also near the front of the Peloton.

Various Racers in the Peloton including Fabio Sabatini, Cannondale, and Nicky Van Der Luke and Lars Boom both with Belkin.

Racers in the Peloton including Haimar Zubeldia Agirre, Trek, Eloy Teruel Rovira, Jamis - Hagens Berman, and Zakkari Dempster, Netapp - Endura.

Several Racers in the Peloton including Tanner Putt, Bissell, Serghei Tvetcov, Jelly Belly, and Ruben Zepuntke, Bissell.

Ken Hanson, UnitedHealthcare
Danny Van Poppel, Trek

Near the end of the second circuit Niki Terpstra, Omega Pharma - QuickStep, and Jack Bobridge, Belkin, were at the very front, the rest of the Breakaway had splintered off.

At the 1 km to go marker;
Jack Bobridge, Belkin
Niki Terpstra,
    Omega Pharma - QuickStep

Matthew Hayman, Orica - GreenEdge, and Chris Jones, UnitedHealthcare, were about 35 seconds behind Bobridge and Terpstra.

At the 1 km to go marker;
Chris Jones, UnitedHealthcare
Matthew Hayman, Orica - GreenEdge

A few seconds behind Jones and Heyman were the last members of the Breakaway, Chad Haga, Giant - Shimano, Carlos Verona Quintanilla, Omega Pharma - QuickStep, and Jens Voigt, Trek.

At the 1 km to go marker;
Chad Haga, Giant - Shimano
Carlos Verona Quintanilla,
    Omega Pharma - QuickStep
Jens Voigt, Trek

The Peloton was about 2 minutes behind the splintered breakaway at this point, about half way through the Race.

The Cannondale Team was leading the Peloton and Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, was not far behind.

The Cannondale Team leading the Peloton followed by the Sky Team with team-mate Bradley Wiggins in the Yellow Jersey.

The Cannondale Team leading the Peloton followed by the Sky Team with team-mate Bradley Wiggins in the Yellow Jersey.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, talking with a team-mate at the 1 km to go marker.

Thor Hushovd, BMC, Norwegian Natioan Champion, in the Peloton at the 1 km to go mark.

Fredie Rodriguez, Jelly Belly, US National Champion, in the Peloton at the 1 km to go mark.

A new four man breakaway was making a move and had a 15 second lead;
Jens Keukeleire, Orica - GreenEdge
Lucas Euser, UnitedHealthcare
Jack BoBridge, Belkin
Eloy Teruel, Jamis-Hagens Berman

Jens Keukeleire, Orica - GreenEdge
Lucas Euser, UnitedHealthcare
Jack BoBridge, Belkin
Eloy Teruel, Jamis-Hagens Berman

Jens Keukeleire, Orica - GreenEdge, diving through a turn on the short circuit in Thousand Oaks.

The four man Breakaway trying to get away from the Peloton on the short circuit in Thousahd Oaks.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, taking a drink near the front of the Peloton lead by Maciej Bodnar, Cannondale.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, at the front of the Peloton lead by Maciej Bodnar, Cannondale, as they work to catch the new Breakaway.

Tom Danielson, Garmin - Sharp, leading Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, closely followed by Peter Sagan, Cannondale, in the Sprint Jersey working to catch the new breakaway.

Mathew Lloyd and Jacob Rathe, both with Jelly Belly, in the Peloton diving through the curve on the short circuit in Thousand Oaks.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Leaders Jersey, on the fifth circuit of the Race in Thousand Oaks.

On the final circuit last Breakaway was splintering and the Peloton was seconds behind. Jens Keukeleire, Orica - GreenEdge, and Lucas Euser, UnitedHealthcare, were followed by Eloy Teruel, Jamis - Hagens Berman, and Jack BoBridge, Belkin.

Jens Keukeleire, Orica - GreenEdge
Lucas Euser, UnitedHealthcare

Jack BoBridge, Belkin, on the last circuit through Thousand Oaks.

Bradley Wiggins, Sky, in the Yellow Jersey, on the last circuit in Thousand Oaks.

The last Breakaway had been caught and the sprinters were fighting it out.

Mark Cavendish, Omega Pharma - QuickStep, had a small lead on Peter Sagan, Cannondale, as they battled for the win.

Mark Cavendish, Omega Pharma - QuickStep, lead as Peter Sagan, Cannondale, lost ground and John Degenkolb, Giant - Shimano, had taken second place.

Mark Cavendish, Omega Pharma - QuickStep, winning the Race with John Degenkolb, Giant - Shimano, coming in second and Peter Sagan, Cannondale, finishing third.

Mark Cavendish, Omega Pharma - QuickStep, won the Race, John Degenkolb, Giant - Shimano, came in second and Peter Sagan, Cannondale, finished third.