Vail Time Trial: In Pictures

The ski town of Vail, Colorado welcomed the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Thursday for the individual time trial on Stage 3. Check out these scenes from the tough but beautiful battle.

RIDERS WARM UP

Ivan Basso (ITA)

Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)

Andy Schleck (LUX)

Team RadioShack

Levi Leipheimer (USA) wearing ice vest

THE RACE IS ON

Frank Schleck (LUX) starts the course

Janier Acevedo Calle (COL)

Laurens Ten Dam (NED)

Edward King (USA)

Hayden Roulston (NZL)

Andy Schleck (LUX)

Daniel Summerhill (USA)

Cadel Evans (AUS)

Christian Vande Velde (USA)

Levi Leipheimer (USA)

George Hincapie (USA)

Tejay Van Garderen (USA)

ON THE PODIUM

Leipheimer wins stage, congratulates Vande Velde (2nd)

Leipheimer takes race lead, wears podium girls' kisses

Crowd surrounds stage

Walter Morales (COL) retains king of mountains lead

Steensen retains most aggressive jersey

Van Garderen, Leipheimer, Morales, Steensen