Tour of Elk Grove top riders

Bicycling magazine shared its insights on the top four riders in this weekend's Tour of Elk Grove.

Freddie Rodriguez, Rock Racing team: "Nicknamed 'Fast Freddie' for the simple reason that, in his prime, few professional racers could surpass him pedal stroke for pedal stroke once speeds exceed 40 mph. The ones who could were the ones who went on to win sprints at the Tour de France and other big races. Look for him to launch a Rock teammate or try to take the win for himself."

Chris Horner, Astana team: "Generally considered one of the savviest and most strategical cyclists in the world, not just the U.S., who has been able to ride far beyond his physical talent by using his brain as much as his legs."

Ivan Dominguez, Toyota United: "Probably the fastest man racing in America right now - his genetics and training have combined in that rare peak that lets racers bottle lightning. The problem is that holding onto the lightning is notoriously difficult. Will he fry the rest of the field before he burns himself out?"

Tyler Hamilton, Rock Racing: "When he raced in Europe and was one of the top riders in the world, Hamilton was considered one of the nicest pros ever to grace the pack. A drug scandal, a ban and a revived career later, the Olympic medalist finds himself branded as one of Rock Racing's bad boys. Love him for his tenacity or hate him for his purported drug use - either way you have to admit he's a fascinating character."