ST. LOUIS — Christian Vande Velde won the Tour of Missouri on Sunday, finishing with the main pack in the rain-shortened final stage.

Vande Velde, the 32-year-old Illinois rider competing for Garmin-Chipotle, edged Australia’s Michael Rogers (Team Columbia) by 18 seconds. Svein Tuft (Symmetrics) of Canada was third, 48 seconds back.

“It feels good. I’ve been close, second and third this year,” Vande Velde said. “So it’s nice to have a win.”

Italy’s Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) won the 53-mile seventh stage by more than a bike-length in 1 hour, 57 minutes, 6 seconds.

Britain’s Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia), a three-stage winner, was second, and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Chiopotle) of Wenatchee, Wash., finished third, both in the same time.

Because of flooded portions of the final-day route, the five final-day circuits were reduced from 14 to 10.6 miles and the stage mileage was reduced from 70 to 53 miles.

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Mark Cavendish of Great Britain won his third stage of the Tour of Missouri and American rider Christian Vande Velde retained his race lead for the fourth day Saturday.  Read More »

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Mark Cavendish of Great Britain won his third stage of the Tour of Missouri and American rider Christian Vande Velde retained his race lead for the fourth day Saturday. Cavendish (Team Columbia), a four-stage winner in this year’s Tour de France, pulled away from the field ...  Read More »

BRANSON, Mo. — Christian Vande Velde won the time trial Wednesday to take the overall lead after the third stage of the Tour of Missouri.  Read More »