The area will be represented in the Amgen Tour of California by Michael Lange.

Dubbed Micro, the 5-3, 121-pound Lange will ride for Team Jelly Belly in the eight-stage race, which begins Sunday in Palo Alto with a short time trial. A 2001 graduate of Parkway West, Lange rode for Slipstream through last year and finished 33rd overall in the 2005 Tour de Georgia.

Lange may be a sentimental favorite, but the smart money is on one of the following:

• Levi Leipheimer, last year’s champ, whose Astana team recently was snubbed by the Tour de France. He’ll be out to prove something.
• George Hincapie, Tour of Missouri winner, who is the leader of High Road this year.
• David Millar, out to make a name for himself and Team Slipstream. A former world time trial champion, the course features two races against the clock, and Millar will have “America’s New Team” looking to make a mark on home soil.
• Jens Voigt, Team CSC. He finished second to Leipheimer last year. Leipheimer finished second to Voigt in the Tour of Germany. The course favors the powerful Voigt, built much like George Hincapie (Ever see the two in the same room together? Didn’t think so.) The mountains are steep, but not nearly as numerous as in a grand tour.
• A dark horse could be Fabian Cancellara of Team CSC. The sponsor is based in California, so the team is eager to look good. Cancellara is the reigning world time trial champion, so he’ll have an edge on two of the eight stages. In addition, he rode with guts and class in the first week of last year’s Tour de France, wearing the yellow jersey for eight days and holding off sprinters and climbers alike.