Utah cyclists are dominating the season

He might be only the third most famous member of his team, but former Salt Lake resident Levi Leipheimer is having a dominating season on the bicycle so far.

The Team Astana climbing and time trial specialist typically rides in the shadow of Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador. But he's every bit the threat to win a race as his two headline-grabbing partners.

After winning his third consecutive Tour of California to start the season, Leipheimer was sidelined for a little bit with an injury. Once healed, he made his way to Europe and promptly won the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon when, with the help of Contador, he charged up a mountain to blow the field away after taking the lead with a typical time trial victory.

Leipheimer is not alone in having a tremendous spring.

Salt Lake's David Zabriskie, having perhaps the best start to a season in his career, is returning to form after a broken bone in his back ruined his 2008 campaign. Though his house was robbed during the race, Zabriskie, riding for Garmin-Slipstream, placed third at the Tour of California and followed that up with another podium finish in the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon behind Leipheimer.

Both of Utah's top-level pros are expected to be major players in some of the biggest stage races in the world this year with Zabriskie showing improved climbing skills to match his time trial prowess and Leipheimer hoping to add a Grand Tour victory to his resume.

LOUDER AT PARIS-ROUBAIX: Zabriskie and Leipheimer were not among the hard men to tackle the cobbles of northern France last weekend. But Utah was not without representation at the famous Hell of the North race formally known as Paris-Roubaix.

Salt Lake City's Jeff Louder, who has had a phenomenal spring with a win at the Redlands Cycling Classic in California and a top 10 overall finish in the rugged Circuit de la Sarthe in France, was part of the BMC Pro Cycling team to race on the cobblestone roads.

Unfortunately, his race was not as successful as he'd like as mechanical failures prevented him from finishing the race along with nearly half of the entrants.

"The Velo Gods were not smiling on me," Louder wrote on his twitter feed about the race, won by former world champ Tom Boonen. "A special experience all the same."

Still, the defending Tour of Utah champion is expected to be one of the top domestic pros this season while spending a few weeks racing in Europe.