David Millar survived the terrible wet, windy and cold conditions in the Tour of California on Thursday but is ready to take a shot at overall victory in Friday?s Solvang time trial.

?That ranks fifth in the top five of the most miserable days on a bike. It was horrible. It lasted hours and I did more than five thousand and a half thousand joules,? the Slipstream rider told Cycling Weekly as he rode to his team bus after the finish.

?I feel great and so it wasn?t really a problem but it was a bloody hard race for February. It?s like the Tour de France. It?s quite a race, a nice race but a bloody hard race.?

Millar made the split when CSC tried to catch the break and crack Leipheimer and so kept his fourth place overall, 20 seconds behind the Astana rider and seven seconds behind Fabian Cancellara (CSC). He was wet and cold at the finish but already thinking about the decisive time trial.

Millar made it clear he will be trying to topple Leipheimer but named Cancellara as favourite to win the 24km time trial and take the overall race lead.

?I feel good, really good. I?m at the top of my form and I think it?ll be a really good race,? he said.

?The obvious favourite has to be Cancellara. If he has a ?Fabian day?, like he had on Wednesday over the climbs, then I think he can do what he wants and pull back the 20 seconds he needs to take the lead.?

Video highlights: stage four