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Stage 2 has historically been the most decisive in the Giro Toscana — often, the race has been won or lost on this day. It was hot at the start of the stage, which took us up two short category-3 climbs followed by two 10km ascents to the picturesque town of Volterra. We had a laugh at the start of the stage, as Svetlana Boubnekova and Zita Urbanaite had a bit of a cat fight on the bike and were yelling and hitting each other. I am not really sure what they were arguing about, but everyone gave them a little space in the bunch and they finally seemed to work it out and quiet down. Mountain

Germany's Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) won the 67th Grand Prix des Nations time trial Sunday in Dieppe, France. Rich, who will celebrate his 34th birthday on Tuesday, won the 70km race,the biggest time trial in the world, by a second from Belgian specialist Bert Roesems. Ukrainian veteran Serhiy Honcher came third ahead of defending champion Uwe Peschel of Germany, with Hungarian Laszlo Bodrogi finishing fifth and Australian Michael Rogers sixth. Rich is also the reigning German time-trial champion. Switzerland’s Karin Thuerig won the 35km women’s race, outpacing last year’s winner, German

Following the news that the Saturn division of General Motors would be withdrawing from pro cycling at season's end, Schroeder Iron has announced that it, too, will be leaving the sport at the end of this month. “After careful consideration, I have decided to end my association with pro cycling with the close of this 2003 season,” said team owner Frank Schroeder in a press release issued Sunday. “The stresses to my business and to my family have been too great this year, and it would not be wise for me to stay involved for 2004 and beyond.” Schroeder, who told VeloNews earlier this year

The speedy Valverde storms past the two breakaways

Heras attacked, shadowed by Cardenas, who refused to work

Heras's move put Nozal into some difficulty, but not nearly enough

Alessandro Petacchi just can’t help himself. Even in the sloppy sprint finish at the end of Saturday’s 14th stage, the Fassa Bortolo strong man still had the legs to claim his fourth stage of the Vuelta a España. Giovanni Lombardi (Domina Vacanze) tried to surprise Petacchi with an early sprint, but the Italian surged late to hold off Fred Rodriguez (Caldirola) by a half-bike length to claim victory. “This certainly was the hardest stage to win,” said Petacchi, who came through in 3 hours, 44 minutes, 16 seconds (44.9 kph). “It was a very strange sprint. Lombardi started very early and I

Yesterday was a second big test for Roberto and Triki. To place on the podium they both need to ride well in the time trials. They can climb without difficulty so it is against the clock that they need to limit their losses. Going into the time trial both of our leaders had the two Fassa leaders breathing down their backs. The course was fairly flat, a loop that started and ended in downtown Albacete. Most of the 53 km course was on roads wide open to the wind with a few rolling hills. It was a nice circuit but not a particularly spectator friendly one - most of the loop was devoid of human

Petacchi, just a touch faster than Fast Freddy

Aitor Gonzalez gives up and goes home

Lunchtime for the leader

Joachim joined the break

Telekom on patrol: Julich and his teammates worked to set up Zabel.

Getting ready to race the clock

Last year's winner calls it a day

U.S. Postal’s Roberto Heras knows the cards are stacked against him going into Friday’s 53.3km individual time trial at Albacete. Already at 3:28 behind race leader Isidro Nozal (ONCE), Heras admits his chances of winning the Vuelta a España are slim. “If Nozal responds like he did in Zaragoza, the Vuelta will be his. I can only hope to lose as little time as possible so I won’t be off the podium,” Heras said after Thursday’s stage. “This stage will be more decisive than the two (remaining) summit finishes. In La Pandera, if you’re in form and remain calm, you won’t lose much time.” The

Now there's no doubt at all who's the strong man of the Vuelta a España. After some pesky questions regarding who was the true leader at ONCE, Isidro Nozal roared to his second time-trial victory in little more than a week and firmly established himself as the man to beat with nine days left in the 21-stage Vuelta. Nozal covered the windy 53.3km course - the Vuelta's longest in 35 years - in 1 hour, 2 minutes, 3 seconds (51.5 kph) and relegated time-trial specialist David Millar (Cofidis) into second place yet again by 13 seconds. No one else could come within 40 seconds. Nozal’s closest

SA Cycling has announced the names of riders selected to represent the U.S. in the elite men’s road race at the 2003 World Championships in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, on October 12, 2003.Bobby Julich (Reno, Nevada)Chris Baldwin (Bouder, Colo.)Chris Horner (Bend, Ore.)Christian Vande Velde (Boulder, Colo.)David Clinger (Los Angeles, Calif.)Floyd Landis (San Diego, Calif.)George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.)Guido Trenti (Milan, Italy)John Leiswyn (Ames, Iowa)Levi Leipheimer (Santa Rosa, Calif.)Mark McCormack (Northeaston, Mass.)Tim Johnson (Boston, Mass.)Care to comment? Send letters to

Heras would prefer to fight this one out in the hills

Nozal does it again, taking a tighter grip on the leader's jersey

TT specialist Millar finds himself denied again

Heras had a great time trial, but trails Nozal by more than five minutes

Leipheimer was the top American in ninth

They’re called abanicos in Spanish – echelons to the rest of the cycling world – and U.S. Postal Service played the peloton like a fiddle in the brisk cross-winds of Thursday’s 168.8km 12th stage of the Vuelta a España. With 50km to go, Postal Service massed at the front as the peloton roared across the bleak, treeless plains of Castilla-La Mancha. Strong winds were cracking from the left and the Posties' blistering pace quickly blew the peloton into three groups. Caught out of position were Fassa Bortolo’s Dario Frigo, who started the day fourth at 3:05 back, and defending champion Aitor

I feel as if I haven’t stopped moving for the past week. Seven days ago, I was sitting tranquilly in our little apartment in Spain and since then, I have traveled to San Francisco, attended several sponsor events, visited with friends, raced in San Rafael and in the T-Mobile International, traveled to Italy, and started racing in the week-long Giro Toscana. Welcome to the world of a professional cyclist. Amazingly, I still feel energetic and am eager to get on the bike each day. While arriving at the prologue yesterday in Pistoia, we were notified of an unfortunate accident that had

While the rest of Spanish cycling is buckling under the imminent disappearance of ONCE and iBanesto.com, Kelme is poised to renew its contract with a key co-sponsor that will ensure the team's presence in the peloton through 2006. Kelme, a Spanish shoe-maker, has committed to staying with the team and the team's co-sponsor, the Valencia provincial government, is expected to sign on for three more seasons. Despite the assurance, Kelme hasn't been in the market this spring and seems committed to staying with established team leader Oscar Sevilla and rising star Alejandro Valverde. More talk

In our meeting this morning Johan told us about a stage in the Vuelta back in 1996 when Tony Rominger lost his shot at the overall due to inattention on a flat stage with crosswinds. It was the same stage we rode today from Cuenca to Albacete. Needless to say, we were all ready for a fight in the wind and an attempt at gaining Roberto and Triki a minute or so before tomorrow’s TT. Back to workAfter the rest day, Wednesday’s stage was insanely and relentlessly fast, with a never-ending succession of attacks and counter-attacks. At the end of the hilly 165km stage we had crossed the line in

Many observers at the Vuelta a España are making comparisons between the break-through performance of Isidro Nozal at this year's race and the Vuelta victory scored by Melchor Mauri in 1991. Like Mauri, Nozal rides for ONCE, is in his fifth year as a professional and was aged 25 going into the Vuelta. In his first four seasons, Nozal won a single race (a 9.7km time trial at last year’s Clasica de Alcobendas), while Mauri had just two criterium wins in his palmarès. When it was pointed out to Nozal last week that his ascendancy at the Vuelta was just like Mauri’s 12 years ago, Nozal said,

Dear Bob,Last week, a city commissioner in our town was quoted as saying that“there is no constitutional right for bicycles to use the streets of thiscity—cyclists may ride only at the pleasure of government.”Is he right, or is he just blowing smoke?P.H.KentuckyDear P.H.;Constitutional law is the playground of law professors, not humblebicycle lawyers. Understanding the typical U. S. Supreme Court decisionis about as easy as reading Latin backwards, and usually makes about asmuch sense.The most common deskbook for municipal lawyers says that while “reasonablemunicipal regulations for the

Driving the train... Posties break things up.

Petacchi's win was not the big story of the day.

Happy to help: Nozal made the cut

Acoss the open plain

The day's first escape went early

Mauri at the Vuelta.

Race leader Isidro Nozal is the revelation of the Vuelta a España,holding onto the race leader’s golden jersey through three difficult daysin the Pyrénées despite working hard to help protect ONCE’sdesignated leader in Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano.Despite his golden run and a growing consensus that the Vuelta is histo lose, the modest rider insists he’s still a gregario for Galdeano.“I have it very clear – I work for the team and I do it with pleasure,”Nozal told journalists on Tuesday’s rest day. “Everyone dreams of winningthe Vuelta, but now I am concentrating on helping the team. I still

Erik Zabel made it through three stages in the Pyrénées to win Monday’s frenetic stage into Sabadell and snagged another victory after he got over a tough cobble-stoned Category 3 climb late in Wednesday’s 162km 11th stage. Zabel’s Team Telekom did great work to reel in the attacking David Etxebarria (Euskaltel) and Santos Gonzalez (Domina Vacanze), erasing a 39-second gap with 10km to go put Zabel in position to win. Gonzalez and Etxebarria were caught with 500 meters to go and Zabel charged up the left hand side of the finishing straight to nip a surging Tom Boonen (Quick Step) by inches.

USA Cycling on Wednesday announced its long team selections for the 2003Road World Championships to be held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, October6-12.From this list, the final selections will be made and announced on Monday,September 22.(Selections for junior categories have been finalized.)Elite Men Road Race (12 Start Positions)Automatic Qualifiers:Mark McCormack (Northeaston, Mass.)Tom Danielson (Durango, Colo.) *Chris Horner (Bend, Ore.)Long list for remaining 10 start positions:George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.)Floyd Landis (San Diego, Calif.)Bobby Julich (Reno, Nevada)Levi Leipheimer

Dear readers;Issue No. 17 of VeloNewsincludes an article on balanced vegetarian eating. As a result, I've received a number of great cooking suggestions and so, instead of my usual Q&A column, I thought I should provide you with some of those recipe contributions this week. Bon Appetit and thank you to everyone who provided comments, suggestions, and recipes on vegetarian diets for the endurance athlete. Monique Doug’s RajmaThis is an Indian dish, which is a bean curry.1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed2 tbsp. vegetable oil (canola oil)½ tsp. Cumin seeds1 onion, thinly sliced1 fresh

Just days after celebrating victory in San Francisco’s T-Mobile International, riders on the Saturn Cycling team have been told that they may well be without jobs in 2004. In a conference call with riders late Wednesday afternoon, Team Sports manager Tom Schuler said that the program’s major sponsor, the Saturn division of General Motors, will end its sponsorship at the end of the year. Saturn, whose 12-year involvement in American cycling makes it the longest-running major team sponsor on the domestic scene, had been rumored to be ending its support for its elite men's and women's team

Etxebarria and Gonzalez were caught with 500 meters to go

Landis joined what might have been a winning move

The day's only rated climb threw a wrench in the works for some.

Nozal: Still the man to beat.

The last hurrah? Chris Horner wins in San Fran'

Being in San Francisco this past weekend felt like a bit of homecoming, as it was my first visit to the United States since the Philadelphia Liberty Classic in June. I have been in Europe most of the summer, training and racing. It was neat to see everyone in American cycling gathered for this event. I have nice memories of the race in San Francisco. The last time I was here was to watch my husband, Michael, race through the streets and up the hills. I wasn’t racing much at the time and was attending school so I walked around the course, wandering through the hundreds of thousands of

Dear Lennard;I have 1990 Campagnolo 8-speed set-up, which still works fine, but,I have beaten my two sets of wheels to a pulp and they can no longer betrued to round. I would like some lighter, new-fangled (and hopefully round)wheels, however none of the new-fangled wheelsets are compatible with Campy8-speed and you can't buy new Campy 8-speed hubs anymore. Now,  I’mtoo cheap to drop $700+ to upgrade the whole drive-train to Shimano 9 orCampy 9/10, then another $300 to $800 on wheels. Do you have any feedback on how well the "Wheels Manufacturing CassetteConversion Kit" works? Excel Sports

October is just around the corner and, if you’re a cyclist, that can meanonly one thing. No, not road world’s. I’m talking about the Interbike tradeshow. Coincidentally, the powers that be at Interbike were either unable orunwilling to reschedule their event (October 12 -14) around the road world’sin Hamilton, Ontario, (October 6 -12) the first time that event has hitNorth America since 1986. So, die-hard techie/race fans must choose betweenthe elite men’s road race or the opening day of Interbike. I suppose thosetruly devoted could hop on a plane immediately after the eventand scoot on out

Today we have a day off. And I think I can safely say that it is well deserved. Monday’s stage was, once again, fast and furious from the start. Whatlooked to be an easy stage on the course profile turned out to be a fairlyhilly nervous and aggressive day. At day’s end when we climbed in the teambus in Sabadell to travel to our hotel four hours down the road in Valenciawe were all a little tired and looking forward to a relaxed day with norace sign on, race food, or race radios plugged into our ears. Everybodyfrom the staff to the riders looked happy to be at the hotel in Valencialast

They even get their own lights!

Savior of the planet?

La Vuelta de Barry: At the beach

La Vuelta de Barry: At the beach

La Vuelta de Barry: At the beach

Erik Zabel might not be as fast as he used to be, but the Telekom veteran still got around the man who is regarded as the peloton’s fastest these days to win Monday´s 10th stage of the Vuelta a España. Fassa Bortolo´s Alessandro Petacchi delivered on his promise to get through the Pyrénées and almost rewarded his team with his third Vuelta victory, but Zabel had his own plans. After Fassa and ONCE worked hard to reel in a six-man break early in the race and control a frenetic final 10km, Petacchi shot to the line with 400 meters to go up a slightly rising finish into Sabadell, a Barcelona

Taking care of business... no flash, no signals, just a win.

Did I really beat him?

Nozal: Still golden

Coming into the final stretch of the T-Mobile International, Saturn’s Chris Horner knew he’d won the race, he just didn’t know preciselywhen. Away on a solo break — with a one-minute advantage over teammate Mark McCormack and loud crowds drowning out his earpiece — Horner passed through the start/finish area on San Francisco’s Embarcadero and kept right on rolling until spectators lining the area waved him around. “I absolutely believed I had another [5-mile] lap to ride,” Horner smiled, adding, “And I would have held them all off if I had to.” Course understanding aside, Horner and USPRO

Gunn-Rita Dahle (Merida) has completed her streak of World Cup victories, taking the fifth and final race in Kaprun in decisive fashion, ahead of teammate and new world champion Sabine Spitz of Germany. Marie-Helene Premont (Oryx) confirmed her status among the elite women riders by finishing third. The weather gods finally smiled, and for the first time in a week racegoers were treated to sunshine. Marga Fullana led the charge up the first steep climb, but by the end of the first of four laps it wasDahle at the front and pulling away. Fullana steadily dropped back, leaving Spitz and Premont

Who could have imagined a bunch sprint atop a 2410-meter chunk of rock in the heart of the Pyrénées? But that's just what happened in Sunday's 174.8km ninth stage. Okay, it wasn't a classic Mario Cipollini train, but Kelme phenom Alejandro Valverde won a 13-up sprint in an exciting summit finish up the "especial" Port d'Envalira climb in Andorra. "I'm very happy. I don't know what to say," said Valverde after nipping Italian Dario Frigo (Fassa Bortolo). "This stage was full speed all day. The team had a lot of confidence in me. I'm very happy with what's happened so far." Despite efforts

Swiss Alex Zülle (Phonak), double winner of the Vuelta a España (1996 and 1997), abandoned this year’s race on Sunday and said he would not race any more grand tours. Obviously tired, the 35-year-old Zülle – who was 114th overall at more than an hour off the lead – told Spanish radio: "I can’t keep the pace. You will not see me me any more in the Vuelta. It was my last grand tour. I will re-examine my calendar the next year, and I will take part only in small tours and the classics." Twice on the podium of the Tour de France (1996 and 1999), Zülle excelled in time trials but was less

With two more days in the Pyrénées under our belts, we are now on our waytoward the coast and Barcelona on Monday night.On Saturday, we once again started racing fast out of the blocks - notan ideal way to start a stage that has four climbs over 10 km long (see"ONCE'sRodriguez takes stage 8 at Vuelta").  Again, everybody onthe team, save Roberto and Triki, were to follow the attacks and keep therace under control so that they would have a good situation as we nearedthe finish.Forty kilometers into the race we began the big climbs. One after another,they hit us with little recovery in

Dahle rides solo to the World Cup win

World champ Meirhaeghe shows it was no fluke

Valverde showed his quality today

Osa on the attack

Finally finished, Horner could celebrate

Barry was racing to win

A party on the Streets of SF - Postal launches a vicious, but ultimately ineffective, attack.

Sabrina Jonnier and Nathan Rennie are the 2003 World Cup downhill champions, each battling it out on the final run of the season in what were possibly the tightest races in the history of the World Cup. Marla Streb (Luna) and David Vasquez Lopez (MSC Bikes) won their respective races on a muddy, strength-sapping course in Kaprun, Austria, but all attention was on the overall standings. The bottom portion of the course gave many riders problems. If they slid too far down in the final corner, they would get bogged in a swampy dip just before the drop to the finish, with some riders coming to

Someone needs to tell Isidro Nozal he's not supposed to be leading the Vuelta a España. Nozal retained the overall lead in Saturday's eighth stage on a day when all of the Vuelta's main players stayed on equal footing in the four-climb romp across the Pyrénées except U.S. Postal's Manuel Beltran, the one man poised to step into his shoes. Nozal powered the lead group across the line in the sun-blasted Plá de Beret ski area at 3:51 behind stage-winner Joaquin Rodriguez (ONCE-Eroski). Beltran couldn't match the accelerations initiated by a re-energized Aitor Gonzalez (Fassa Bortolo) and lost

The four-cross has been canceled at the World Cup final. Despite using a helicopter to dump gravel on the lower part of the course on Friday, the officials decided that the course was still too dangerous at the top, where no gravel was spread. The decision was not well received – many riders had come to Kaprun just to race the four-cross only to find themselves left with no event. There have been problems with the course since it was built. The organizer simply removed the top layer of grass without packing down the topsoil underneath, and during the past week of rain the course degenerated

Defending Vuelta champion Aitor Gonzalez has had a season he'd like to forget. Now he's making a Vuelta he wants to remember. Although he won a stage at the Giro d'Italia, Gonzalez couldn't deliver the big win for his Fassa Bortolo team. Then his Tour de France was short-circuited by a virus that ran through the Fassa team and sent everyone home early except Ivan Basso and two teammates. Going into the Vuelta's second week, Gonzalez is slowly coming back to life, and he let the peloton see it on the Col del Portillón at 120km into Saturday's eighth stage when he rode strongly over the steep

The Bay Area is heating up as riders from across the globe have amassed in San Francisco for the T-Mobile International, an event that, in just its third year, is being hailed as the strongest field ever assembled on American soil. Organized and directed under San Francisco Cycling LLC, a joint cooperative of Tailwind Sports, the management company that runs the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team, and Threshold Sports, organizing body of the Pro Cycling Tour, the event has again drawn Postal’s Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, as well as first-time appearances from two-time Giro

The four-cross course was so deadly that Carter was forced to ride it in his undies

Jonnier took second and the overall