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Our latest reader-submitted Photo Gallery is now up for your viewing pleasure. Of course, a new gallery also means the naming of the winner of ourmost recent contest. Take the time to wander through that gallery and see if you agree or disagree with our choice of winner. We especially liked Bart van Schendel’s “Training ride in Voss Norway,” which reminds of the pleasures of a good winter training ride, no matter how cold it is. It’s something you have to experience to appreciate… and not something the Texans, Georgians or Floridians among you will commonly agree with us

Traditionally, the infamous ascent to Genting Highlands in Malaysia — the “Alpe d’Huez of Asia” — is the decision-maker at the Tour de Langkawi, now in its 11th year. For the first time this year, the giant climb is coming in the middle of the 10-day race, rather than toward the end.

Isaac Galvez (Illes Balears) won for the second day in a row in the Mallorca Challenge a day after Oscar Freire (Rabobank) returned to action following an eight-month break from racing. Freire lined up in Sunday’s start for what was his first day in the saddle since undergoing surgery last June to remove a painful cyst that forced him out of last year’s Tour de France and the world championships in Madrid A cautious Freire skipped Monday’s second leg of the Spanish race while Galvez’ teammates did excellent work to hold off Olympic champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) in the 159km race. For

VeloNews Photo Contest: A new winner and a new gallery

Galvez repeats in Mallorca

Spring in Mallorca

American Saul Raisin (Crédit Agricole) won the third stage of the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia on Sunday. In a sprint finish South Africa's David George took second and teammate Darren Lill finished third. Raisin won the 150.6-kilometer (93.4-mile) stage in four hours three minutes and 55 seconds. Richeze, Maximiliano (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) leads the overall standings.Results - Stage 3
1. Raisin, Saul (USA), Credit Agricole 4h03:55
2. George, David (RSA), South Africa
3. Lill, Darren (RSA), South Africa, at 17

Ceramica Panaria-Navigare finished one-two in stage 2 of the Tour de Langkawi as the race leader delivered a teammate to the line for the victory. Argentinian sprinter Ruben Bongiorno won the 164.7km stage from Tanjung Malim to Sitiawan after a leadout from countryman Maximiliano Richeze, the winner of Friday’s first stage, who took second and successfully defended his yellow jersey. Steffen Radochla (Wiesenhof) took third.

Los Angeles, (AFP) - Seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong and Grammy-winning rocker Sheryl Crow announced they were separating Friday five months after getting engaged. "After much thought and consideration we have made a very tough decision to split up. We both have a deep love and respect for each other and we ask that everyone respect our privacy during this very difficult time." they said in a joint statement. Together for more than two years, Armstrong, 34, and Crow, 43, announced their engagement last September two months after the Texas cyclist scored his record

A few weeks ago, at a dinner in Boulder hosted by USA Cycling, I got talking with Davis Phinney, the man with more road race wins to his credit than any other American cyclist. Davis was recalling just one of the 300-plus victories he scored in a combined amateur and pro career that extended from 1977 to 1993. The win he was most animated about came in a rather special race at Baltimore in 1983, the second annual USPRO Championship. Phinney was racing for the U.S. national team that day because UCI rules then decreed that amateur racers could only compete against pro teams when an event had

A round of applause, please, for USA Cycling, which announced last week that it had created the permanent position of director of collegiate cycling. Anyone involved in bike racing at the collegiate level in this country knows the value of collegiate clubs and racing conferences. Collegiate cycling provides an entry point into the sport; a social group for making lifelong friends and riding buddies; and a place for athletes to challenge themselves, maybe even launch into the pro ranks. I know I would not be writing this column had I not joined the cycling team at UC Santa Cruz. Another

World champion Tom Boonen (Quick Step) won the Tour of Qatar on Friday after capturing the fifth and final stage, a 151km run between Al Thakira and Doha. The Belgian rider, who also won the first three stages, sprinted to the final victory ahead of Germany's Erik Zabel (Milram), and Italy's Fabrizio Guidi (Phonak). The 25-year-old Boonen was deprived of a clean sweep this week only after Austria's Bernhard Eisel (Française des Jeux) took Thursday's fourth stage. Boonen credited the weather with an assist in what appeared to be an easy victory. "Because of the wind, which

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.Equipment donations help young ridersEditor:I am from West Virginia, and am familiar with the Clay County Mountain Mudmashers (see Wednesday’s Mailbag: "West Virginia has ups and downs, but still plugging along"). And although Mr. Wayne wouldn't mention it, I will gladly toss this

A court in the east German town of Greiz on Friday fined a teenage female motorist for a crash that left Australian cyclist Amy Gillett dead and five of her teammates injured. The 19-year-old woman was fined 1440 euros and had her driving license revoked for eight months for causing the crash in July. Gillett was training with the Australian women's cycling team when the car hit her group. The rider from Ballarat, Victoria, who was 29 when she died, had taken up competitive cycling in 2000, having rowed for Australia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Gillett was married to world champion

Argentinian neopro Maximiliano Richeze (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) won the first stage of the Tour de Langkawi on Friday. The 23-year-old Argentinian edged Erki Putstep (Ag2r), Takeshi Miyazawa (Japan) and Steffen Radochla (Wiesenhof) in a sprint finish, claiming his first professional victory in his first race as a pro.

February 2, 2006: This week’s issue of VeloNews includes a 40-page guide for the 2006 Sea Otter Classic, to be held April 6 – 9, 2006. The Sea Otter Classic is a four-day ‘Celebration of Cycling’ welcoming enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels, from toddler to senior, recreational rider to world-class pro athlete. The festival hosts a non-stop schedule of events-- road, cross-country and gravity events for amateurs and professionals, road and mountain bike tours for non-competitive riders, and also features the world’s largest outdoor consumer bike exposition. In addition to planning

Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: The boys from 7-Eleven and the debut of American pro road racing

Who better to approach for sponsorship than the Southland Corp?

Phinney would go on to great things wearing those 7-Eleven colors

This collegiate jersey gets an F

Kam Zardouzian on the job

Once again - Boonen wins

Escape after escape: Meschenmoser has a go

As do Krauss and Boven

Boven on the front

Phonak leads the chase

Doha provides the backdrop

Boonen atop the final podium

Gilbert Simoni was the man of the hour at Saunier Duval's posh team presentation last week in Milan. The veteran Italian already feels comfortable in his new kit, swapping his longtime home at Saeco-Lampre for Saunier Duval-Prodir for 2006. A two-time winner of the Giro d'Italia, Simoni said the change of air has already given a boost of new motivation. "The switch to another team has helped me rediscover my love of racing," Simoni said. "This is a team that will attack the race in Spanish style. It's very important to take control of the race and set the tempo." Simoni will make

Austria's Bernhard Eisel finally ended the winning streak of world champion Tom Boonen when he sprinted to victory in the fourth stage of the Tour of Qatar on Thursday. The Francaise des Jeux rider nicked Germany's Erik Zabel (Milram) and Belgian Boonen (Quick Step) at the line after the 145km run from Al Zubarah to Doha, scoring his first win of the season. Boonen, winner of the first three stages, has been unbeaten since he won his world title in September. He holds the overall race lead going into Friday's 151km final stage between Al Thakira and here with a seven-second

Simoni may start all three grand tours, but he still has his eye on a single prize.

A furious finish

Once again the bunch breaks up

This is no place for a flat

Cruising on a Thursday afternoon

Galdos and Eeckhout on the march

Veneberg and Fischer were active, too

But Zabel and Milram were not interested in any successful breaks

Neither was Phonak, which bunched at the front of the pursuit

The golden jersey even lent a hand in the pursuit

But Cancellara, riding next to Boonen, told Eisel the leader was not bulletproof

As as it turned out, he wasn't

Horner in the bunch, inching up on GC

Jan Ullrich flew to South Africa this week to escape a cold snap that's gripping most of Europe. The 1997 Tour de France champion was scheduled to train in Tuscany, but flew to Cape Town to avoid the frigid temperatures in Italy. "Currently, winter has Italy in its grip. The snowfall and the freezing cold make it impossible to train efficiently. The risk of catching a cold is much too high," Ullrich said on the T-Mobile's web page, adding he can "do a more focused and intense training under the South African sun." Ullrich, who's recently been gaining Tour-favorite endorsements

In keeping with my plan of varying things a little from the straight Q&A, I thought I’d use this week’s column to tell you about my recent visit to the USA Cycling (USAC) Bill Woodul Race Mechanics Clinic last month. Held at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs from January 12-15, the clinic offers a unique opportunity for shop mechanics wishing to be trained as race mechanics by some of the best in the country. It may also serve to open doors for participants to travel to international races and development camps in support of U.S. National Team riders. The setting under

World champion Tom Boonen (Quick Step) maintained his perfect start to the Tour of Qatar with victory in Wednesday's 160km third stage. The 25-year-old Belgian once again beat Germany's Erik Zabel (Milram) and Matti Breschel (CSC) of Denmark to add to his wins in the first two stages. Once again the stage was marked by blustery winds and an early break, as Bart Van Heule (Chocolade Jacques-T Interim), René Weissinger (Skil-Shimano) and Geert Omloop (Unibet) took off at 12km. Twenty-four kilometers later, they were joined by a counterattacking bunch of six: Chris Horner

Press ReleaseFrom: Boulder Offroad Alliance (BOA) Contact: John.daily@Colorado.eduSubject: The Boulder Night of Mountain Biking Champions, A Gala Fundraising Dinner for BOATime and Place: 7:00 PM, Friday, February 3, 2005, Historic Boulderado HotelTickets: $65 Supporter, $100 Sponsor, $150 Big Wheel; Available at Performance and Sports Garage in Boulder, Blue Sky in LongmontMaster of Ceremonies: Dave Towle, America’s Favorite Race Annoucer (Tour of Georgia, Tour of California, Boulder area races) Special Guests: Julie Furtado, former world cross country mountain bike champion; Paul

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.Kids, schools and cyclingEditor:I recently read Tom Sunday's letter (see Monday’s Mailbag: "Masters can help grow sport through schools") regarding his view that cycling could expand more in the U.S. if it was introduced into more schools. I quite agree and thought you might be

Ullrich heads to Africa

Ken Whelpdale Daimo Shanks and Chip Howat (l tor) and are ready to turn you into pro' mechanics

Whelpdale keeps a tidy shop - with a bit of memorabilia to keep the place interesting

Those rings are everywhere

Specialized is supplying the team

Park Tool's Calvin Jones shows the proper technique for mounting a tubular

Boonen shows Zabel his heels for the third straight day

Giving it the gas

Omloop on the attack

Horner sprang to life on today's stage, too

CSC was having none of that

Neither was Quick Step

Tenth-placed Eisel and Boonen roll along

Zabel was in the hunt once again

But Boonen nipped him once again

Another Belgian and his French pal seem to be enjoying the racing

Dear Readers;In my most recent column, S.S., a Tennessee attorney, asked about hisinsurance company's refusal to compensate him for the loss of his bicyclewhen he drove into his garage while his Wilier was attached to his roofrack (see "Isit my garage or my car that's at fault?"). I've received a numberof interesting responses from readers, and I thought it would be helpfulto share them with everybody, so in this column, we'll be taking anotherlook at the situation.As you may recall, the insurance company refused to compensate S.S.for the loss of his bicycle, because,

World champion Tom Boonen (Quick Step) won the windy second stage of the Tour of Qatar Tuesday, a 138km leg between Doha's camel race track and the Al Khor Corniche. The 25-year-old Belgian, who also won the first stage on Monday and heads the overall standings, proved too strong for Italian Paride Grillo (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) and German veteran Eric Zabel (Milram) in a sprint finish. "It wasn't so simple today," said Boonen. "The wind and the sometime-dangerous roads made the course difficult. There were a lot of falls and punctures. You had to be careful." Frenchman Gilles

Aussie sprinter Baden Cooke started the 2006 season off on a winning note after taking the final sprint in Tuesday's Grand Prix de la Marseillaise in France to open the European racing season. Cooke - a former Tour de France green jersey winner now riding for continental team Unibet.com - out-kicked former FDJeux teammate Philippe Gilbert in the 140km race in southern France to open up the European calendar. Coming through third was Madrid world championship bronze medalist Anthony Geslin (Bouygues Telecom). GP de la Marseillaise, 140km1. Baden Cooke (Aus), Unibet.com 3h17:552. Philippe

Australia will be missing a host of established names for the Commonwealth Games road cycling events in March, but that is unlikely to deflate their bid to dominate as they did in Manchester four years ago. Australia will be without reigning Commonwealth road champion Stuart O'Grady and three-time world time trial champion Michael Rogers for the games, which fall right at the start of the European one-day classics season in mid-March. Cadel Evans, who also took gold in Manchester when he beat Rogers and fellow compatriot Nathan O'Neill in the road time trial, will also be missing as

The world champ is off to a strong start

The wind helped split the pack into thirds

Yes, that's exactly what it looks like

Just ask Finot of Arabia

O'Grady was enjoying his photo op, too

Later, the smile would get turned upside down

Zabel had his troubles, too

As did Boonen, who found himself chasing

Ghyllebert gets his day in the sun

And Horner gets a bottle

Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx has joined a growing chorus of experts tipping Jan Ullrich as the favorite for this year’s Tour de France. Merckx said Sunday that Ullrich would be the man to beat come July. “This year belongs to Ullrich,” Merckx told Agence France Presse. “He’s decided to compete in the Giro d’Italia before the Tour, which will allow him to arrive in excellent condition. Doing both the Tour and the Giro is an excellent idea. He’ll arrive in July in form with the necessary stamina for three weeks of racing.” The five-time Tour champion joins Lance Armstrong in predicting

Our latest reader-submitted Photo Gallery is now up for your viewing pleasure. Of course, a new gallery also means the naming of the winner of ourmost recent contest. Take the time to wander through that gallery and see if you agree or disagree with our choice of winner. Icky as it is, we especially liked Steve Zdawczynski’s “’cross til you drool,” a shot that seems to convey all of the … er… uhh… beauty of our favorite cycling discipline. Congratulations Steve! Drop us a note at Rosters@InsideInc.com to work out the details and we’ll send you a copy of Graham Watson's "Landscapes