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Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano has charged that his former team has long conducted an organized doping program with little regard for riders’ health or safety. Manzano’s claims come a week after he promised to lift the lid on the Spanish team's unsavory doping practices, including blood transfusions and the use of experimental substances. The 25-year-old Spaniard, who was fired by Kelme after last year's Vuelta a España for allegedly having sex with a woman in his hotel room, openly admits he is seeking revenge because he is currently living a hand to mouth existence. The 25-year-old

Heading into this year’s U.S. road racing season, it was pretty clear that there were only one or two teams that could be called powerhouse squads. For the rest, the addition of some seasoned professionals gave them credibility, but they would have to step it up at the races to show that they belonged in the upper echelon of U.S. teams. The Webcor Builders team clearly fell in that second group, but at least on the first road stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic in Southern California, they showed that they’re ready to make that step. Webcor successfully defended Chris Horner’s yellow race

Manzano and Virenque attack in Stage 7 of the 2003 Tour

Capelle on his way to Waregem

Horner

Webcor kept the gap small on a fast ride across the desert

Only Grajales could stay with Horner

Klasna and the rest of the original break were now in chase mode

Time to go...

Is repair an option?Dear Lennard,I have had trouble with my car rack not holding the fork properly.Recently, a bike with a Deda Black Magic fork was victimized by this lousypiece of gear. While the bike stayed on the rack, one of the fork tipswas twisted (the other came out of the mount). It was an easy matter tobend the tip back into shape. However, is it safe to ride the bike?JimDear Jim,No, it is not safe. You need to buy a new fork… and should considerbuying a new rack.LennardSlip-slidin' awayDear Lennard,I recently purchased a USE Alien carbon seatpost for my Look KG461(27.2 mm). It is a

Krebs, carbs and crampsDear Joe and Dirk,Am I misunderstanding the current hypothesis on how cyclists are ableto fuel sustained high output or is it possible that we need to revisitour assumptions about how long the body can maintain maximum output givenonly fat as an energy source? I have often read descriptions of human metabolism that would lead meto believe that it is not possible to sustain high energy output withouteither loading up on or consuming a ready source of carbohydrates to deliverATP as fuel. This does not match with my experience. I am a type II diabeticand in order to stay

Tuesday’s windy 160km second stage of Setmana Catalana came down to a fist-pumping affair. Beat Zberg (Gerolsteiner) was pumping his in the air in delight after snatching victory in the final 20 meters while Frank Vandenbroucke (Fassa Bortolo) was pounding his handlebars in frustration after just missing a win. Vandenbroucke attacked off the lead group of about 20 riders with just under 1km to go and turned onto the finishing stretch with just enough gap that it appeared the troubled Belgian would grab the win. But Zberg shot past in the final 20 meters to snag the win and move into the

Okay, now, watch the dancing lady...VeloNews,So, the sport of cycling has this allegedly rampant drug problem,and riders are getting sacked for getting a little in the sack? (See"Ex-Kelmerider promises doping revelations") There's nothing likea little sex scandal to get everyone to forget about life's realproblems, no?Neil HickeySeattle, WashingtonYoung guns!Editors,That is some awesome writing! (See "Youngguns: Playing poker with Team Money") I will definitely befollowing these guys.Tschuss!Steve O'DellGeorgiaHe an icon of what?VeloNews,Your characterization of Marco Pantani as an "icon" is

The 2004 Redlands Bicycle Classic kicked off on a typical hazy Southern California spring day on Tuesday, and it was business as usual for two riders who have dominated the event in recent years. Chris Horner (Webcor), who has won Redlands three of the past four years, and Geneviève Jeanson (RONA), who has won two of the last three Classics, put an early stamp on what should be a tough week of racing. Each scored a convincing win in the 3.2-mile prologue time trial to the top of Mount Rubidoux in the city of Riverside. Jeanson has had a slow start to the season, after having problems

Tuesday's mail bag: Drugs, sex, icons and Mullets

Susan Palmer-Komar

Zabriskie takes second

Postal's Jurgen Van Den Brouck

Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo), a young Swiss bull known more for his time trial than his sprint, surprised the favorites to claim the opening stage of the Setmana Catalana in Spain. A group of about 40 riders cleared the Category 1 Alt de Sant Grau about 35km to go in the 165km stage and charged into rainy Lloret de Mar for a mass gallop. Rafael Casero (Saunier Duval) was caught with 200 meters to go and Cancellara relegated Milan-San Remo runner-up Erik Zabel (T-Mobile) to second place. Spanish rider Javier Ramirez (Liberty Seguros) went on a long solo move starting at 65 kilometers

Brian Maxwell, founder of the multimillion-dollar PowerBar empire and a former world-class marathon runner, died in San Anselmo, California, of a heart attack at the age of 51 on Friday. According to friends, Maxwell collapsed at a post office near his home. Emergency personnel called to the scene were unable to resuscitate him and he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Maxwell and his wife Jennifer, a nutritionist, co-founded the popular energy bar company in 1986 and began selling PowerBars out of their kitchen. Over the next decade, the Berkeley, California-based

Brian and Jennifer Maxwell

Give the boy some poker moneyEditor,Just writing to say that the Team Money essay/blurb/bit from Ang’ Sheldrakewas brilliant ( see "Youngguns: Playing poker with Team Money"). You should publish moreof him. Hell, are you paying these people? If not, you should even payhim.Thanks,Elliot Dickerson All I know is that I like what I likeEditors,I have no idea what I just read, but I liked it. Just thought I'd voicemy approval in case you get some differing opinions of this rather abstractpiece.Ryan RasmussenBozeman, Montanaand Calgary, Alberta What the....?!?!Sirs,Regarding Mr. Agnetti

The Primavera World Cup runs over the last 120 kilometers of the classic men’s Milan-San Remo World Cup course. It starts in the town of Varazze, just West of Genoa. I traveled to the start of the race two days early to meet up with my teammates and pre-ride the course. My teammates, Amber Neben, Kimberly Bruckner, Stacey Peters and Dotsie Cowden, had just arrived from the United States. We had only five riders to start in Primavera, as there are some very important races going on the U.S. that our sponsors want to make a solid presence in, like Redlands and Sea Otter. ReconnaissanceWe

Landbouwkrediet’s Bert De Waele won the 27th edition of the Cycliste Cholet-Pays de Loire on Sunday. The 202km race is the third round of the Coupe de France series, still led by Crédit Agricole’s Thor Hushovd. De Waele soloed in five seconds ahead of Brioches La Boulangere’s Didier Rous, Hushovd and Luxembourgian Frank Schleck (CSC). The day’s initial attack was launched by Belgian Frederik Willems (Vlaanderen - T-Interim - Eddy Merckx ). After a series of attacks, a group of four -- Patrice Halgand, Frederic Guesdon, Thomas Voeckler and the Jurgen Van de Walle -- bridged up to Willems at

Lyne Bessette (Quark) and Chris Horner (Webcor) won the overall titles at the season’s first major event, the Pomona Valley Stage Race in San Dimas, California, as Quark’s Sarah Uhl and Mariano Friedick (Jelly Belly) won the final stage on Sunday. Uhl was part of Quark’s successful effort to fend off any challenges to Bessette’s hold on the leaders jersey, chasing down a series of attacks from the Rona team. Uhl then nipped sprinter Tina Mayolo Pic (Genesis) at the line as the 55-minute event end in a field sprint. Horner began the 90-minute men’s race with a solid hold on the overall

Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix) won the Maxxis Cup International in Gouveia, Portugal, on Sunday, giving the 2001 world champion a boost in her efforts to secure the only American spot in the 2004 Olympic mountain-bike race.After winning the cross country event and placing second in the shorttrack at the 2004 NORBA National Mountain Bike Series opener in Waco, Texaslast weekend, Dunlap and her Luna Chix teammate, Shonny Vanlandingham madethe trip to Europe to compete in a series of UCI E1 classified events inan effort to earn UCI points. The U.S. has only been allotted a single spot in the women’s

Laurent was a pioneer?

Hushovd still leads the Coupe de France

Bessette was in control

Uhl's win was a bonus for Quark

Grajales fought hard to hold his place on GC

Postal's young gun Patrick McCarty made the break

Friedick's final push paid off

Erik Zabel’s world went from bright to very black in a split second on the Via Roma at the end of the 95th Milan-San Remo on Saturday. The German sprinter thought he’d come around Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) to win Milan-San Remo for the fifth time. But just as he was lifting his hands in celebration, Spanish sprinter Oscar Freire (Rabobank) shoved his bike across the line to snatch the win by inches.

Chris Horner (Webcor) and the rest of the guys showed up to race Saturday at the Pomona Valley Stage Race, but Horner showed up first, winning a shortened Glendora Mountain Time Trial. Horner covered the climb in 15:12, putting a minute on Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joe's Coffee) and a further two seconds on Scott Moninger (Health Net). As the women tackled their second stage, meanwhile, it was Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile) taking the win at 19.25. Lyne Bessette (Quark) was second best at 19 seconds back, followed by Erin Mirabella (Red 5 Racing) in third at 37 seconds back. Bessette took over

Just like last year, Zoulfia Zabirova (Let’s Go Finland) attacked on the Cipressa climb in the 118km Primavera Rosa. And just like last year, Zabirova came down Via Roma the victor. Coming across the line solo, the Russian held up two fingers – for the victory and for her second consecutive Primavera victory. Dutch rider Mirjam Melchers (Farm Frites-Hartol) led the main bunch through to take second. Check back later for results and a complete report from VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood.

Fallen professional cyclist Jesus Manzano said Saturday he is ready to make a statement about alleged doping practices while he rode for the Spanish Kelme team from 2000 to 2003. Manzano told the Spanish sports daily MARCA that he wanted revenge for the way he was treated by Kelme last year and vowed that he would "make what Philippe Gaumont said a few days ago in France seem like a children's story.” "What is going to come out has real substance, I’ve got proof of all I’m going to say. I'm not going to do what Gaumont has done, I’m going to give all of the details," said Manzano, referring

Chris Horner (Webcor) made it two for two at the Pomona Valley Stage Race on Saturday, winning the 96-mile Incycle Puddingstone Road Race ahead of Nieko Biskner (Ofoto-Lombardi Sports). Eric Wohlberg (Sierra Nevada) won a six-up tussle for third at six seconds back. Horner maintains a comfortable lead going into Sunday’s Cannondale Old Town San Dimas Criterium, with nearly 90 seconds on second-placed Cesar Grajales (Jittery Joe's Coffee) and 1:43 on Wohlberg. In the women’s race, meanwhile, it was Magali Le Floch (Quark) taking the win ahead of Tina Pic (Genesis Scuba) with Lyne Bessette,

Zabel celebrates, but Freire wins

Horner heads up the hill

Armstrong seems to be enjoying the ride

Bessette rides into the overall lead

Moninger put in a strong ride for third

Horner again

Candace Blickem was out on a break all day...

...but a strong chase brought her back to the field on the final lap.

Ted Huang of Webcor controlling the break

Trent Klasna

Zabel celebrates but Freire wins at Milan-San Remo

Cipollini makes adjustments for the day's changing weather

A cool day along the Mediterranean

Ooops!

It’s been a beautiful week in the neighborhood here in Boulder, Colorado, as spring is clearly upon us. Friday’s forecast calls for 78 degrees and sunny skies, with no snow on the horizon — bad news for the skiers in the area, but welcome news for those of us ready to get back into a riding routine. For me personally, the past week brought a 31st birthday, shared with VeloNews technical editor Andrew Juskaitis and celebrated with some good old-fashioned tricycle racing at The Dark Horse, a local saloon sometimes referred to as “The Dork House.” The week also heralded the arrival of a much

An inquest into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of fallen Italian cycling hero Marco Pantani has found that he died of a cocaine overdose, the Ansa news agency reported Friday. "The death of Marco Pantani was caused by acute cocaine intoxication," according to the draft report by doctor Giuseppe Fortuni for prosecutor Paolo Gengarelli. The report found that there was not enough evidence to support the theory of suicide and that Pantani died as a result of swelling to the brain and lung tissue as a result of cocaine poisoning. "Acute cocaine intoxication provoked a

Australian Baden Cooke has played down his chance of fulfilling one of his childhood dreams when he saddles up for Milan-San Remo on Saturday. The first race of the World Cup season - a 294km ride from Italy's fashion capital to the Mediterranean coast resort - would in normal circumstances be well within the Victoria rider's grasp; he has emerged as one of the most feared sprinters in the peloton since making his European debut two years ago. However, a virus that has laid low more than one member of the peloton last week has compromised 25-year-old Cooke's chances of victory in what will

“You may as well call us Team Money.” Who ever said cyclists were humble? And why should we be? We deserve recognition, respect, sex, rock stardom, little poodles with American bandanas and Gucci booties. Yeah, and trading cards and tanning beds and … and … and leather pants and capes – it all comes rushing to the head like the initial stroke of a sprint, full of commitment and devoid of thought. Looking inside the head of a cyclist is like fracturing a carnival sky with the hands of an innocent child and scattering the pieces in waving strokes of glory. For the cyclist is a legend in his

Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree has overcome a suicide attempt to get back in shape for an attempt on Chris Boardman's world hour record next month. Obree made his breakthrough in 1993 when he won at the world track championships in Norway on a homemade bike with a bearing salvaged from a washing machine. In the same year, he broke the one-hour world record by covering 51.596km, but the record stood for just six days before Olympic gold medalist Boardman shattered it, only for Obree to reclaim the record in 1994. Obree retired in 1997 after being diagnosed with manic depression. Two years ago

1907 Lucien Petit-Breton (F) Bianchi1908 Cyrille Van Hauwaert (I)1909 Luigi Ganna (I)1910 Eugene Christophe (F)1911 Gustave Garrigou (F)1912 Henri Pellissier (F)1913 Odiel Defraeye (I)1914 Ugo Agostoni (I)1915 Ezio Corlaita (I)1917 Gaetano Belloni (I)1918 Costante Girardengo (I)1919 Angelo Cremo (I)1920 Gaetano Belloni (I)1921 Costante Girardengo (I)1922 Giovanni Brunero (I)1923 Costante Girardengo (I)1924 Pietro Linari (I)1925 Costante Girardengo (I)1926 Costante Girardengo (I)1927 Pietro Chesi (I)1928 Costante Girardengo (I)1929 Alfredo Binda (I)1930 Michele Mara (I)1931 Alfredo Binda

Cocaine killed Pantani, a doctor's report says

Baden Cooke and Lance Armstrong, shown in last year's Tour, are a bit under the weather as Milan-San Remo approaches

Paolo Bettini could become only the 12th rider to win the World Cup opening Milan-San Remo for the second year in a row when the one-day classic kicks off this Saturday. The 29-year-old Italian, who rides for Quick Step, got his season off to the perfect start last year when he won the La Primavera for the first time before lifting the ten-race World Cup title for the second year in a row. This year the energetic rider known as the “little cricket” has already laid some solid foundations, winning Tirreno-Adriatico on Tuesday after claiming two stage wins to show his sprinting form. Bettini

Hi Bob,I own a vacant lot of land and I occasionally see tracks from mountainbikes in the dirt. I am an avid cyclist, but wonder if I am at risk ofa lawsuit by allowing them to ride on my property. I do have a NO TRESPASSINGsign posted.TimSpokane, Washington Dear Tim,When I was a kid we had a great stretch of woods, with a beautifulstream running their length, near my home. The woods happened to be ownedby a mean old farmer who asserted his property rights by way of shotgunwith rock salt filled shells. We would hear the old man shooting off hisgun, but figured he was shooting skyward as a

Dear Monique,Great stuff recently on earlymorning training sessions. What about the opposite end of the spectrumfor those who jump on the trainer and crank out a few intervals just beforebed? If doing one to two hours with some tempo or threshold work andthen heading to bed for the night, what is good post ride nutrition? Typically,if training during the day, I would have a good recovery shake after training,but drinking down a several hundred calorie shake just before bed doesnot seem like the best idea.Thanks!SR Dear SR,While training in the evening may not be ideal, it is of course

Treviso, Italy (18 March, 2004) - On the eve of Milano-San Remo, Cicli Pinarello Spa has created some special new bicycles for their top teams, Fassa Bortolo and Illes Balears-Banesto to have the best possible material to use in the “la Classicissima di Primavera” this coming Saturday, March 20th. New Pinarello Dogma bicycles in magnesium for super sprinter Alessando Petacchi and his leadout train, who’ve just returned from Tirreno-Adriatico with three stage wins, and for Filippo Pozzato, recent protagonist in the Giro di Liguria and Trofeo Laigueglia. Both Petacchi and Pozzato will be team

IRON HORSE BICYCLE CLASSIC CELEBRATES 33rd RUNNING in 2004Registration Now Open for Memorial Day Weekend EventDURANGO, Colo. (March 18, 2004)--The registration forms,schedule and pertinent information for the 33rd annual Iron Horse BicycleClassic are posted on the website www.ironhorsebicycleclassic.com.The event is focusing on on-line registration in an effort to save paperand trees. Registration forms can be downloaded and mailed to the office,in addition to registering at http://www.active.com.This is the 33rd anniversary of one of the largest and longest continuouslyrun bicycling events

Treviso, Italy (18 March, 2004) - Opera Bicycles, created by Cicli Pinarello will be the racing partner in 2004 with Team Manager Maurizio Fabretto’s new squad SAFI-PASTA ZARA-MANHATTAN The new squad will consist of 14 riders, led by two of the top names in womens cycling, Nicole Cooke (UK), winner of the 2003 Womens World Cup, and the Lithuanian athlete Diana Ziliute, bronze medalist in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Other riders include Italians Giorgia Bronzini, track specialist with the Italian National Team and Anna Zugno, Jr. World TT champion in 2002 at Zolder, German rider Regina

As the 2004 season kicks-off, most of you competitive mountain bikers have either just finished or are nearing completion of your race rigs. While a handful of you are fortunate to have a complete bicycle shipped to you from a generous sponsor, the lion’s share of you will have to carefully piece together a race-worthy bike under the ever-present restrictions of a working stiff’s budget. Building a bike from the wheels-up can provide the clearest insight into the technical savvy of the particular owner. It’s easy to dress up a high quality frame (full suspension or hard tail) with full

Five-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has elected to skip Saturday's World Cup opener, Milan-San Remo. U.S. Postal's Dirk Demol told AFP that Milan-San Remo does not fit in to the Texan's build-up for his attempt at a record sixth straight win in cycling's premier prize. Armstrong's next scheduled race is the Criterium International in the Ardennes region of Belgium at the end of the month.AFP2004 Bettini wants to avoid sprintDefending Milan-San Remo champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) says he wants to do everything to avoid a sprint coming down the Via Roma on Saturday. That,

ARMSTRONG VOTED 2004 USOC SPORTSMAN OF THE YEARFive-Time Tour de France Winner Becomes First Athlete Selected FourTimes COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (March 18, 2004) - - CyclistLance Armstrong, figure skater Michelle Kwan and the U.S. Women’s GymnasticsTeam have been voted the 2003 United States Olympic Committee SportsMan,SportsWoman and Team of the Year, respectively.For the second consecutive year the top awards go to athletes from thesports of cycling and figure skating. In 2002, Armstrong and Sarah Hughes(Great Neck, N.Y.) received the trophies. Last year’s team title went tothe women’s

GO MISS MONDIALI, THE BEAUTY CONTEST CONNECTED WITH THE CYCLING WORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS OF VERONA-BARDOLINO 2004!Selections of the Misses that will reward the World’s championstake place in the discos of Verona, Brescia and Vicenza.18 March - Verona, Italia - A spring under the banner of beauty, that’s what we have to expect from the new event presented yesterdayin Verona, in the seat of Asco Unione, by the organizing committee of the Road Cycling World Championships of Verona-Bardolino 2004. The contest starting on Sunday, March 21st, will select six girls charged with awardingprizes to the

Laura Van Gilder (Genesis-Scuba) sprinted to victory in the opening stage of the fifth annual Pomona Valley Stage Race on Thursday in San Dimas, California. Van Gilder outkicked Magen Long (OBRU-The Bicycle Store) and Lyne Bessette (Quark), coming around on the final straight after Bessette attacked on the climb, to win the San Dimas Hospital Circuit Race in 1:15:46. The race was run on a 3.5-mile loop in Frank G. Bonelli Regional County Park, a course that the pro men decided was too dangerous for their 150-rider field, in a dispute reminiscent of the Redwood City circuit race in last

Bettini wins in 2003

If Bettini falters, Vino' and others will be right there.

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske: Forgive us our trespasses

Tech Report: Ridin' what you wanna ride vs. what you have to ride