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Joseba Beloki has slammed Tour de France organizers and his own French team, La Boulangere, for not allowing him to take prescribed asthma medication while racing. The Spaniard, who has finished on the Tour de France podium three times from 2000 to 2002, was back on the road this week after breaking a leg in a dramatic crash during last year's Tour, when he was being pursued by five-time race winner Lance Armstrong. Beloki blamed his struggle in the first two stages of this week's Bicicleta Vasca on not being able to treat his asthma attacks because the medicine he has used since childhood

Following last week’s UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, the United States has qualified for six track cycling events at the Olympic Games, including three women’s events and three men’s events. According to USA Cycling, the U.S. has received one start position each in the men’s team sprint, keirin, and points race. For women, the U.S. has one start position each in the sprint, 500-meter time trial and individual pursuit. Start positions were granted based on performance at the world championships and the overall 2004 UCI Track World Cup standings. While the

With apologies to Stan Lee ...

Dede contemplates the road ahead

Cranking out the watts in the TT

The final podium: from left, Dede, Tina and Lyne

Dear Bob,My team pays for travel and recently informed us that they own ourfrequent flyer miles and that we are to turn them back into the team.I seem to recall a legal case dealing with this issue. Can they do thislegally and what are the tax implications?Definitely Anonymous Dear D.A.,To begin, there are no potential tax implications regardless of whetheryou, or your team retains frequent flyer miles acquired via business travel.In 2002, after years of speculation and confusion surrounding the issueof potential tax implications for frequent flyer miles, the IRS issuedAnnouncement 2002-18,

I can’t stand it. The suspense is killing me. No, I’m not talking about the recent verdict on Monex team rider-director Roberto Gaggioli’s appeal hearing with USA Cycling, held Friday, May 28. (More on that below, but for those with short attention spans, Gaggioli was suspended through the end of the 2004 season for assaulting Jittery Joe’s rider Jonny Sundt with a 2x4.) And no, I’m not referring to the recently released list of American men invited to the Team USA selection road race, held June 19 in Redlands, California. (Again, keep reading.) What I am referring to is the upcoming

Looking over my notes from the Big Bear national mountain bike race, I realize there were quite a few interesting bits of info that I wasn’t able to include in the print article I wrote for VeloNews issue No. 10. First off, this third round of the 2004 off-road race season had more roll-outs than an oriental rug factory, so here are my brief notes on the following subjects: Mongoose FreedriveMongoose’s Chris Holmes grabbed my arm and hustled me into the Mongoose pits to take a peek at a bit of 2005 ‘Goose tech. While I had the opportunity to see some initial drawings of its Freedrive system

The highlight of the American racing calendar is the Wachovia week in Philadelphia. It is a week of racing that draws the most interest from spectators and media and is also the week of racing that hosts the strongest pelotons to race on North American soil. Of the three races Lancaster is perhaps the hardest course with its undulating and sinuous course. The peloton is full of motivated racers and the attacks are usually incessant for the entire 145 km event. Often times rain storms or thundershowers grease up the streets and add extra difficulty to the already technical course. This

Times are tough for Spanish rider Joseba Beloki. The three-time Tour de France podium finisher is struggling in the hilly Bicicleta Vasca in northern Spain this week with allergies and then heard from journalists the news that his French team Brioches La Boulangere is pulling the plug on the team at the end of this season. The team’s title sponsor announced Thursday it would not continue underwriting the team past the 2004 season due to mounting costs of joining the planned UCI Pro Tour for the 2005 season. “I just heard the news from a journalist, but the team can continue if we can find a

It was hard to believe Fred Rodriguez even made it to the finish in Trenton, New Jersey, let alone grabbed the win. The American spent much of late Thursday afternoon tinkering with misadjusted seat height, even getting off his bike twice to try to get things sorted out. Finally Rodriguez simply gave up and dealt with the problem, before flying down the final straightaway on West State Street to take the bunch sprint in the second leg of the Wachovia Cycling Series. “I got on my bike this morning and it felt like the seat was a little low,” Rodriguez explained after taking his second win of

Tech Report: A few more product previews

Tech Report: A few more product previews

Tech Report: A few more product previews

Tech Report: A few more product previews

We hit the ground running in Lancaster.

Max gets a solo win.

John Lieswyn and Rodoslaw Romanik

CSC leads the chase

Wachovia week: Rodriguez takes Trenton

The Mail Bag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com, appearing each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 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.Make some noise here, eh?Editor;How come no headlines about Gaggiolis' suspension? His behavior wascriminal and should be addressed as such.  Sundts' not pressing chargesisn't helping the next guy, and VeloNews not following up about the

Young German rider Patrick Sinkewitz’s edged Spanish mountain goat Francisco Mancebo (Illes Balears) to win Wednesday’s tough climbing stage and move into the overall lead at the Tour of Germany. The 170km stage Wangen to St. Anton hit the 1793-meter Arlberg pass, which shattered the lead group and spelled the end of Michael Rich’s hold on the leader’s jersey. Sinkewitz broke with about 50km to go and counted on support from Paolo Bettini who was also part of the breakaway. “The team was fantastic and Bettini was along side me in the more difficult moments,” said Sinkewitz after taking his

The biggest week of road racing on the U.S. calendar gets rolling late Tuesday afternoon in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with the first leg of the 2004 Wachovia Cycling Series. An expected field of 196 riders will take on 91 miles over 13 laps through Lancaster’s streets and Central Park, vying for a piece of the $20,000 purse. Several short hills and some tricky turns will make this a race for only the strong men. A year ago toughest of the group was CSC’s Jakob Piil, who soloed away from what was left of a shattered field late in the race to take a rain soaked 1:18 victory over Saturn’s Mark

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) continued on his winning ways Tuesday after taking a sprint in the second stage of the Tour of Germany. Set-up by Stefano Zanini and Paolo Bettini, Boonen edged Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) and Danilo Hondo (Gerolsteiner) to take his 10th win of the 2004 season. “I was able to count on a super team who works very hard in the final 30 kilometers,” Boonen said after winning. “The whole team worked to put me in the ideal conditions to make the sprint. In the last kilometers, Bettini and then Zanini completed a masterpiece. I’m not at 100 percent of my condition, but I

The opening stop of the Wachovia Cycling Series has always been known as a strongman’s race. With three punchy climbs on the seven-mile circuit that winds its way in and out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, it’s not a place for pure sprinters or waif climbers. You better have a little bit of both in you if you want to win this one. Certainly this year’s victor did nothing to dispel that notion. Dutchman Max Van Heeswijk is your classic tough guy, who now has eight wins in 2004 as proof of his diversity. This one, which went down on a mostly sunny Tuesday afternoon in southeast Pennsylvania, came

Boonen makes it look easy

Ullrich remains in second overall

Julich tries his hand

A wet start

Fast Freddie: Ready for Sunday?

John Lieswyn

The tifosi hardly had time to mourn the death of former champion Marco Pantani when a new star emerged to take over Il Pirata's mantle during the three-week Giro d’Italia. On Sunday, Italy’s most rabid cycling fans fully embraced their newest hero, the young Giro winner Damiano Cunego. The celebrations in the center of Milan underscored the Italian public’s adoration of the 22-year-old from Verona. Cunego was clearly living the dream Sunday, but he nonetheless maintained a keen awareness of his public image as he carefully answered a reporter’s question asking him to pick three words to

Time specialist Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner) won Monday’s 23.7-kilometer race against the clock in Karlsruhe to open the week-long Tour of Germany. Coming through second was 1997 Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) at 24 seconds with Uwe Peschel (Gerolsteiner) taking third at 29 seconds slower. “I wanted to find out where I stood and it looks pretty good,” said Ullrich, who returned to competition after a five-week break. “I want to use one or two stages to find out how strong I am but I should not be expected to win. The only thing for sure is that I won't finish last.” Ullrich

Cunego credits everyone on Saeco for the win

Roel Paulissen (Siemens Mobile Cannondale) took an extremely popular victory in front of a partisan Belgian crowd in Houffalize, with the bonus of taking the overall lead in the World Cup from fellow countryman Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized), who could only manage fourth on the day. In the women's race, it was all Gunn-Rita Dahle (Merida) once again, riding away from the field on the first lap. Alison Dunlap (Luna) took second, which gives a real boost to her Olympic hopes. The traditional Houffalize course was trimmed considerably, from 12km to 8km. Both the men and the women did a

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Italy has its new star. Fresh-faced Damiano Cunego (Saeco) raced like a seasoned pro to dominate the 2004 Giro d’Italia. The blond-haired former junior world champion won four stages and conquered the 20-stage Giro in surprising fashion for a 22-year-old largely unknown beyond Italian cycling just over one month ago. “This has been a dream race for me,” Cunego said after beating Ukraine Serhiy Honchar (De Nardi) by 2:02. “I would have not believed before I started that I would win this Giro. It’s very satisfying.” With the 87th Giro d’Italia now part of history, Cunego becomes the youngest

Dutchman Theo Bos crashed twice en route to his quarter-finals sprint victory on Saturday, then arose on Sunday to dethrone French world champion Laurent Gane and win the sprint gold medal on the final day of the world track cycling championships Sunday in Melbourne, Australia. The former junior world kilometer champion refused to be daunted by either his injuries or his opponent and twice furiously powered to the line ahead of Gane, a seven–time world gold medalist who was a member of the gold-medal-winning French squad in the team sprint on Wednesday. "It's unbelievable... I can't believe

Jan Ullrich will test his Tour de France credentials in the Tour of Germany beginning Monday. The German, regarded by many as the rider most capable of denying U.S. Postal’s Lance Armstrong a record sixth Tour de France win in July, has struggled with his form early in the season. Still, the 30-year-old suggested he was improving with a strong performance in Saturday's Rund um die Hainleite race in Erfurt, Germany. The 1997 Tour de France winner, entering his first event in five weeks after concentrating on training, said he was satisfied with fifth place in a race won by Austrian Peter

Scott Moninger (Health Net-Maxxis) won the 33rd Iron Horse Bicycle Classic road race from Durango to Silverton on Saturday, outkicking Drew Miller (Landis-Trek-VW) at the line after more than two hours of racing through Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Moninger finished in 2:17:23, just a single second ahead of Miller, in the finale of the 47-mile road race, with 5500 feet of climbing across two 11,000-foot passes. The legendary Ned Overend (Specialized) crossed third, less than a minute behind. In the women’s Category I-III race, Sarah Tescher (3D Racing) took the win in 2:45:44 over Teri

Last night, I returned to North America for the first time since mid-February. Today the Montréal World Cup was my first race on the continent this season. This race is the premier women’s race in North America, and it is perhaps the only race that fields a quality international women’s peloton. A cool Canadian breeze greeted us at the start, but the fans kept us warm. Geneviéve Jeanson and Lyne Bessette are household names in Canada now, and they bring many admirers to this race each year, as Mont Royale is always lined with people. Geneviéve’s name has been in the headlines of the

Italian cycling fans hardly had time to mourn the death of former champion Marco Pantani when a new star emerged to assume Il Pirata's mantle during the three-week Giro d’Italia: 2004 champion Damiano Cunego (Saeco). Cunego, a fresh-faced rider from Verona who until this year was hardly known to the wider cycling public, scored a major upset when he held on to the pink jersey that he audaciously claimed at the start of this year's race. The fact that the 22-year-old Saeco rider defied his team captain, two-time winner and defending champion Gilberto Simoni throughout, has merely reinforced

When CSC took over the title sponsorship of the seven-year-old Clarendon Cup NRC race – now the CSC Invitational – the company was obviously hoping to gain a little extra exposure for the brand. That sponsorship paid off in spades on Sunday, when CSC’s Dane Lars Michaelsen, fresh from Europe, gave the company double exposure by just nipping Gord Fraser (HealthNet-Maxxis) in a photo-finish field sprint. It was not a day for breakaways, with no move lasting longer than several laps around the flat, six-turn, 1 kilometer circuit in Arlington, Virginia. With 20 laps remaining, the Navigators

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Cunego on the road to Milan

Cunego gets another day in the jersy

Biscotti

jerseys

Saeco before the stage

The surprising victory ...

... and the subsequent elation

Petacchi notches his ninth stage win

Paulissen takes the win and the World Cup lead

Sauser and Paulissen working the trail

Dunlap grabbed some valuable UCI points by finishing second

But the win went to Dahle

Stefano Garzelli (Vini Caldirola) salvaged a disappointing Giro d’Italia with an emotional stage victory Saturday in a grueling stage that paid homage to fallen hero Marco Pantani over the legendary Passo di Mortirolo. Once seen as a natural inheritor of Pantani’s crown after winning the 2000 Giro, Garzelli held off two-time Giro champion Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) to win the three-climb, 122km stage from Bormio to Presolana high in the Italian Alps. “I wanted to try to win today to save something of this Giro, which has been very disappointing for me,” said Garzelli, who zipped away from

Australia powered to its third consecutive team-pursuit crown at the world track cycling championships Saturday in Melbourne, Australia, beating back a spirited challenge from Great Britain. The Australian combination of Peter Dawson, Ashley Hutchinson, Luke Roberts and Stephen Wooldridge trailed in the mid-stages before pulling away to win the gold-medal final by 1.5 seconds in 4:00.322 seconds. Spain beat the Netherlands in the ride-off for bronze. The British quartet of Robert Hayles, Paul Manning, Christopher Newton and Bryan Steel laid down a stern challenge. They diced with the

With the rest of her summer hanging in the balance due to a missed post-race dope test in April, Canada’s Geneviéve Jeanson (RONA) set out to make the most of Saturday’s Montréal Women’s World Cup. While she may yet be suspended for six months after the UCI doles out punishment for the missed test after the Flèche-Wallone World Cup, Jeanson won her third Montréal title in front of an overwhelmingly partisan home crowd that either didn’t know or didn’t care about their hero’s off-the-bike troubles. “I don’t want to be suspended, but right now, winning this race, I’m so happy,” said a candid

Geneviéve Jeanson (RONA) scored her third victory at the Women's World Cup race in Montréal on Saturday, and photographer Casey Gibson was on hand to record the action. For the story, read Chris Milliman's report for the pictures, you need only scroll down.

Garzelli leads Simoni and Valjavec

Today's stage was a vindication of sorts for Garzelli, but another bitter pill for Simoni

Sella had a go

Honchar had to fight to hold onto his second place overall

Garzelli adds to Simoni's woes

Cunego played it cagey, following Cioni's wheel

Fast Freddy survives the mountains to sprint once more in Milan

Jeanson's queen of the mountain in Montréal once again

Jeanson wasn't the only heavy hitter in the field: Quark's Lyne Bessette was on the attack, too

Also in the thick of things was VeloNews.com diarist Dede Demet Barry (T-Mobile)

And what top-shelf race would not be led at some point by France's Jeannie Longo?

Still, when Jeanson attacks, it's usually au revoir to the field ...