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Alejandro Valverde has received a nice pay raise and will earn closeto 1 million euros per season in a new deal signed with the Comunidad Valenciana-Kelmeteam (formerly Kelme) and will lead the team until at least 2007.Valverde was Spain’s revelation last season, winning two stages andfinishing third in the Vuelta a España and taking silver at theworld road championships in Canada.Despite efforts by other teams to lure Valverde away from the troubledKelme team, the Valencia regional government stepped up to ensure the team’sfinancial future and secure Valverde’s services, the Spanish daily

Spaar Select’s Erwin Vervecken won the sixth round of cyclo-cross’s Superprestigeseries in Hogstraten, Belgium.Vervecken beat a trio of fellow Belgians in this final major event beforenext week’s world championship race in Pont-Château, France.Defending world and Belgian champion Bart Wellens came back from mechanicaldifficulties but was too exhausted to contest a three-up sprint, satisfiedwith third and a victory by his Spaar Select teammate.American Jonathan Page finished 18th, while his U.S. teammate Jackson Stewart trailed in at 40th and Andy Jacques-Maynes did not finish. American Jeremy

Cooke and McEwen - a familiar battle

81km in Adelaide

Jonker glides into retirement

Vervecken

Wellens chases after mechanical

Sven Nijs

Tom Vannoppen

Holland's Gerben de Knegt

The Clif bar duo of Jackson Stewart and Andy Jacques-Maynes

A full field in the warm-up for world's

Another Belgian Sweep

Ben Day, Queensland’s time-trial champion, led home an all-Aussie trifecta in the penultimate stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under at Willunga on Saturday. While the Team Australia rider won in style, beating Tour de France sprinters Robbie McEwen (Lotto) and Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com)after attacking 3km from the finish, it will be South Australian Patrick Jonker who will be acclaimed the overall victor when the Tour ends on Sunday. Jonker, 34, riding in his swansong tour after a distinguished career, holds a nearly unassailable 1:34 lead over McEwen with Belgian Philippe Gilbert

French cyclist Cedric Vasseur, held by police for 48 hours while questioned on suspicion of doping, pleaded his innocence on Saturday. "I have nothing to do with what's going on. I have my line of conduct and I stick to it," the 33-year-old Cofidis rider, who wore the Tour de France yellow jersey for five days in 1997, told a media conference. "This affair is not a Cofidis problem, it's a problem for some individuals." Vasseur was arrested for questioning last Tuesday alongside teammate Philippe Gaumont after police raided Cofidis headquarters and the office of one of the team doctors.

Photos from Saturday's race in Zonnebeke, Belgium.

Attack early if you're with the sprinters

Summer time and the livin' ain't all that easy

Figueras and Tiralongo set a tough pace on the climb up Willunga

Jonker: Almost there

U.S. national champion Alison Dunlap (Luna)

U.S. national champion Jonathan Page (Selle Italia-Guerciotti)

Carmen D'Aluisio (Clif Bar)

Matt White (NCC-Bikereg.com)

Jesse Anthony (Hot Tubes)

Andy Jacques-Maynes (Clif Bar)

Andy Jacques-Maynes (Clif Bar)

Michael Cody (NCC-BikeReg.com)

Jackson Stewart (Clif Bar)

Cover model

Australian Patrick Jonker maintained his overall lead after Friday's 141km fourth stage of the Jacobs Creek Tour Down Under as Lotto’s sprinter Robbie McEwen won his second bunch finish. Jonker finished in the main field in 28th, holding on to a 1:38 advantage in general classification over McEwen, who moved into second place overall. McEwen, who was disappointed to finish third in yesterday’s sprint into Victor Harbor, said today’s win makes up for that loss. “It’s still always going to be the one that got away but it’s good to be able to win today,” he said, adding that he hadn’t planned

Lefevre expects – and wants – Armstrong to win No. 6Quick Step-Davitamon boss Patrick Lefevre said he doesn’t see anyone capable of keeping Lance Armstrong from winning a record sixth Tour de France. “If he’s healthy this year, we’ll see Lance stronger in 2004 than last year,” Lefevre told VeloNews this week. “We saw him with the problems he overcame last year. He was fighting back like a great champion. I don’t know his situation, but with his divorce, his fall in the Dauphine, the way he fought back, I have no one to beat him this year. I want to beat him in 2005.” Lefevre said Quick

A year ago this time I was predicting parity for the 2003 U.S. men’s road-racing scene. On paper, it looked like just about all the main U.S. teams had strengthened their rosters: Navigators had added Chris Wherry and Henk Vogels to a team that had a lot of success in 2002; Prime Alliance had signed a couple of Euro’ vets in Jonathan Vaughters and David Clinger; Schroeder Iron brought Chann McRae back to the U.S., to go along with Miguel Meza and young Aaron Olson; and Health Net looked on the fast track to respectability with the signings of Mike Sayers and Gord Fraser. Well, we know what

Cycling's world governing body announced on Friday that an Australian-pioneered test to detect illicit blood transfusions will be used for the first time this season. The Union Cycliste Internationale's move comes in the wake of a new doping scandal in France that has already led to the arrest of several current and former members of the Cofidis team, whose soigneur Bogdan Madejak is still being held by police in connection with distributing banned substances. In tapped telephone conversations French police also claim to have heard Madejak suggesting to Polish rider Marek Rutkiewicz that

The United States Postal Service Pro Cycling Team presented by Berry Floor unveiled its 2004 squad Friday during its annual training camp in Solvang, California. The media day began with a half-hour press conference with defending five-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, followed by a more casual, open-forum session with the remaining 24 members of the team. Absent was the team's directeur sportif, Johan Bruyneel, whose wife delivered a baby girl on Tuesday. Seated alone, a tanned and relaxed Armstrong sounded as determined as ever as he took questions from the 50-odd reporters,

More attentive Friday

Kirsipuu

Jonker: Poised to take it all?

Armstrong meets the press in California

FDJeux.com’s Philippe Gilbert was a brilliant winner of Thursday's third stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, but South Australian Patrick Jonker (UniSA )has all but guaranteed he will finish his illustrious career on an high note. Jonker, 34, took over the leader's yellow jersey from David McPartland (Team Australia) and now leads the overall standings by 1:39 at the half-way mark of this six-day stage race. It’s a situation that Jonker, who has earmarked this event as his swansong, would have only dreamed about. And it came about Thursday because he had the legs to ensure he was in

Tour de Georgia officials announced Wednesday that the Dodge division ofDaimler-Chrysler has renewed its title sponsorship for the 2004 event,scheduled April 20 – April 25.Specific course details were not included in Wednesday’s announcement,but promoters promised to unveil the route and offer a list of participantsat a “media event” scheduled for February.“We are extremely pleased to renew Dodge as the title sponsor and tocontinue building the prestige and global scope of the Dodge Tour de Georgia,”said John Rice, Chairman of the Georgia Partnership for Economic Development,the non-profit

Down, but far from being out, is the theme this week; applicable notjust to Aussie Nathan O’Neill, who proved skeptics wrong last week witha dramatic Australian national time trial championship only six monthsafter a potentially life-threatening spinal injury, but to the mid-AprilHyundai Sea Otter Classic road stage race and to the Tourde Georgia, which goes into 2004 with a renewed commitment from its titlesponsor, Dodge.A smaller, tougher OtterOriginally a mountain bike event, the Sea Otter Classic — a UCI-sanctionedstage race won by O’Neill last year — had well-documented road course

French police are calling Cofidis rider Philippe Gaumont a central playerin the growing doping investigation that’s threatening to overwhelm cyclingbefore the start of the 2004 racing season. According to a report in L’Equipe, Gaumont is said to be oneof the suppliers of EPO and other doping products that’s the center ofan investigation started last week when police questioned two former Cofidisriders -- Marek Rutkiewicz and Robert Sassone – as well as a Cofidis soigneur,Bogdan Madejak. Gaumont also reportedly admitted to taking EPO, accordingto L’Equipe. Gaumont and teammate Cedric Vasseur

Dear Bob,I build frames as a side business/hobby. I have a small logo that Iput on the frames that identifies my business and name. I noticed a ratherlarge frame manufacturer is now using an almost-identical logo onone of its new models. What does the law say about this?B.B.,New JerseyDear B.B.,Trademarks such as the one you place on your frames have been in existencesince people began to trade goods. The merchant class began “marking” theirwares as a way to advertise their goods, establish manufacturing originationand guarantee quality. Of course, rival producers and unscrupulous

Jonker's heading to retirement in style

This is not the Tour de France

The gravel caused a few tires to pop

Navigators Insurance Ciaran Power made the day's final break

Gaumont: Implicated, investigated, positive and still in the sport.

Young New South Wales rider David McPartland (Team Australia) celebrated the signing of a new professional contract by winning the second stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under in emphatic fashion Wednesday. And the victory, over Dutchman Alain Van Katwijk (Bankgiroloterij) and South Australian Patrick Jonker (UniSA), was enough to catapult the 23-year-old from Albury into the leader's yellow jersey. A last-minute replacement for top international Scott Sunderland, McPartland's best domestic performance before yesterday was winning the national under 23 category in the 2002 Australian

Tim Johnson will make his debut Friday in his new colors at the Saunier Duval team presentation in northern Spain. His bosses are already saying good things about the former Saturn rider. “Our co-sponsor, Prodir, has an interest in the American market and Johnson appeared to me as one of the best in the country,” team manager Joxean Fernandez told the Spanish cycling weekly Meta2Mil. “He has a big motor and he’s good in all terrain. I met him when he was racing at Saturn and he always impressed me with his strength.” Fernandez said Johnson will be racing at the 2004 Giro d’Italia, with the

French Sports Minister Jean-Francois Lamour has called a meeting with thecountry's cycling chiefs in Paris on Friday to discuss the recent doping scandal in the sport and how it will effect preparations for the Athens Olympics this summer.The Minister was speaking as the investigation into doping and drug trafficking within the French team Cofidis widened this week."I've taken the initiative to have a meeting Friday with the presidentof the French cycling federation, the national technical director (DTN),the national team doctor and the president of the professional cyclingleague to discuss

Leftwing lunaticsEditors!What's with the leftist lamenting the houses that have been built aroundthe location of "The Wall" and berating Lexus SUV owners? (see Tom Andersonletter "Thetime machine" in Tuesday's mail bag)He engages in class warfare and stereotyping, which of courseis okay as long as you are stereotyping wealthy whites. Otherwise, it'sracism. Let this jerk know that I have never had a Lexus SUV come closeto hitting me. Of my friends who have been hit by cars, nonewere hit by a Lexus SUV.More importantly, it is not the vehicle, you idiot, it is the driver!!How about saying the

British Olympic hopeful David Millar said on Wednesday he had nothing to worry about as police in France continued their doping investigation into the country's number one cycling team. Millar, the 27-year-old leader of Cofidis and world time trial champion, maintains that the arrests of several current and former members of his team on suspicion of using and distributing banned substances are simply "isolated" cases and in no way reflect the way the team is managed. Riders Cedric Vasseur and Philippe Gaumont were arrested by police on Tuesday (see “French drug probe: Vasseur and Gaumont

McPartland gets a big win

Three men try their luck

In pursuit at Kangaroo Creek

McEwen is now fourth on GC

Millar after winning a Vuelta stage in September

Robbie McEwen and arch rival Graeme Brown were involved in another controversial start to the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under Tuesday. But unlike last year when Brown was disqualified for not holding his line, the chaotic finish saw McEwen win clearly from Dutch champion Rudi Kemna and NSW`s Mark Renshaw, with Brown fourth. However, there was utter confusion in the last lap when a breakaway group of 12 riders, led by Victorian David McKenzie (Navigators), caught the main field, and Brown accused McEwen's Lotto-Domo teammates of blocking his run. A fuming Brown labeled the event "an absolute

While his teammates are in Italy, Jose Antonio Pecharromán is hopingfor a “strong start” to his 2004 season at the Tour Down Under. The 25-year-oldwas picked up by Quick Step following his impressive 2003 season, withvictories in the Bicicleta Vasca and the Volta a Catalunya.“I am going to start the season strong, racing in the first competitionsof the season, to be competitive at the Tour of Valencia (Feb. 24-28),”Pecharromán told the Spanish daily MARCA. “Depending on howthings go, I could be on the Tour team, even though my principal goal ofthe season is the Vuelta a

Marco has styleEditors;I agree with those defending Marco Pantani. He has still hadsome respectable results since the big "doping" label was placed on him,and yet, never proven. I read all those responses that bashed ilPirate and said "if not for the drugs," he wouldn't have won.Silly American brashness, popping off our big loud mouths withoutsubstance. In my opinion, Professional Cycling, specifically the Italian pieceof it, did a grave injustice to one of the best cyclists of a generation.So sad the Italians did it to one of their own, too. I say, go Marco!! Get back on the bike, train

Two riders from the Cofidis team were arrested at Orly airport in Paris on Tuesday on their return from a training camp as the investigation into doping and drug trafficking within the French team widened. Drugs squad officers detained Cedric Vasseur and Philippe Gaumont as they stepped off a flight from Alicante, Spain, and took them away for questioning. Meanwhile, the team's sponsor, the Cofidis group, which supplies personal loans by telephone, announced Tuesday it was launching legal action for defamation over the doping accusations. Vasseur, 33, won a stage in the 1997 Tour de

Dear Lennard,Your maintenance book has been a great help to me in building my firsttwo bikes. I've noticed from your book that you've recommended changingthe chain approximately every 1500 miles. Of course, I read this afterI put 4k on my current drivetrain! I have a Campy record 10-speed groupwith 13-26 in the back. I use dry lube. It still shifts great and wearlooks very low. There hasn't been any skipping at all.Could you please clarify for me about this issue; Are you suggestingthat the same cassette be kept and the chain switched out every 1500 miles?I've read conflicting suggestions on

The UCI released the start spot list for next summer’s Olympic cross-country races on Tuesday, making it official that the U.S. will be sending just two men and one woman (see "Dunlap a long shot for Athens?"). Canada will have five riders total, three women and two men. All told 32 countries were on the list that included nations from six continents, North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.On the men’s side 48 of the 50 starting places have been allocated. The women’s field is full, with all 30 of the spots accounted for. According to UCI rules, those final two places

McEwen takes the win

You win pretty or you win ugly, either way, you're still in yellow.

Pantani down after crashing in Stage 18 of the 2003 Giro

Sassone after winning his world title in 2001

Vasseur in 2003

German cycling great Jan Ullrich said Monday that he is optimistic that he can end Lance Armstrong's five-year reign as Tour de France champion. The 30-year-old 1997 Tour de France winner, on the island of Mallorca for team camp, said his T-Mobile team was the strongest squad he had ever lined up with as he seeks to shake off his bridesmaid's tag which has seen him fill the runners-up spot five times - three of them behind Armstrong. "This is the strongest team I've raced with," said the Olympic road race champion, who pushed Armstrong all the way last year losing by just over a

Reigning world time trial champion David Millar defended his Cofidis team despite some current and former members being caught up in the latest doping scandal to rock cycling. "We are not cheats," Millar told the English daily The Guardian on Monday. "I'm confident in the team and I hope Cofidis remain in cycling for a long time." Last week, French police began an investigation into team masseur Bogdan Madejak and former Cofidis racer Marek Rutkiewicz. Rutkiewicz is accused of smuggling growth hormones and other drugs into France, but said this week he is innocent of anything involving

A winning combo? Jan Ullrich thinks so.

Marek Rutkiewicz, the Polish rider who last week was reportedly caught by French police in possession of banned substances, has hit out at being made a scapegoat in an affair which he says has been blown out of proportion. As part of the investigation, Rutkiewicz’s former Cofidis team was under the spotlight last week as he was arrested along with Cofidis soigneur Bogdan Madejak. Madejak is accused of being part of a smuggling ring and has now been suspended by the team, who boast a string of top riders including world champions David Millar (time trial) and Igor Astarloa

Why defend a pirate?Editors,I'm a bit surprised to see all the letters in defense of Marco (see "Friday'smail bag: Pantani's Posse responds"). Thismonkey business about a high hematocrit not making him culpable of dopingis unbelievable. It's ridiculous having a crit’ in the 50's after a three-weektour and not think the guy is taking something. Since he was put on notice, his results have shown it.Jean Gretz The incredible celebrity ego machineEditors,As I see it Marco Pantani was swallowed up by his own success. I haveseen it happen in my profession as a jockey's agent. Riders strive