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Greeting from beautiful Berkeley, California. I just finished up taking the grand tour over at Clif Bar world headquarters and let me tell ya, if you’re looking for a progressive, outdoor oriented company, dust off the resume. Besides all the bars and shots you can get your hands on, employees at Clif have a top-notch gym, yoga instructors, massage therapists and a whole bunch of other cool stuff at their disposal to make the work day not seem so much like work. Clif Bar also does a fair bit for the cycling world, sponsoring at one level or another the Luna, U.S. Postal and Sierra-Nevada

From a gastrointestinal perspective, it’s been a bad week for former Mercury teammates Tom Danielson and Chris Wherry. Danielson and Saturn teammate Nathan O’Neill were forced to abandon the eastern European Peace Race after a bout with the stomach flu, while, for better or for worse, Wherry, now with Navigators, has finally nailed down what’s been ailing him this season — a parasite. A common microscopic parasitic organism found throughout the world, Blastocystis hominis has invaded Wherry’s system, leaving him weak and unable to fully recover from hard efforts on the bike. It’s a

One of the greatest all-around athletes in cycling history, Hendrik (“Rik”) Van Steenbergen, died in an Antwerp, Belgium, clinic on May 15 after a long illness. He was 78. At 6-foot-3 and 183 pounds, Van Steenbergen was big for a professional cyclist, but his renowned resilience made him a formidable rider on both road and track throughout his exceptionally long career. In 24 seasons as a professional (1943-1966), Van Steenbergen won 270 times on the road, including three world road championships, eight classics, and 25 stages of the grand tours; and 715 times on the track, including 40

Team Coast’s loss is the Postal team’s gain. Nope Lance Armstrong hasn’t recruited Jan Ullrich for this year’s Tour de France, but the team did announce on Thursday that it had signed former Coastie Manuel Beltran for the remainder of the 2003 season. Following Team Coast’s second suspension of the year for financial problems, UCI rules allow riders to negate their existing contracts with the team and become a cycling equivalent of a free agent. Ullrich announced his plans to leave Coast on Wednesday and Beltran finalized a deal with Postal on Thursday. "This is a great addition to our

How many more bottles in store for Petacchi?

Deja Vu: Cipo' has been close twice.

Garzelli's back.

Pantani has showed good form this first week

The Navigator

Van Steenbergen celebrates his win at Milan-San Remo in 1954

Beltran leads Heras in the 1999 Tour of Catalunya

What a great week it’s been for Alessandro Petacchi and what a bad one for Mario Cipollini. Petacchi, deep in the best run of his career, beat the world champion in Wednesday’s fifth stage even before the peloton roared into Catania for the mass sprint. Super Mario’s Domina Vacanze zebras took firm control of the race with 6km to go, and typically the battle among the would-be contenders is the fight to grab Cipollini’s wheel. But Petacchi weaseled his way in front of Cipollini, and when lead set-up man Giovanni Lombardi pulled up, it was Cipollini who was forced to come around

Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich has split from the financially-troubled Team Coast, his manager said Wednesday. “A Team Coast containing Jan Ullrich does not exist any longer,” Wolfgang Strohband told the SID sports news agency. Ullrich signed a four-year contract with the German team in January, but the team was suspended by the UCI last week for non-payment of riders’ salaries in April. Ullrich, winner of the Tour in 1997, left Telekom in September after a dismal season during which he was sidelined by a knee injury and tested positive for amphetamines. Whether this means

Dear Ms. Ryan;With all the controversy regarding nutritional supplements, I am curious as to whether they are really necessary. Is it possible for a highly competitive cyclist (which I am not) to get the required vitamins, etc., in a normal, well-thought-out diet? Or are the demands of training and racing so high that it's just not possible to force down enough food? --GPDear GP;Thanks for your question. Because of the demands of your training and racing, you are able to eat significantly more food than your sedentary counterpart. However, what matters is that the foods you choose are quality

You’ve probably been there before: Up all night between stages because you have a fresh batch of road rash and it’s throbbing. Every time you roll over in bed, your nasty gooey aching hip sticks to the sheets and wakes you up in pain. Your significant other is grossed out and reminds you that you get to do the laundry for the next few weeks. If you’re a cyclist in a stage race, you probably dread facing the next stage because your body aches like an NFL lineman on Monday morning. You are leaking icky wound goo on your skin suit on the starting line the next morning. Yuck. Wouldn’t it be

We are preparing for the first stage race of the year: the Fleche de Sud, in Luxembourg. The longer that I spend in Europe, the greater appreciation I have for the incredible support needed to race. Going to a stage race in the U.S. is a lot easier, really. Yes, it is comforting to have someone in the feedzone to hand up a bottle, but not necessary. I know plenty of riders, good riders, that have done races like Gila, or Fitchburg unassisted. Well, that’s just not possible in Europe. At a minimum, you need someone in the feedzones, and someone driving the team car in the caravan (that

Denver-area residents with an open Thursday afternoon might want to head to Aurora on May 15 to check out the formal grand opening of what is being touted as the world’s largest bike shop. Beginning at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, the new Bicycle Village, at 2802 S. Havana in Aurora, Colorado, will be hosting a party and benefit with a portion of proceeds going our friends at IMBA and Bicycle Colorado. The shop, run by Ken and Tom Gart and Kat Jobanputra, covers more than 30,000 square feet, stocks at least 1500 bikes on the display floor at any given time and features a huge outdoor test

It was that last little push...

Giro: Petacchi nips Cipo' at the line again

The escapees

Taxi!! - Ullrich hopes he got out of Coast while the gettin' was still good.

The wind has finally stopped.

Spanish rider Jose Manuel Maestre (Relax Fuednlabrada) won the opening stage Tuesday of the 47th Vuelta a Asturias in northern Spain after barely holding on to a long escape. Joining Maestre were Fabrice Salanson (La Boulangere) and Julien Laidoun (AG2R), but Maestre dropped them with 25km to go in the 166km course with several rated climbs from Oviedo to Llanes. Phonak and Milaneza-MSS worked hard in vain to bring him back. Maestre finished just two seconds ahead of the peloton, led by Angel Edo (Milaneza-MSS). "I tell you, the final 15km were brutal," Maestre said. "I gave it everything

They can’t take this one away from Robbie McEwen. Just two days after the Aussie was relegated for dangerous sprinting, McEwen drove past Alessandro Petacchi’s left shoulder for the win. He didn’t bump him or barge him nor did he stick out his tongue, so the race judges can’t say a thing. “It was a very, very difficult sprint. It was very fast in the last kilometer. I grabbed Petacchi’s wheel and I saw a good moment to make a move,” McEwen told AFP. “This victory helps me to forget the disqualification in Matera. No, this isn’t revenge for what happened there.” On Tuesday, race judges took

Dear Lennard Zinn,I bought a used Ti mountain bike frame (Litespeed Obed) a few yearsback. Quite a while ago I noticed that I couldn't remove the allen boltsholding one of the water bottle cages. They spin but they don't come out.I'm not sure if the threads are stripped or what. Now the cage is bustedand I'd like to get it off. Any suggestions? --ColbyDear Colby,One possibility is that they are stripped; could be the bolts, couldbe the frame. The other is that those are failed riveted-in, rather thanwelded-in water-bottle mounts. (Is the entire flange spinning, or justthe bolt?) If the bolts

For the second time in my life, I felt like an 18-year-old girl standing on a porch waiting for a prom date that would never show up (don't ask me about the first time). No need to read into that statement too much - what I’m talking about is the feeling I got when Sunday's round No. 3 of the Subaru Mountain States Series was "postponed" due to inclement weather. Finally getting a feel for "mountain" weather here in Colorado, I had a good idea Friday night's rainstorm would somehow turn to snow later in the evening. So when I awoke to six inches of wet, sloppy snow on the lawn on Saturday, I

The early escape

McEwen has a chance to celebrate

Austrilian Lotto domo rider Robbie McEwen concentrates before the start of the 170km fourth stage

The pack of riders during the 170km fourth stage from Acquapesa Marina to Vibo Valentia

Italy Fassa bortolo alessandro Petacchi (L) and the pack of riders at Pizzo Calabro

Italy Fassa Bortolo rider Alessandro Petacchi (L) puts his head down during the final sprint with Australian Lotto domo's Robbie McEwen (R)

Australian Lotto domo rider Robbie McEwen sprays champagne on the podium after the Stage win

'I'm so lonely...'

The all-Scandium Salsa Las Cruces 'Crosser

The all-Salsa cockpit

Topeak's ToolBar–keychain friendly

Hutchinson's Limited Edition Team Series–in Postal colors

Czech rider Ondrej Sosenka (CCC-Polsat) and race leader Steffen Wesemann(Telekom) powered away from a 10-man chase group that and converted thePeace Race into a two-rider battle. The stage from Klodzko to Walbrzych was loaded with difficult climbsand a group of six riders attacked early, isolating Wesemann without protectionfrom Telekom teammates. Wesemann and Sosenka were among two other riders that bridged out, butthe pair chugged away and no one was strong enough or motivated enoughto organize a chase. Sosenka got the win in the 179km stage as the PeaceRace entered Poland on a sunny,

Stefano Garzelli erased memories of his controversial ejection from last year’s Giro d’Italia in a dramatic gesture Monday over the oven-hot roads of southern Italy. The 2000 Giro champion peeled away from peloton in the steep final 400 meters of the 145km third stage to grab the victory and vault into second place overall. Fassa Bortolo’s Alessandro Petacchi fought hard to retain the maglia rosa, but Garzelli’s win is a clear message that he’s a legitimate contender for the overall prize. “It’s an important victory for me because after 11 months without competing it gives me confidence.

OOO-kay, here’s the thing, I need 50Gs by June 1st. Well, I don’t really need it personally, though that would be nice. No, I need it to broadcast the world championships’ Radio Tour on a private FM band so everybody in Hamilton – from spectators around the course to all the vehicles in the race caravan – can hear without it having to use expensive mobile radios. The idea isn’t really mine. It came to my boss, Pierre Hutsebaut, during an early meeting we had about two months ago with the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission), part of the “Federal Family” assisting us to

Jason McCartney scored a big win for team 7UP-Maxxis over the weekend, while Lynn Gaggioli (Velo Bella) continued a strong 2003 campaign at the Joe Martin Stage Race NRC event in Fayetteville, Arkansas. McCartney beat out Saturn's Eric Wohlberg, while the women's race was a two-rider battle between Gaggioli and Sue Palmer-Komar (Genesis Scuba). Wohlberg jumped to the early race lead when he won the 113-mile stage 1, four seconds ahead of McCartney and Jelly Belly-Carlsbad Clothing's Ben Brooks, with the next closest group more than four minutes behind. McCartney would come back, however,

Petacchi stays in maglia rosa

McEwen goes for it...

... the peloton was close behind

Pierre Hutsebaut at the L.A. Olympics

Riders in the Giro d'Italia race around a curve during the 145km third stage from Policoro to Terme Luigiane.

The pack rides in front of a castle in Marina Roseto during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia

Riders of the Giro d'Italia cycle past during the 145km third stage from Policoro to Terme Luigiane

Italy Vini Caldirola rider Stefano Garzelli raises his arms as he crosses the finish line followed by pink jersey leader Alessandro Petacchi (L).

Italian Fassa Bortolo rider Alessandro Petacchi sprays champagne on the podium

Robbie McEwen’s feisty style cost him a victory in Sunday’s second stage of the Giro d’Italia. Alessio’s Fabio Baldato was awarded the win after race judges stripped McEwen of the victory for dangerous riding in the closing 200 meters of the stage. McEwen, known for his aggressive riding style, was relegated to 70th place. McEwen edged Baldato by a bike-length at the end of the 177km stage from Copertino to Matero in Italy’s “heel,” but replays showed the Lotto-Domo man pressing Baldato into the race fences in the frenetic charge to the line. “McEwen told me after the race he didn’t see

Flying Frenchman Christophe Moreau (Crédit Agricole) wrapped up a big win in the Four Days of Dunkirk after taking the morning time trial stage. Moreau had an impressive victory in the 19km to time trial to follow up on his stage-win in Saturday’s difficult stage over the rolling hills of northern France. Moreau rolled through the afternoon road stage without drama while sprinter Jean-Patrick Nazon (Jean Delatour) scored another win for the French team on the eve of the final Tour de France wild card selection May 19. U.S. Postal’s David Zabriskie rode well throughout the race, getting

On another blue sky day in Northern California, the final installment of the 2003 NCCA national road championships concluded with a road race only the climbers could love. Situated an hour north of San Francisco on the east side of the bay, the 15.5km circuit near Crockett was all about ascending, the crux a 2km slog up McEwen Road that reached 15 percent at its steepest section. That brought out some little gears on Sunday, with most of the women running 27s in the rear (several triples and a few mountain bike cassettes were also spotted), while the majority of the men slipped on 25s.

Robbie Mc Ewen (C) celebrates before being relegated

Petacchi and Cipollini were relaxed for most of the day

McEwen was quick to celebrate and Baldato was quick t protest

Petacchi remains in pink

Cipo' had his share of troubles on Sunday

Baldato celebrated when it mattered.

Pantani at the Giro. He can't claim that the helmet messes up his hair, can he?

The climb up McEwen.

Maher takes the win.

DII victor Beall of Idaho.

Ollerenshaw heads to victory.

No one could catch Hedges.

ALESSIO1. Fabio Baldato, Italy2. Pietro Caucchioli, Italy3. Angelo Furlan, Italy4. Denis Lunghi, Italy5. Ruggero Marzoli, Italy 6. Vladimir Miholievic, Croatia7. Cristian Moreni, Italy8. Andrea Noe', Italy 9. Franco Pellizotti, ItalyCCC POLSAT 11. Pavel Tonkov, Russia12. Dariusz Baranowski, Poland13. Thomas Brozyna, Poland14. Bogdan Bondariew, Ukraine15. Piotr Chmielewski, Poland16. Seweryn Kohut, Poland17. Andris Nauduzs, Lettonia18. Piotr Przydzial, Poland19. Radoslaw Romanik, PolandCERAMICHE PANARIA-FIORDO21. Giuliano Figueras, Italy 22. Julio Alberto Perez Cuapio, Mexico23. Graeme Brown,

It was Alessandro Petacchi - not Mario Cipollini - winning Saturday’s 201km opening stage of the 2003 Giro d’Italia in a mass gallop. On a day when everyone expected the world champion to tie the 41-win mark set by Alfredo Binda, Petacchi played the spoiler to win his first career Giro stage. “It’s as good as it can get,” Petacchi said. “It was kind of like three for one. I won my first Giro stage of my career, earned the maglia rosa, and I beat Cipollini who’s in the rainbow jersey. Not bad.” The opening stage of the 86th Giro was flat as a pancake, winding along the spectacular coast

Belorussian Alexander Usov (Phonak) won the opening stage of the Clasica de Alcobendas in Spain, taking the 148km stage ahead of Saeco’s Igor Astarloa and Telekom’s Gian Matteo Fagnini, who came across third. The two-day, three-stage race outside of Madrid has increased in importance the past few years, especially since many of the Spanish teams not racing at the Giro d’Italia are starting because the Giro isn’t broadcast in Spain. Kelme’s Oscar Sevilla did not start Saturday’s stage. Sevilla underwent surgery in March to remove a cyst in his groin area and said he continues to have health

They played down the home-course advantage, but it couldn’t have hurt the chances of the four-man team from Cal-Berkeley when it came time to contest the team time trial at day two of the NCCA national road championships in Northern California on Saturday. After all, the 13-mile lollipop-shaped circuit was designed by one of the club’s members, and the Bears also had the benefit of going last, meaning they knew where they stood during most of their near-hour trip around the scenic rolling countryside near Livermore. But the bottom line when it comes to time trialing is power, and on this

2003 Giro d'Italia - FINAL start list

Fassa Bortolo's Alessandro Petacchi shot round world champ Mario Cipollini's right side.

Team fakta’s Frank Hoj and Teke’s Cristian Frattini get a little TV time.