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Since my last blog entry in July, the theme of my life has been “all kitted up and nowhere to go.”

After spending the best five years of his career riding for teams run by Johan Bruyneel, American Levi Leipheimer is leaving the Belgian’s leadership to ride for the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team, run by another Belgian, Patrick Lefevere.

Rolf Aldag is leaving cycling for the second time since retiring from the professional peloton in 2005. The outgoing HTC-Highroad manager will assume a new role as the managing director of the World Triathlon Corporation's German division.

The five-day Tour of Beijing debuts on Wednesday and continues through Sunday. Three stages are in and around central Beijing, with two other stages tackling some steep climbs in the mountains north of the city, including a stage that parallels the Great Wall.

Colorado Springs would seem an ideal venue for the USA Cycling 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championships

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Though he's nearly 40, Robbie McEwen still can win a race.

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• 1. Jeremy Powers, Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda, in 1:03:38
• 2. Timothy Johnson, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, in 1:03:53
• 3. Ben Berden, Ops Ale-Stoemper, in 1:04:01
• 4. Christian Heule, Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com, in 1:04:04
• 5. Jamey Driscoll, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, in 1:04:31

• 1. Helen Wyman, Kona/fsa Factory Team, in :39:36
• 2. Nicole Duke, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, in :40:05
• 3. Gabby Day, Renner Custom Cyclo Cross Team, in :40:30
• 4. Kaitlin Antonneau, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, in :40:49
• 5. Andrea Smith, Ladies First, in :40:55

Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) won day two of the Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester on Sunday.

Britain's Helen Wyman (Kona) made it two for two on Sunday, winning the second day of the Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester.

Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin

• 1. Niels Albert (Bel), 1:02:50
• 2. Bart Wellens (Bel), 1:03:03
• 3. Tom Meeusen (Bel), 1:03:12
• 4. Francis Mourey (Fra), 1:03:12
• 5. Vincent Baestaens (Bel), 1:03:27

Alberto Contador says the Tour de France will be his top goal for next season, but that's based on the assumption that he will be cleared on clenbuterol charges next month by the international Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Stage 4

• 1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Team RadioShack, 3:52:18
• 2. Andrea Guardini (Ita), Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli, s.t.
• 3. Sébastien Chavanel (Fra), Europcar, s.t.
• 4. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Team Sky, s.t.
• 5. Stefan Van Dijk (Ned), Veranda’s Willems-Accent, s.t.

GC

• 1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Team RadioShack, 14:43:44
• 2. Tom Veelers (Ned), Skil-Shimano, at 0:05
• 3. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Team Sky, at 0:05
• 4. Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned), Skil-Shimano, at 0:10
• 5. Sébastien Chavanel (Fra), Europcar, at 0:13

Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) won the Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin on Sunday in Kalmthout.

Wil Matthews shoots day one of the GP Gloucester.

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (VN) — Liquigas-Cannondale's Ted King just can't seem to get enough of the bike this year.

• 1. Helen Wyman, Kona/fsa Factory Team, at s.t.:41:03
• 2. Andrea Smith, Ladies First, at s.t.:41:21
• 3. Nicole Duke, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, at s.t.:41:50
• 4. Kaitlin Antonneau, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, at s.t.:42:03
• 5. Gabby Day, Renner Custom Cyclo Cross Team, at s.t.:42:09

• 1. Christian Heule, Cannondale/cyclocrossworld.com, at s.t.:56:43
• 2. Jeremy Powers, Jelly Belly Presented By Kenda, at s.t.:56:45
• 3. Ian Field, Hargroves Cycles, at s.t.:56:56
• 4. Ben Berden, Ops Ale-Stoemper, at s.t.:56:56
• 5. Jamey Driscoll, Cannondale Cyclocrossworld, at s.t.:57:04

Memorial Marco Pantani

• 1. Fabio Taborre (Ita), Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, 4:25:31
• 2. Davide Rebellin (Ita), Miche-Silver Cross-Selle Italia, same time
• 3. Daniel Martin (Irl), Garmin-Cervélo, s.t.
• 4. Giovanni Visconti (Ita), Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli, s.t.
• 5. Oleg Berdos (Mda), De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia, s.t.

Christian Heule (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) took the victory in day one of the Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester.

Helen Wyman (Kona) won day one of the GP of Gloucester on Saturday.

Velo editor in chief Neal Rogers snaps some shots at the start of Levi Leipheimer's King Ridge GranFondo in Santa Rosa, California.

Stage 3

• 1. Tom Veelers (Ned), Skil-Shimano, 3:21:17
• 2. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Team Sky, same time
• 3. Sébastien Chavanel (Fra), Europcar, s.t.
• 4. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Team RadioShack, s.t.
• 5. Rudiger Selig (Ger), Leopard-Trek, s.t.

GC

• 1. Tom Veelers (Ned), Skil-Shimano, 10:51:31
• 2. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Team Sky, s.t.
• 3. Robbie Mcewen (Aus), Team RadioShack, at 0:05
• 4. Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned), Skil-Shimano, at 0:05
• 5. Mathew Hayman (Aus), Team Sky, at 0:10

Michael Barry is heading to China for the season-ending Tour of Beijing confident in the knowledge that he has a contract for next year.

BOULDER, Colo. (VN) — Cyclocross world championship silver medalist Katie Compton gained a new teammate this week in Dutch world champion Marianne Vos. Compton (Rabobank-Giant Offroad) said she only heard about the move by Rabobank to back Vos in the news, and was not certain how the relationship would work in in the Dutch bank’s first year supporting an elite women’s cyclocross trade team.

UCI president Pat McQuaid defended cycling's governing body's move into event promotion and argued that next week's Tour of Beijing will give the UCI a stronger financial base for the future to promote its agenda.

The HTC-Highroad women’s team appears set to live on in a new form for 2012. Sources tell VeloNews that a new management team has assumed the leadership and will take a number of riders to the new squad, which will be co-title-sponsored by Specialized and apparel company Lululemon.

Circuit Franco-Belge, stage 2

• 1. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Team Sky, 3:27:12
• 2. Tom Veelers (Ned), Skil-Shimano, same time
• 3. Adrien Petit (Fra), Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, s.t.
• 4. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr), Française des Jeux, s.t.
• 5. Russell Downing (Gbr), Team Sky, s.t.

GC

• 1. Robbie McEwen (Aus), Team RadioShack, 7:30:20
• 2. Christopher Sutton (Aus), Team Sky, same time
• 3. Tom Veelers (Ned), Skil-Shimano, at 0:04
• 4. Adam Blyth (Gbr), Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0:04
• 5. Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned), Skil-Shimano, at 0:04

PARIS (AFP) - Slovenia cyclist Janez Brajkovic, the winner of the 2010 Criterium du Dauphine, has rejoined Astana, the Kazakhstan team announced on Friday.

Cyclocross season is in full swing in the U.S., but one man from Massachusetts is easing into fall. Local boy Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) is among the main players at the Gran Prix of Gloucester this weekend, but is looking past October toward a rematch with the Koksijde, Belgium, course that beat him down in 2010. On the other coast, USGP of Cyclocross leader Ryan Trebon (LTS-Felt) will be among the muddy faithful opening another season of the Cross Crusade in Portland on Sunday.

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• 1. Robbie MCEWEN, (AUS) Team RadioShack, at 4:03:18
• 2. Adam BLYTH, (GBR) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at s.t.
• 3. Rudiger SELIG, (GER) Leopard-Trek, at s.t.
• 4. Nacer BOUHANNI, (FRA) Fran�aise Des Jeux, at s.t.
• 5. Michael VAN STAEYEN, (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, at s.t.

USA Cycling's 24-Hour Mountain Bike National Championship heads to Colorado Springs this weekend.

A long-term test of sealed cable systems

Cav's helmet, mountain bike weight rules, those mysterious initials on the maillot jaune, and more.

The latest smooth-riding Ti 29er from Steamboat Springs

World Champion triathlete and silver medalist Michellie Jones spends a day with Ryan focusing on the two triathlon disciplines he struggles with most, swimming and running. Her training tips demonstrate how small changes to form and technique can help improve performance on the course by increasing the power and efficiency of each movement.

"More than once I gave what I thought might be my last ditch effort. The Brits shoved me back into the rotation offering a 'good job' or 'nice pull.' Their sportsmanship impressed me and they were pulling like oxen. ... "

American Steven Cozza will be back with NetApp for the German-registered squad's second season for 2012 with eyes on improving on its debut year.

NYT on rider safety; AP on clenbuterol; LeMond and Armstrong aid search

The absence of the Vuelta a Colombia from the UCI America Tour headlines a number of changes to the series for 2012. The UCI released the western hemisphere’s international schedule Tuesday and among the nine events cut are four Venezuelan races.

Igor González de Galdeano will leave his post as team manager at Euskaltel-Euskadi at the end of the season, the Basque team announced on Wednesday.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

THE HAGUE (AFP) — Dutch cycling outfit Skil-Shimano is set for a name change, and a new sponsor whose aim is to hoist the second division outfit into the World Tour ranks, team chief Iwan Spekenbrink said Tuesday.

Brian Nygaard — the former general manager at Leopard-Trek who left that team soon after it announced it was merging with RadioShack for 2012 — has been confirmed as the new communications director at Aussie start-up GreenEdge.

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Check out CyclingTips's author page.

The 2011 world championships are now in the rear-view mirror, but officials in Holland are already busy at work to prepare for next year's series of races.

Freire laments missed opportunity to make history.

The 2012 'Whiskey' will offer one of the largest single day cash purses in history.

Jamis-Sutter Home has reloaded the team’s sprinting and climbing corps for 2012, signing American Kyle Wamsley and Dutchman Peter Van Dijk. The squad also announced the return of a number of riders, including Luis Amaran and Tyler Wren.

BOULDER, Colo. (VN) – The USA Pro Cycling Challenge will return with an upgrade in 2012 after the UCI last week awarded the event 2.HC status. The second-year Colorado race will upgrade to the highest registration level short of the World Tour and will run August 20-26.

Great Britain’s only two world elite men’s road champions define their eras

PARIS (AFP) - Paris-Tours organizers ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) have invited Mark Cavendish to become the first world road race champion to compete in the French sprinters' classic next month.

As Ryan looks for another XTERRA race and begins to prepare for the Chicago Tri, he visits the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to work with Senior Director and 5-time Kona finisher, Asker Jeukendrup. While at GSSI, Ryan undergoes a battery of tests in order to understand the specific needs of his body and to develop a custom training and nutrition plan that will help him to perform at his peak.

Logan Binggeli (KHS Bicycles) took his first stars and stripes jersey by almost four seconds over Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing).

A look at Mavic's Ksyrium SLR Exalith wheels: stealthy looks, great braking, but can howl like a bee-stung toddler.

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Check out CyclingTips's author page.

Check out CyclingTips's author page.

Giant Bicycles' Kelli Emmett talks tire pressure at the 2011 Gunnison Growler.

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• 1. Bart Wellens, Telenet Fidea Cycling Team, in 59:42
• 2. Jonathan Page, Planet Bike/blue Bicycles, at 15
• 3. Ryan Trebon, Lts, at 27
• 4. Rob Peeters, Telenet Fidea Cycling Team, at 49
• 5. Christian Heule, Cannondale Pb Cyclocrossworld.c, at 1:01

Planet Bike Cup, day 2

• 1. Katerina Nash, Luna, 40:15
• 2. Georgia Gould, Luna, at 0:56
• 3. Nicole Duke, Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com, at 1:55
• 4. Maureen Bruno Roy, Bob's Red Mill-Seven Cycles, at 2:09
• 5. Caroline Mani, at 3:22

2011 TD Bank Mayor's Cup men's race photos by Barry Koblenz

Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea) soloed to a mud-spattered victory in round two of the Planet Bike Cup on Sunday.

2011 TD Bank Mayor's Cup women's race photos by Barry Koblenz

Katerina Nash (Luna) made it look easy on a course than was anything but on Sunday during round two of the Planet Bike Cup.

As a sprinter, Mark Cavendish is the first to admit that without the help and sacrifice of his teammates, he wouldn't win many races. And he certainly would not have become the first British world champion since Tom Simpson in 1965 on Sunday without the help of Team Great Britain.