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Retired cyclist Tyler Hamilton has told the CBS program "60 Minutes" that he saw his then-U.S. Postal teammate Lance Armstrong inject EPO and use other doping methods.

Peter Kraiker caught the action at the Chrono Gatineau.

PASO ROBLES, California (VN) — World champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) and race aggressor Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) were among the riders who left the Amgen Tour of California Thursday.

Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) won stage five of the Amgen Tour of California on Thursday, extending his lead in the sprint classification in the process.

SRAM is out with redesigns of the company's Avid brakes — XX and XX World Cup to be exact.

Stage 4

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 3:27:51
• 2. Andy Schleck (LUX), Leopard-Trek, at 01:15
• 3. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:15
• 4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 5. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22

GC

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 11:29:32
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22
• 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:29
• 5. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:30

RAVENNA, Italy (VN) – The Giro d’Italia peloton will be smaller at the start line Friday as sprinters are expected to leave the corsa rosa in droves.

RAVENNA, Italy (VN) – Alberto Contador (SaxoBank-Sungard) is getting comfortable after four days in the pink jersey. The Spaniard finished safely in the main bunch Thursday to carry a 59-second lead into three decisive stages looming in the Dolomites.

VIDEO: Muesli vs oatmeal: the culture shock of racing in the U.S. and Europe

When push came to shove on the steeps of Sierra Road, Garmin-Cervélo had no less than five riders near the front of the race, while HTC-Highroad had Tejay Van Garderen. One of the many outcomes of the splintering day was Garmin's Andrew Talansky riding into the white jersey by finishing 15 seconds ahead of his fellow young American Van Garderen.

Quick Results

• 1. Mark Cavendish (GBR), HTC-Highroad , 4:17:25
• 2. Davide Appollonio (ITA), Team Sky, s.t.
• 3. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA), Lampre-ISD, s.t.
• 4. Roberto Ferrari (ITA), Androni Giocattoli, s.t.
• 5. Gerald Ciolek (GER), Quick Step, s.t.

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard , 44:55:16
• 2. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at 59
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 1:21
• 4. Christophe Le Mevel (France), Garmin-Cervelo, at 1:28
• 5. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 1:28

RAVENNA, Italy (VN) - Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) grabbed his second stage win at the Giro d’Italia on Thursday, winning a drag race to the line against Sky’s Davide Appollonio and Lampre’s sprint star Allesandro Petacchi.

Brian Lopes to race UCI's new Sprint Eliminator; Jeremiah Bishop back racing XCO.

Let’s not beat around the bush: 478 watts normalized for 18 minutes and two seconds for a power to weight ratio of 6.3 watts per kilogram. That’s the bottom line of Rory Sutherland’s very impressive 3rd place in stage 4.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (VN) — Although he ended up in seventh place, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal not only earned stage 4’s most aggressive rider award but he also dynamited the race with his preemptive attack coming off the hors-cat Mount Hamilton climb that enabled his Garmin-Cervélo team to pack five riders into the top 12 of this sixth Amgen Tour of California.

Rory Sutherland’s third place on the mountaintop stage-four finish may have surprised many fans, but flying form in California has been the plan for 2011 for the 29-year old since his seventh overall finish last year. His third place behind Chris Horner and Andy Schleck on the very selective stage also serves as a return to the top level of the sport for the pragmatic Australian.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

VIDEO: Race highlights from stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California

• 1. Mehdi SOHRABI, (IRI) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 11:02:28
• 2. Hossein ASKARI, (IRI) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 24
• 3. Ghader MIZBANI IRANAGH, (IRI) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 25
• 4. Stefan SCHUMACHER, (GER) Miche-Silver Cross-Selle Italia, at 40
• 5. Davide REBELLIN, (ITA) Miche-Silver Cross-Selle Italia, at 1:04

Taylor Phinney checks in with Brian Holcombe on the literal ups and down of the Amgen Tour of California.

Jesse Anthony’s Orbea Orca Silver

After questions on tire pressure and my favorite chain lube, the most popular question I’m asked is how to become a pro team mechanic.

CASTELFIDARDO, Italy (VN) — Several team managers met with Giro d’Italia officials before the start of Wednesday’s stage to express concern about the Monte Crostis descent set for stage 14.

CASTELFIDARDO, Italy (VN) – Two names are hovering in the top 5 going into the final decisive battleground of the 2011 Giro d’Italia. They would surpass expectations if they’re still there when the Giro ends in Milano, and each promises to go down fighting.

MODESTO, Calif. (VN) — Will Dugan will not start Wednesday's stage 4 in the Amgen Tour of California. Dugan (Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis) suffered a head injury in a crash late in stage 3 and a team spokesperson told VeloNews that he would return home to Vermont to recover.

From stage 3 of the Tour of California, we have analyzed the power data from UnitedHealthcare’s GC leader, Rory Sutherland.

Quick Results

• 1. John Gadret (FRA), Ag2r La Mondiale , 3:33:11
• 2. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (ESP), Team Katusha , s.t.
• 3. Giovanni Visconti (ITA), Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli, s.t.
• 4. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (COL), Androni Giocattoli, s.t.
• 5. Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP), SaxoBank-Sungard, s.t.

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard , 40:37:51
• 2. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at 0:59
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 1:21
• 4. Christophe Le Mevel (France), Garmin-Cervelo, at 1:28
• 5. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 1:28

The Race the World XC and DH races take place on the same course as the World Cup

Photographer Frank Bodenmüller has a laser-like lens wielded by an artful eye. Now his MTB work can find a home on your coffee table in is his book

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Check out CyclingTips's author page.

MODESTO, Calif. (VN) — A clear stratification of teams often exists at races the size of the Tour of California. The WorldTour teams more or less run the show, with the smaller teams forced to fight for scraps. With the overall win all but off the table, the little guys go for stages and TV time.

Race highlights from stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California

Winning on American soil is nothing new for Greg Henderson, Team Sky’s Amgen Tour of California stage 2 winner in Modesto.

Is it possible for riders to have top form to race the Tour of California and the Tour de France in the same year? We ask the big names of the sport.

Stage3

• 1. Gregory Henderson, Team Sky , in 05:14:29
• 2. Juan Jose Haedo, SaxoBank-Sungard, at s.t.
• 3. Thor Hushovd, Garmin-Cervelo, at s.t.
• 4. Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Doimo, at s.t.
• 5. Leigh Howard, HTC-Highroad, at s.t.

GC

• 1. Gregory Henderson, Team Sky , in 08:01:31
• 2. Ben Swift, Team Sky, at s.t.
• 3. Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Doimo, at 00:00:04
• 4. Juan Jose Haedo, SaxoBank-Sungard, at 00:00:04
• 5. Thor Hushovd, Garmin-Cervelo, at 00:00:06

MODESTO, California (VN) - American Will Dugan and Jens Voigt are recovering from a frightening crash late in stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California.

A look at the bike of Ben Swift, the ATOC's first leader.

Thor Hushovd won stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California in Modesto, California. That was in 2009.

Bling's Rabobank Giant TCR Advanced SL

Todd Wells needs your vote by May 20 to help MTB club win 50 grand

TERAMO, Italy (VN) – Mark Cavendish wasn’t about to leave the Giro d’Italia without winning at least one stage. But going into Tuesday’s short but fast 10th stage from Termoli to Teramo, time was running out. There were only two real chances left for sprinters and the pressure was on.

UCI president Pat McQuaid apologized to pro riders about a leaked list published in L’Equipe this week, but staunchly defended the biological passport program.

TERAMO, Italy (VN) – Controversy follows Mark Cavendish like a “marching band,” but it was more like a Mack truck Tuesday as riders accused him of taking tows on Mount Etna’s stage on Sunday.

When Alberto Contador lit his climbing after-burners on Mount Etna Sunday afternoon and streaked through the translucent Sicilian air toward his first-ever Giro d’Italia stage win (and a new grand-tour leader’s jersey), observers said the race was over. But Contador’s victory, only three seconds ahead of the enigmatic Venezuelan climber José Rujano and almost a minute ahead of his declared rivals, can be seen as a first salvo in a Giro that features six more mountaintop finishes and a couple of time trials before the checkered flag drops in Milan on May 29.

Stage 10

• 1. Mark Cavendish, HTC-Highroad, in 4:00:49
• 2. Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi, Movistar Team, at s.t.
• 3. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre - Isd, at s.t.
• 4. Roberto Ferrari, Androni Giocattoli - C.i.p.i, at s.t.
• 5. Davide Appollonio, Sky Procycling, at s.t.

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco, Saxo Bank-Sungard, in 37:04:40
• 2. Kanstantsin Sivtsov, HTC-Highroad, at 59
• 3. Christophe Le Mevel, Team Garmin-Cervelo, at 1:19
• 4. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 1:21
• 5. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd, at 1:28

HTC-Highroad's Mark Cavendish won his sixth career Giro stage on Tuesday, rising to the occasion despite allegations that he was towed up part of Sunday's final climb. The Manxster outkicked nemesis Alessandro Petacchi in the final meters of one of the last sprinter stages of this Tour of Italy.

ROME (AFP) — British sprint king Mark Cavendish has been accused by two Giro d'Italia rivals of being towed up Mount Etna in Sunday's stage.

2010 Giro d’Italia champion Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) avoided serious injury despite crashing hard during a training ride on Mount Etna on Sicily on Tuesday.

TERMOLI,Italy (VN) ─ Expect the Giro d'Italia peloton to get considerably lighter in the coming days as sprinters will begin to slowly fade out of the picture. With opportunities running out ─ and no final-day sprint stage waiting for them in Milan ─ sprinters will likely start to abandon or become time cut as the Giro turns north into the brutal climbs waiting in the Dolomites.

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