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Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen of Columbia-HTC won a second consecutive stage in the Tour of Britain Tuesday to move within one second of overall race leader, Kai Reus of Rabobank. "We're close now and so we have to try and win overall," said Columbia team coach Valerio Piva. "Edvald is on form, we've got a strong team here, and so why not? We've done it before." Australia's Chris Sutton also moved within striking distance of the overall lead with his fourth consecutive top three finish in the 148-km circuit stage around the Forest of Bowland.

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The leader of next year's Vuelta a España will wear a red jersey instead of the current gold to mark the 75th anniversary of the event, organizers announced Tuesday. The colour of the leader's jersey has changed several times since the event began, with red being used only once, in 1945, Spanish media said. It was orange for the inaugural event in 1935, a color that was also used in 1936, 1942 and 1977. It was white just once, in 1941, and white with a horizontal red line between 1946 and 1950.

Everyone knew Tuesday’s long, tedious 16th stage at the Vuelta a España was going to end up in a bunch sprint. Despite some of the top sprinters leaving the race early, including Tyler Farrar and Tom Boonen, there was still enough fight left in the bunch to make it interesting in the closing kilometers. Despite efforts by Milram and Liquigas, the result was much of the same, with André Greipel easily winning his third stage victory of the Vuelta and Columbia-HTC’s fourth. [nid:97891]

Many Europeans seem steadfastly committed to the 26-inch hardtail, at least for now. Zack Vestal does a photo roundup of the offerings at Eurobike.

The German bicycle brand Storck continues to turn heads, even without a sponsored ProTour racing team. That doesn’t mean that the company intends to sit back and languish as others grab the spotlight. Company founder Markus Storck has aggressive goals for his brand in the competitive road and triathlon arenas — to cite one example, at the Eurobike trade show two weeks ago, he said that he aims to have 100 bikes raced in the prestigious Hawaii Ironman triathlon within five years.

Basque climber Iban Mayo says he won’t mount a professional comeback despite having served out his two-year racing ban for an EPO positive in 2007. Now 32, the once-feared climber called his controversial doping case a “witch hunt” and told the Bilbao daily El Correo he will not try to return to the professional ranks.

Ever since the father of the quick-release skewer, Tullio Campagnolo, founded it in 1933, Campagnolo SPA has been making highest-quality cutting-edge bicycle products in Vicenza, the leather-working capital of Europe.

The Superfly 100 - a 29er full-suspension rig - incorporates all of the highest technologies found within the Gary Fisher and Trek family.

USA Cycling released its complete roster of 22 elite and U23 athletes that will represent the United States at the 2009 UCI Road World Championships, September 23-27 in Mendriso, Switzerland. Representing the U.S. in both the elite men’s road race and time trial will be Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream). In the time trial, Danielson will be joined by his future Garmin teammate Tom Zirbel (Bissell), the silver medalist from this month’s USA Cycling Professional Time Trial Championships.

Cadel Evans vows to keep fighting in this Vuelta a España, but he will probably lose sleep when he thinks about his ill-timed puncture in Saturday’s decisive climbing stage to Sierra Nevada. The Aussie’s chances of overall victory were shattered when he punctured near the Cat. 1 Monachil summit. A botched wheel change froze the Silence-Lotto rider neat the top of the climb just as his rivals were barreling down the other side.

Gale Bernhardt, USA Cycling and USA Triathlon coach, and author of numerous books, including Training Plans for Cyclists, has some fitness tips for flatlanders looking to head to the high country.

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Australia's Darren Lapthorne (Rapha Condor) saw his bid for glory falter as a fast-finishing Edvald Boasson Hagen (Columbia-HTC) took the third stage of the Tour of Britain on Monday. Lapthorne was part of a four-man breakaway that dominated the 153km Scottish border stage between Peebles and Gretna Green but was caught with 15km from the finish.

Race leader Alejandro Valverde and his Caisse d’Epargne team declared an unofficial rest day as Lars Boom (Rabobank) won stage 15 out of a 13-rider break. Boom attacked a large breakaway on the second of two trips up the Category 2 Alto de San Jeronimo and soloed in for the victory more than 90 seconds ahead of David Herrero (Xacobeo Galicia) with Dominik Roels (Milram) third. "This is something special and important because it is a major tour," Boom said.

Cycling's world governing body on Monday suspended Italian Maurizio Biondo (Ceramica Flaminia) after a Swiss lab reported that he had tested positive for the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin). Biondo won the time trial at last month's Tour of Denmark, where he finished second overall.

Will there be a Tour of Missouri in 2010 and beyond? State funding for the 3-year-old race is in jeopardy as Missouri struggles with shrinking tax revenues, making it increasingly likely that a private title sponsor will have to step in to augment the state tourism board’s support. "We'd love to get the title sponsor who comes in with the big bucks ... " Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder told VeloNews in front of the state Capitol in Jefferson City.

Those who know just call it the "Eastside." For those who need a hint, well, do Mammoth Lakes or the Sierra Nevada ring a bell?

Three Ukrainian riders, who participated in the Tour de l'Avenir, have been indicted for possession and use of doping products a court official in Besan reported on Monday. The three were arrested Saturday and later acknowledged having used seized equipment for blood transfusions, said deputy prosecutor Margaret Parietti. The three were indicted on Sunday evening and have been released on bail. The riders were competing in the Tour de l'Avenir, a French stage race that features young riders and is contested by national teams.

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