News

Hincapie took the trophy in 2004

The final stage in 2004

Score one for the Mullet Man

Armstrong seems healthy again.

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.How about a tech piece on track gear?Editor:In some of the articles about track world’s there are comments about gear selection; some bigger, some smaller. It would be interesting to know what gearing is being used in the various events by some of the participants. A technical article

On March 4, the eve of the 2005 NORBA opener in Boerne, Texas, a handfulof USA Cycling members and team managers gathered for a powwow – the customarypre-race meeting to discuss any new regulations or course changes thatneeded addressing.The only reporter in attendance, I rolled in about half an hour late,and the meeting was already in full debate mode. The topic of choice: USACycling’s recent decision to allowing for outside mechanical assistanceduring races – thus negating the age-old NORBA rule barring any sort ofmechanical assistance.Everyone in the room appeared to have an opinion, a

Carney takes a gamble

Jens Voigt finishes second.

Carney on his own, getting encouragement from Danny Van Haute

American Levi Leipheimer

Rusmussen had a perfect race

Julich wins CI for the second time in his career

Dekker scrambles ahead for the win

A grey day in the Ardennes

Freire makes it look easy.

Dekker's teammate Michael Boogered tries to bridge

Britain's Rob Hayles on his way to victory in the Madison

The escape

The U.S. now boasts one of the world's best track venues.

Jakshe set the pace for much of the day

Pearce took a shot, but the Americans dropped the ball.

After winning Paris-Nice, Julich was a favorite

The British team of Hayles and Cavendish went on to win

Still favored in the TT, Julich may face a fight from Dekker

Mickaël Bourgain and Grégory Baugé in the semi's

T-Mobile tries to chase... but it's a little too late.

Bourgain meets Wolff in the final

Phonak's Floyd Landis encounters a bit of trouble early in the day

Wolff takes the win

UCI president Hein Verbruggen has launched a scathing attack on World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Dick Pound over the extent to which they both perceive the problem of doping in cycling.And Verbruggen, also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, conceded that the UCI has taken to issuing "red card" warnings to cyclists whose blood test results appear suspect.Officials have confirmed, for example, that the governing body sentat least two warning letters to the Phonak team regarding suspicious testresults from Tyler Hamilton and other riders last spring.Pound has in the past

Dekker has the jersey... for the first half of the day at least

In 6th, Reed becomes the top U.S. finisher at world's

The British pursuit squad: Silver no more

Julich vaulted past the surprising Dekker on GC

Quinn started as one of the U.S.'s top hopes for a medal

Vicky Pendleton came out of nowhere to take gold in the sprint

Dekker showed great form in the yellow jersey, but lost 11 seconds to Julich.

This time it's gold for Mactier

Kurt-Asle Arvesen takes third in the TT

Finot has a go ...

... and collects some company

Levi enjoys a day in the saddle

And why not? It was beautiful in the Ardennes

There's art (here) and real life (click the image), and Fraser and Farrar can handle both

I want to start this week’s column off by saying thanks to Health Net-Maxxis riders Gord Fraser and Tyler Farrar. Since the pair of sprinters appeared on the cover of our domestic road season preview, both are having a great start to the season, taking multiple wins and making us editors here at VeloNews look like we know what we’re talking about. Resplendent in the Canadian national champion’s jersey, Fraser has won three races this year, one each at the McLane Pacific in Merced, the Central Valley Classic in Fresno and the San Dimas Stage Race in, well, San Dimas. Farrar has won twice,

Stahl's collarbone-popping crash

Teun Mulder celebrates a first-ever Dutch win in the keirin...

Mactier qualified fastest in the women's individual pursuit

... while Teammate Bos takes the kilo

Bos was the man in sprint qualifying

Jobie Dajka tried to put on the brakes in the kierin, but too late. He goes down and takes out Tournant.

Mirabella was feeling the effects of Friday's racing

Mulder gets the win.

Massie was having an off day, too

Mirabella

The Brits rocked the team pursuit . . .

Bartko still has it

. . . the Netherlands were right behind them

AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke

USA Cycling CEO Gerard Bisceglia

Galvez takes the win ...

... and the leader's jersey

USACycling president Jim Ochowicz

Pearce was disappointed with what might be his last world's

Pearce will do the Madison with Marty Nothstein

Tsylinskaya wins the women's 500 tt.

American Becky Conzelman finishes 13th.

It won’t be official until Friday afternoon, but no one at the world track championships was trying to hide the fact that the inaugural Tour of California will get rolling in February 2006. Big sponsors’ banners touting the event were draped all over the ADT Event Center velodrome, and a news release noting the looming announcement of a “significant international cycling initiative” was passed out to the press on Thursday, the first day of the 2005 championships being held in Carson, California. Attendees at Friday’s 3:30 p.m. announcement will include UCI president Hein Verbruggen, USA

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Letter on Simpson was ‘sanctimonious bilge’Editor:I feel sure you have received many letters critical of Mr. Wilcockson's piece "Death on the Ventoux" that were suitable for publication. Shame on you for choosing to publish the mean-spirited, sanctimonious bilge attributed to Tim

Morgan Hill, Calif. - Specialized Bicycles will bring Liam Killeen and Sid Taberlay, the British and Australian national mountain bike champions, to compete at the Specialized Morgan Hill Grand Prix, Sunday April 10, for a day's racing that is expected to attract over 1,000 spectators for events studded with top national and international racing cyclists. Amateur races are also scheduled. In a move to accommodate requests from pro mountain bikers looking for a pre-Sea Otter Classic leg-sharpener, this week organizers extended the race categories to include the Morgan Hill Fat Boy Crit, a

Inside Communications (parent company of VeloNews, Ski Racing and Inside Triathlon) seeks experienced, hands-on controller to run financial operations for complex multi-title operation. Ideal candidate will have monthly financial statement preparation, cash-flow & cash management, audit, budget, AP/AR, and management experience in a time-sensitive, deadline-oriented atmosphere. Publishing industry experience preferred but not required. Reports directly to company president. Resume and cover letter to Attn Human Resources, Inside Communications, Inc., 1830 N. 55th Street, Boulder CO

Horsepower: With two world kilo champs and BMX champion in the mix, the Brits came out charging.

Chris Hoy anchors the British Team Sprint to first place.

UCI President Hein Verbruggen is in attendance

The win. Bäckstedt's victory in the velodrome of Roubaix

At last year's Tour de France

Riding with Michi - By William Cass

While everyone’s attention was focused on the finish-line scrum in Saturday’s Milan-San Remo, many missed an interesting back story at the “classicissima” that will underscore the 2005 season. Coming off the Capo Mele, there was 38-year-old Andrea Tafi sticking his nose in the wind. Giving it the gas with 2km to go was 1997 world champion and French mullet man Laurent Brochard, who turns 38 later this month. Lion King Mario Cipollini, who turned 38 on Tuesday, was happy just to finish in the main bunch while Der Kaiser Erik Zabel, a mere youngster at 34, seemed to be losing his spark. And

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.Rest in Peace Tom SimpsonEditors, What an excellent story with which to start the day (see “Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: Death on the Ventoux”).). It was a touching and sad cautionary tale. I was only 4 1/2 when Tom Simpson died, yet I have read much about him over the last few