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Sunday's EuroFile: Vanthourenhout wins in Aigle; Astarloa joins Barloworld

Nijs continues to lead the World Cup standings

Sunday's EuroFile: Vanthourenhout wins in Aigle; Astarloa joins Barloworld

LONDON (AP)- The Associated Press list of the top 10 international sportsstories of 2004, based on a worldwide poll of AP subscribers outside the UnitedStates (first-place votes in parentheses):1. Greece wins the 2004 European Championship, 444 points (10).2. Athens Olympics go off successfully despite security and organizationworries, 310 (21).3. Lance Armstrong wins sixth straight Tour de France, 259 (4).4. Michael Schumacher wins record 13 Formula One races for fifth straighttitle, 257 (0).5. Doping cases rock Athens Olympics, 189 (6).6. Swimmer Michael Phelps wins six Olympic golds and

Horner flies through a corner in the Tour of Connecticut criterium.

Tina Pic takes a corner in the Redlands Criterium. Great form in the corners and unbeatable speed in the sprints.

Sarah Ulmer displays her perfect form in the banking of the OlympicVelodrome in Athens. She set an Olympic and World Record every time she took to the track, and brought back memories of Rebecca Twigg.

The 'Big Blue Train' of the U.S. Postal Service came to the Tour of Georgia in April, and left everyone else fighting for second place.

Mike Creed leads the peloton through the hairpin turn at the top of the Sunset Loop during the Redlands Classic. A developer's plans will forever change this classic stage of Redlands, eliminating this part of the course.

Race leader Mark McCormack and Aaron Olson turn the park into a blur during the Tour of Connecticut.

On an especially hot day in the Alps during the Tour de France, riders sought relief from the heat... or tried to ignore it by turning their attention elsewhere.

In one of the most thrilling and frightening stages of this year's Tour, Armstrong and Basso negotiate their way through thousands of hysterical Basque fans.

Lance Armstrong in the prologue of the Tour de France, where he established himself as the greatest Tour rider of all time.

It used to be that the most accurate measure of how busy Casey Gibson’s year had been was the odometer on his battered old pick-up truck. Times change, the Toyota has long since heaved its last sigh and instead of rolling the numbers on his dashboard, Casey is now racking up frequent flier miles. One thing that remains, though, is the man’s keen eye and appreciation for the sport. As the year winds to a close, we asked Gibson to sort through his files and pick a few of his favorite shots from 2004. Having covered everything from Redlands to the Tour to the Olympics, he had quite a bit to

Trent Klasna descends through a turn at the Sea Otter Classic. Trent retired at the end of the year, taking his cheerful attitude and thrilling riding style with him.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has defended the use of what he called "big brother" methods in the fight to catch doped athletes. "We have 'big brother' everywhere in the fight against doping," Rogge told the German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung. "I don't have a problem with it, it's about punishing cheaters. If someone wants to sue for their right to privacy - then please, go ahead." Rogge said the tactics were necessary because athletes can cover signs of using banned substances during competitions. "We can test better now than six months ago, we can find EPO. Still

My favorite picture of the year. Bobby Julich shares his Olympic medal with his daughter Olivia. A wonderful reward for a guy that persevered through many hardships over the years.

The toughest guy in cycling, Viatchislav Ekimov, leads the Postal Service in the team time trial in abysmal conditions at the Tour de France.

Kevin Bouchard Hall takes a corner in the Redlands Criterium. Bouchard Hall was the best young rider at Georgia and impressed all this year.

Greg Henderson of New Zealand, Rob Hayles of Great Britain, and Stuart O'Grady of Australia battle for points in the Olympic madison. The rider's skill and maximum effort made it the most exciting track race I have ever seen.

Love him or hate him, Chris Horner was the best rider in the US this year, and he had the most remarkable one day ride at the Tour of Connecticut, where he pulled at the front or rode alone for over 100 miles.

Dear Bob,The three highest roads in New England all run on public land. However,the roads are operated by private entities that do not allow bicycles:1. Mount Washington Auto Road, Glen, New Hampshire2. Mount Mansfield Auto Toll Road, Stowe, Vermont3. Mount Equinox Skyline Drive, Manchester, VermontTwo of them (Mount Mansfield and Mount Equinox) do allow motorcycles.Might there be any basis to challenge this?SW,MassachusettsDear SW,First of all, thank you for your help in digging up some importantfacts that made an answer possible. After starting my research, I discoveredthat there was no

Mt. Washington: Why not all the time?

Wicks at the World Cup

DeClercq in what may be his final Belgian 'cross

Your ballDear Velo,I enjoyed (I guess that's the correct word) the interview with Mr.Pound and appreciate the passion with which he approaches his charge(see "VeloNewsInterview: WADA's Dick Pound"). I'd like to also note that I disagree with Dr. Salmon (Letters,Dec. 27th) on the suitability of DNA testing for Tyler Hamilton'sblood doping case. Red blood cells are devoid of both nuclei andmitochondria and, consequently, DNA. The introduced foreign material islargely in the form of red blood cells and as a consequence there is likelyto be very little foreign DNA to be found, even when searched

2005 Sea Otter Classic – “A Celebration of Cycling!”On-Line Registration Available at SEAOTTERCLASSIC.COMMONTEREY, Calif. — The Sea Otter Classic is the most celebratedcycling festival in North America. Known throughout the cycling world as the grand season opener, the 15th annual Sea Otter Classic will be held April 14-17, 2005 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, California, USA.Nearly 10,000 professional and amateur athletes and over 50,000 spectatorswill attend the four-day festival. The outdoor cycling tradeshow will host over 250 vendors showcasing the latest trends and

Captain America: Jonathan Page

Barry Wicks

Ryan Trebon

Nijs consolidates his World Cup lead

Classic conditions made this special for Nijs

Vervecken has shown good form all season

Saeco's Enrico Franzoi takes third

World champion Bart Wellens

The ever-present Richard Groenendaal

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.Two thumbs upDear Velo,You ask, at the end of the Dick Pound interview (see "VeloNewsInterview: WADA's Dick Pound") for "thoughts? Comments? Opinions?"Well, here's mine. Two thumbs up for focusing on doping, and also for publishingsuch a long interview in it's entirety.I agree completely

Even by his lofty standards, Lance Armstrong's return to the mountaintop in 2004 was pretty special. The question now facing Armstrong and his legion of fans is whether he'll return to challenge the Pyrenees and the French Alps again in 2005. Already recognized as one of the truly inspiring athletes of his generation, Armstrong took his cycling legacy a step further when he won a record-breaking sixth consecutive Tour de France in July. And for his accomplishment, he was honored Monday as The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third straight year. Armstrong joined

Wicks finished in the money

JP was tired, but happy

Ben Berden

Davy Commeyne

Jonathan Page didn't finish Sunday

Vervecken takes it

Sven Nijs still leads the series

Sven Vanthourenhout

Groenendaal

Maarten Nijland

Interview by Charles Pelkey Photos by Chris Milliman As the year’s first issue of VeloNews reaches your mailboxes and newsstands around the country, you may notice something of a break with tradition. Indeed, the first cover of 2005 should have gone to Jonathan Page for winning his third straight U.S. cyclo-cross championship in Portland this month. Instead, we start the year with an issue dedicated to a topic that has dragged the sport of cycling through mud much deeper than anything Page encountered at ’cross nationals. Anyone who follows cycling has become accustomed to scandal, but with

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.A breath of fresh airDear Velo,I read Megan's letter with great interest (see "Jonesin' for a ride"in Wednesday'sMailbag), because I had to deal with the same thing years ago, untilour employer finally eliminated all smoking from the premises. I would suggesthooking up the American Lung

VeloNews Interview: WADA's Dick Pound

VeloNews Interview: WADA's Dick Pound

VeloNews Interview: WADA's Dick Pound

VeloNews Interview: WADA's Dick Pound

Colorado Springs, Colo. (December 22, 2004)—Following Tuesday’sannouncement regarding American-based UCI Continental Teams, USA Cyclingannounced today the final two teams whose applications will be submittedto the UCI in consideration for the 2005 season.The Advantage Benefits Endeavour Cycling Team and the Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Professional CyclingTeam will give the U.S. 14 UCI Continental Teams in 2005.Operating as two separate UCI tier III trade teams in 2004, the NorthernCalifornia-based Ofoto-Lombardi Sports squad and the Sierra Nevada outfithave combined their efforts to form a single

WADA COLLECTS MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF DUES FOR 2004  (12/22/2004)U.S. Payment of $1.44 Million ReceivedAdditional $3.7 Million Received for 2002 and 2003Montreal, December 22, 2004 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)announced today that it has collected approximately 94 percent, of itsdues from governments and the Olympic Movement for 2004. This figure isthe highest percentage of payments collected by the Agency in a calendaryear since WADA was founded.The United States recently paid its dues of U.S. $1.44 million, thesecond highest amount paid to WADA by a government this year. The

The silver was 'total shock,' says Much.

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.CONGRATULATIONS!!! And, uhhhhhh, here's your billDear VeloNews,Here is something for the Hot/Not Hot column in the magazine: Hot - Velo Bella racers at U.S. Cross Nats - Two Velo Bella racersbeing named to the U.S. Women's team for cyclo-cross world'sNot - Having to pay your own way:

It’s not an overstatement to say that Rebecca Much is something of a hot commodity these days. In October, Much earned a silver medal in the time trial at the 2004 World Championships in Bardolino, Italy. In December, she finished up her racing season with an under-23 victory at the U.S. National Cyclocross Championships in Portland. And with the ink just drying on a new contract to race for the T-Mobile women’s professional cycling team next year, Much seems poised for even greater success in cycling. No bad for 18, eh? Much dabbed in triathlons while still in high school in Chicago but

Organizers announce 2005 Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of CyclocrossSeriesBOSTON - Coming off a highly successful inaugural season, organizersof the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross have unveiled a sequel campaign in2005 that promises even more excitement for riders and fans alike. Withsix C1 events in the Pacific Northwest, New England and Northern California,the series will bring North America's best cyclocross stars to the sport'sfeverish hotbeds. "With nationals coming to New England next year, we wanted to createa balanced schedule for racers and fans," said co-organizer Paul

December 21, 2002Gerard Bisceglia has been at the helm of USA Cycling since July 2002, when he took over as Chief Executive Officer of the struggling organization. Over the next few issues of the print edition of VeloNews we hope to examine the issues and challenges facing Bisceglia and USA Cycling in 2003. In this interview, the CEO discusses some of these challenges, which include a declining NORBA membership, strained relations with some regional road racing organizations, and a failed attempt to merge USA Cycling’s BMX association, the NBL, with the ABA. On the bright side, Bisceglia

Kona’s Buck-A-Bowl Fun Raiser Earns $11,000 for Kona/IMBA Freeride GrantsKONAWORLD – The Kona Bicycle Company today announced that theproceeds from the 7th annual Kona Buck-A-Bowl Fun Raiser exceeded $11,000.The record take means that more Kona/IMBA freeride grants will be fundedand more money will be available for each grant than last year.More than 500 people competed on teams representing IBDs, manufacturers,media and friends of the industry. The crew filled all 70 lanes at thefabulous Orleans Bowling Center, and the bar.“Selling out 70 lanes for three years in a row is super exciting.

Colorado Springs, Colo. (December 21, 2004)—USA Cycling has submittedregistration materials to the UCI on behalf of 12 potential UCI ContinentalTeams, and one UCI Women’s Team in consideration for the 2005 season.Under the UCI’s road cycling reform plan, teams formerly recognizedas tier III trade teams will now be registered by the international governingbody under the new ‘Continental Teams’ moniker.Paperwork has been sent to the UCI on behalf of the following potentialContinental Teams:Colavita Olive Oil/Sutter Home Pro Cycling TeamJittery Joe’s/Kalahari Pro Cycling TeamTeam Nerac.comJelly

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Rake, trail, offset

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Rake, trail, offset

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Rake, trail, offset

Greek prosecutors have opened investigations into how an Athens laboratory blunder allowed Olympic time-trial champion Tyler Hamilton to escape a charge of alleged blood doping. The American tested positive for a blood transfusion in Athens in August after winning the Olympic time-trial gold medal. However, he was able to keep the medal because the International Olympic Committee said the result of a follow-up sample was "non-conclusive" because the sample had been destroyed by being deep-frozen. Prosecutors said they wanted to determine if the deep freezing was deliberate, negligent or

Euro Cross Camp II23 December, 2004 to 4 January 2005Goals: to provide top U.S. cyclocross riders with race preparationfor the World Championships and/or valuable European race experience ina supportive environment based in Belgium12 Riders Selected for 2004-2005:Elite Men: Ryan Trebon* USGP Champion (Kona), Barry Wicks (Kona),Erik Tonkin (Kona), Ben Turner (TIAA/CREF-Clif Bar).U-23: Jesse Anthony* (U.S. Champion/USGP Champion; cyclocrossworld.com),Jeremy Powers* (Jelly Belly), John Hanson* (NCC/Bike Reg)Juniors: Bjorn Selander* (U.S. Champion; Alan Factory Team),Charles "Toby" Marzot* (USGP

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.Put up or shut upDear Velo,Dick Pound needs to be set straight. I don't give a rat's rear whatyou think of Tyler Hamilton or his medical practices, but you need to shutyour mouth (see "Greekofficials investigate Hamilton case").I am not defending a possible doper - what I am doing is

Hamilton on his way to winning the time trial stage at the Vuelta in September.

Pound: Hamilton 'dodged a bullet.'

Weekend 'Cross Wrap: Armstrong versus Santa; Jingle 'cross in Iowa

Battle of 'Toona continues as Leidy rebuts charges