News

Dunlap digs deep

Wellens

That's the face of a national champion under all that mud

Wet conditions made for a strongman's course

I don’t know why there’s all this furor over the BCS. I’m confident the college football will come down to a satisfactory conclusion. After all, the BCS, co-created by ABC Sports, is really nothing more than reality-TV programming, and as we’ve seen in the past few years, there’s nothing reality TV likes better than changing the rules of the game as it goes along. Latest case in point — “Average Joe,” where model-good-looking “ringers” were introduced mid-show to go head-to-head with the average Joes wooing the show’s blonde beauty. Big surprise, one of the pretty boys won out over the No. 1

Armstrong meets the press in Brussels

Looks like rain...

'Cross Nationals race director Brad Ross knows how to get into the spirit

Hi Bob;I was riding on a sidewalk in downtown Portland last month and a policeofficer, riding on the same sidewalk “pulled me over.” At first I thoughthe was kidding and said something like “how fast was I doing officer?”It turns out he wasn't all that amused and said it was against the lawto ride on sidewalks in downtown. I had entered the sidewalk to get arounda huge construction hole. Should I fight this ticket and what advice doyou have? By the way, the cop was also riding on the sidewalk!M. EisenhartPortland, OregonDear M. Eisenhart;In the words of Shakespeare you were “hoisted with your

See ya

Indy Fab's new 'Top Secret' full suspender with 4 inches of rear travel 'might be' available in April

'Full of character,' those IF boys...

Ritchey's new Adjustable Stem has more angles than a Pan Anderson photo shoot

Never too late for 'cross goodies

Verge T-shirt helps cover 'cross-world's costs

Verge Sport and the American Cyclo-cross Foundation (ACF) have teamed up to help send American racers to the cyclo-cross world championships January 31-February 1 in Pont-Chateau, France. Verge has produced and is selling a commemorative ACF T-shirt designed by cartoonist and ’cross fiend Patrick O’Grady. The shirts go for $19.95, and $10 of every sale goes to the ACF’s fund for underwriting the U.S. team’s annual trip to world’s. USA Cycling will be financing six athletes’ travel to the world’s — one elite man, one elite woman, two under-23 men and two junior men. Any discretionary picks

Questioning the Jimenez diagnosisDear VeloNews;I was truly saddened and stunned in reading about the untimely passingof Jose Maria Jimenez at the age of 32. Not unlike Denise Zanette'sdeath last year at a similarly young age, it makes one come face-to-facewith the reality that youth and athletic fitness are not the only factorsin overall health.On this note, I did want to clarify something that I suspect regardingJose Maria Jimenez’s mental health condition leading up to his death. Fromreading about his stunning emotional and performance highs and the tremendouslows that followed, his

Wehave just posted the on-line version of this year's edition ofGrandTours, a taste of what cycling vacations are all about. We callthem “Grand Tours” because they encompass the grandeur of breathtakingrides through some of the most beautiful and culturally rich locales onearth. They offer what you’re really looking for when you decide to takea bicycle vacation — the chance to make your dreams come true.You will need AdobeAcrobat Reader to enjoy the on-line version of "Grand Tours."

Looking for a Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy-for cycling enthusiastin your life? Interested in owning a piece of American cycling history?Either way, you’re in luck, as Rabobank’s Levi Leipheimer has two of his2003 jerseys up for auction on eBay, with proceeds to go to a pair of charities,Forgotten Felines Of Sonoma County and the USA Cycling Foundation."These auctions are important for my wife Odessa and me,” he said. “Sincewe have had our share of success, this is a way for all of us to give backand say 'thank you.'"The first item, Leipheimer’s  2003Vuelta Jersey, signed by the

Nijs leads Wellens through the barriers

A pro team is not a socialist organizationEditor:I find it rather silly that people can write things like, "Heras was always there for Lance in the Tour de France, but was Lance ever there for Heras in the Vuelta?"As we all know, Lance has not ridden the Vuelta in support of Heras. But where is it written that Lance is obligated to do that? Heras was signed to Postal as a support rider for the team leader, period. As it turns out, Heras is more than capable of being a team leader himself. But as far as I know, cycling teams are not socialist organizations where everyone has the same

Aussie David McKenzie will join the Navigators cycling team for 2004, the team announced Thursday in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The 2003 Tour of Queensland champion joins countryman Henk Vogels and former teammates Ciaran Power of Ireland and Vassili Davidenko of Russia as the 13th man to sign with the New Jersey-based TT2 squad. “David brings another dimension to what I believe will be a very competitive Navigators team,” said team director Ed Beamon. “He is a proven winner, and a tireless teammate, and he has a great nose for the finish. I expect his leadership qualities will add depth to

Three reasons for Heras's departureEditor:I think Heras was forced to make the decision to leave Postal for a few reasons. 1. Lack of support from sponsors. Lance breaks a fingernail and it's headlines. Trek didn’t mention Roberto's big win on their website for like three weeks, and even then it was buried. Lance gets new prototype wheels and bike for the Tour and Heras gets the big goose egg (not to say that a 5900 with X-Lites isn't all you need). That's gotta be good for the ol' morale. 2. The king is half undressed. The team may have lost some faith in Lance this year. Heras is in his

Early December is usually a relaxed time for the U.S. Postal Service team, but news of Roberto Heras’s imminent departure spoiled the quiet of the team’s annual kick-off training camp in Austin, Texas. The camp serves as a relaxed way to start planning for a new season and for new team members to get acquainted with each other. VeloNews correspondent Ted Arnold caught up with Johan Bruyneel in Austin on Thursday to discuss the rapidly unfolding developments. VN: When did the situation with Roberto begin to unfold? JB: About 10 days ago his agent called me and wanted to have lunch —

The Saeco-Timex squad

Santa's workshop at the Southwestern Pole

After four years with Wisconsin-based Team Sports, Inc., Saturn women’s team director Giana Roberge has announced that on Friday, December 5, she will amicably part ways with the organization that directed the now defunct but highly successful Saturn Cycling and Volvo-Cannondale Cycling programs. “It’s been an extremely difficult decision for me to make,” Roberge said, explaining that while she and Team Sports’ president Tom Schuler have secured a title sponsor for a scaled down women’s team in 2004, there will not be sufficient sponsorship for her employment. An official announcement of

Good luck Señor HerasEditors;I want to wish Roberto Heras much success and luck (see "Herasleaves Postal").Next year's Tour will be a dandy!Eric E. EssickA good decisionEditors!Good move for Roberto. He gave U.S. Postal some of his best years andpaid for it in less than stellar Vuelta performances the last couple ofyears. Yeah,  know he won this year but it was pretty close.Now he has the chance to shine again on his own and with a Spanish team.This just makes the 2004 Tour that much more exciting from a spectator'sview.Giny ChandlerHere come the résumésDear Editors;How do I get a hold of the

It’s not all Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Iron Hammer for theU.S. Army these days. Sometimes, it’s Operation Santa Claus. And sometimes, Santa needs a little help from the civilians. Just ask Sgt. David Wilson, the head elf for Operation Santa Claus’sbicycle-distribution program at Fort Bliss, Texas, near El Paso. “I decided to check out the Operation Santa Claus program that the Armydoes here at Fort Bliss, and it turns out they have hundreds of bicyclesand parts in need of a loving mechanic,” he said. Wilson asked to be reassignedto the program, and one week later he found

A while back I answered an inquiry posed by a New York reader who saw someone riding a bicycle that had been stolen from him earlier (see "LegallySpeaking - with Bob Mionske: My stolen bicycle " September 25, 2003). I share one of the many emails I received on the subject for the benefit of all readers: Dear Bob;As the flip side to your summary of the law regarding recovery of a stolen bicycle, and further to his closing point about getting hurt in the act of self-recovery, may I present my own story: Several months ago, I stopped for coffee at the end of my morning bike commute. While in

Good for those rides that dips into the teens...

Powerful wind stoppers and affordable too

Answer fianlly got it right with the 2004 version of its XC-1

MTB News and Notes: More changes in NORBA series; Jimena vows to be in Athens

MTB News and Notes: More changes in NORBA series; Jimena vows to be in Athens

Tyler Hamilton will formally launch the charitable foundation bearing hisname at a kick-off event in Colorado this month.With the goal of providing support to multiple sclerosis patients aswell as aspiring young cyclists, the new Tyler Hamilton Foundation willhost fundraiser at the Arvada Center in Arvada, Colorado. The event willbe co-hosted by Wheat Ridge Cyclery, a bicycle shop owned by the familyof former pro Ron Kiefel.“The Tyler Hamilton Foundation will champion the two causes closestto my heart – competitive cycling and the fight against Multiple Sclerosis,”said Hamilton. “As a young

Richard Groenendaal

Ben Berden

Jonathan Page

Brother Gert Wellens celebrates his 25th birthday in style

Gerben de Knegt

Once in the lead, Wellens remained in charge

Reconnoitering the sandy stretch before the start.

Wellens supporters

Sven Nijs

Erwin Vervecken

Please, sir, may I have some more?Editor:Regarding O'Grady: More, please, more! Patrick Craft Abingdon, VAJeez, Patrick, we need a forklift to heft the hate-mail bag as it is. But if you insist on more of the grumbling Gael, you can always visit www.maddogmedia.com. – Editor And now, the counterpointEditor:I'm appalled by your ridiculous, left-wing bias. Tell that sack of swill Patrick O'Grady that Clinton didn't win any awards for smoking pot in Canada during the Vietnam War. Oh, and another thing, It was the Democrats who cut funding and got my friend honorably discharged from the

Mario De Clercq showed them how on Saturday in Belgium

World champ Bart Wellens had to settle for fifth

Sven Nijs crossed ninth after a final-lap mishap

Richard Groenendaal was shut out of the top 10

Indeed, Enrico Franzoi of Italy was the only non-Belgian to crack the too 10

Jonathan Page crossed 15th and hopes for a better result on Sunday

Do what you know; know what you doDear VeloNews;I read your magazine and web page because I love cycling and am anavid, yet middle-of-the-pack sport class mountain-bike racer. I also happento be politically conservative.I was disturbed to read "The2003 O'Grady Awards." The way you bashed and insulted anyone who isnot a liberal was surprising and out of place. Stick with what you know...cycling,and let the Bush administration to do what they do better then any left-wingpresident (see record of Slick Willy Clinton) would or could do...protectour country and it's citizens from terrorists.Stick

Bob;I work as a bicycle messenger in Chicago. When we are on the job, thecompany insures us against physical injury and property damage from crashes.Last week, at the end of the day, the dispatcher gave me an envelope todeliver. Because it was after five and the delivery address was near myapartment, the dispatcher told me to drop it off in the morning on my wayto work. As I was riding home, I was smacked by a hit-and-run driver (Idon’t own a car and therefore don’t have coverage for this kind of hit-and-runaccident). I lost a couple days of work and the bike was trashed. Shouldthe messenger

Doesn't like our choiceEditors;All the facts and figures I would cite have already been stated inother letters, but it wasn't enough. The collar bone, the 140K break away,Liège, Romandie, and the fact that he's starting a cycling foundationin addition to working with the MS rides should have led you guys to switchyour awards.If it were me, I’d have voted for Tyler as the International Cyclistof the Year and named Lance Armstrong as the North American Male Cyclistof the Year. You gave a detailed account of Lance's achievements as justification (see "InternationalCyclist of the Year: Lance

The O'Grady Awards are back for a fifth consecutive season, ensuring that generations of libel lawyers will continue to disperse their flatulence through silk. Named for the notorious right-wing political commentator Patrick O'Grady - who was compelled to dictate this year's list while strait-jacketed and strapped to a bed in the Raimondas Rumsas Wing of the William J. Bennett Recovery Center Casino & Pharmacy - the awards rear their hideous, hydra-like heads below. BERT LAHR MEMORIAL MEDAL FOR COURAGEMario Cipollini. After crashing out of the Giro d’Italia, takinganother Dorothyesque swat

The 2003 O'Grady Awards

Martinez had a good start with Mapei in 2002.

Bad choiceDear VeloNews;Yes Lance is great. (see "InternationalCyclist of the Year: Lance Armstrong") Yes Lance joins the legends in winning five Tours,but c'mon...are you that afraid he wont give you another interview?You pass up Tyler who raced the whole season, fought in the Tour likenobody else and is true sportsman for a repeat of Lance?Lance the guy that said he'd be drinking a beer on a beach soon notthinking of anything else? I know Lance can be a nice guy and I know hetrains like no other freak of nature but Tyler had the year!Lance gave him his best and Tyler beat Lance in the

Lance Armstrong has reportedly "penciled in" plans to ride in April's Tour de Georgia, race and team officials said. The five-time Tour de France champion has tentative plans to enter the Georgia race as he tunes up for a bid to win the Tour de France a record sixth time, said Tailwind Sports general manager Dan Osipow. "Most (U.S.) races don't fit into his training schedule, but this one does," Osipow said. Armstrong may be attracted to Georgia if part of the April 20-25 race is scheduled in north Georgia's mountains, said Kathleen Hardison, director of marketing for Tour de

Earlier this year Tom Danielson established a collegiate scholarship foundation,and this week the American, who will soon be riding for Fassa Bortolo,is auctioning off a personal collection of bikes and related gear to benefitstudent athletes and collegiate cycling programs."Collegiate cycling provided me with all the tools to be a successfulprofessional cyclist," said the 25-year-old Danielson. "Not only did itgive me cycling opportunities with top notch racing and coaching, but ittaught me how to manage myself. I believe self-management is the key tosuccess. Juggling class, training,

It’s hard to argue with dominance, and when it came to women’s road racingin North America this year, a palpable air of fear could be felt each timea diminutive 22-year-old from Lachine, Québec, rolled to the startline. In only her fourth year of professional racing, RONA-Esker’s GenevièveJeanson has proven to be one of the world’s preeminent climbers — justask the men’s field from the 2003 Mount Washington Hill Climb, all buttwo of whom she beat. Jeanson started her campaign early, winning all three stages of February’sValley of the Sun stage race, followed by another win at the Pomona

VeloNews

Behold, the ligher, improved suspension 2004 Specialized S-Works Epic

The Gravity Dropper remote activated telescoping seatpost

Our 16th Annual VeloNews Awards Issue