News

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

The Italian connection

The Italian connection

The Italian connection

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - The aerodynamics of drafting

Mario Meggiolan

The pin

Look issues stem recall

Look issues stem recall

Livingston rode his final Tour this year.

Last summer 29-year-old climbing specialist Kevin Livingston announced hisretirement. The news, which came during the Telekom rider’s sixth Tour deFrance, was a surprise to many people around him, including long-time friendsFrankie Andreu and Lance Armstrong. Livingston, who turned professional in1994, said that he was ready to move on from cycling and to spend more timewith his family.After the Tour, Livingston completed his summer racing schedule and returnedhome to Austin, Texas, in September after competing in the San FranciscoGrand Prix. VeloNews correspondent Ted Arnold caught up with

Jan Ullrich revealed Friday that he came close to retiring from the sport after testing positive for amphetamines earlier this year. The 1997 Tour de France champion, who admitted taking the party drug Ecstasy on a night out with friends while recovering from knee surgery, was suspended for six months earlier this year. His ban ends on March 23, 2003. "I made mistakes. I was frustrated because my knee wasn't healing and that's why I did some stupid things," he told Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday. "But being suspended was unjust,” Ullrich asserted. “My ban was

Deck us all with Boston Charlie, Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo! Nora's freezin' on the trolley, Swaller dollar cauliflower alley'garoo!– The late Walt Kelly, lampooning the Christmas carol “Deck the Halls,” in the classic comic strip “Pogo” Deck the halls, ’tis the season, jingle-bell rock – however you sing it,the song is of Christmas, that time of year when we are supposed to buryour respective hatchets not in each other, but in the quivering trunks ofspruces, pines or firs destined for festive decoration in our living rooms.God bless us every one. Happily, we don’t

Friday's foaming rant:Merry Christmas, woof, woof, woof

Attorney Bob Mionske handles sports-related legal issues. Mionske invitesreaders to submit legal questions faced by cyclists and other endurance athletesto info@bicyclelaw.com. Hewill answer a cross-section of questions each Thursday here on VeloNews.com.The information provided in this column is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice (see notice below).ContractsHello Bob,As a pro cyclist for the past eight years I have signed several different types of “riders contracts” and have always been a little confused by them.They always seem to protect

With the Sea Otter Classic moving to April this year, one of mountain biking's newest races looks to be reaping the benefits of an open calendar in March. The Nova Desert Classic - which is billing itself as the rebirth of the Cactus Cup - recently announced that Subaru America has come on board as the event's title sponsor. The race is also doing well when it comes to attracting big-time talent. According to a press release issued in mid-December, Subaru-Gary Fisher, Trek-Volkswagen, RLX-Ralph Lauren and the Luna women's team have all committed to showing up in Phoenix for the

USA Cycling has announced a revised National Racing Calendar schedule for 2003. Entering its seventh year, the NRC is comprised of the top road cycling events from all over the country and lends itself to a national ranking system. Over 20 new events have been added as the 2003 calendar expands to eight levels of event classifications. Several new events join the NRC in 2003, beginning with the Tour de Georgia, a six-day stage race scheduled for April 22-26. With title sponsor Daimler-Chrysler on board, the stage race is sure to attract a competitive international field. The 2003 Tour de

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

USA Cycling announced Wednesday the automatic nominees to compete at the 2003 World Cyclo-cross Championships in Monopoli, Italy, Feb. 1-2. The six athletes were nominated Tuesday based on their results at last week's USCF Shimano U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships in Napa, Calif. at the Domaine Chandon winery or their rankings on the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross points list. U.S. athletes nominated to the 2003 World Cyclo-cross Championships team include:Ann Grande, Des Moines, Wash. (elite women) Carmen D'Aluisio, Watsonville, Calif. (elite women) Jonathan Page, Northfield, N.H.

The rear derailleur is almost all carbon

Some of the power for the system will be supplied by batteries stored in ErgoPower lever

The front derailleur has been the biggest hurdle of the system

A highly modified ErgoBrain will be the control center of the new system

A birds-eye view of the rear derailleur reveals the tucked-away servo motor

A wider view

2003 Vuelta: Offering plenty of challenges

Organizers unveiled the route of the 58th Vuelta a España Tuesday, offering a challenging combination of stages, including four time trials and six mountain-top finishes. The 2003 Vuelta will kick-off on September 6 with an unusual team time trial as an opening stage, forgoing the more traditional short prologue individual TT. The Vuelta will continue with a pattern established this year, offering shorter and more challenging stages, with none exceeding the length of the 190km seventh stage from Huesca to Cauterets France. But most remarkable about the 2003 Vuelta – the 25th promoted by

Italian cycling stars Mario Cipollini and Marco Pantani will not ride together in the same team next season after negotiations broke down, it was announced on Tuesday. Discussions had been going on for several weeks in an attempt to amalgamate the teams of recently crowned world champion Cipollini and Pantani, who won both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia in 1998. The new team was to be christened Mercatone-Elitron, but the boss of Cipollini's Acqua Sapone team, Vincenzo Santoni, said the issue of Pantani's image rights had scuttled a deal which had seemed close to

Success depends on the right materials

The Italian connection

The Italian connection

2003 Vuelta: Offering plenty of challenges

Dear VeloNews; I agree that Frankie is a great team player, stand up guy, and had a great career as a rider. However, that does not necessarily qualify him to run a team (see "Andreu leaves Postal"). It's difficult to say who will succeed at what level in professional sports. Remember Magic Johnson when he attempted to coach the Lakers? He stunk, but no one would say that he did not have a great career as a player. David Tom (send an e-mail to: WebLetters@7Dogs.com) Frankie will outlast his team Dear VeloNews; I’m an American living in Switzerland who hasn’t missed many days of the

After losing the 2002 Vuelta a España in a final-day time trial to Aitor Gonzales, U.S. Postal Service’s Roberto Heras should be much happier with next year’s course that will be announced on Tuesday. Early reports indicate that the 58th Vuelta, September 6-28, will have its last time trial the day before the finish. But this won’t be another long, flat race against the clock, like this year, but a bona fide hill climb in the mountains near Madrid. Heras — and Spanish rivals Joseba Beloki of ONCE-Eroski and Oscar Sevilla of Kelme-Costa Blanca — will be pleased also that the 2003 Vuelta is

Heras may like next year's route.

Very sorry can’t come. Lie follows by post.– Lord Charles Beresford, responding via telegram to a dinner invitation from the Prince of Wales– How did it get to be time for cyclo-cross nationals again so soon, and why am I tapping out inanities on the PowerBook in Colorado Springs instead of getting my steel plate power-washed by the deluge scouring the Napa Valley wine country? I’d like to say it’s because I had a previous engagement to accept the National Leadership Award offered me by a spokeswoman for incoming House majority leader Tom DeLay; that it’s a principled stand by a charter

Grande

Page

Hall takes the corner a bit fast

Maher

Feldman

Racing Kain

Adam Craig

Dear VeloNews;Disappointed is what I felt after finding out that Frankie Andreu was unceremoniously released by U.S. Postal. (See "Andreu leaves Postal")Frankie represented the best of the best and would always give a hundred percent – race after race, year after year, sacrificing for the team leader. I can understand the dynamics of business and how it relates to the world of professional cyclist, but there comes a time when dedication, commitment, professionalism, and strength of character should count for something.I'll still be a fan of Lance and the Posties but my cheering will be a

This is the first in what will become a regular column on VeloNews.com from attorney Bob Mionske, who handles sports-related legal issues. Mionske is inviting readers to submit legal questions faced by cyclists and other endurance athletes to info@bicyclelaw.com. He will answer a cross-section of questions each Thursday here on VeloNews.com.The information provided in this column is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice (see notice below).K-9 encounterHello Mr. Mionske;My wife and I were on an a group ride on a quiet country road in NorthCarolina

After two years of running a split venue — once for the 2001 World Cup, once for last year’s NORBA race — organizers in Durango, Colorado, will be putting on their entire 2003 NORBA event at Durango Mountain Resort. “The split venue didn’t fail, but it didn’t work either,” said NORBA’s Eric Moore, of a set-up where the downhill was contested at the ski area, while the cross-country, short track and mountain cross where all held down near town. “Having everything in one place [for this year’s NORBA finals] will just be easier on everyone involved.” Well, everyone except the cross-country

Lithuanian cyclist Raimondas Rumsas, whose wife was jailed in France after being caught with large quantities of banned substances, will stay with Lampre next season, the Italian team said Thursday. Rumsas, third in this year's Tour de France behind American winner Lance Armstrong and Spaniard Joseba Beloki, signed an extension to his contract at the team's headquarters just outside Milan in the presence of team manager Giuseppe Saronni and team boss Emanuele Galbusera. Rumsas will share the role of team leader with Italian Francesco Casagrande, who recently joined from the Fassa

Organizers of this weekend's national cyclo-cross championship havescheduled a special fundraiser for the American Cyclocross Foundation onSaturday at Downtown Joe’s in Napa, California.Funds raised will directly benefit U.S. athletes selected to race theWorld Championships in Monopoli, Italy in February.“By simply getting a great meal and a few beers, you’re supporting theU.S. team,” said Rick Sutton, president of GaleForce Sports Marketing,which is promoting the event. “We’ve gotten great support from DowntownJoe’s, which has pledged to donate a portion of every beer poured and

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

Rumsas will stay with Lampre

Edita Rumsas upon her release from a French prison.

Frankie Andreu, the American director sportif of the U.S. Postal squad, said Wednesday that he has been released from his job and will be leaving the team at the end of the year. Andreu said the Postal decision came as a surprise and represents "a sad ending to a wonderful job." Andreu had a long career as a professional, competing in nine consecutive Tours de France between 1991 and 2000. He raced for Postal for the final three years of his career before retiring two years ago at the age of 34. He assumed the U.S. director's position at Postal at the beginning of the 2001 season.

Andreu at Paris-Nice in 2000

D'Aluisio

Hall celebrated her series win

There are famous examples of shims being used with great success.

Ofoto-Lombardi Sports 2003 team announcement The Ofoto–Lombardi Sports Cycling Team on Friday announced the riders and sponsors for its 2003 squad. New to the team for the 2003 racing season will be: Switzerland’s Roman Peter (ex-Saint-Quentin Oktos), a former world junior cyclo-cross champion; Andy Bajadali, who had a breakout year as an amateur in 2002; Jon Erdelyi, silver medalist at the 2002 U.S. Under-23 Road Championships; and Saul Raisin, a talented young member of the US U-23 national team. The strength of the Team returns for 2003, led by Ireland’s David O’loughlin and America’s

Spurred on by Lance Armstrong, a partial U.S. Postal Service squad competed in Sunday's Dirty Duathlon, an off-road run-bike-run race in Smithville, Texas, near Austin. The multi-sport adventure capped the Postie’s first training camp in Austin. Improving on last year's second place finish, Postal’s top man bested Austin based mountain bike pro Jason Sager (Team Diabetic) to win the overall title in the event. The challenging course featured 12 miles of mountain bike trail sandwiched between hilly three- mile runs. Trailing competitor Kevin Stankiewicz after the first run

Lance Armstrong has been named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year. The magazine credited the four-time Tour de France winner with “more than a bicyclist… more than an athlete,” as he continues to inspire the public by his performance after a nearly fatal battle with cancer. “About 300 pieces of mail find their way to him each week,” wrote SI’s Rick Riley. "They come from people who are suddenly pale-yellow versions of themselves, half gone from chemo, scared to die. They read his book, plug into his story, let him block the wind. They see a man who once sat around the same chemo

If you have made it this far then you already know: There is no better wayto see the world than from the seat of a bicycle. While others roll by encasedin cars, the bicycle rider is unencumbered, free to take in the sights, sounds,smells, people and places that make our planet so amazing. Whether it’s thesplendor of the Canadian Rockies, the majesty of the Alps, the quiet solitudeof the Irish coast, or the grandeur of the Tour de France, the bicycle issimply the best way to go. It’s with that in mind that VeloNews has brought together 10 of theworld’s most renowned cycling vacation tour

We recognize the face and the uniform, but...

Armstrong named SI Sportsman of the Year

Grand ToursCycling vactions around the world

Grand ToursCycling vactions around the world

Grand ToursCycling vactions around the world

Stephen Roche CyclingLegendary riding with a legend

As a young child growing up in the 1960s, Monica Pappas received the kindof education no school can provide. Though born in the United States, Pappasspent her summers in a small village in the Gruppa di Brenta Mountains ofnorthern Italy where she was immersed in the country’s culture and language.Later Monica attended school in Florence, furthering her knowledge aboutone of the world’s most renowned cycling destinations. Since then Monica and her husband Rick have spent almost 20 years ridingthe valleys, villages and mountain passes of Northern Italy, Switzerlandand Austria. And today as the

Celtic TrailsA family affair

Oliver Kiel has spent nearly a lifetime in the bicycle business. Originallyfrom Germany, Oliver spent more than 10 years guiding tours all over Europe.But after a decade he decided it was time for a change. The weather in Europewas too unpredictable and Oliver wanted to try something new. That led him to Hawaii, where along with his wife Julia, he now operatesOrchid Isle Bicycling, the island chain’s leading provider of deluxe “worryfree” cycling vacations. “Our philosophy is that we are committed to ensuring our clients experiencea memorable ‘worry free’ adventure as they explore our

Celtic TrailsA family affair

When you think of the island of Mallorca the first thing that comes to mindis the combination of sun, sea and sand. This Mediterranean treasure perched off Spain’s eastern coast has a world-renowned reputation for beautiful beaches and 24-hour nightlife. But Mallorca attracts more than just party animals and beach bunnies. For years now, professional cycling teams from across Europe have used this 1420-square mile island as a training-camp site. With a perfect variety of roads — hilly, flat and everything in between —and near perpetual sunshine, Mallorca provides a perfect destination

Celtic TrailsA family affair

Ask anyone who knows about professional cycling in Ireland and it doesn’ttake long before the name McQuaid comes up. For three generations now theMcQuaids have been at the top of the Irish cycling scene, sending at leastone family member to seven of the last nine Olympics since Jim McQuaid madethe trip to Mexico City in 1968. Since then Jim’s seven sons and many grandchildren have continued the family’sbike racing tradition, making the McQuaids Ireland’s undisputed first familyof cycling. But it was touring, not racing, that first introduced the McQuaidsto the bicycle. From an early age, all

La Cima ToursAn American company with Italian roots

La Cima ToursAn American company with Italian roots