News

Soissons - Rouen

Lanester - Lorient (TT)

Aime - Cluses

Forges-les-Eaux - Alençon

Bazas - Pau

Cluses - Bourg-en-Bresse

Forges-les-Eaux - Alençon

Bazas - Pau

Cluses - Bourg-en-Bresse

Pau - La Mongie

Régnié-Durette - Mâcon (TT)

Pau - La Mongie

Régnié-Durette - Mâcon (TT)

He’s stronger, smarter, leaner and more confident than at any pointin his career. Now in his fourth season of full-time European racing, FredRodriguez, 28, knows what it takes to win a stage at the Tour de France.His Domo-Farm Frites squad is expecting its best Tour results from GC ridersRichard Virenque and Axel Merckx. But given the right breaks, the two-timeU.S. pro champion also has a great chance of success — particularly sincehis second-place finishes this spring at Milan-San Remo and Ghent-Wevelgem. "I think the team will now have more confidence that I’m capable, ifI get a good

Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille

Melun - Paris Champs-Elysées

Where does it come from, this legendary fear of Mont Ventoux? It’s a mountainthat has been climbed only 12 times in the Tour — two time trials, fourfinishes at the summit and six times mid-stage — yet it is more dreadedthan, say, the Tourmalet, which has featured in the Tour 67 times.While L’Alpe d’Huez, a cycling crucible, provides a spectacle, the Ventouxdelivers tragedy. It brought the great Eddy Merckx to his knees for thefirst time in his exceptional career in 1970 when he was forced to takeoxygen after winning a stage at the summit. In 1955, it forced Rick VanGenechten and others to

Lannemezan - Plateau de Beille

Melun - Paris Champs-Elysées

Chris Carmichael has been synonymous with Lance Armstrong’s success at the Tour de France. Carmichael’s been Armstrong’s trainer and coach since the early 1990s, helping guide him to three consecutive Tour de France victories. A former 7-Eleven pro and U.S. national cycling team head coach, Carmichael works closely with Armstrong and another dozen or so top athletes in cycling, triathlon, athletics and more recently in such mainstream sports such as NHL hockey. VeloNews’s Andrew Hood caught up with Carmichael for an interview a week before the start of the 2002 Tour de France. Here are

Reigning world downhill champion Nicolas Vouilloz will be forced to skip the upcoming World Cup events in Mont Ste Anne, Quebec, and Telluride, Colorado after undergoing surgery for hand injuries sustained earlier this month. Vouilloz injured himself during a practice run in Maribor, Slovenia, during the World Cup event in that former Yugoslav republic on the weekend of June 8. Vouilloz Racing team manager Stéphane Gerard confirmed that the 26-year-old French downhiller had undergone surgery for torn ligaments and tendons on the small finger on his hand last week. “This happened during a

“How about something positive to say — about anything? You wear me down.” — a critical e-mail from VeloNews.com reader Cary Smith I love a good, long road ride, especially one of those midweek flights of fancy that gobbles up the better part of a perfectly good workday while the proletariat slouches in its cubicles, staring forlornly into space, like trailer-park mutts on short chains. When I lived in Colorado Springs, and had teammates who were either entrepreneurs or slackers and thus could set their own schedules, I could count on two or three of these rides a week, generally on

'Mr. Baughman, execute The Marksheffel Plan.'

Baldwin

Bessette got the better of Bruckner (r)

Baldwin follows Lieswyn in the break

Horner takes the win

A Lithuanian appeals court on Thursday released Latvian Olympic cyclist Juris Silovson on bail pending further hearings into charges that he tried to smuggle nearly 80,000 undeclared Euros across the border. Silovs had been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for failing to declare cash he carried across the border. "You have to be there. You have to see the food there. Pigs get better feed," Silovs was quoted as saying by the Baltic News Service of the maximum-security prison where he was held. Silovs had been found guilty for failing to declare 76,750 euros (75,660 dollars) hidden

The French retail chain BigMat became the second high profile sponsor to turn its back on cycling this week, the decision taken at a shareholders meeting in Paris on Thursday. The news is a blow to the sport, coming as it does 24 hours after Italian firm Mapei announced the end of its near-decade involvement in cycling. BigMat partly blamed the pull-out on the decision by the Tour de France organisers not to grant them an invitation for next month's race. "It's the second time that we haven't taken part in the Tour," BigMat's director general Jean-Luc Leroy told

Belgium cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke appeared before a disciplinary commission in Brussels on Thursday as part of his campaign to return to the saddle after an appeals court overturned his recent ban for possession of doping products. Vandenbroucke was suspended for six months by the Belgium cycling federation after prohibited substances were found at his home at the start of the season. The ban was overturned on a legal technicality by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Tuesday, but it is the Belgium authorities who have the final say on whether to accept

Zülle wraps up Swiss Tour; Julich second in TT

Zabel beatsTeutenburg and Hauptman to take his second stage win.

The Italian building materials company Mapei has announced plans to end its sponsorship of cycling at the end of the current season, bringing to a close nearly a decade of successful involvement with the professional peloton. "The Mapei group have decided to end their sponsorship of (the) sports team at the end of the current season," a statement released from the team said Wednesday three weeks after the drug-tainted Giro d'Italia. Mapei chief Girogio Squinzi said the sport was finally beginning to get its house in order but not enough was being done to convince him that Mapei's

The on-again-off-again career of Belgian Frank Vandenbroucke may be on again after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) annulled a six-month ban from the sport for doping offences. Vandenbroucke had been suspended by the Belgian cycling federation following the discovery of a cache of drugs at his home at the start of the season. The panel, to whom Vandenbroucke had appealed, annulled the ban because of a legal technicality. "... CAS came to the conclusion that the body who banned the rider in the first place did not have the legal status to do so," CAS said in a statement.

Bortolami (center) thought he had won, but the jury ruled for Garate (left).

Turns out all is not lost for the gravity racers that had planned on attending the downhill events at the Grouse Mountain World Cup in British Columbia. Following some last minute scrambling, Whistler-Blackcomb Resort has announced that it will be hosting two days of pro racing during the week leading up to the Grouse Mountain event, effectively replacing the World Cup downhill events that were cancelled because of too much snow. Grouse will still be hosting junior and elite cross-country races. Racing in Whistler will start Wednesday, July 3, with the Joyride Biker X, a four-rider gated

A day after the 2002 HP Women’s Challenge wrapped-up in Boise, Idaho, on Sunday, the promoters of the race announced that they are seeking a new title sponsor after Hewlett-Packard ended a six-year run as the event’s largest financial supporter. “We found out just before the beginning of this year’s race,” Women’s Challenge director operations Robyn Browne told VeloNews. “We just were not going to make the announcement until it was over and detract from this year’s mood.” Browne attributed the HP pullout to the company’s recent merger with Compaq, which “has put the entire company’s sports

The U.S. Postal team released its roster for the Tour de France on Monday, naming a mix of veterans and newcomers to defend the Tour championship of three-time winner Lance Armstrong. Joining Armstrong at the start line of the Tour de France in Luxembourg on July 6 will be Americans George Hincapie and Floyd Landis, Spain's Roberto Heras and Jose Luis Rubiera, Colombia's Victor Hugo Pena, Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov, Czech Pavel Padrnos and Luxembourger Benoit Joachim. "It was a tough decision to select the nine riders because we have 12 riders that are ready to ride the Tour,"

This time it's Moos

Casagrande takes it in the sprint

Ziliute and Armstrong head for the line

All the jersey holders were at the front going up the HP's last climb.

Today's podium

Millward and Saturn in control.

Berger - Millward - Konrad

Stage 1

Luxembourg - Luxembourg

Jeff Spencer may be the US Postal Service team’s official chiropractor, but his experience and skills makes him more than just that. His contributions have helped Lance Armstrong win the Tour de France three straight years.

Spencer at home with some of the tools of his trade.

The Alesio teams makes its first appearance at Le Tour

Cofidis: Raised ambitions

Jalabert

AG2R PrévoyanceFranceProfileIn the peloton since 1996Sponsor: Provident contingency fundBudget: $3.2 millionManager: Vincent LavenuDirecteurs sportif: Laurent Biondi, Gilles MasRidersAGNOLUTTO Christophe  (F) December 6, 1969BERGÈS Stéphane  (F)  January 9, 1975BOTCHAROV Alexandre  (Rus)  February 26, 1975CHAURREAU Iñigo  (Sp)  April 14, 1973FLICKINGER Andy   (F)  November 4, 1978KIRSIPUU Jaan   (Est)  July 17, 1969ORIOL Christophe   (F)  February 28, 1973THIERRY LODER(F)TURPIN Ludovic   (F)  March 22, 1975Something to proveAlthough only selected as a wild-card team, Vincent Lavenu’s

Euskaltel-Euskadi: Higher goals

While the world focuses on Lance Armstrong of the U.S. Postal Service teamduring this year’s Tour de France, the team will be looking toward a personwhose work will be seen by few. Jeff Spencer is officially listed as thePostal team’s chiropractor, a job that requires attending to the variousaches, pains and injuries incurred by riders during every stage of theTour. Spencer is the team’s own special sauce, and his work has helpedput Armstrong in yellow for the last three years. "I don’t know what to call myself, because there are so many thingsthat I do that fall into so many disciplines and

Friday's Foaming Rant: A failure of intelligence

Sponsor: maker of wheel rims for carsBudget: $2.8 millionManager: Bruno CenghialtaDirecteurs sportif: Dario Mariuzzo, Valerio TebaldiRidersBROGNARA Andrea (I), May 26, 1971CASAGRANDE Stefano (I), March 23, 1973DUFAUX Laurent (Swi),  May 20, 1969GOTTI Ivan (I), March 28, 1969HVASTIJA Martin (Slo), November 30, 1969IVANOV Ruslan (Mol), December 18, 1973MORENI Christian  (I), November 21, 1972PIERI Dario (I), September 1, 1975SHEFER Alksandr (Kaz), August 26, 1971Ambitious, but limited Thanks to its team victory at the 2001 Giro, this Italian team snaggeda direct ticket to the 2002 Tour. Team

Americans at the Tour: A banner year?

In the peloton since 1997Sponsor: Telephone credit bankerBudget: $4.9 millionManager: Alain BondueDirecteur sportif: Bernard QuilfenAssistants: Alain Delœil, Francis Van LonderseleConsultant: Tony RomingerRidersATIENZA Daniel  (Sp),   September 22, 1974CUESTA Inigo  (Sp),   June 3, 1969FERNANDEZ Bingen (Sp)KIVILEV Andréï  (Kaz),   September 21, 1973LELLI Massimiliano  (I),   December 2, 1967MATTAN Nico  (B),   July 17, 1971MILLAR David  (GB),   January 4, 1977MONCOUTIÉ David   (F),   April 30, 1975VASSEUR Cédric  (F),   August 18, 1970 Raised ambitions This French team will try to

Vinokourov

In the peloton since 2000Sponsor: Jewelry store chainBudget: $2.6 millionManager: Serge BarleDirecteur sportif: Michel GrosAssistants: Jean-Luc Jonrond, Patrick PerretRiders (as of June 30)AUGÉ Stéphane  (F),   December 6, 1974BERNARD Jerome (F)BROCHARD Laurent  (F),   March 26, 1968DESSEL Cyril   (F),   November 29, 1974EDALEINE Christophe (F),   November 1, 1979GOUBERT Stéphane  (F),   March 13, 1970HALGAND Patrice  (F),   March 2, 1974LEFèVRE Laurent  (F),   July 2, 1976SEIGNEUR Eddy  (F),   February 15, 1969A sign of destiny?The Jean Delatour team had resigned itself to not riding the

Zülle and Tonkov were among those in the winning break.

In the peloton since 2000Sponsor: free newspaper chainBudget: $3.4 millionManager: Philippe RaimbaudDirecteur sportif: Jean René BernaudeauAssistants: Thierry Bricaud, Christian Guiberteau, ChristopheFaudotRiders (as of July 1)BÉNÉTEAU Walter   (F),  July 28, 1972BOUYER Franck   (F),  March 17, 1974CHAVANEL Sylvain   (F),  June 30, 1979MAGNIEN Emmanuel  (F),  May 7, 1971NAZON Damien   (F),  June 26, 1974PINEAU Jerome (F)RENIER Franck   (F),  April 11, 1974ROUS Didier   (F),  September 18, 1970SIMON François   (F),  October 28, 1968 IntroductionJean-René Bernaudeau’s team again needed a

Zülle has the lead now.

In the peloton since August 1998Sponsor: French bankBudget: $5 millionManager and directeur sportif: Roger LegeayAssistant: Michel LaurentTrainer: Denis RouxRidersBESSY Frédéric  (F),  January, 9, 1972HINAULT Sébastien  (F),  February 11, 1974HUSHOVD Thor  (N),  January 18, 1978LANGELLA Anthony (F)MOREAU Christophe (F),  April 12, 1971MORIN Anthony  (F),  June 27, 1974O’GRADY Stuart  (Aus),  August 6, 1973VAUGHTERS Jonathan (USA),  June 10, 1973VOIGT Jens   (G),  September 17, 1971The top French team?Of all the managers of the French team managers, Roger Legeay achievedthe most spectacular

Valen

In the peloton since 2001Sponsors: CSC: Internet access provider; Tiscali: informationtechnology companyBudget: $5.6 millionManager: Bjarne RiisDirecteur sportif: Alex PedersenAssistants: Johnny Weltz, Christian AndersenRidersJALABERT Laurent (F), November 30, 1968HAMILTON Tyler (USA), March 1, 1971PERON Andrea (I), August 14, 1971PIIL Jakob (Dk), March 9, 1973PIZIKS Arvis (Lat), September 12, 1969SANDSTÖD Michael (Dk), June 23, 1968SASTRE Carlos (Sp), April 22, 1975SÖRENSEN Nicki (Dk), May 14, 1975VAN HYFTE Paul (B), January 19, 1972 Riis’s piecesDenmark’s love affair with cycling

Rona chases... for no apparent reason

In the peloton since 1994Sponsors: Telecommunications company, and the Basque Countryregional authorityBudget: $2.8 millionManager: Miguel MadariagaDirecteur sportif: Julian GorospeAssistant: Ruben Gorospe RidersARRIZABALAGA Gorka (Sp),  April 14, 1977ETXEBARRIA David (Sp),  July 23, 1973ETXEBARRIA Unai (Ven), November 21, 1972FLORES Igor (Sp),  December 5, 1973GONZALEZ Gorka (Sp),  September 28, 1977LAISEKA Roberto (Sp),  June 17, 1969MAYO Iban (Sp),  August 19, 1977SANCHEZ Samuel (Sp),  February 5, 1978ZUBELDIA Haimar (Sp) Bigger goals For the first time since its creation two years

Ralph proves that bicycle racing is serious business.

“The American government is leading the country towards hell.”—Osama bin Laden, in a 1998 ABC interview If I see a distraught Forest Service worker on one of my rides, droppinga crumpled piece of tear-stained stationery into a campfire ring with onehand and reaching for a Zippo with the other, I’m headed upwind as fastas my middle-aged legs will drive the bike. The aroma of roasting fat isone thing if you’re sipping a powerful beverage while a thick steak broils,and quite another if your ass is on fire. One fragrance that will never make my olfactory podium is the stenchof stupidity, a

Jeanson takes time to relax

With as many as 10 riders slated to start the Tour — including threeteam leaders — this could be a banner July for the U.S. Lance ArmstrongHometown: Austin, TX Age: 30Height: 5 ft. 10 in. Weight: 165 lbs.Team: U.S. Postal Service Number of Tours: 7 With his well-documented cancer comeback and three consecutive Tourvictories — and the marketing power of Nike — Lance Armstrong has becomean American sports figure on par with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, anunheard of accomplishment for an American cyclist. And like those othertwo, Armstrong’s season preparation comes under intense scrutiny