Dominque Rollin wins it with a well-timed attack!
Dominque Rollin wins it with a well-timed attack!
News
News
TOC Fashion Watch: Hincapie’s new look
When High Road unveiled its 2008 kits, it was an all-black affair with red and yellow lettering that looked vaguely out of the Performance Bicycle clearance rack. Given the teams’ strict anti-doping philosophy, I was surprised they hadn’t gone with white —pure as the driven snow, and all. But prior to the team’s official presentation last week, the black jerseys had given way to white, while the black shorts and Ocean Pacific-style font remained. It’s simple and straightforward, even if it doesn’t immediately say “world class cycling team.”
TOC Fashion Watch: Millar’s national champion’s kit
Other standout mostly white kits include the national champions’ uniforms of German champ Fabian Wegmann, British champ David Millar and U.S. champ Levi Leipheimer (which of course he swapped for the yellow leader’s jersey following Wednesday’s stage).
TOC Fashion Watch: Levi’s national champion’s kit
The retro look is also in — again — as evidenced by the Evil Knievel stars-and-stripes of Leipheimer's champion kit (Come to think of it, Knievel, may he rest in peace, may have contributed as much to pop fashion as he did to extreme sports. There's a doctoral thesis in this idea for someone).
TOC Fashion Watch: Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast
With its green and yellow colors, this Minneapolis-based team kind of has that whole Green Bay Packers, scrappy underdog thing going. Though it’s not much different than last year, with just a little blue added in the mix, the KBS-Medifast kit is different.
TOC Fashion Watch: Rock Racing
The Oakland Raiders of this year’s pro peloton. I’ll give Rock credit — their kits certainly stand out, even if they do look like intergalactic pirates emerging from a vat of radioactive waste (or like Teenage Mutant Ninja Halloween contests, as VeloNews senior editor Charles Pelkey says). I personally don’t care for their kits, but I have to say, when you see their matching lime green-and-black kits, De Rosa bikes and team Escalades at once, the whole ensemble comes together. It’s Rock, dude.
TOC Fashion Watch: Astana’s new kit
I wasn’t a fan of last year’s Astana kits, which looked a little too much like Easter eggs. Working within the color scheme of Kazakhstan’s national colors, this year’s kit, which incorporates more white than last year, is an improvement.
TOC Fashion Watch: Boonen and Bettini
Modeled here by Tom Boonen on the left, Quick Step-Innergetic is another team that opted for a white background with blue accents, departing from last year’s solid blue design with elements of white and gray. I like it, although that white is going to get pretty dirty during the Belgian classics. But my favorite outfit at this year’s Tour of California? Well, other than Rock Racing’s podium girls, who look good in anything they’re wearing (and really have to be seen to be believed), I’m going to go with world champion Paolo Bettini, on the right. He’s got the coolest all-white kit in the peloton, and as the saying goes, rainbow stripes never go out of style.
Bjarne Riis is sooooo not getting his rental deposit back.
Bjarne Riis is sooooo not getting his rental deposit back. The back window was taken out by Kelly Benefit's Kevin Lacombe apparently ran into the car on the descent from the second KOM during Wednesday's stage.
Gesink and Leipheimer descend Felter Rd. Stage 3 AToC
Gesink and Leipheimer descend Felter Rd. Stage 3 AToC
February Slickrock
February Slickrock
Leipheimer in yellow, again, at the Tour of California.
Leipheimer in yellow, again, at the Tour of California.
Gesink celebrates his win of the 2008 Tour of California stage 3.
Gesink celebrates his win of the 2008 Tour of California stage 3, the second win of his professional career.
Gesink grabs the stage, Levi the jersey
Gesink grabs the stage, Levi the jersey
Leipheimer takes a pull as Gesink urges him on.
Leipheimer takes a pull as Gesink urges him on.
Leipheimer hammering toward the finish of stage 3
Leipheimer hammering toward the finish of stage 3, where he would trade his U.S. champion's jersey for a yellow race leader's.
Gesink gets the win ahead of Leipheimer
Gesink gets the win ahead of Leipheimer
2008 ATOC Stage 3: Pre race with Slipstream – Chipotle rider David Millar.
2008 ATOC Stage 3: Pre race with Slipstream - Chipotle rider David Millar.
Farrar, shown at the start Wednesday, abandoned mid-race
Farrar abandoned shortly after the stage 3 start
A bandaged George Hincapie on the first of two neutral start laps in Modesto
A bandaged George Hincapie on the first of two neutral start laps in Modesto
The peloton rolls out at the start of stage 3
The peloton rolls out at the start of stage 3
A World Champion filled front row at the start of stage 3 in Modesto
A World Champion filled front row at the start of stage 3 in Modesto
World Champion Fabian Cancellara is called up to the front row at the start of stage 3
World Champion Fabian Cancellara is called up to the front row at the start of stage 3
Cipo on his way to sign in for stage 3
Cipo on his way to sign in for stage 3
Will Danny Pate animate the race today?
Will Danny Pate animate the race today?
Mavic neutral support rolls through the crowds toward the start of stage 3
Mavic neutral support rolls through the crowds toward the start of stage 3
CSC fans at the start of Stage 3
CSC fans at the start of Stage 3
Tyler Farrar’s Felt F1 Team Issue
Tyler Farrar’s Felt F1 Team Issue
Slipstream’s Powertap central.
Slipstream’s Powertap central.
Statue of Chief Estanislao in downtown Modesto which is in Stanislaus County
Statue of Chief Estanislao in downtown Modesto which is in Stanislaus County