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The opening kilometers wind through the newer part of Salzburg on the north side of the river.

Some intrepid Italians have already staked out a good spot at the top of the climb.

Flat and wide open, the roads skirt the Kapuzinerberg hill just across the river from the old town. There’s a McDonald’s along the route where Chris Horner can load up on carbohydrates before the race.

This upper section could be open to winds as well.

The first of two climbs comes at Oberesch at 7.1km on a wide-open road with grades as steep as 8 percent . . .

After fast, a long, fast downhill from Elixhausen, the course rolls back into Salzburg proper with flat, wide open roads, but it might be too late to pull back a break at 13km to go.

. . . , but it’s really just a moderate push up a large hump.

The last kilometer banner brings the route into some tricky corners coming into the final sprint.

Imaginative locals have dressed up their farm fields with life-sized cyclists made of wood.

The final straightaway is a clear, 300-meter shot to the line.

Look, there’s the Eddy Merckx campground!

Bettini wants to add a rainbow jersey to his Olympic gold

The road narrows as it pushes off the main highway toward the most decisive sections of the course.

Nice place to go for a bike ride, eh?

There’s a rolling flat at Zilling at 8.4km while crews were putting on the finishing touches at a huge viewing area replete with good, old-fashioned Austrian beer tents. It is Oktoberfest, after all.

Couple enjoying a little lakeside breakfast in Hallstatt

You might skip the brew and stop for lunch, or if you have deeper needs...

Hallstatt Village and Hallstatter Lake

Rogers was having an off day

The podium

Baldwin hoped for top 10, but finished 26th

Alejandro Valverde is not among the riders implicated in the Operación Puerto doping scandal that rocked the sport in May, Spanish federation officials insisted Thursday. Valverde, who on Sunday will bid for the men's road race crown here at the world cycling championships, had been the subject of recent reports that he was among the riders implicated in the investigation. Ahead of the Spanish team's arrival on Thursday, Spanish federation president Fulgencio Sanchez, who was accompanied by the country's Minister for Sport Angel Luis de la Fuente, was adamant the Caisse

A rider with the Austrian under-23 men's team has tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) ahead of the world road cycling championships, the Austrian federation confirmed Thursday. Marco Leonardo Oreggia tested positive for the banned blood booster last week when the Austrian federation carried out random tests on the entire under-23 team. Oreggia has yet to demand a test on his B sample. If that turns out positive, or if Oreggia declines to challenge the results of the A sample, it would force a sanction from the Austrian federation. Even if he does demand a re-test, it's unlikely

The two-year racing ban of Tyler Hamilton ends officially Friday and the Olympic time trial champion can immediately return to domestic competition – for now anyway. The New Englander’s troubles seem far from over, however. He is facing a possible lifetime ban if documents found in the “Operación Puerto” dossier show proof of alleged doping practices and the UCI wants to keep him out of the elite ProTour league for another two years. “He can race in USA Cycling-sanctioned events as of tomorrow,” said USA Cycling spokesman Andy Lee told VeloNews. “Until USADA makes some sort of finding in

Cancellara blazes to the gold

Zabriskie heads for silver

Cancellara drills it

Zabriskie was second fastest

The Kazakh Attack roars to third

Millar had to settle for 15th, 3:22 back

The gold goes to Cancellara

Think he's at all happy about it?

The podium

Thurig took the silver

Kozlikova started fast, but faded

Neben made it three Americans in the top 10

Something to celebrate – two Americans on the podium

Our latest reader-submitted Photo Gallery is now up for your viewing pleasure. Of course, a new gallery also means the naming of the winner of ourmost recent contest. Take the time to wander through that gallery and see if you agree or disagree with our choice of winner. Rick Paulos’s “Nice bike path in Amsterdam” caught our attention largely because of its great lighting and composition and because it reminded us of just how nice it is to ride a bike in Amsterdam. Great shot, Rick, and what a great town to explore on two human-powered wheels. Nice work! Drop us a note at

Italian police carried out searches of houses and gymnasiums across the country on Wednesday as part of a investigation into doping in cycling, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport's website. The investigation was prompted by the Spanish investigation into blood-doping, Operación Puerto. The blood-tampering scandal involves nine riders and led to the suspensions of Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso by their teams just before the Tour De France. The searches of 36 addressess across Italy were authorized by Bergamo prosecutor Cristina Rota and carried across in the early hours Wednesday. Among

Nice bike path in Amsterdam

Armstrong nails it.

Without missing a beat: Armstrong loses only a little time after dropping her chain.

Thorburn rides to the bronze

Cornu chows down on gold

The podium

Defending champ Ignatiev rode to second

Coppel claimed bronze for France

U.S. champ Bookwalter felt a little off form

Horner - seen here winning a stage at this year's Tour of Romandie - wouldn't mind striking another pose like this in Salzburg.

Horner chats with reporters at the Vuelta

Salzburg played host to Mozart's 250th birthday celebration in January.

World champ Rogers starts this year's Tour prologue

Tuesday afternoon on the TT course.

Former Liberty Seguros team manager Manolo Saiz has been replaced by Roger Legeay, the manager of Crédit Agricole, on an UCI ProTour council. Saiz has become a pariah in the sport ever since he was implicated in an ongoing doping affair in Spain to which 58 riders are allegedly linked. The Spaniard was taken in for questioning by police in Madrid at the end of May after he was arrested with 60,000 euros and banned substances in his possession. His arrest was one of the first moves in the investigation dubbed Operation Puerto, and which led to the discovery of an alleged blood doping

Two time world pursuit champion Roy Schuiten has died at the age of 55 it was announced on Tuesday. Schuiten, who won individual pursuit titles in 1974 and 1975, died of a stomach haemmorhage in Portugal where he retired to and owned a restaurant.

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.Let’s not muzzle those who come forwardEditor:It will be interesting to find out what actions, if any, the Discovery team plans against Frankie Andreu. I for one will be tremendously disappointed if the team were to take any action that would discourage others from coming forward. Cycling

Heading to Salzburg, Vinokourov hopes to pick up where he left off in Madrid.

Cordero is content with his Vuelta

On you mark....

Horgan-Kobelski

Kylander-Johnson

Vinokourov's golden moment.

Stevic went clear alone, but an ill-timed bee sting on his forehead took him out of the race.

New brakes, new crank, new bottom bracket... Campagnolo is making changes

Sarah Uhl, out in Colorado for three weeks in preparation for the national track championships, showed good form in winning the crit.

This is what a No. 245 looks like.

Revelation of the 2006 season, Alison Powers stomped the women’s field and won the road race to wrap up the omnium. Powers will be riding for Colavita next year.

Vittoria's Pit Stop Corsa is the solution for punctured tubulars.

Blue Streak: TIAA-CREF had 9 riders in the race — every last one of whom lined it up for the last dozen or so laps.

When pedaling, the Equilink pulls down on the top lever to stop the suspension from bobbing.

Huff took his turns on the front in the closing laps too, working for his teammate Mike Friedman.

Time's ASX monocoque carbon cranks combine an integrated spindle with an ISIS left arm attachment.

Frischkorn leapt from his team’s train to net a pricey prime with 5 laps to go.

Zabel nabs another

But Health Net’s Karl Menzies got the best of them all, getting out of the last corner first.

Danielson and Barry enjoy a mellow day in the saddle.

Priority Health’s Tom Zirbel won the time trial and got fifth in the road race, but a ninth place finish in the criterium dropped him to fourth in final points-based classification.

The Vuelta came down to a battle of two-against-one at times.

The action heated up when the peloton reaches the closing circuit in Madrid.

The boys from Khazakstan celebrate in Madrid.