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Di Luca and friends

The rail-thin Janez Brajkovic, who makes Andy Hampsten look like Orson Welles

Bettini, meanwhile, enjoys some panini on the fly

And Hushovd enjoys what's likely to be his last day in the golden jersey

Zabel enjoys his return to the top step on the podium

Are these a problem?

Zabel outkicks Hushovd and Nazon

Zabel still loves winning

Garcia takes a long, doomed solo

Boogerd takes on a big load of water on another hellish day in Spain

ALINE footbeds

Ben Turner and Brandon Dwight making it look “real.”

Cyclo-cross pictures in a park

Ventoso

Ventoso nails it, as Hushovd appears content to keep his jersey.

The stage was marked by another long - ultimately unsuccessful - escape effort....

... and the long, hot chase that followed.

Hesjedal on bottle duty

Horner hits the windshield washer

Crédit Agricole on the hunt

Hushovd and Danielson enjoy the sweltering day

Pile o’ Sidis. Ergo 1, Ergo 2, Genius 6.6, TR2.6

Comparing the soles. Old on top, new on the bottom.

Dahle-Flesja, as usual, riding on her own

The world champion is congratulated by her husband

Yet another for Absalon, too.

Bishop had a good day...

... JHK did not.

Bettini takes the sprint

Hushovd gets the lead

De Serraga chases mountain points

Joachim has a go

The peloton

Cheering the riders on

Race leader for a day: Sastre

Bettini wins

To the victor belong the spoils

Sastre scores the first leaders jersey of the Vuelta

CSC rode like a machine

Caisse d'Epargne drills it for second

Milram's sprinters cranked out a surprising third-place finish

Discovery and Danielson rolled it in for fourth

T-Mobile finishes fifth

Astana scores sixth

Riis seems happy

And so does Sastre

Danielson will be Disco's sole leader in this Vuelta

Danielson will be Disco's sole leader in this Vuelta

A big, fast course and huge crowds highlighted Friday's 4X

Kintner took the women's title with ease

Still another Swiss win in the cross-country

Unlike last year, when Heras was ultimately denied his win, Vuelta organizers want to know for certain who won the race by the time the peloton reaches Madrid.

Vandenbroucke at this year's Unibet presentation. He's since been fired.

Tom Danielson will line up Saturday as an outright protected team captain for the first time of his career, poised to improve on his seventh place finish in last year’s Vuelta a España. The 28-year-old says it’s all systems go for a three-week Vuelta laden with mountains and short on time trials, a recipe that could serve up Danielson with the chance to become just the second American to stand on the final Vuelta podium. Fresh off his first European victory at the Tour of Austria, Danielson will lead a strong and motivated Discovery Channel team keen to make up for disappointment from this

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEBikes 4 Kids Utah Event Just Around the Corner; 1,000 UnderprivilegedChildren to Receive BicyclesAgenda released for bike giveaway, rides and other event detailsSALT LAKE CITY - August 24, 2006 - Bikes 4 Kids Utah, a non-profitorganization, today announced details of its upcoming fundraiser for underprivilegedchildren in the Salt Lake Valley. Bikes 4 Kids Utah will provide new bicyclesfor 1,000 pre-qualified, underprivileged children from the Boys & GirlsClub of Murray, the Guadalupe School, Holy Cross Ministries, the HispanicRotary and Rose Park Elementary.Along with

The race goes on…BMC sponsors Astana professional road racing team.New team will have office in Switzerland and be led by Marc Biver.BMC, the leading innovative high-end bike manufacturer based in Grenchen/SO,has signed a contract to supply the Astana professional cycling team throughto 2009, seamlessly continuing their engagementin the international race circuit.The Astana cycling team, based in Neuchâtel is being assembledunder the leadership of Marc Biver and will be one of the strongest teamson the international race circuit.BMC is proud to provide the Astana team with the best

Avery has been getting a lot of attention in Rotorua

After a tumultuous season, will Vinokourov still be considered a favorite?

With a short 7.2km course, teams will have to get into their TTT rhythms quickly on Saturday evening.

Menchov will get the jersey back before the start on Saturday

Chengyuan built an early lead and kept it.

Chengyuan set a hard pace at the start and was joined by Liu

Gilbert sails to the stage win as Hincapie sprawls behind

Schumacher charges ahead for a time bonus and the overall win

Hincapie seems disinclined to hear Schumacher's explanation

Mountain-bike racer Jose Antonio Hermida has been ordered home by the Spanish cycling federation just four days before the elite men’s world cross-country championships race, after documents emerged linking his name to the ongoing Operación Puerto doping investigation. As a result of the order, Hermida left Rotorua, New Zealand, site of the 2006 World Mountain-Bike Championships, on Tuesday. According to a statement released by Hermida, the federation made the decision after concluding that a nickname found in documents related to the doping investigation referred to Hermida. The

Vogel led the first charge for Switzerland.

Colorado Color - Kenosha Pass

Kopp takes the stage

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. Maybe it’s because these past few weeks of cycling news have been so depressing that we gravitated to Doug Manno’s “Colorado Color - Kenosha Pass.” No post-race dope test here, just a reminder of why we all ride. Nice work! Drop us a note at Rosters@InsideInc.com to work out the details and we’ll send you a copy of

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.Classifying the resultsDear VeloNews,I see that Tyler Hamilton has won the Mt.Washington Hillclimb again.Perhaps, for the sake of truth in reporting, you should note that whileHamilton came in first in the Suspended Doper division, good old Ned Overend won in the Non-Suspended-Doper

Cycling could be thrown into tumult yet again as the UCI said it’s poised to release more names linked to the ongoing “Operación Puerto” doping investigation in Spain. Reacting from pressure from the top ProTour teams - which met last week in Brussels to demand the UCI release all names linked to inquiry ahead of this weekend’s start of the Vuelta a España - the UCI is expected to reveal even more names connected to controversial Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. The French sports daily L’Equipe reported that the new list could include as many as an additional 50 names from 14 squads, seven

Boonen takes a soggy sprint at the line

No, it's not an acid trip. It's an arty look at the start of the women's race

The elite men

Jason Allen out front

Adam Bergman drilling it

Tony Cruz takes the lead

Brad Huff on the road . . .