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The chase

Teams regroup following expulsionsThey’ve gone from being the favorites to scratching their heads about what this Tour de France means. Powerhouses such as T-Mobile and Team CSC are starting to come to grips with the unprecedented expulsions of pre-Tour favorites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso. The pair’s departure in Friday’s purge - when nine riders from four teams were kicked out of the Tour for alleged links to a blood doping in Spain - left both teams reeling in their absence. Now, as the Tour rolled into its first road stage, the Tour’s presumptive dominators have taken stock and are

Giro will offer KOM and Discovery versions of its Atmos starting later this month

Hincapie in his first yellow jersey

The latest piece of helmet hardware from Giro was unveiled at a downtown hotel in Strasbourg on Sunday. The new lid, dubbed Ionos, is the next generation in a line that started back in 1987 with the egg-shaped Pro Light. But the Ionos bears little resemblance to its ancestor. Instead the company claims that this stealthy offering is lighter and stronger than anything it’s offered before. The Ionos is said to weigh 260 grams (medium size) and will be available starting in spring 2007. In the meantime riders from Discovery Channel, Rabobank and Phonak are getting the first crack at it.

Posthuma's best-young-rider helmet

A happy day all around on the podium, it seems

Results – Stage 11. Jimmy Casper (F), Cofidis2. Robbie Mc Ewen (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 00:003. Erik Zabel (G), Milram, 00:004. Daniele Bennati (I), Lampre, 00:005. Luca Paolini (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 00:006. Isaac Galvez (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., 00:007. Stuart O´Grady (Aus), CSC, 00:008. Bernhard Eisel (A), Francaise des Jeux, 00:009. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole, 00:0010. Oscar Freire (Sp), Rabobank, 00:00 11. Peter Wrolich (A), Gerolsteiner, 00:0012. Inaki Isasi (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 00:0013. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step-Innergetic, 00:0014. Francisco Ventoso (Sp), Saunier

A cutaway view

But the work's not over for the photographers, who must both shoot and send

VelonNews correspondents Jason Sumner and Andy Hood discuss the ejection of Jan Ullrich Ivan Basso and others, and its effects on the race. Click Here to watch video.

Christian Vande Velde earlier this week

Levi Leipheimer

Evans heads out on a scouting mission

Police were surprised when they raided the Madrid apartment of Spanishdoctor Eufemiano Fuentes on May 23 to find a cornucopia of products ranging from human growth hormones, testosterone patches, EPO and insulin.In one apartment, 96 pouches of frozen blood and 20 pouches of frozen plasma were found, while in another office, an additional 89 pouches of frozen blood and 19 pouches of frozen plasma were among the haul.Among centrifuges and other medical apparatus to extract and transfuse blood, members of the doping squad of Spain’s Guardia Civil found were more than 100 different products.The

Evans races to 14th in the prologue

Landis trying to make up for that late start

Meet the press

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.Don’t elevate scandal over sportEditor:This is a terrible, terrible tragedy. Please, don't make it worse by allowing this tragedy to be the focus of your 2006 Tour de France coverage. There are still fierce competitors and heroes in this year’s Tour who aren't part of this

Hamilton with Sevilla at the 2004 team presentation

Hincapie came so close.

That's a lot of Bianchis

One day after he was forced out of the Tour de France because of a doping scandal, Giro d’Italia winner Ivan Basso said he was "not well" but "serene inside." The Team CSC rider complained in a television interview that he had not been formally notified of any investigation into suspected doping. "Surely, I am not well, that's clear," the Italian cyclist said. "I'm not well because, as of today, I have not been formally notified. But inside I am serene. And that is the most important thing." Basso and T-Mobile’s Jan Ullrich, two of the favorites to win this year’s Tour, were among

McQuaid seeks harsh penalties.

Discovery's Jose Azevedo

Phonak's time machines

Out of the gates of hell, but out of the gates nonetheless. The last few days have been crazy, waking up every morning not knowing what the day will bring. It has been hard to keep our focus and stay above the haze of doubt and unknown. The journalists have been doing their jobs and just like anything, some do theirs better than others. I have so many questions and so much frustration that I don't even know where to begin, to the point of when I ran into George, a person in whom I have always confided, neither of us had a thing to say to each other. But the looks said it all; we

O'Grady channeled his anger into a fine prologue ride

Julich may have an unexpected role on CSC this Tour.

Hincapie's TT bike

Cadel Evans has become one of the riders capable of challenging for the Tour de France crown following the expulsion of several contenders implicated in the Spanish doping inquiry called Operación Puerto. He spoke to Rupert Guinness before placing 14th in Saturday's prologue time trial, just 13 seconds behind winner Thor Hushovd. — Editor VeloNews: There will be a number of riders won’t be here ... Ivan Basso, Jan Ullrich, Francisco Mancebo, Alexandre Vinokourov. How will that change the completion of the race? Cadel Evans: Now there won’t be three teams who would try to control the

Oh so close: Hincapie finishes 0.73 seconds behind Hushovd

Zabriskie says he loves timed events more than any others.

And the new Trek Madone

The head of cycling's governing body says that Tyler Hamilton could be facing a lifetime ban if links to an alleged blood doping ring in Spain are confirmed. Others, including 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile), 2006 Giro d’Italia champion Ivan Basso (CSC) and T-Mobile's Oscar Sevilla could face four-year bans before returning to cycling’s 20-team ProTour league. UCI President Pat McQuaid told VeloNews that if police evidence linking Hamilton to Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes is proven, the 2004 Olympic time trial champion will be banned for life. “With the evidence

Zabriskie rounds out the top three.

The devil you say

Michael Rogers's TT bike

[Watch Video]

Millar marks his return to the peloton

Even the clock comes with advertising

Rujano in his new kit

One day after CSC’s team leader Ivan Basso was barred from competing in this year’s Tour de France over allegations of his alleged involvement with the Spanish doping scandal Operación Puerto, his teammates were left picking up the pieces. In the 24 hours before the prologue in Strasbourg, the world’s No. 1 ranked team went from its focused mission of overall victory for Basso to wondering who might lead the team over the next three weeks. "It’s been very difficult for our team — for our supporters, for everybody," said Australian CSC rider Stuart O’Grady, who was able to channel his

Savoldelli rides to an 8th place finish at 8:25

Name that car

The remaining CSC boys prepare for the day's work

[Watch Video]

The turn out is as big as ever...

Weigh that bike

Ready to roll

Course The panhandle-shaped 7.1km prologue course is in the eastern part of Strasbourg, a kilometer from the ancient heart of the city with its spired cathedral and picturesque canals. The start and finish are close to the race headquarters in the Palais de la Musique et des Congrès. After a short section of divided highway, the circuit takes a clockwise direction around a 5km loop that passes old ramparts and modern buildings of the European Parliament. The course is completely flat on wide, tree-lined city streets. History The Tour de France last started in Strasbourg in 1953, some 14

With scandals, ejections and legal battles brewing on the sidelines, it's sometimes hard to remember that the Tour de France actually involves guys riding bikes and trying to do so faster than the guys around him. Our guy Casey Gibson remembered and went out on the streets of Strasbourg, France, on Saturday to catch a glimpse of the opening round of what could actually turn into one of the most closely fought Tours in years.

... with an occasional reminder of other things now and then.

Here comes the caravan

The German press showed little sympathy for former Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich Saturday, a day after he was suspended from this year's race for alleged connections to a Spanish doping doctor. Ullrich, the 1997 winner, and fellow favorite Ivan Basso of Italy were among 13 riders thrown off the Tour by their respective teams after appearing on a list of 58 cyclists implicated in a blood-doping network. "The lies of sporting life," was the title of Berliner Zeitung which continued to applaud the battle against drug cheats. "Finally some good news. The suspension of Ullrich and Co,

Jason Sumner didn't settle for simply whipping up a stage report today — he also sent along plenty of photos to accompany our live coverage of the prologue. Look for Jason's stuff throughout the Tour.

What riders see at the start...

Horner's seen it all before

A year after finishing the Tour de France in the sprinters’ green jersey, Thor Hushovd will start the opening road stage of the 2006 rendition in yellow. The burly Norwegian earned initial possession of the maillot jaune Saturday, taking victory in the 7.1km prologue that kicked off this year’s race in Strasbourg. On a steamy day in the Alsace region of eastern France, Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) blistered the flat, lollipop shaped course, posting a finish time of 8:17. That was just enough to eclipse American George Hincapie, the last of 176 riders to start the 93rd Tour de France. Hincapie

Prologue: Strasbourg 7.1km

... and what they hope to see at the finish.

Warming up

1. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Credit Agricole, 8:172. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel, 8:173. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, 8:214. Sebastian Lang (G), Gerolsteiner, 8:215. Alejandro Valverde (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., 8:216. O’grady Stuart (Aus), CSC, 8:217. Michael Rogers (Aus), T-Mobile, 8:238. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, 8:259. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, 8:2610. Vladimir Karpets (Rus), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., 8:27 11. Serhiy Honchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, 8:2712. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step-Innergetic, 8:2813. Manuel Quinziato (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 8:2914. Cadel Evans

Prologue: Strasbourg 7.1km

Chris Horner warms up...

Really warming up

Friday’s "cleansing" of the Tour de France continued to resonate as the reduced peloton of 176 riders lined up for Saturday’s opening prologue. The doping controversy continued to broil below the surface following the unprecedented expulsion of pre-race favorites Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile), Ivan Basso (CSC), Francisco Mancebo (Ag2r) and the entire Astaná-Würth team. The riders were taken out of the Tour just 24 hours before Saturday’s start after excerpts from some 500 pages of court and police documents of Spain’s ongoing doping investigation were presented to UCI and Tour officials late

Hushovd wins the prologue

... and on the course.

A few final adjustments

Discovery team director Johan Bruyneel discusses the rider ejections and how it will effect his teams strategy during the morning of the prologue. Click Here to watch video.

Did Landis miss a win?

Christian Vande Velde

Same here

30/06/2006: Press release : Puerto Operation : The UCI's StandpointHaving examined the EGB n°116 report which the Guardia Civil sent to the examining magistrate in the file "Operaciòn Puerto" on June 27th, 2006, the UCI considered that it results from this report that the following riders, registered to participate in the 2006 Tour de France, are questioned in this case:Sergio PAULINHOIsidro NOZALAllan DAVISAlberto CONTADORJoseba BELOKIFrancisco MANCEBOIvan BASSOJan ULLRICHOscar SEVILLAThe UCI underlines that the questioning does not mean that it is established that the above

Perhaps it’s premature to look ahead to the afternoon of July 23, 2006, when a new champion of the Tour de France will be crowned on the Champs-Élysées. Perhaps it’s naïve to look past the latest doping scandal to bring professional cycling to its knees. But for the continued popularity of our sport — which has never been at a higher point in the United States — we have to move on. It takes months, sometimes years before the judiciary resolves complicated cases like Operación Puerto; for instance the Cofidis team scandal of January 2004 is only going to court a few weeks from now, 30 months

The T-Mobile team, with its captain Jan Ullrich, had just turned on to the driveway of the Golf Hotel Plobsheim, when team director Olaf Ludwig's cell phone rang. On the other end of the line was team spokesman Christian Frommert, calling from the veranda of the posh resort, where the German media had assembled to await the presentation of the team’s Tour squad. Ludwig was told in no uncertain terms to make the bus driver turn around and leave ... immediately. It was a symbolic drive for Ullrich, who so often in his career had come so close to his goals but failed to reach them. This

Riis walks to a press conference after reaching his decision...