News

Madrid- Tour de France chief Patrice Clerc, the president of the company which owns the world's biggest bike race, said he is alarmed by the current state of cycling only a day before the sport elects a new president. On Friday, International Cycling Union (UCI) president Hein Verbruggen is likely to be replaced by his handpicked successor, Irishman Pat McQuaid. The election is being held, however, under a cloud following suggestions from several UCI members that the UCI has not been transparent and, some have claimed, corrupt - charges that have been vehemently denied by the

Gutierrez had dreams of a rainbow jersey... until the last rider crossed the line

Vancouver, British Columbia (AP) - World Anti-Doping Agency head Dick Pound called a letter from two sports leaders ''ill informed'' in which they asked WADA to suspend the French laboratory involved in Lance Armstrong's disputed drug tests. The letter also asked for an investigation into who leaked information regarding documents leading to a report that Armstrong used banned substances during the 1999 Tour de France. The seven-time Tour de France winner has denied using banned drugs and said he is the victim of a "witch hunt." Denis Oswald, president of the Association

Full time director sportif and amateur chiropractor, Bjarne Riis makes a couple of last-minute adjustments to Bobby Julich.

Cesar Grajales on the attack

Bobby J contemplates the start

The coffee is back for a decade. Are the Minis?

Julich was on track for what he thought would be a good ride....

Have another cup

... but maybe the long season has taken its toll.

McEwen already knows the pose. Now he wants the jersey

Eki' is back on the bike

Johnson is moving on to HealthNet in '06

Some had pegged Vino' for the win...

Trent Lowe and Jittery Joes made an impression at Georgia

.... but these guys knew better.

Johnson on Brasstown...

Rogers was on-form...

Buy some Java and you, too, can sponsor a team

... and well ahead of schedule when he crossed the line.

Rogers knew he had it when he crossed the line

Familiar territory for the TT man from Oz

Three's a charm

The top of the podium...

Julich: Not happy with this ride

... and the legs that put them there.

Wiggins set an early standard

Those Marco Pinotti fans are smart dressers.

Plaza couldn't repeat his Vuelta TT win

Two days before the election of a new UCI president, the International Olympic Committee has rejected has rejected complaints lodged by several UCI critics against its outgoing president Hein Verbruggen. The IOC's Ethics Commission, according to a UCI press release, rejected complaints by Sylvia Schenk, the former head of the German cycling federation (BDR), Malaysian Darshan Singh and the Spanish cycling federation over Verbruggen. Dark clouds have been hanging over the UCI and the upcoming election for a number of weeks over allegations of favoritism, a lack of transparency and even

Thürig catches and passes Lithuania's Edita Pucinskaite on her way to a gold medal

Repeat!

Armstrong set an early standard.

Neben was one second off of Arndt's fourth-place

A conversation with Tyler Farrar: Looking to the future

Here birdy! Trek-Volkswagen’s Jeremiah Bishop almost became a nine-digit man this weekend.

No shortage of obstacles

The usual cross-country fans showed up.

An aid station at La Ruta

Rich Houseman charged hard in the mountain cross.

It's a different kind of mountain bike race

Big Neddy’s still got it. Overend podiumed in the men’s cross-country.

Bridge crossing on day 3

Clearing out the passages

There's lots -- and lots -- of climbing

Alison and Shonny displayed tan lines before the cross-country.

The race is one of Costa Rica's biggest sporting events.

Maxxis honch Eric Wallace wowed the audience with an oratory on proper mutton-chop grooming.

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - A hard lesson; A raffle; Is an hour an hour?

“Jungle Jay” Henry gave props to marathon winner Travis Brown.

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - A hard lesson; A raffle; Is an hour an hour?

Alison Dunlap choked back tears at the short track starting line.

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - A hard lesson; A raffle; Is an hour an hour?

Dara Marks-Marino masters oral hygiene.

After smoking it in the DH, Cody Warren was mobbed by his clan.

The fastest guns of the annual industry cup race

After returning home from assignment, I always find myself with a camera full of oddball Kodak moments documenting mischief, shenanigans and even a bit of racing. Usually, these images are a tad too fuzzy or just downright bizarre to be included with a race report, and they end up as unused electronic blips polluting the bowels of my hard drive. Such was the case after the 2005 national mountain bike championships, held September 15-18 at Mammoth Mountain, California. It seemed that after seven months of continued racing, the fat tire crowd was more than willing to silly themselves up.

“Brilliant theory Copernicus! Carl Decker lectures on the finer points of shammy butter.

There is no such thing as a sure thing in cycling, but for more than a decade Costa Rica’s La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike race has been pretty close. In each of the event’s 12 renditions the men’s victor in the three-day trek from the Pacific Ocean across the mountainous Central American country to the Atlantic has been won by one of the local boys. But this year, with the race’s 13th running set to commence in the ocean side town of Punta Leona on November 11, that could all change. Among the non-Ticos signed up this year are former world junior cross-country champion Walker

Is that Willow Koerber? Subaru-GF manager John Rourke does a Dee Snyder impression

Riding for Italy, Lombardi will nonetheless be on home turf in Madrid

The splendor of La Ruta

Marla Streb looks tough with that huge newly earned single speed world champion’s tattoo.

Tinker takes on the locals

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.One-man show in evidence at Barclays GPEditor:I can confirm letter writer Noah Byrd's observation that to the majority of the American public and, I say, even to the industry, that cycling is a one-man show. I went to the inaugural San Francisco Grand Prix bicycle race (and to all

Cyclocrossworld.com Joins Team at Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of CyclocrossCyclocrossworld.com, the world’s leading supplier of cyclocross specialtyequipment, has joined the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross teamfor the 2005 season. Established in 1999 by Stu Thorne, Cyclocrossworld.comhas grown into the go-to source for ‘cross racers looking to outfit themselvesand their bikes for the fall season.“Cyclocross World is glad to be a part of the USGP this season,” saidThorne, from Cyclocrossworld.com world headquarters in Wenham, MA. “Weshifted our sponsorship priorities this year

Interactive brand directorSports publisher seeks an Interactive Brand Director to manage itshigh-profile Web sites and interactive businesses. The successful candidateshould have experience in creating interactive media concepts, managingmultiple interactive projects, e-commerce, budget development and implementationspecifically geared toward controlling costs and optimizing profitabilitywithin the brands. The candidate will be able to successfully explore andimplement new technologies, markets, and other growth opportunities forInternet related businesses. The candidate will direct and

Cycling's governing body, on Monday, denied that its president supplied a French sports newspaper with documents used to accuse Lance Armstrong of doping at the 1999 Tour de France. The Union Cycliste Internationale also said Monday that World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound was blocking its investigation by withholding information. UCI said Pound must be held accountable and “conduct of this type will not be tolerated.” Pound said last week he received a letter from UCI president Hein Verbruggen saying he had provided L’Equipe with forms indicating Armstrong had tested positive for

It's supposed to be all about who will become world champion but another race, for the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI), could overshadow all competition in the Spanish capital this week. UCI president Hein Verbruggen is stepping down after 14 years in charge having introduced numerous reforms, including the recent and still unsettled Pro Tour series. However the race to replace the 64-year-old Dutchman - who will continue his role at the International Olympic Committee as chief coordinator for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing - on September 23 has turned messy. To begin

Roberto Heras JetStreams to TT improvementAlong with his always present climbing skills and Manolo Saiz’ powerfulteam tactics, Roberto Heras has also displayed a new found proficiencyin his time trialing.In addition to more time spent on his TT bike, Roberto has benefitedfrom a new Manolo Saiz designed, BH produced TT frame with an Oval Conceptsdesigned fork and aero bar using Oval’s revolutionary JetStream aerodynamicstechnology. Oval JetStream technology is quite noticeable with its twinaero shaped blades and specially shaped vents. The JetStream aero bar hasbeen co-designed and built at

Milan Style: EICMA show offers plenty to admire

Petacchi wins the finale in Madrid, beating - you guessed it - Erik Zabel

Milan Style: EICMA show offers plenty to admire

The podium, from left: Menchov, Heras and Sastre

Milan Style: EICMA show offers plenty to admire

Milan Style: EICMA show offers plenty to admire

An ugly finish with a striking backdrop: Madrid's Kio towers

Milan Style: EICMA show offers plenty to admire