News

Tranquility. It is not something I would always associate with a densely populated county like Belgium. According to my handy CIA Factbook, there are 10.2 Million Belgians in a country the size of Maryland. Yet, more often than not I am astounded by how quiet it can be here. Tonight we are cooling off from a “heat wave” that equates to standard summer temperatures in the Midwest. The air is perfectly still and out in the fields you might here a tractor cutting hay but beyond that all you hear is the clatter of bicycle chains. Enjoy the national pastime: a bicycle ride. How quiet it can

OVERALL GAME WINNER     Team Maxigaz   34050       OVERALL SPRINT WINNERS   18th Green   2106

It seems that pro mountain bike racers will finally be racing for more than bragging rights now that USA Cycling and GaleForce have signed a new sponsor, adding cash prizes to the final round of the 2003 NORBA National Championship Series. Mountain Bike TV and The 9to5 Race Day, a new Florida based mountain bike marathon racing series, will provide cash at the NCS final for top finishers in all pro disciplines – cross country, downhill, short track, and mountain cross. A full announcement will be made at the NORBA series final at Durango Mountain Resort, August 14-17. Mountain Bike TV

Pecharromán at Catalunya

Mr. Rogers' neighborhood: Pardon my French

Miguel Garcia, of Peoria, Arizona, won a Giant TCR Composite Tour 100 through our online drawing, which more than 22,000 people entered. The Giant TCR Composite Tour 100 road bike retails for more than $12,000. "Being a cat. 4 road racer, this bike might be a little above my level, but I'm extremely happy to have won it," Garcia said. Giant produced 100 of the bikes to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France.

None of the other runners waited when Mary Decker fell after colliding with Zola Budd in the final of the 3000-meter race at the 1984 Olympics. Nor did rival jockeys slow the pace after War Emblem stumbled out of the gate at the 2002 Belmont Stakes, ruining his chance to win the Triple Crown. But when Lance Armstrong caught his handlebars on a fan's tote bag and crashed to the pavement last month during the 15th stage of the Tour de France -- a crucial climb to the Pyrenees ski village of Luz-Ardiden -- Armstrong's rivals slowed down and waited for him to recover, forsaking the chance to

Americans Jeremiah Bishop and Mary McConneloug scored cross-country medals Sunday as the Pan American Games came to the mountains of Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. Bishop, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, took the gold among what USA Cycling’s Andy Lee called “a small but competitive field,” while McConneloug, of Fairfax, California, took silver behind Argentina’s Jimena Florit. Team USA’s other entry, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski of Boulder, abandoned on the first lap with a stomach infection. The 4.4km course, which wound its way through the local villages, began with a brief but technical descent,

Jaksche, Garcia Acosta, Hoste and Portal got the ball rolling early

Cañada and Hincapie survived an early selection on the Cat. 1 Alto de Jaizkibel

But the battle boiled down to Bettini and Basso

And it was Bettini at the finish

Germany's bid to defend its Olympic men's team-pursuit title in Athens next year will have to start from scratch after suspensions were handed out to bickering riders Friday in Frankfurt. The German Cycling Federation (BDR) did not hold back in its punishment of its top track riders, whose internal quarreling led hosts Germany not to present a team for the event at the recent world track cycling championships in Stuttgart. The BDR's decision to disband the team and start afresh came after some nasty nitpicking between Robert Bartko and Jens Lehmann at the recent world

A week ago we posed the question in this space: "How many donuts is too many?" Well, after poring over the responses, we came up with a concrete answer: 4.625. So, don’t tell my wife, but that means I’ll consider it acceptable to down four donuts on any given morning at work. As for those of you who responded that one donut is too many, or that I should eat a good, hearty breakfast and lay off the donuts, I’m sorry that your Web browser accidentally took you to this page. If you go back to the VeloNews.com home page, I’m sure you’ll find what you were looking for. I’ll leave the last word on

Back with Bianchi.

Dear Bob, I was commuting to work two months ago and a guy pulled out of an apartment parking lot just as I was passing. I hit the side of his vehicle and went face first into his windshield. I have been left with large medical bills and several large scars on my face. His insurance company has offered up $50,000 policy limits, which I am about to accept. They told me I have to sign a release before cashing the check. What should I know before I sign? Dave C.Austin, Texas Dear Dave, The release the insurance company will require you to sign before you can accept the policy limits is a

Tyler Hamilton came in fourth in the Tour de France, but to the crowd that showed up to honor him at his hometown Wednesday, he might as well have been the winner. "He completely endears himself to the Marblehead community, not just because he's a native son, but also he showed this courage in one of the hardest sporting events in the world. There's just a lot of awe and pride here today," said Wendy Booher, one of the organizers of a parade for Hamilton in the Massachusetts town. Even after breaking his right collarbone in the first stage of the cycling race last month, the 32-year-old

Nothing 'national' about this podium.

Sher was the '02 U.S. downhill champ despite finishing third overall.

Since when does 8=1.

Jacques Hanegraaf, general manager of German Olympic champion Jan Ullrich's Bianchi team, on Wednesday blasted rumors in the German press that the cycling team is in financial difficulty. "We don't have any problems, otherwise we wouldn't have obtained our license,” he said. As to rumors that Bianchi was not paying its riders, Hanegraaf added: "Evidently, we pay our riders' wages. If not, we wouldn't be allowed to take part in races.” Hanegraaf confirmed that Bianchi is looking for a co-sponsor. "We're in some very good negotiations,” he said. “But it makes no sense to announce a sponsor

Time trial world champion Santiago Botero's season has drawn to a premature close as he struggles to shake off persistent stomach problems. The Colombian, who rides for Telekom, withdrew from the Tour de France before the 18th stage when he was placed 70th with a two-hour deficit over eventual winner Lance Armstrong. Before he returns to racing, according to team doctor Lothar Heinrich, "He's going to have to make a complete recovery." Botero, who finished fourth in last year's Tour de France, signed for Telekom from Kelme last November. The previous month he had become the first Colombian

First, a moment of silence for my lost youth, at least the 12 years of sunny afternoons spent standing around a baseball diamond shagging ground balls and spitting sunflower seeds when I could have been building up a sorely-missed lifelong base of cardiovascular fitness. Not buying it, sports fans? Okay, then how about a moment of silence for the loss of the 140-mile Boulder-to-Breckenridge one-day epic that had been scheduled to run this Saturday, August 9, but was cancelled several months ago after two-year title-sponsor Saturn pulled its sponsorship in the spring. After an admirable

My childhood hero. I don't think 'The Garv' ever shaved his legs.

There is a gesture that symbolizes the blooming of a new era in Spanish cycling. In 1991, right after crossing the finish line in the 13th stage of the Tour of France, behind Italian Claudio Chiapucci, Miguel Indurain raised his fist to the sky in Val Louron. It was a gesture of joy and courage; the starting point of a career that led Spaniard Miguel Indurain to win five consecutive Tours of France, from 1991 to 1995. When talking about Indurain racing for Banesto you are talking about a Basque giant, born in 1964, in Villava, Navarra, to whom amateur cycling soon grew too small for him to

Australia's head cycling coach has demanded an apolgy from the head of the Italian cycling federation after casting doubts over his team's record breaking performances at the world track championships in Stuttgart. Giancarlo Ceruti, president of the Italian federation, told Gazzetta Dello Sport that he could not understand the results of the Australian and British pursuit teams at the event claiming that "on the road they are normal riders and on the track they become phenomenons." The Australians took more than two full seconds off their own world record while the British claimed silver,

Will he or won't he race La Vuelta?

The automatic starter keeps things honest

Arnaud Tournant, the first man to break the minute barrier in the kilo', awaits his start

Chillin' like a villain in Belgium

Before the gun - The Aussie pursuit squad awaits the start before smashing the world record

Most of you have probably stopped waiting for my Tour de France wrapup. But for those who might still be interested, here goes. I don't know where to begin, really. It was a wild month for me. I can't remember any other time in my life that was more jam-packed with highs and lows. I talk a lot about living through the suffering cycling offers up, and how the bad days outnumber the good. But it's those one or two elusive good days that make it all worthwhile. Rarely do you experience the depths of disappointment and heights of success in one race. But the Tour de France is unique. You never

In many ways, it is easy to forget that I am living in a foreign country. The unfortunate thing is that it might actually be possible to exist here in Belgium without ever coming to terms with it. By now, the local shops know we are English-speaking and address us accordingly. Ann and Bernard speak English perfectly. With the Internet, it is possible to transport your mind, and therefore the essence of yourself, back to the States in a few millibits per second. The standard pastime between email checks is watching DVD's in the living room – in English, of course. Not that this is anything

Colby Pearce gets ready for the points race

Another frustration - U.S. coach Des Dickie tries to figure out what went wrong for the U.S. in the team sprint

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Jens Fiedler tries to compose himself after being relegated in the sprint competition

Sometimes-Californian Josiah Ng is riding for Malaysia in the keirin

Australian Katie Mactier, who took silver in the pursuit after taking up the discipline in May, meets with her hometown TV crew

Old trackies never die.... American Mark Whitehead and former world champion Michael Hubner trade drinking tales and a few lies

Simon Derney - best named and indispensable part of the keirin

Swiss Bruno Risi celebrates the Madison win

Paolo Bettini overpowers the competition

Ullrich gave it his best for the hometown crowd

Marty Nothstein expands his racing résumé

The slimmed-down Nothstein says he's getting the hang of this road-racing thing

Danny Pate pulled the break like a locomotive

The peloton doing business in the financial district

Wolff screams encouragement as Bergemann begins the last lap.

While many of Nathan O’Neill’s Saturn teammates were celebrating Tom Danielson’s impending overall win at the International /Tour de ‘Toona — and others were preparing to defend Ivan Dominguez’s title at the New York City Cycling Championships — O’Neill sat in a hospital bed three hours away, at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. As the fourth stage of The International came to a field sprint, the Aussie was wearing the leader’s jersey when he was taken out in a gruesome headfirst crash, suffering a broken nose, facial lacerations, and as it would be later discovered, two broken

The Aussies blaze to gold in the team pursuit

Two's a charm. The Australians had to start twice

Brett Lancaster, Luke Roberts, Peter Dawson and Graeme Brown meet the press

In case you're wondering, it's a 55x14

O'Neill, on a better day, after winning the Oak Glen stage at Redlands

My question for the week: How many donuts is too many donuts for one person to eat in a morning? I’m talking all morning – from the time you stumble into work and pour yourself that first cup of coffee until the time you’re ready to haul out for an hour-and-a-half lunch break. Without divulging any numbers, suffice it to say that I powered through a few of those round fried things this morning as I banged out my column, and am just wondering whether I overdid it or not. Drop a line to VN.com and let me know. * * * Last week I proposed letting readers pay $150 to write my column for me.

Cycling's World Cup moves back onto center stage with Sunday's 253km HEW Cyclassics race in Hamburg, Germany, the sixth stop of the 10-round series. The rolling course features no less than 23 rated climbs, but none are hard enough for the top pros to get out of the big ring. The course heads out into the farmland outside of Hamburg before heading back into the bustling port city for two finishing circuits. Whether it will come down to a bunch sprint or not is kind of a crapshoot. The race hits the short but steep Wasseberg climb three times, the last coming just 15km from the finish,

Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel en route to gold

Franz Stocher gives Austrians a reason to cheer

Not your average bargain-basement concrete track, eh?

Russian rider Sergei Koudentsov has been ruled out of the world track championships here Thursday after an abnormal blood test. The 24-year-old, 11th in the men's 15km scratch race on the first day of the championships on Wednesday, was randomly tested by officials from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) on Thursday. An abnormal hematocrit level - an indication, although not proof, that banned substances could have been used - means he was declared unfit to ride. The Russian may now have to submit a urine sample for testing for the banned endurance enhancer EPO

Britain's Bradley Wiggins claims gold in the pursuit

France's Laurent Gane outkicks the defending champ in the keirin

Natallia Tsylinskaya of Belarus defends her 500-meter crown

Just back from covering the fourth round of the NORBA NCS in Sandpoint, Idaho — an aptly named region — and I think I’ve finally cleaned the chalky silt out of my clothes, equipment and ears. Held at 4500 feet elevation in the quaint Schweitzer ski-resort village, pro and elite-level racers couldn’t have asked for much more in a venue: easily accessible race courses and lodging, live music, a welcoming community, beautiful vistas overlooking Lake Pend Oreille and perfect weather. Spokane-based Round and Round Productions has been hosting the NORBA regional championships at Schweitzer for

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Stefan Nimke

Arnaud Tournant - 3rd overall

The podium

Franco Marvulli

Olga Slusareva

Derek Wilkerson (Hillenbrand Racing) chokes his way through the dust

Husanova

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood: Short track mind

Perry, in green shirt, with sign

It's like mountain cross, without the jumps and berms, and a whole lot longer

No sooner has the bunting been cleared from the streets of Paris after a dramatic Tour de France, than the world's top sprint and pursuit cyclists are heading for Stuttgart, Germany, for the world track championships. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) moved the event to Germany from China because of the SARS virus - but the Hanns-Martin Schleyer Hall should provide a fitting venue for five days of fierce competition. Australia will again be expected to dominate the medals table, although without Bradley McGee they face a strong challenge from a British squad, buoyed by three gold

Frans fusses with Jed's LeMond

One of the great reasons to ride for the Cycling Center is the partnerships that Bernard has made with other Belgians in the cycling community here. One such person is Frans van Merke. Frans has fit many of the great Belgian professionals, including Nico Mattan, Frank Vandenbroucke, Axel Merckx and Tom Steels. Not too shabby a clientele, eh? And he is nice enough to work with us crazy Americans, with the weirdest equipment he has ever seen. Of course, if it isn’t Campy and isn't steel, well, it is just a little odd. I am poking fun at him a bit, but he definitely likes the most normal