News

• 1. Matthew Goss, HTC-Highroad, 138 kilometers in 3:17:08
• 2. Andre Greipel, Omega Pharma-Lotto, s.t.
• 3. Robbie McEwen, Radio Shack, s.t.
• 4. Chris Sutton, Sky Procycling, s.t.
• 5. Elia Viviani, Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.

HTC-HighRoad’s Matthew Goss showed he is a serious contender for the overall title at the Tour Down Under by winning the opening stage Tuesday, finishing ahead of sprint rival, former teammate and reigning champion Andre Greipel.

• 1. Roberto FERRARI, (ITA) Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, in 4:59:30
• 2. Ariel Maximiliano RICHEZE, (ARG), at 0
• 3. Jacopo GUARNIERI, (ITA) Liquigas-Doimo, at 0
• 4. Jorge SOTO PERERA, (URU), at 0
• 5. Giorgio BRAMBILLA, (ITA), at 0

Men

• 1. Niels Albert, Bkcp - Powerplus, with 490 points
• 2. Kevin Pauwels, Telenet - Fidea, with 429 points
• 3. Sven Nys, Landbouwkrediet, with 419 points
• 4. Bart Aernouts, Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team, with 348 points
• 5. Francis Mourey, Fdj, with 327 points

• 1. Sanne Van Paassen, with 270 points
• 2. Katherine Compton, with 240 points
• 3. Brand Daphny Van Den, with 190 points
• 4. Sanne Cant, with 173 points
• 5. Pavla Havlikova, with 172 points

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Luís León Sánchez has denied reports in the Spanish daily El Mundo that he’s linked to the ongoing doping investigation dubbed “Operación Galgo” that’s centered on alleged activities by Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes.

HTC-High Road's Mark Cavendish declined to be drawn into a pre-race verbal battle with sprint rival Andre Greipel on Saturday as the two prepared for a historic duel in Australia this week.

Former Dutch rider and team manager Peter Post has died at the age of 77 after a long illness, Dutch Public television reported on Friday.

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The traditional opening race of Spain's racing calendar – the five-day Mallorca Challenge – will be saved after all and will run next month as scheduled.

Although shortened from five to three days, the Vuelta a Murcia in Spain will see a top field for the race set for March 4-6.

After battling the UCI on its decision to ban radios in all but major events, Johan Bruyneel tells VeloNews that major changes are needed in the way important issues are decided in the sport.

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Team Type1, BMC and RadioShack are all confirmed to race the Giro del Trentino in April as the Giro d’Italia warm-up race continues to reveal details of the 35th edition of the race set for April 19-22.

Spain's ongoing doping scandals took their ultimate toll this week with the apparent suicide of Alberto León.

The BMC Racing Team has its sights set on making a good first impression in its ProTeam debut Sunday in the Santos Tour Down Under.

An injured reader wants to know if it is "worth all the trouble to file a lawsuit."

Christian Prudhomme hopes that the Alberto Contador doping case is settled one way or another before the start of the 2011 Tour de France.

Spain’s traditional opening race to the cycling calendar – the five-day Mallorca Challenge – is at risk of being cancelled just weeks before the start of the 2011 season.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (VN) — Chris Boardman is a relaxed man. Maybe his six children make him that way (or maybe it’s only a relaxed man who could enjoy six children as much as he does).

USA Cycling will announce Wednesday the hiring of former Cervélo Test Team director Marcello Albasini’s Alba Radsport firm to manage the national U23 development program.

In advance of next week's Tour Down Under, the RadioShack team has unveiled a new jersey for the 2011 season.

The Vuelta a España returns to the Basque Country for the first time in more than three decades in a 21-stage route that favors the climbers.

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Jakob Fuglsang is latest young rider to be billed as a “future Tour de France winner,” a burden the ex-mountain biker is not especially keen to bear.

Former Spanish mountain bike rider Alberto Leon, one of six people accused last month as part of a probe into sports doping, was found dead in an apparent suicide, reports said Monday. More soon on this developing story.

Cycling news from all over.

Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths and one U.S.-based Continental team is pitching in this month to build awareness and further research of the disease. The Wonderful Pistachios Pro Cycling Team has announced that a portion of the sales of their team clothing will go to a UCLA Medical Center program.

Perhaps Mauro Gianetti should paraphrase Mark Twain, who famously said, “the report of my death was an exaggeration.”

Switzerland’s top court has reject an appeal by Alejandro Valverde, who had sought to overturn an earlier a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling suspending him until 2012.

It didn’t take long for Danilo Di Luca to find a ride. Back from his ban for CERA, shortened by nine months after he cooperated with Italian officials about his doping practices,

Ted King and Tim Duggan might not be the center of attention during Monday’s Liquigas team rollout in Milan, but the American pair should be getting plenty of chances to show their stuff when it counts most during the upcoming racing season.

Mike Creed has found his fire again. If he can keep the coals hot – and his head out of the way – in his first season with Kelly Benefit Strategies, that could mean trouble for the peloton from Redlands to Asia.

2011 Tour Down Under start list

At least Fabian Cancellara can now laugh about one of the most preposterous “scandals” of the 2010 season.

Organizers of Minnesota's Nature Valley Bicycle Festival have announced details of the stages of the festival's stage race, the Nature Valley Grand Prix, June 15 to 19. The organizers also announced that the festival's track event, the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic, will be held once again. The track races are being held June 10-12 at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine, Minnesota.

A reader wants to know about his options when a private land owner shut off access to a long-used trail.

The name of the new Leopard-Trek team came about almost by accident, but its goals are nothing short of domination in the classics and the Tour de France during the 2011 season.

Carlos Sastre (Geox-TMC) will make his season debut at the Vuelta a Murcia in March.

Unless the UCI backtracks at a meeting with team directors on Friday in Switzerland, race radio communication between riders and their team cars will be banned this season in every road race except the 27 events of the new UCI WorldTour.

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Former Portuguese rider Perdro Lopes has been handed a 15-year suspension after being found guilty of a second doping violation.

The UCI has issued a Continental license to the new Christina Watches team of former Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen

The Luxembourg team will enter the No. 1 spot on team rankings even before it lines up for its first race.