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Greg LeMond and family put a lien on a development compound to secure a $20 million debt
Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond and his family and partners have a lien on part of a Montana real estate development that owes the group $20 million from a court settlement. LeMond, his wife and parents-in-law and a friend had invested in the Yellowstone Mountain Club, a private golf and ski community in Big Sky. In 2006 they sued the developer, Tim Blixseth, charging that he had tried to buy out their shares at less than their value.
The Tour of California peloton is sporting the season’s latest styles
It wouldn’t be California without sizing up everyone’s appearance, so here is one observer’s take on the new-for-2008 designs unveiled at this year’s Amgen Tour of California. With all the problems our sport has faced over the last few years, perhaps it’s no wonder why so many teams — BMC, Quick Step, Jelly Belly, High Road and CSC — have chosen a wholesome white background for their kits.
This Week in Pro Cycling – February 22, 2008
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the latest edition of The Prologue, the weekly summary of news from the world of professional cycling by your friends at VeloNews.com.
Leipheimer Repeats in Solvang
Leipheimer Repeats in Solvang
Stage 3 ATOC 2008, Levi bombing downhill
Stage 3 ATOC 2008, Levi bombing downhill
Dominque Rollin wins it with a well-timed attack!
Dominque Rollin wins it with a well-timed attack!
TOC Fashion Watch: Hincapie’s new look
When High Road unveiled its 2008 kits, it was an all-black affair with red and yellow lettering that looked vaguely out of the Performance Bicycle clearance rack. Given the teams’ strict anti-doping philosophy, I was surprised they hadn’t gone with white —pure as the driven snow, and all. But prior to the team’s official presentation last week, the black jerseys had given way to white, while the black shorts and Ocean Pacific-style font remained. It’s simple and straightforward, even if it doesn’t immediately say “world class cycling team.”
TOC Fashion Watch: Millar’s national champion’s kit
Other standout mostly white kits include the national champions’ uniforms of German champ Fabian Wegmann, British champ David Millar and U.S. champ Levi Leipheimer (which of course he swapped for the yellow leader’s jersey following Wednesday’s stage).
TOC Fashion Watch: Levi’s national champion’s kit
The retro look is also in — again — as evidenced by the Evil Knievel stars-and-stripes of Leipheimer's champion kit (Come to think of it, Knievel, may he rest in peace, may have contributed as much to pop fashion as he did to extreme sports. There's a doctoral thesis in this idea for someone).
TOC Fashion Watch: Kelly Benefit Strategies-Medifast
With its green and yellow colors, this Minneapolis-based team kind of has that whole Green Bay Packers, scrappy underdog thing going. Though it’s not much different than last year, with just a little blue added in the mix, the KBS-Medifast kit is different.
TOC Fashion Watch: Rock Racing
The Oakland Raiders of this year’s pro peloton. I’ll give Rock credit — their kits certainly stand out, even if they do look like intergalactic pirates emerging from a vat of radioactive waste (or like Teenage Mutant Ninja Halloween contests, as VeloNews senior editor Charles Pelkey says). I personally don’t care for their kits, but I have to say, when you see their matching lime green-and-black kits, De Rosa bikes and team Escalades at once, the whole ensemble comes together. It’s Rock, dude.
TOC Fashion Watch: Astana’s new kit
I wasn’t a fan of last year’s Astana kits, which looked a little too much like Easter eggs. Working within the color scheme of Kazakhstan’s national colors, this year’s kit, which incorporates more white than last year, is an improvement.
TOC Fashion Watch: Boonen and Bettini
Modeled here by Tom Boonen on the left, Quick Step-Innergetic is another team that opted for a white background with blue accents, departing from last year’s solid blue design with elements of white and gray. I like it, although that white is going to get pretty dirty during the Belgian classics. But my favorite outfit at this year’s Tour of California? Well, other than Rock Racing’s podium girls, who look good in anything they’re wearing (and really have to be seen to be believed), I’m going to go with world champion Paolo Bettini, on the right. He’s got the coolest all-white kit in the peloton, and as the saying goes, rainbow stripes never go out of style.
Bjarne Riis is sooooo not getting his rental deposit back.
Bjarne Riis is sooooo not getting his rental deposit back. The back window was taken out by Kelly Benefit's Kevin Lacombe apparently ran into the car on the descent from the second KOM during Wednesday's stage.