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Some rant-readers aren’t too SwiftEditor:I wondered all weekend if anyone would get Patrick O'Grady's last rant. I knew there would be a few who would play the role of the outraged Englishman, but I thought at least one person would check the link. I'll just blame the lack of recognition on crumbling schools and Lilliputian library budgets. Maybe you had to be raised in an Irish household to get this one. A pint of the black for my man O'Grady. Courtney ConnellyTucson, Arizona You want fries with your Mick-baby sandwich?Editor:Am I the only one who noticed the link to

One-time Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich on Wednesday denied that he is being investigated in Spain as part of the Spanish doping probe dubbed Operación Puerto. Ullrich was fired by his T-Mobile team this year after being barred from competing in the Tour de France after Spanish investigators offered evidence which suggested he was involved in doping. The 32-year-old is said to have been given the blood-boosting drug EPO, human growth hormone, steroids and blood transfusions by Madrid-based physician Eufemio Fuentes, the apparent head of a doping ring, but denies knowing him. "Jan

The directors of ProTour cycling teams meeting in Paris this week are calling for the use of DNA evidence to identify doping cheats involved in the Operación Puerto scandal. The directors want all cyclists implicated in the Spanish affair to agree to take DNA tests that would categorically prove whether or not their blood samples were held in the laboratory owned by Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes. "All the teams will ask their riders to agree before January 1, 2007, to the UCI (International Cycling Union) using DNA testing if necessary, particularly in the Puerto affair," a spokesperson for the

The Council of Europe nominated French sports minister Jean-Francois Lamour for president of the World Anti-Doping Agency on Wednesday. The 46-nation body endorsed Lamour, a two-time Olympic fencing champion, to succeed Dick Pound, whose term as WADA's president expires next year. Lamour is regarded as one of Europe's most outspoken officials on doping. Lamour, a gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and four years later in Seoul, became Sports Minister in 2002. The council confirmed Danish sports minister Brian Mikkelsen as a candidate to WADA's executive

Bicycle Pedals Recalled by Time Sport International Due to Fall HazardNEWS from CPSCU.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionOffice of Information and Public AffairsWashington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 25, 2006Release #07-014 Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 240-8051CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 Bicycle Pedals Recalled by Time Sport International Due to FallHazard WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recallof the following consumer product.

Pereiro might not be declared the winner of the 2006 Tour, even if Landis is bumped from the top spot.

Every home needs is own cyclocross course viewing tower, right?

The UCI called on the World Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday to intervene in a dispute with Spanish authorities over the probe into the Operacion Puerto doping scandal. A Spanish judge told the UCI on October 3 that documents from the investigation could not be used for disciplinary action by sporting authorities until he concludes his work. "The UCI believes that WADA, which has often invoked its prominent position in relations between political authorities and sports bodies, must now assume its responsibilities," the federation said in a statement. The UCI said it was counting on the

Hesjedal at this year's Volta a Cataluyna - before Phonak unraveled

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.O'Grady's terrible proposalEditor,I think rules and laws are meant to set a precedence for future behaviorsand actions which may guide us and our activities to within what is reasonableto save us from ourselves from reverting back to the animals we are withoutconsciousness or

At the helm: Just where will Christian Prudhomme be leading the Tour next July?

Barnholt

Obye

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEVeloSwap Denver to Feature Lennard Zinn Bike Maintenance Clinic VeloSwap attendees can get new bike parts and then learn installationtechniques from a master bike technician Boulder, CO, October 22, 2006 — VeloNews magazine TechnicalEditor and master framebuilder Lennard Zinn will present a one hour clinicon bike maintenance at the VeloSwapDenver Special Events Stage on Saturday, October 28 at 11:00 a.m.VeloSwap attendees can upgrade their bikes with new components availableat VeloSwap, the world's largest consumer bike swap, and then learn installation,repair, and

The podium

The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the Prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this. — Albert Einstein Like many of you, I’ve been following this summer’s Keystone Kops marathon, aided and abetted by regular, hefty doses of my drugs of choice (caffeine and alcohol in various flavors). I used to enjoy nicotine, too, but managed to shake that habit

Remembering Jon Jonathan Dechau was a friend of mine. Like many, I was shocked tohear of hispassing. I hadn’t talked to him a couple of years and it was a shockfor me to come across it on all the cycling websites. It was almost surreal.Jon and I had both started out racing in New England and had gotten toknow each other. I got to thinking about Jon again after recent developments.Years ago Jon and I were both chasing the dream. We were bothracing the better part of the NRC schedule that year and seeing each otherat all the events. In that same year the Olympic trials were held in

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.Tour of Missouri is great newsEditor:Finally, there is some good news in American cycling with the announcement of the Tour of Missouri! The American cycling has had a gloomy 2006 with the drug scandals. Having a fourth major state tour is the exact type of racing that we need to develop

Gully in Tabor in 2001

The future of home of some bike racing stars?

Finn Gullickson out motorpacing.

Son Leo having fun!

Finn: like father, like son.

Will Basso be at next year's Giro?

Thanks to a little cocaine, Freewheeling Franklin and Phineas set a world record for the 40km TT (two stoners, single bike). For the complete cartoon, click here

Mmmm ... beer

Hamilton, seen here before the 2004 Olympic road race in Athens, may have a team for '07.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,in cooperation with the manufacturers named below, has announced a voluntaryrecall of the following consmer product. Consumers should stop using recalledproducts immediately unless otherwise instructed.Name of Product: ARC Lithium Ion Bicycle Light BatteriesUnits: About 1,700Light Manufacturer/Battery Reseller: Light & Motion, of Monterey,Calif.Battery Manufacturer: GP Batteries International Ltd., of SingaporeBattery Importer: Gold Peak Industries (North America), Inc.of San Diego, Calif.Hazard: The battery can overheat,

Press Release: Light & Motion announces battery recall

Ullrich, here winning a time trial at this year's Tour of Switzerland, won't be getting a Swiss license in 2007.

Basso is likely to ride again, but it won't be for Riis.

A new book which claims to further lift the lid on some of the dirtier secrets of Lance Armstrong's successful cycling career will go on sale in France on Thursday. The seven-time Tour de France champion is now retired, but a second book by Pierre Ballester and David Walsh - authors of the controversial "L.A. Confidentiel" two and a half years ago - claims to shed new light on their allegations that Armstrong's feats came through the use of doping products. Extracts of "L.A. Officiel," which like the first book has been written only in French, will appear in Thursday's edition

CLIF BAR’s Development Cyclo-Cross Team Starts Global Cooling, Starts Season Boulder, Colorado October, 2006—When the members of the TIAACREF/CLIF BAR Cyclo-Cross Team rolled to the start line in Gloucester, MA for the opening round of the 2006 Crank Brothers US Gran Prix of Cyclo-Cross Series, they not only began the third season for the national-level development program, but also set off on a pioneering environmental sustainability mission. The American Cycling Association’s Junior and Under-23 cyclo-cross development program took inspiration from CLIF BAR’s exemplary sustainability

The following is a statement issued by Lance Armstrong on Thursday, October 18, 2006, regardingthe pending publication of "L.A. Officiel," by authors Pierre Ballesterand David Walsh.Predictably, I will be the subject tomorrow of another baselessattack by another French book. The authors, David Walsh and Pierre Ballester,now issue a sequel to an earlier French book that was likewise foundedupon a demonstrably false string of sensational, untrue and fabricatedallegations.  This latest attack will be no different than the first- a sensationalized attempt to cash in on my name and sully my

Tour of Missouri Brings World-Class Professional Cycling to the StateST. LOUIS, Mo. (October 17, 2006) ---- Missouri Governor MattBlunt and Lt. Governor Peter Kinder announced today that the state willplay host to the inaugural Tour of Missouri professional cycling race,September 11 – 16, 2007. In its initial year, the Tour of Missouri will be anointed oneof the nation’s top three stage races behind the prestigious Tour of Georgiaand Tour of California races, providing an historic landmark for the sportwith three major domestic stage races on American soil. "Missouri is known as the

Mayo won this year's Dauphine stage from Briancon to La Toussuire, but was dissatisfied with most of his season.

Our latest reader-submitted Photo Gallery is now up for your viewing pleasure. Of course, a new gallery also means the naming of the winner of ourmost recent contest. Take the time to wander through that gallery and see if you agree or disagree with our choice of winner. We found Jeff Fillerup’s “Six a.m. warm-up” to beautifully represent those quiet, contemplative moments before the day’s competition kicks in. Nice work, Jeff. Drop us a note at Rosters@InsideInc.com to work out the details and we’ll send you a copy of Graham Watson's "Landscapes of Cycling." And while you’re at it,

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.Lab’s techniques severely flawedEditor:After having finally reviewed the PowerPoint presentation given by Floyd Landis’s attorney, I am shocked by the audacity of the "accredited" laboratory to call his results positive. The results seem only to indicate that the laboratory cannot perform

Six a.m. warm-up

Valverde capped of a stellar season on Saturday.

Bessette and Nash duke it out

Bruno Roy and Dickey tussle

Johnson seizes the lead early

McCormack descends

Smith heads for gold in Cow Town

Timmerman bunny-hops his way to victory in Syracuse

Is Basso ready to kiss CSC goodbye?

Saul Raisin continues to defy expectations in remarkable recovery from a life-threatening crash in April that sent him into a coma and put his future as a professional bike racer in doubt. Raisin returned to Europe last week to spend a month in Monaco and to pose for photographs the 2007 team photograph, a sure sign that the Crédit Agricole rider is making solid progress toward a possible comeback perhaps as early as next season. Raisin, 23, can’t guarantee he’ll race in the European peloton again, but he’s going to try. VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood recently caught up with

Raisin at last month's Palmetto Project Charity Ride.

Bessette over the barriers

Johnson through the mud

Anthony over the Log of Death

Valverde at this year's Vuelta. He won't be at Lombardy

An emotional Bettini claims his second consecutive win at Lombardy

Bettini didn't ride this one alone.

Champions' respect: Bettini was a vocal supporter of Valverde's position.

The lake district

Bettini was aggressive on the Ghisallo,.

The risky descent.

It was an easy day...

...until an all-star break ripped the field apart.

A tenacious Wegmann was one of the few able to stay close to Bettini.

Basso wins the 8th stage of the 2006 Giro d'Italia

Bettini wants to repeat at Lombardy

More than a slight cramp: Gordon did some damage

After riding for 24 hours, Gordon was on his way to the hospital for 48

Dear Bob,Your September 7 column on crosswalks (See "CrossingGuard") hit close to home here in Minnesota. Under Minnesota law andas discussed by the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices}, mid-blockcrossings can (and of course do) exist. The MUTCD explicitly states thatwhen crosswalk paint is applied to the roadway, the crossing is legallydeemed a crosswalk. But what happens if the city decides to remove thecrosswalk striping completely, put up signs that state "This is not a crosswalk,"yet leave in place advance warning signs that announce the trail, and atrail sign right at the crossing

After Steve Johnson wrapped up his first six months at the helm of USA Cycling, we sent VeloNews.com's Jason Sumner to Colorado Springs to meet with the national governing body's newest chief executive officer and review the past few months and the organization's plans for the future.We posted the first part of the full interview on Wednesday. We now offer the second half of a wide-ranging interview with the head of USA Cycling. VeloNews: Can you envision a day when there is a ProTour event in the United States? And if so what do you think it’s going to take to make that happen?

Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has released a detailed online presentationwhich he says proves his innocence after he tested positive for testosteroneduring this year's Tour.The American, who tested positive for an 11-1 testosterone-epitestosteroneIMPORTANT NOTEIf you have difficulty logging on to Landis's site, please try to accesscopies of those same documents hosted here on VeloNews.comThe Landis Slide Show.Landis presentation to the USADA review board. ratio after the race's 17th stage, has always protested his innocenceand is hoping the several hundreds of pages of

Liquigas Chooses Cannondale for 2007 and BeyondBETHEL, CT USA OCT 11, 2007— Liquigas Pro Tour Cycling Team,including Cannondale alumni and winner of the inaugural Pro Tour DaniloDi Luca, has chosen Cannondale bicycles as technical bicycle sponsor ina multi-year partnership beginning in 2007.  The agreement securesa long-term partnership with the high profile and highly sought-after worldclass Liquigas team.  Both parties are enthusiastic about the spiritof partnership and the many important victories to come.“Liquigas has the breadth of talent to showcase and win with world

Hey Horner, wait for me!

Ben Turner get his team's rigs ready to race.

Pedros' Chris Zigmont get the kid's cross race ready to roll.

PURE SWEET HELL filmmaker Brian Vernor makes a fan say, Cheese.

Start 'em young.

Like I said, Start 'em young.

With Puerto unraveling, Basso may race Lombardia

Despite the stalled Puerto investigation, Ullrich's future remains uncertain.