News

... and chats with Health Net's Gord Fraser.

George Hincapie signs autographs

JJ Haedo and Harm Jensen check out the race photos in the morning paper.

I know that for more than a few mountain-bike enthusiasts word of Shimano’stitle sponsorship of the UCI World Cup and the company's offerof neutral mechanical assistance conjoured up horrible images of somethingakin to road racing. You know where a bunch of dudes dressed from headto toe in Shimano garb ride on motorcycles laden with spare wheels behindthe racers, fixing flats, changing wheels and replacing chains. Well, that bad dream will, for the time being, remain just that. TheUCI and Shimano have decided not to allow neutral mechanical assistanceto venture outside of the tech zone.

Young fans head to the course.

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.ToC on TV: The pros speakGive ESPN2 a breakEditor:Let's give ESPN2 a little break on the coverage of the Amgen Tour of California. As a producer and bike racer myself, I have to agree the first-day camera work, talent and directing was at times capable of inducing seasickness.

A classic California shot

Hincapie wins his second stage

Mariano Friedick on the final descent.

Rolling through the California countryside

Leipheimer charges off on the final descent

Some camera time for Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home

McCartney up front

Does Landis look worried?

Not with Phonak on the job

Toyota-United Pro's Haedo does it again . . .

. . . and cools off afterward

Horner wasn't exactly welcome in the break

Gusev and Chadwick

Phonak clocks in

Haedo outkicks Rodriguez at the end of the queen stage

Going up

Peloton meets Pacific

Landis and O'Neill

Landis retains the overall lead

Showing the flag

Hasta la vista to Monterey's Cannery Row

And hello to the California coastline

Another coastal shot

The break rolls along

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.ESPN2 coverage is a bad betEditor:In Houston I waited until 1 a.m. last night to catch the ESPN2 highlights for day two of the Tour of California. After advertisements, I estimate about 40 minutes of actual highlights. What kind of commitment does ESPN call that? I can’t believe that

Landis stays aero, even in a tight corner

It wasn't Leipheimer's day, out there in the wind - he finished ninth at 1:16

Rogers, resplendent in the rainbow stripes, finished 26th at 2:18

Danielson, 12th at 1:43

Even when suffering, Horner smiles

Hincapie, fourth at 55 seconds, is still honing his time-trial skills

Zabriskie was second, 26 seconds slower than Landis

It's been a great year for Page.

... and takes the stage and the leader's jersey.

Hincapie proves fastest in the finale

The Discovery Channel captain takes the overall lead from Gerolsteiner's Levi Leipheimer

Kaggestad, Creed and Jacques-Maynes launched an early break

Creed leads

Savoldelli working on Hincapie's behalf

There are worse places to race your bicycle

Kohl, Leipheimer and Landis, going up ...

... and the same trio rolling it toward San Jose

Leipheimer gave no ground on the hills

Credit Agricole's Saul Raisin signs an autograph for a fan

Freddie Rodriguez takes a look up the climb and doesn't like what he sees.

Man of many talents: CSC director Bjarne Riis does a little bit of everything. Here he pushes Cancellara back into the race after an early crash.

Discovery's Tom Danielson leads the climbers above San Jose.

Hincapie suffering to stay with the leaders and get to the finishing sprint...

Nicely recovered, Hincapie makes his move in the final meters...

Downey and Webb duking it out

Leipheimer salutes the hometown crowd

Leipheimer basks in the glow of his hometown support

Rolling along the coast

Julich dances on the pedals

Another type of wheeled transportation altogether

Gerolsteiner keeps a short leash on the bunch

The hometown hero

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 especially liked “Tennessee District RR,” By Bill Parsons.” Yeah sure, the guy was bound to be caught, but we appreciate and empathize with the desire to make the break. Congratulations Bill! Once you thaw out, drop us a note at Rosters@InsideInc.com to work out the details and we’ll send you a copy of Graham

A modest Haedo downplayed his stage victory

Havana - Cuba's longserving president Fidel Castro won't be able to excuse himself from physical exercise after he was given a bike by Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx on Monday. Castro, who will be 80 in August, was given the bike by the five-time Tour de France winner for his promotion of the sport in the country. Merckx, known as the 'Cannibal' during his bicycling days and who was anointed best cyclist of the 20th century by the sport's governing body the UCI, presented the blue Merckx, adorned with two small Cuban flags, to the President of the Cuban Olympic

The peloton rides past seaside fans.

Boulder, CO, February 20, 2006 — Discovery Channel rider Michael Barry and Graham Watson, the internationally known cycling photographer, will autograph copies of their books on the last day of the Amgen Tour of California. On Sunday, February 26, both authors will meet fans and autograph their books at the VeloNews booth in the expo area, which is near the stage finish in Redondo Beach, CA. Barry wrote Inside the Postal Bus about his experience riding with Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Cycling Team during the 2004 season. Barry will meet fans and autograph copies of Inside the Postal

Coming down to Muir Beach

Boulder, CO, February 20, 2006 — Specialized Bicycle Components will host a benefit reception featuring a bike fit demonstration by VeloPress author, Andrew Pruitt. VeloPress has published Pruitt’s new book, Andy Pruitt’s Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists. Following the conclusion of Stage 2 of the Tour of California on February 21, Specialized is hosting a reception at the San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation benefiting the California Bicycle Coalition and Paul David Clark Bicycle Safety Fund. The event will give cyclists, fans and special guests the opportunity to learn about the

Gerolsteiner was there to protect the race leader

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.Fox covers fishing and poker, but cycling? NahEditor:I wasn't able to watch the taped coverage of the Tour of California last night and assumed I'd be able to catch up on it this morning. I was at the Fox News web site and thought for sure they'd have something on it. Their

Big crowds in Santa Rosa

Tennessee District RR

Haedo makes it look easy

Haedo scores a big win for the brand-new Toyota-United Pro team

Haedo earns his team's first victory

The men's podium

Leipheimer spends another day in the leader's jersey