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Colby Pearce keeps an eye on events in the Madison.

Jenny Reed leads out the women's kierin.

Barczewski leads out the Spike team sprint for fourth place.

Davis gets another win, this time beating Robbie the Rocket to the line.

Start-to-finish: Gerrans defied the odds and kept the jersey all the way

Barredo on the attack

It was a tight finish between McEwen and Davis.

Gerrans job was just to stay out of trouble

Summer in Adelaide

Paolini and Bodrigi try to escape.

Sarah Hammer and Becky Quinn at the start of the Scratch race.

Sarah Hammer leads Becky Quinn with one to go in the women's Scratch race.

Hammer wins it...

Sarah Hammer wins the women's pursuit

The Russians handled the team pursuit with ease

Blatchford had a good day.

Blatchford wins a medal, while Britain's Staff apparently tried to award him a helmet

Hammer lives up to her name.

Russia takes the gold.

Van Hout and Crake cross hand in hand

Sanchez takes a dig

Arrieta found it sweaty going

The beach only looked cool - the day's temps topped 104

Crake and Van Hout working it

AG2R played it cool despite the heat

Done to a turn: Gerrans at the finish

A fine day for the Aussies

Ben Jacques-Maynes is looking forward to representin' on his backyard course

Quinn smiles stop the podium . . .

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.NASCAR-style racing? Try cyclo-crossEditor:In Wednesday's Mailbag (see "NASCAR-style cycling might just work"), Doug Barnes suggested that cycling take place on short, highly visible courses in a tour of major cities, with "each a separate race with its own podium but with a points

. . . after winning the final double-points sprint

Cross-country skiing's not a sport, it's how a f---ing Swede goes to the 7–Eleven. — Dan Jenkins, "You Gotta Play Hurt" The old mailbag these days is chock-full of proposed models for U.S. cycling to follow if it is to achieve success: NASCAR, Formula 1, World Rally Championship; cyclo-cross, track, criterium. But nobody is defining exactly what "success" means. Does it mean that cycling becomes a spectator sport, like the various ball games? Stadiums packed with hammered fatties painting themselves in Health Net-Maxxis colors; nattily attired retired pros bellowing jovially over

Thr trade-team rider held her own with national-teamers like Pic

Call it a hunch, but I have a feeling that I’m not the only person ticking down the hours until the start of the Amgen Tour of California. Set your watches, ladies and gentlemen, we only have 620 left to wait — at 11 a.m. on February 19, you all better have your attention turned to the streets of San Francisco. Now, starting the race with a prologue up to the base of Coit Tower on the tippy-top of Telegraph Hill sounds pretty epic. The route starts at Pier 1, skirts the Embarcadero just south of Fisherman’s Wharf, and takes riders up to, quite possibly, the best view in town. Sure, the route

Colby Pearce adds his two cents' worth

Barredo's gamble paid off.

Kelly leads the keirin out of the final corner

The day's break formed early again.

Huff rides to sixth in the pursuit for TIAA-CREF

Evans (right) was the biggest GC threat at 12 minutes back.

The ADT Center: Sure beats riding in the snow

Botcharov bridges

AG2R monitored the gap

Barredo tries his luck

Another hot day in the saddle

Gerrans, still seven seconds up

Better than Damon to play Armstrong?

Why, yes, I'm a Health Net fan ... how'd you guess? Go Gord, eh!

Now Steve McQueen knew a little something about racing around San Francisco

Gerrans still has the lead...

...but Sanches is but seven seconds back

Dear Bob, I am an attorney and have been practicing as an Assistant DA for the past 15 years. A few weeks ago I forgot about "toys on top" and drove into the garage with my beautiful Wilier on top. My home owner's policy covers damage caused by a vehicle. They have denied coverage because they are saying the garage caused the damage. I think it is a strained interpretation of the policy as they would cover the bike if I had backed over it. I looked at an old policy with another company and they had the same language. I know of other cyclists who have been covered. Have you dealt

Jeanson calls it quits while still proclaiming innocence.

Davis grabs his first pro win in Oz.

With no major GC threats present, the group was allowed to stay away.

The AG2R boys just had to keep an eye on the time gap.

Crake takes a dig and Davis joins him

It proved to be the winning move.

Gerrans takes the stage, but Sanchez may still be the favorite to defend his title.

Higgerson and McLachlan started the action

The Liberty boys made sure their guy got up there, too.

McEwen and Sanchez attack with 45km to go...

...and were soon joined by Walker and Gerrans.

With a sprinter of McEwen's caliber in the mix, Gerrans decides to try his luck with an attack at 5km to go.

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.OBRA and Oregon do plenty for world’s-bound ’crossersEditor:As a member of the Cross Crusade's board of directors, I can explain what Oregon's largest cyclo-cross series has done to support racers going to the world championships this year and in previous years (See Monday’s

McEwen strikes his usual pose

Summertime and the livin' is easy

Hushovd

The Liberty Sguros team of defending TDU champion Luis Leon Sanchez Gil

Tour of California route, teams announced

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 Kenneth Alan’s “Austin Self Portrait,” a beautifully composed shot that appeals to our obvious preference for working bikes. Congratulations Kenneth! 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."Go ahead and

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.Details on Tour of California, pleaseEditor:What’s up with the poor marketing for the Amgen Tour of California? For such a large event I’m surprised there is so little information about this race especially since it’s only a month away. I am more than willing to drive to California,

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has told a South African newspaper that he is in talks on a movie about his life. Armstrong, 34, is due to travel to South Africa on Wednesday, accompanied by fiancée Sheryl Crow, for a first visit that will include a tour of Soweto, the township that was the center of anti-apartheid resistance. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Armstrong said that Matt Damon, an actor he has known for some years, was favored to play him. The American, who survived a bout of testicular cancer, returned to pro cycling and won seven consecutive Tours,

A criminal court in Paris has refused to hear a defamation actions brought by Italian cyclist Filippo Simeoni against Lance Armstrong. Judicial officials said Monday the statute of limitations had expired in the case against the seven-time Tour de France winner. The court said Simeoni's lawyers misinterpreted French law. Armstrong, quoted in an April 2003 report in the online edition of French daily Le Monde, contended that Simeoni had agreed to testify against doctor Michele Ferrari in exchange for a lesser penalty if the Italian rider were accused of doping by the sport's

Boulder, Colorado (January 16, 2006) – Team TIAA-CREF is thrilled toannounce that it will participate in the 2006 Etoile des Bessèges(February 1-5) and GP Marseilles. GP Marseilles (January 31) is the 2006French season opener and will be the first time Team TIAA-CREF hits theroad this year.Among those racing for Team TIAA-CREF are former Espoir Time Trial WorldChampion Danny Pate and current Canadian Professional Road Champion, FrancoisParisien.“Garnering invitations for both of these races is a huge step up forTeam TIAA-CREF and we are looking forward to honoring these events by

Hushovd and McEwen are favorites to take the points competition

VeloNews Photo Contest: A new Gallery