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Four-time Vuelta a España winner Roberto Heras has put the goldenbicycle he used for his triumphant ride into Madrid this year up forauction on eBay's Spanish web site with hopes of raising money to helpthe victims of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S.Heras, who won his fourth Vuelta on September 18, rode a special editioncarbon frame from BH with gold-highlighted components into Madrid on thefinal stage of the Spanish tour.Bidding began at 1.00 euro on Friday, with early estimates suggestinga final price of around 18,000 euros, but bids had already reached 11,800euros after just five hours.

Brimming with confidence after becoming America’s first world pro road champion on September 4, 1983, Greg LeMond took aim at the final weeks of the season with great form and big ambitions. He had a good chance of becoming the first American to win not only a European classic but also the Super Prestige Pernod competition (equivalent of today’s UCI ProTour). The remaining three Super Prestige races were the Grand Prix des Nations time trial and the one-day classics Paris-Tours and the Tour of Lombardy. His main rival for the truly prestigious Pernod award was Sean Kelly, the Irishman who

Zabel celebrates his win at the Rund um den Henninger Turm earlier this year

Zabel and his new teammate, Alessandro Petacchi, at this year's world's in Madrid

Heras auctions golden bike for Katrina relief

LeMond and Kelly, two soldiers in the Anglo invasion

Hi Bob,Occasionally while riding on the road, a rock will go sailing fromthe sidewall of my tires to a car driving next to me.  I cringe everytime this happens, and I’m waiting for the day a motorist decides to dosomething about the new dent in their car.  If this did become a legalmatter, would I be responsible for the rock hitting their car?T.D.Santa Barbara, CaliforniaT.D.,You have heard of the “Perfect Storm,” but what about the “PerfectStone?”  One day I was on a training ride, minding my own business,when I hear someone yelling and I turn to my left and see a man drivinga

Aigle, Switzerland (AP) - The Union Cycliste Internationale has appointed a Dutch lawyer to conduct an independent investigation into allegations Lance Armstrong tested positive for EPO during the 1999 Tour de France. The cycling body said Thursday that Emile Vrijman and his law firm would “undertake a comprehensive investigation regarding all issues concerning the testing conducted by the French laboratory of urine samples” from the '99 Tour. Vrijman's firm is based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and he is a former director of the Netherlands' national anti-doping agency. In

A former doctor with the U.S. Postal Service cycling team has reiterated earlier allegations that he says support claims that American Lance Armstrong used EPO (Erythropoietin) to win his first Tour de France in 1999. Prentice Steffen, a 44-year-old emergency room physician, claims U.S. Postal fired him in 1996 when he refused to administer doping products to certain riders. And although he says he has received threatening phone calls warning him not to speak out from Armstrong, who in recent weeks has been forced to deny reports that he used EPO in 1999, warning him not to speak out,

The L'Equipe story isn't going away for a while.

Thursday's L'Equipe featured Steffen's allegations from 1996

Interbike '05: Taking on Goliath

There may also not be enough demand for an S-and-S coupled titanium track bike to interest Trek or Specialized, but DeSalvo has made quite a few of 'em.

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.An auction for a friendDear VeloNews,As many of you have heard, Allan Butler, of the Healthy Choice-GobleKnee Clinic Cycling Team and Utah Cycling Association's top cyclist for2005, was tragically killed while attending Interbike in Las Vegas.Several pros have stepped up to help

Raisin in Madrid

DeSalvo's 12-pound steel track bike got some attention in Vegas

A mustache-barred commuter won't usually appear in most big company catalogues...

...nor would something like a Jones hardtail

FOCUS to Reward Fast Starters in 2005 U.S. Gran PrixA fast start is always a good thing in a cyclocross race and in the2005 Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross a fast start will alsobe a profitable thing. FOCUS Bikes, a German bike builder best known assponsor for 2005 Cyclocross World Champion Hanke Kupfernagel, will sponsorthe FOCUS First Lap Competition for all six stops of this years U.S. GranPrix.Awarded in four race categories - Elite Men, Elite Women, Juniors, andMasters 35+ - the FOCUS First Lap Competition will award cash prizes tothe leading rider through the start/finish

Wiggins at Madrid

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.Classic stylingDear VeloNews,I knew that newUSA kit looked familiar. It just took me a few days to place it.Jon IrickSan Francisco, CaliforniaAt least he admitted itDear Velo,I have known Canadian rider Chris Sheppard for more than 15 years andwas shocked as anyone when I found out that

We admit that it's been a while since we've had one of these and now thatthe grand tours and trade shows are done for a while, we'll do our bestto get back in the habit of posting our once Weekly Photo Contests. Towardthat end, we are now posting thisweek's gallery and planning to get these up each Monday for the foreseeablefuture.Of course, a new gallery also means the naming of the winner of ourmostrecent contest. There's something about Bob Cullinan's "Chengdu chaos" that has stayed with us ever since we first saw the shot. Congratulations, Bob! You win a copy of

Say it ain't so, Jo'

Chris Wherry models the newest Oakley Thump MP3 player.

...but he had Bettini for company, which proved costly.

Pearl Izumi's new road glove is bomb proof

DiLuca and the UCI's new president, Pat McQuaid.

Combining carbon and titanium makes sense

Horner

Ridley's new Noah

Phonk's Clerc leads the day's early break

The San Marco Magma...

Schleck's second place helps CSC lock up the team competition.

... and grill work that reminds of the new Charger

Long, wet and winding roads for the boys in the break

Scott takes a jump into cyclo-cross... and quite nicely, if we say so.

The Look 486 is a pure road machine...

... while Look’s new 496 is a triathlon bike but a lot of this technology will find its way into the peloton before too long. Note the proprietary fork and beefy bottom bracket.

Tinker takes a break from 24-hour racing

Mary McConneloug works the booth at Kenda

Yes officer. SRAM tried to make the point that details of its new road group are embargoed unti October 13.

Crank Brothers now offers the Candy in Ti

The Deuter Attack Hydration pack creates a new category for itself. Besides housing a 100oz bladder and ample gear storage space, it has been specifically designed as a piece of body armor.

DiLuca has a lock on it now

Even in Las Vegas, Eddy is the real King

Not a warm pleasant day in Zürich.

Sometimes you get celeb's, other times you get celebrity bikes

Cunego was left to chase...

“I’ve always felt, tactically, that I was a fairly smart rider. Everything’s timing, and you’ve got to be feeling good for that one moment when it’s gonna make the difference.” Those words could well have been spoken by Tom Boonen, who timed his effort so perfectly at last week’s world road championships in Madrid that the first time he was seen at the front of the race was when he crossed the line as the winner. But it wasn’t Boonen talking about his rainbow-jersey victory in 2005, but Greg LeMond after winning the world’s in 1983. LeMond seemed destined to become the first American to

Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson:Greg LeMond’s first rainbow jersey

Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson:Greg LeMond’s first rainbow jersey

Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson:Greg LeMond’s first rainbow jersey

Interbike '05: More product; more photos

The Ordu TT bike is the newest addition to the Orbea line-up

... the bike offers two posts (at 76 and 74 degrees) for triathletes and time-trial specialists respectively.

Orbea's Alma features specifically shaped tubing...

... and even includes an integrated fender.

The Mitis Dama offers an affordable entry to road racing

Ah, fall is in the air here in Colorado. The evenings are growing shorter by the day, bringing with them a somewhat-forgotten crisp in the air. The leaves of the Aspen trees are changing from green to yellow, and all over town Boulder roadies can be seen breaking out the knee warmers and rediscovering their mountain bikes for the last few months of the year. Of course the Boulder mountain bikers are all smiles, prodding the roadies, ‘See? I told you riding singletrack is more fun.” Mix in an ever-growing population of cyclo-cross racers — with everyone hoping to squeeze every drop out of

The Opal team issue is a high-end road rig......

Vande Velde at the Vuelta

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood: Focus group mentality

Cannondale's new multi-tool...

... capitalizes on the often-unused space in the Lefty fork's oversized head tube...

... and offers all of the necessities, including a bottle opener.

Lake's CX400 offers a do-it-yourself custom fit. The thermally sensitive textile allows you to bake your shoe and the upper conforms to your foot as it cools.

Haro's 5Werx VL120 offers cross-country racers five inches of travel, using a virtual pivot to provide a stable pedaling platform.

The bottom bracket pivot actually rotates around the shell.

Ellsworth is one of two builders now building around the new 9-speed Hayes Gear Box

KAMIKAZE STYLE: John Tomac¹s race rig from this year¹s Kamikaze downhill at Mammoth Mountain.

ALL-TERRAIN BEAST: If you¹re the type of rider who encounters deep snow, beach sand or other barriers to forward motion, consider the Surley Pugsley. A prototype at last year¹s Interbike show, it became available to consumers this summer.

HOT: While this Parlee may not reflect the tastes of its often-reserved New England builder...

... it did grab plenty of attention at his booth

Cervélo and Team CSC extend partnershipCervélo Cycles and Riis Cycling, the management company of Team CSC, are pleased to announce that they have extended their collaboration through to 2009. The day Cervelo and Team CSC signed their first contract in August 2002, the Team was 14th in the UCI team rankings and Cervélo was just another small bike manufacturer. Today, Team CSC is the #1 team in the UCI ProTour rankings and Cervélo is generally acknowledged as one of the most innovative bike companies in the world. “Essentially that's because of our design and engineering philosophy,”

MADE TO ORDER: Parlee produces some frames for other builders, including this touring model for Hampsten

Ballerini at 2002 world's