News

BOONEN Tom - BAge 24Turned Pro 2002 CRETSKENS Wilfried - BAge 28Turned Pro 1998 ROGERS Michael - AUSAge 25Turned Pro 2001 SINKEWITZ Patrik - GAge 24Turned Pro 2001 HULSMANS Kevin - BAge 27Turned Pro 2000 KNAVEN Servais - NLAge 34Turned Pro 1994 TANKINK Bram - NLAge 26Turned Pro 2001 TRENTI Guido - IAge 32Turned Pro 1996 ZANINI Stefano - IAge 36Turned Pro 1991 Sponsor: Floor products, mattressesWeb site: www.quickstepcycling.com2005 budget: $12 millionDirecteur sportif: Patrick LefévèreTeam created: 2005Past tours: 3rd year participating, 6 stage wins, 2 KOM classification (Richard

Gerolsteiner

ARVESEN Kurt-Asle - N Age 30Turned Pro 1999 BASSO Ivan - IAge 27Turned Pro 1999 JULICH Bobby - USAAge 33Turned Pro 1992 LOMBARDI Giovanni - IAge 36Turned Pro 1992 SASTRE Carlos - ESPAge 30Turned Pro 1998 SÖRENSEN Nicki - DKAge 30Turned Pro 1999 VOIGT Jens - GAge 33Turned Pro 1997 ZABRISKIE David - USAAge 26 USATurned Pro 1999 ROBERTS Luke - AUSAge 28Turned Pro 2002 Sponsor: Computer systemsWeb site: www.riis-cycling.com2005 budget: not availableDirecteur sportif: Bjarne RiisTeam created: 2001Past Tours: 5th year participating, 6 stage wins, 2 KOM classification (Laurent Jalabert,

BOOGERD Michael - NLAge 33Turned Pro 1994 DEKKER Erik - NLAge 34Turned Pro 1992 KROON Karsten - NLAge 29Turned Pro 1999 LÖWIK Gerben - NLAge 28Turned Pro 2000 MENCHOV Denis - RUSAge 27Turned Pro 2000 POSTHUMA Joost - NLAge 24Turned Pro 2004 RASMUSSEN Michael - DKAge 31Turned Pro 2002 WAUTERS Marc - BAge 36Turned Pro 1991 WEENING Pieter - NLAge 24Turned Pro 2004 Sponsor: Banking CorporationWeb site: www.rabobank.nl2005 budget: $19.4 million (approx.)Directeur sportif: Theo De RooyTeam created: 1996Past tours: 10th year participating, 12 stage wins EQUIPMENT:Bike: ColnagoComponents:

Illes Balears

Veloswap.com launches online bike marketplaceBoulder, CO - Veloswap® announces the launch of the veloswap.comwebsite, an online marketplace for bicycle suppliers, retailers, clubs,teams, event directors, and individual cycling enthusiasts. The veloswap.comsite also offers banner advertising and other promotional opportunities. Veloswap.com utilizes a classified format enabling sellers to post productsand services and communicate via email with interested consumers. Productlistings cost as little as two dollars per item per month, with no additionalfees or commissions. The veloswap.com

CAÑADA David - SPAge 29Turned Pro 1996 BERTOGLIATI Rubens - SWIAge 26Turned Pro 2000 FRITSCH Nicolas - FAge 26Turned Pro 1999 GARATE Juan Manuel - SPAge 29Turned Pro 2000 GOMEZ Angel - SPAge 24Turned Pro 2004 ZABALLA Constantino - SPAge 27Turned Pro 2001 HORNER Chris - USAAge 33Turned Pro 1995 QUINZIATO Manuel - IAge 25Turned Pro 2002 PIEPOLI Leonardo - IAge 33Turned Pro 1995 Sponsor: Heating company, pen purveyorWeb site: www.saunierduvalteam.com2005 budget: $4.3 millionDirecteur sportif: Mauro GianettiTeam

Lampre-Caffita

AERTS Mario - BAge 30 Turned Pro 1996 BRANDT Christophe - BAge 28Turned Pro 2000 EVANS Cadel - AUSAge 28 Turned Pro 2001 McEWEN Robbie - AUSAge 33 Turned Pro 1996 MERCKX Axel - BAge 32Turned Pro 1994 RODRIGUEZ Fred - USAAge 31 Turned Pro 1996 VAN BONAND Leon - NCAge 33 Turned Pro 1993 VAN SUMMEREN Johan - BAge 24Turned Pro 2003 VANSEVENANT Wim - BAge 33Turned Pro 1995 Sponsors: Pharmaceutical company, national lotteryWeb site: www.davitamon-lotto.be2005 budget: $7.8 millionDirecteur sportif: Marc SergeantTeam created (under current name): 2005Past tours: 15th year participating

ULLRICH Jan - GAge 31Turned Pro 1995 GUERINI Giuseppe - IAge 35 Turned Pro 1993 KESSLER Matthias - GAge 26Turned Pro 2000 KLÖDEN Andreas - GAge 30Turned Pro 1998 NARDELLO Danielle - IAge 32Turned Pro 1994 SCHRECK Stefan - GAge 26 Turned Pro 2000 SEVILLA Oscar - SpAge 28Turned Pro 1998 STEINHAUSER Tobias - GAge 33Turned Pro 1996 VINOKOUROV Alexandre - KzAge 31Turned Pro 1998 Sponsor: Telecommunications CompanyWeb site: www.t-mobile-team.com2005 budget: $23.3 millionDirecteur sportif: Walter GodefrootTeam created: 1991Past tours: 14th year participating; 2 overall wins (Bjarne

Liberty Seguros-Würth

ARMSTRONG Lance - USA Age 33 Turned Pro 1992 AZEVEDO José - P Age 31 Turned Pro 1994 BELTRAN Manuel - SP Age 34 Turned Pro 1995 HINCAPIE George - USA Age 32 Turned Pro 1994 NOVAL Benjamin - SP Age 26 Turned Pro 2001 PADRNOS Pavel - CZ Age 34 Turned Pro 1996 POPOVYCH Yaroslav - UKR Age 25 Turned Pro 2002 RUBIERA José Luis - SP Age 32 Turned Pro 1995 SAVOLDELLI Paolo - IAge 32 Turned Pro 1996 Sponsor: Television programmerWeb site: team.discovery.com2005 budget: $15 millionDirecteur sportif: Johan BruyneelTeam created: 2005Past tours: 9th year participating, 21 stage wins, 6 overall

Ag2r Prévoyance

Liquigas-Bianchi

BERTOLINI Alessandro - IAge 33Turned Pro 1994 CORTINOVIS Alessandro - IAge 27Turned Pro 2000 FURLAN Angelo - IAge 28Turned Pro 2001 VALOTI Paolo - IAge 34Turned Pro 1996 GRIVKO Andriy - UKRAge 21Turned Pro 2005 HONCHAR Serhiy - UKRAge 35Turned Pro 1996 IGLINSKY Maxim - KAZAge 24Turned Pro 2004 LUDEWIG Jörg - GAge 29Turned Pro 1997 NURITDINOV Rafael - UZBAge 28Turned Pro 2002 Sponsor: Travel agency and developerWeb site: www.dominavacanzeproteam.it2005 budget: not availableDirecteur sportif: Gianluigi StangaTeam created: 2003Past tours: 1st year participating EQUIPMENT:Bike:

Bouygues Télécom

Phonak

ARTETXE Mikel - SPAge 28Turned Pro 1999 CAMANO Iker - SPAge 26Turned Pro 2002 ETEXEBARRIA Unai - VENAge 32Turned Pro 1996 FLORES Iker - SPAge 28Turned Pro 1999 HERRERO David - SPAge 25Turned Pro 2001 LANDALUZE Inigo - SPAge 28Turned Pro 2001 MARTINEZ Egoi - SPAge 27Turned Pro 2002MAYO Iban - SPAge 27Turned Pro 2000 ZUBELDIA Haimar - SPAge 28Turned Pro 1998 Sponsors: Telecom company and Basque regionWeb site: www.fundacioneuskadi.com2005 budget: $7.8 millionDirecteur sportif: Julian GorospeTeam created: 1994Past tours: 5th year participating, 2 stage wins EQUIPMENT:Bike:

Cofidis

Quick Step-Innergetic

CANCELLARA Fabian - SWIAge 24Turned Pro 2001 GUSTOV Volodymir - UKRAge 28Turned Pro 2000 KIRCHEN Kim - LUXAge 27Turned Pro 2000 BERNUCCI Lorenzo - IAge 25Turned Pro 2002 BOSSONI Paolo - IAge 29Turned Pro 1999 CORIONI Claudio - IAge 22Turned Pro 2005 GIUNTI Massimo - IAge 29Turned Pro 1998 FRIGO Dario - IAge 31Turned Pro 1996 FLECHA Juan Antonio - SPAge 27Turned Pro 2000 Sponsor: Building materials companyWeb site: www.fassabortolo.it2005 budget: $11.6 millionDirecteur sportif: Giancarlo FerrettiTeam created: 2000Past tours: 5th year participating, 8 stage wins, 1 young rider

Crédit Agricole

Rabobank

McGEE Bradley - AUSAge 29Turned Pro 1998 COOKE Baden - AUSAge 26Turned Pro 2000 EISEL Bernhard - AAge 24Turned Pro 2001 GILBERT Philippe - BAge 23Turned Pro 2003 LÖVKVIST Thomas - SAge 21Turned Pro 2003 CASAR Sandy - FAge 26Turned Pro 2000 DA CRUZ Carlos - FAge 30Turned Pro 1997 MENGIN Christophe - FAge 36Turned Pro 1995 MOUREY Francis - FAge 24Turned Pro 2004 Sponsor: National LotteryWeb site: cyclisme.fdjeux.com2005 budget: $8.4 millionDirecteur sportif: Marc MadiotTeam created: 1997Past tours: 9th year participating, 4 stage wins, 1 sprint classification(Baden Cooke,

CSC

Saunier Duval-Prodir

LEIPHEIMER Levi - USAAge 31Turned Pro 1997 FÖRSTER Robert - GAge 27Turned Pro 2001 LANG Sebastian - GAge 25Turned Pro 2002 RICH Michael - GAge v35Turned Pro 1997 SCHOLZ Ronny - GAge 27Turned Pro 2001 TOTSCHNIG Georg - AAge 34Turned Pro 1994 WEGMANN Fabian - GAge 25Turned Pro 2002 WROLICH Peter - AAge 31Turned Pro 1999 ZBERG Beat - SWIAge 34Turned Pro 1992 Sponsor: Mineral water producerWeb site: www.gerolsteiner.com/cycling2005 budget: $15.5 million (approx.)Directeur sportif: Hans-Michael HolczerTeam created: 1998Past tours: 3rd year participating EQUIPMENT:Bike:

Landis is relaxed and ready for the Tour, says Lelangue

T-Mobile

MANCEBO Francisco - SPAge 29Turned Pro 1998 KARPETS Vladimir - RUSAge 24Turned Pro 1998 VALVERDE Alejandro - SPAge 25Turned Pro 2002 ARROYO David - SPAge 25Turned Pro 2001 Chente García ZANDIO Xabier - SPAge 28Turned Pro 2001 BECKE Daniel - GAge 27Turned Pro 2001 ARRIETA José Luis - SPAge 34Turned Pro 1993 GALVEZ Isaac - SPAge 30Turned Pro 2000 Sponsor: Balearic Islands governmentWeb site: www.illesbalears-banesto.com2005 budget: $8.4 millionDirecteur sportif: José Miguel EchavarriTeam created: 1990Past tours: 16th year participating, 15 stage wins, 5 overall wins (Miguel Indurain,

Davitamon-Lotto

BORTOLAMI Gianluca - IAge 36Turned Pro 1990 COMMESSO Salvatore - IAge 30Turned Pro 1998 GLOMSER Gerrit - AAge 30Turned Pro 1998 LOOSLI David - SWIAge 25Turned Pro 2003 MAZZOLENI Eddy - IAge 31Turned Pro 1996 PETROV Evgeni - RUSAge 27Turned Pro 2001 RIGHI Daniele - IAge 29Turned Pro 2000 SPEZIALETTI Alessandro - IAge 30Turned Pro 1997 STANGELJ Gorazd - SLVAge 32Turned Pro 1997 Sponsor: Steel production, coffee machinesWeb site: www.lampre-caffita.com2005 budget: not availableDirecteur sportif: Giuseppe SaronniTeam created: 2005 (combination of Lampre and Saeco teams)Past tours: 8th

Discovery Channel

“I want to have some fun.” That’s what Bernard Hinault said before starting his final Tour de France in 1986. And he did. The five-time Tour winner went on the attack whenever he felt like it. He won both the long time trials, finished first at L’Alpe d’Huez and wore the yellow jersey for five days. He didn’t win the Tour though, partly because he’d promised to help his young prodigy, Greg LeMond. The American did win — despite the deliberate head games played by Hinault.When another five-time champion, Miguel Induráin, began his last Tour in 1996, he didn’t make any predictions, but he

T-Mobile announces Tour roster

(L-R): Giuseppe Guerini, Tobias Steinhauser, Matthias Kessler, Andreas Klöden, Alexander Vinokourov, Jan Ullrich, Oscar Sevilla, Daniele Nardello and Stephan Schreck.

Armstrong says he has the best back-up he's ever had

Seventh Heaven - or What?

Anything can happen on the road to Paris

Curi takes the win.

Kroepsch's attack sent off the day's early break

T-Mobile did its best to control the day

Decker has a good week in Utah.

Leipheimer at the Dauphiné

Cunego at this year's Tour of Romandie

Armstrong rides to a U.S. Title

Traffic is not an issue on Antelope Island

Mr. Baldwin snags a TT title

Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) will enter this year’s Tour de France with a much different profile than his three previous starts. After what he calls a three-year apprenticeship at Rabobank, a newly confident Leipheimer is ready to aim for the podium After his impressive performance at the Dauphiné Libéré, where he finished third overall and missed winning two stages by less than a second, Leipheimer knows he can ride with the best under any conditions. Leipheimer answered journalists’ questions about his past, his present and his future… at least through July. Here’s what he had to

Riding into form, Ullrich says he's primed for France

Di Luuca had several jerseys to choose from in May. He wants the white one at the end of the year.

The latest Photo Gallery in our continuing photo contest has now been posted for your viewing pleasure. Last Week's WinnerWe’ve awarded a copy of Graham Watson’s "Landscapes of Cycling." to Kristi Henne for her photo of the Health Net train getting to work in "Crank it up Boys." Thank you and congratulations Kristi. We'll be sending you a copy of Graham Watson's "Landscapesof Cycling. This Week's ContestThe announcement of a winner also signals the start of a New Contest, so go ahead and take a look at the Gallery from this round.From all of the submitted photos, we will

Gonzalez takes the overall because of an attack on the final climb of the final day

VeloNews Photo Contest: A new winner and a new gallery

Deer Valley NORBA wraps up in style

Shonny Vanlandingham showing 'em how it's done

OUCH! Kathy Pruitt's bandaged, velcroed hand.

Kabush's mangled rear tire after the short track.

Lastras celebrates

Quick Step and Rogers clung to the overall lead

Lastras makes his move

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski leads Kashi Leuchs up the day's first major climb

Editor’s Note: In January 2000 VeloNews devoted its first issue of the new century to the man who had so dominated the last. Today, on the occasion of Merckx’s 60th birthday, we thought we’d offer Ted Costantino’s personal profile of cycling’s greatest hero, along with Charles Chamberlin’s cover tribute, a photo mosaic that we’ve seen all over the world since its original publication.Eddy Merckx: To Win Them AllAn interstellar phenomenon, we may not see his like again for another 100 yearsBy Ted Costantino Here is Eddy Merckx at yet another public event. This time, it’s a store opening in

Few jobs can be as boring as that of manning a passport control booth at an airport. For hour after hour you open passports, look at the photo, match it with the person standing in front of you, and then date-stamp one of the blank pages. Next! About 20 years ago, I was in a short line at Madrid’s airport on a midweek morning. The Spanish passport control guy was a little overweight, chubby-faced and somewhat bleary-eyed (from a late-night party?). I could see him giving the passports a cursory glance and mechanically stamping them. It was as if he were in a trance. Then, with the

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.You can’t choose what happens in an accidentEditor:This is just a note in response to the letter from Scott Hendricks, who wrote about feeling no need to wear a helmet if all the gear in the world couldn't save him from a runaway SUV (see Monday’s Mailbag: “No, he doesn’t”). Indeed,

Click to purchase this poster

Merckx at 60 (2005)

Gerdemann

Merckx on a 140km solo attack that put him eight minutes ahead in the '69 Tour

Winning Roubaix

Tuft rides into the lead

Warren tops the men's podium, claiming his first NORBA National win

Kintner came from behind - twice - to win the women's dual

Biking a bobsled run

Bishop ran a modified carbon-fiber single-speed