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The 2004 Verge Mid-Atlantic Cyclo-Cross Championship Series wraps up this weekend with The Fitness Concepts Capital Classic in Reston, Virginia. Absent from the 2003 edition of the Mid-Atlantic series, the event is a great addition to the 2004 series. Held in a natural bowl-like section of Lake Fairfax Park, the course includes several elevation changes and a well-balanced mix of technical areas and power sections. The six previous editions of the Reston event have all been held on diverse, challenging courses – yet all held within the same section of park. Rumor has it that EMI racing and

The Mail Bag 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.What about Landis?Editor:I have read previously that Floyd Landis had an "out" in his contract if Phonak did not get into the UCI ProTour. Have you any further information regarding Landis's status? Rumors of what team he might join? Chances that he will go back to the Postal/Discovery

The State of New Mexico and the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) have signed an agreement to cooperate in the construction of new mountain bike trails. The agreement, signed Sept. 14, is the first of its kind between IMBA and a state parks system. "This is another example of how government can work with organizations to encourage responsible use of public lands for our residents and our visitors," New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said. The governor added that more than 39 million Americans participated in mountain biking last year, and the state's unique landscape and

Hamilton keeps his gold medal

MONTROSE, Colorado - NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol and his college-age son emerged from the wreckage of a corporate jet after it crashed during takeoff and burst into flames, killing two crew members. Rescuers were still searching for Ebersol's younger son, whose seat was missing from the smoldering ruins. The 18-seat charter jet with six people on board crashed Sunday morning at Montrose Regional Airport in southwest Colorado, not far from the Telluride Ski Area. A heavy snowstorm had lightened up before the plane prepared to depart for South Bend, Ind., where Ebersol's son Charles is a

The Mail Bag 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.Uuuuuurpppp....Dear VeloNews,Ugh...talk about making your stomach lurch (see "Friday's foaming rant: Gobble, gobble, gobble"). No, not O'Grady's writing...well, sort of...just the thought of eating 53 hotdogs in a year is enough to make my stomach turn, let alone 12 minutes.Then the

DENDERMONDE, Belgium (AP) - The lead prosecutor in the trial of Frank Vandenbroucke has asked for a sentence of community service in the dopingcase that originally stemmed from a police raid on the Belgian cycling star’s home two years ago. Police discovered endurance-enhancing EPO, muscle-boosting Clenbuterol and morphine during the 2002 search and Vandenbroucke was subsequently suspended for six months. Vandenbroucke's lawyer, Luc Deleu, said the cyclist had already served his ban and there was no need for further sanctions against his client. "We have already been sanctioned. We

Tilford: Experience counts.

Vandenbroucke (R) and manager Paul De Geyter (L) leave the correctional court of Dendermonde on Monday.

One man, one gear, four wins

For the first time in the 14-year history of the VeloNews awards a pair of Canadians, cross-country racer Roland Green and road pro Lyne Bessette, have walked away with North American Cyclist of the Year honors. In Green's case it was the first time a non-American or a mountain biker has ever won the award. Bessette was just the second Canadian women to be tabbed, following Linda Jackson, who won it twice (1997, '98). Green earned the honor by putting together a brilliant season that included three overall series titles (NORBA cross country and short track, plus the World Cup

Green on his way to winning at world's.

Bessette was a multiple winner on the road and in 'cross.

Nys is on a roll

Will Wellens make the rest of the series a contest?

Nys tried to escape in the sand, but it wasn't working

Belgians ruled the sandy circuit

WADA reaccredits Seoul lab for steroid analysisThe World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced today in Montreal that it has granted full reaccreditation to the anti-doping laboratory in Seoul, South Korea. In April 2004, the laboratory was suspended from carrying out steroid analysis for a period of six months, following unsatisfactory performances and non-compliance with WADA’s International Standards for Laboratories. Since then, the laboratory, in cooperation with the South Korean government, has taken corrective actions. New material has been purchased and additional staff has been

The Mail Bag 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.Doing the math, part 2Editor:I'd like to respond to Steve Rempel's letter (see Wednesday’s mailbag: "Doing the Math"). I think he's got a good point about Tyler's Olympic doping test possibly falling into the margin of error. But is there a statistician out there who can factor in

(K)nowing Nicely-Nicely Jones, I am prepared to wager all the money I can possibly raise that he can outeat anything that walks on two legs. In fact, I will take a chance on Nicely-Nicely against anything on four legs, except maybe an elephant, and at that he may give the elephant a photo finish.–Damon Runyon in his short story A Piece of Pie,describing an eating contest on Broadway Bicycle racing? Fuhgeddaboudit. It’s so last century. I have seen the future of sport, and it is professional competitive eating. While sprawled in the living room rocker, recovering from my annual

On September 24, the United States Antidoping Agency announced the two-year suspension of 27-year-old Joey D'Antoni. The track racer from Raleigh, North Carolina, tested positive for recombinant human Erythropoietin (rHuEPO), a synthetic hormone that increases the body's ability to produce red blood cells. D'Antoni is the third U.S. cyclist to test positive for the banned hormone. Former U.S. national time trial champion Adham Sbeih tested positive in August of 2003. More recently, up-and-coming rider Adam Bergman joined the blacklist. Sbeih argued he never took EPO. "I've never even seen

Dear Bob,If an Ironman triathlete used her story to inspire and collect donationsfor a charity, and paid the charity 75 percent and kept 25 percent fortraining and racing expenses, would she be a non-profit organization herself,a business, or would it be just plain illegal. In this example, the athletewould advertise, speak on behalf of the charity, etc.M.H.MontanaDear MH,Let's assume Tracy Trigal, as an independent agent, and without anyother formalities, sets herself up along the lines you suggest, givingthe money to the Rhinitis Foundation, a legitimate charity dedicated tocuring the

D'Antoni in 2002

Katrina Grove

Katrina Grove

Sayers, the mountain biker, racing for Maxxis at the NORBA Nationals in Mammoth, California.

Lance's 'Tour de France' chopper

Lance and Sheryl on 'Overhaulin''

The infamous 'Jamo' losing his knee warmer but winning the Washington state championship

Wednesday's EuroFile: Bartoli retires; Flynn out in Oz

The Mail Bag 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.Glad you spoke out!There you go Tyler!Defend yourself (see “Hamiltonissues statement in his defense”)!I find it hard to accept that someone with your level of sportsmanshipwould try to cheat.  I was hoping that you would issue a statement. If just for the fans that are supporting you

With Thanksgiving upon us, it’s time to take a moment and reflect upon all that we have to be thankful for. Or so “they” tell us. I think it’s good practice to try not and take anything for granted all throughout the year, but if “they” want to designate a four-day weekend to spend counting our blessings, I’m more than happy to add the vacation to the list. First of all, I’m thankful to have finished VeloNews issue 20 last night, our 17th annual awards issue. I think it’s one of our more fun issues of the year, both to work on and to peruse, through the eyes of our readers. There are

Bartoli at Paris-Nice

Felt designated official bike of ADT Event CenterNovember 23, 2004, Lake Forest, CA - Felt Racing, LLC and AEG,owners and operators of the ADT Event Center, located within The Home DepotCenter in Carson, California are pleased to announce that Felt will bethe official bicycle of the new world-class  facility for the next2 years.  The ADT Event Center is the country’s only indoor velodromeand has already hosted major cycling events this year including the 2004Junior U.S. National Track Championships and the 2004 UCI Junior WorldTrack Championships. The facility is also the site of

New from VeloNews's veteran European correspondent! This timely annualrecounts every aspect of the 91st Tour de France.Lance Armstrong began this year’s Tour denying accusations of drug useand speculation as to whether he could finish as the first six-time winnerin Tour history. Rain, cobbles, and crashes reshaped the field of competitionin the first week while the U.S. Postal team methodically proved the abilityof each rider assembled for Armstrong’s landmark victory with a decidedshow of unity and athleticism.The slopes of the Pyrénées and Alps gave rise to the aspirationsof cycling’s next

Statement from U.S. Gold Medalist Tyler Hamilton Regarding Doping ChargeTuesday November 23, 11:40 am ETWASHINGTON, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statementfrom U.S. gold medalist Tyler Hamilton regarding doping charge:As an athlete I realize that sometimes you may have to lose a few racesto gain the knowledge on what it takes to win. Relating to my doping charge,I will say that, up to this point, I have been losing the "pr" war -- partiallybecause I naively thought that if I stated whole-heartedly that I havenever and would never engage in blood doping or any form of cheating

Look president Dominique Bergin

Look's new 585 frame incorporates the company's 'forged carbon' technology in the bottom bracket shell.

Look's new Kéo pedal features an injected carbon body and a large support surface. The titanium axle version weighs 190 grams per pair.

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Dirty cogs, loose spindles and those darn splines again

Cunego hopes to continue his winning ways in '05, but the team kit will be different

The Mail Bag 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. Don’t just question Tyler, question the testDear Editors:Either I've missed it or no one has brought up the validity of thescience behind the blood test employed in these cases. How was thistest developed? Who funded the research? Was the scientist hiredto develop the test? Is he

The '05 Tour won't be the same without Armstrong

Happier Times: Beloki at the 2002 Vuelta

Will Phonak have cause to celebrate next week?

Knapp was solid all season

Spanish shampoo may trigger positiveThe Canadian federal health service, Health Canada, has issued a warning to consumers advising them not to use Blue Cap Shampoo and Blue Cap Spray because the shampoo contains betamethasone, a topical corticosteroid (steroid). The spray may contain a similar substance. Neither chemical is noted on the product labels and Blue Cap products have not been approved for sale in Canada or the United States. Betamethasone may only be obtained by prescription. Use of betamethasone should be monitored by a physician. Corticosteroids, such as betamethasone,

Nys is still riding strong

Is Wellens finally hitting his stride?

Page

Wells ruled the day

Trebon takes the series

As was the case last year, the RotaryClub of Marblehead, Massachusetts, is auctioning of a signed TylerHamilton jersey as part of the organization’s annual fundraiser.Hamilton, a member of the Swiss-based Phonak team, is originally fromMarblehead and donated a jersey to the organization last year as well.Relying on an eBay auction and exposure from VeloNews, the Marblehead Rotary earned more than $2500from last year’s jersey auction.To bid, justclick here and help the Marblehead Rotary.

Marblehead Rotary auctions Hamilton jersey

Berden has three wins going into Sunday's Superprestige round

New daddy Page fell off the pace at midrace

Trebon was 'just rollin''

Knapp ran to victory

Seven's Elium mixes carbon tubes with either steel or titanium tubes and lugs. The Elium Race shown here boasts extra rigidity for criteriums and road racing.

Seven built an especially light bike for Mary McConneloug to take to the Olympics. The same featherlight tubeset is now available to all in the Olympic Sola.

“Who you gonna believe – me, or your lying eyes?”–Richard Pryor in Live on the Sunset Strip,explaining to his wife that he was not doingwhat she had seen him doing with another woman Plenty of you have noticed and commented upon the “Believe Tyler” ad that has been displayed elsewhere on the VeloNews.com website. Some have derided the concept as absurd or inappropriate, others have defended it as a valiant expression of support for an embattled hero, and at least one guy inquired about running his own ad for a website he called “Don’t Believe Tyler.” We’re still waiting for the check on that

The Mail Bag 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.Let the process play itself outEditor:Perhaps it's just me, but lost in all the gnashing of teeth and recriminations regarding Tyler Hamilton's guilt or innocence is the fact that the original infallible Olympic testing lab decided that Tyler's "A" specimen was "negative" – may I repeat,

Aussie Olympic chief supports independent doping panelAustralia's Olympic chief John Coates has voiced support for the creation of a new independent body to examine drug cases and prevent a repeat of cycling's chaotic buildup to this year's Athens Olympics. A report, authored by top lawyer Robert Anderson into allegations of drug use in Australian cycling and released Thursday, proposed a body independent of the government-funded Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). Coates said a new drugs body was long overdue, adding that the Australian Olympic

Doubling in size from its first year in 2003, the 2004 San Francisco VeloSwap bicycle swap and show filled 75,000 square feet of the Cow Palace on November 13. Patrick Barrett of the Broken Spoke in San Carlos, California, says "Thank you for producing VeloSwap. This was my first time participating and it far exceeded my expectations. I own a small bike shop and was able to bring most of my bikes and a lot of old clothing, shoes and stuff that had been gathering dust at the shop. We ended up having the best day in our 10-year history. We'll definitely be there every year from now

Friday's foaming rant: Believe O'Grady

Rob Vandermark, President, Seven Cycles.

"Cycling in the News" is a regular service of VeloNews.com. Readers,reporters and friends are encouraged to send links to current stories aboutcompetitive cyclists and cycling that appear in the mainstream media. Ifyou come across a news item that you believe may be of interest to otherVeloNews readers, we would be grateful if you choose to send it to Rosters@InsideInc.com.BikeBiz.com - Great Britain - November 18, 2004The cycling proficiency test is dead; long live the National StandardThe new National Standard for cycle training in England has been operationalfor some months but it got its

Olympic cycling bronze medalist Axel Merckx has picked up Belgium's annual sportsperson of the year award, it was announced Thursday. The 32-year-old professional rider, the son of legend Eddy Merckx - considered the greatest cycling champion of all time - succeeded motocross rider Stefan Everts who won last year's title. Axel Merckx has displayed great talent in the sport, but is often compared to his famous father - nicknamed "the Cannibal" for his voracious appetite for victory – who won five Tours de France and most of the sport’s other prestigious titles, including the world

'05 season on menu at Georgia luncheonThe Georgia Partnership for Economic Development will host a luncheon and panel discussion about the upcoming 2005 cycling season, including the Dodge Tour de Georgia, from noon to 2 p.m. Friday in Atlanta. The gathering will be at Technology Square, 85 Fifth Street, in room 132. Race announcer and cycling commentator Dave Towle will moderate the panel discussion. Joining Towle on the panel will be Jeff Corbett, director of HealthNet-Maxxis; Micah Rice, director of Jittery Joe’s-Kalahari; Nathan O’Neill, five-time Australian time trial champion, who

Merckx won the bronze medal for the road race in Athens

The Mail Bag 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.Ill-gotten gains?Editor:On the topic of Dave Fuentes' suspension, it's interesting to read that the arbitration panel essentially counted his entire spring and summer of racing as part of his suspension term. That's really unfortunate. I guess this means riders in the future should dope

Will Kabush still be celebrating on Sunday?

Not if Gully can help it.

Will the CAS force a medal shuffle?

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Splines, cleats and big guys on bikes