News

Beloki's season debut

Candelario looks happy, doesn't he?

Horner catches a ride on the Health Net train

Candelario

Tina Pic grabbed the right wheel

Kelme riders lead a protest before Friday's final stage

Rodriguez hoists his prize

Edo gets the stage

Levi Leipheimer's glad to join the Rabobank winner's club

T-Mobile's Armstrong savors a stage win

Bessette puts the hammer down

Racer leader Jeanson felt flat

Health Net took another run at Horner with Pate off the front

The day went to Dominguez, and Horner remained in control

(A)nd I was, after all, a professional journalist; soI had an obligation to cover the story, for good or ill.Hunter S. Thompson"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" Okay I’m coming clean here. Brace yourself. I use performance-enhancingdrugs. I’m not particularly proud of this. Still, it’s something I have todo, a hard choice forced upon me by circumstances. Cycling commentary isa hard dollar indeed, and a guy has to do what he can to get an edge andkeep it. I mean, look at the season, for Christ’s sake. Lance and Tylermay think they’ve got a long shift and a short weekend, but the seasonnever

Thanks for the Redlands coverageVeloNews:Many thanks to Velonews.com for its coverage of the Redlands Classic. The very large field attests to the importance of this race for domestic cycling. Nowhere else can I find even any mention of this race. Chris Horner's performance both here and in San Francisco last September speak volumes as to the quality of the top domestic riders. Keep up the good work! Jonathan WrightToledo, Ohio(where we are still waiting for spring) Manzano's revelations show we've been suckeredVeloNews:Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano's recent revelations about drug use

Charlotte, N.C., March 25 - Gita Sporting Goods, Ltd. announced today that Giordana apparel has again been chosen as the official technical apparel sponsor of the 2004 Dodge Tour De Georgia. Giordana will manufacture the four awards jerseys, the Leader, King of the Mountains, Sprint Leader and Best Young Rider. All four will also be available through bike shops and onsite at the finish area of each stage of the race. Speaking for Gita, Sandy Nicholls, Marketing Director, said: “We are extremely excited to see the Dodge Tour De Georgia return and be able to continue our involvement with it. A

(3/26/04) With excitement building rapidly for the April launch of its new super-light Six13 road models, Cannondale has responded with a new area of its web site devoted exclusively to the innovative new design. The new microsite can be accessed through Cannondale’s home page, www.cannondale.com, or directly at either www.cannondalesix13.com or www.legalizemycannondale.com. The site has in-depth information on the Six13’s unique design and construction process, which mates carbon fiber top, down and seat tubes with welded aluminum joint clusters and a welded aluminum rear triangle. The

Levi Leipheimer is upbeat after winning his first bike race since he took the French stage race, the Route du Sud, in June 2002. He’s psyched because the race he won on Thursday was the toughest, and the only true mountain stage, of this week’s Setmana Catalana. The five-hour stage took in two climbs (including the one to the finish) to the remote ski station of the Port del Comte, a Cat. 1 ascent that peaks out at 5709 feet elevation, deep in the Spanish Pyrenees. The significance of his win was obvious, particularly in the context of this year’s upcoming Tour de France. To win the stage,

Friday’s foaming rant: Bread, water and circuses

Postal's Floyd Landis has legal head gear

Bessette makes her move

Moninger and Pate

Horner and Grajales team up...

...and Horner wins on his own - again.

Thorburn and Bessette eventually left Jeanson on her own

Moninger and Pate

Horner and Grajales team up...

...and Horner wins on his own - again.

Thorburn and Bessette eventually left Jeanson on her own

Dear Bob,I have an idea about a new device to be used by competitive cyclists. Ireally think it is a good product and no one else has thought of it (asfar as I know). Should I try to get a patent before I talk to prospectiveinvestors?Anonymous Dear Anon,Before you contemplate seeking out investors it is in your best interestto know a little bit more about the process for obtaining a patent, thecosts involved and the potential for disappointment. This being said, apatent can richly reward you for your inventiveness by granting you a temporarymonopoly. Prior to speaking with investors, you

Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano on Thursday said that professional cycling is awash with growth hormones, the banned blood booster EPO and host of other products often not intended for human use. Manzano’s interviews are appearing in the Spanish newspaper AS in a bid to avenge his sacking by the Kelme team last year, said for many riders the practice was openly available. "It's like an open bar when it comes to growth hormones, and you get injected with EPO (Erythropoietin) almost every day," said the 25-year-old Spaniard in the second part of his interview with AS. Manzano backed up his

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Thursday that AdhamSbeih, a cyclist from Sacramento, Calif., was suspended for two years aftertesting positive for recombinant human Erythropoietin (rEPO).  Itis the first suspension of an athlete in the United States for an rEPOpositive.The suspension followed a hearing before a three-member panel of theAmerican Arbitration Association (AAA)/North American Court of Arbitrationfor Sport (CAS), which concluded in part that “The methodology utilizedby the UCLA Lab for testing rEPO is scientifically sound and the resultsproduced by the tests

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske: I have an idea. Now what?

Illegal speed: Giro's Rev IV is now a relic of the past

Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano has charged that his former team has long conducted an organized doping program with little regard for riders’ health or safety. Manzano’s claims come a week after he promised to lift the lid on the Spanish team's unsavory doping practices, including blood transfusions and the use of experimental substances. The 25-year-old Spaniard, who was fired by Kelme after last year's Vuelta a España for allegedly having sex with a woman in his hotel room, openly admits he is seeking revenge because he is currently living a hand to mouth existence. The 25-year-old

Manzano and Virenque attack in Stage 7 of the 2003 Tour

Capelle on his way to Waregem

Horner

Webcor kept the gap small on a fast ride across the desert

Only Grajales could stay with Horner

Klasna and the rest of the original break were now in chase mode

Time to go...

Postal's Jurgen Van Den Brouck

Okay, now, watch the dancing lady...VeloNews,So, the sport of cycling has this allegedly rampant drug problem,and riders are getting sacked for getting a little in the sack? (See"Ex-Kelmerider promises doping revelations") There's nothing likea little sex scandal to get everyone to forget about life's realproblems, no?Neil HickeySeattle, WashingtonYoung guns!Editors,That is some awesome writing! (See "Youngguns: Playing poker with Team Money") I will definitely befollowing these guys.Tschuss!Steve O'DellGeorgiaHe an icon of what?VeloNews,Your characterization of Marco Pantani as an "icon" is

Tuesday's mail bag: Drugs, sex, icons and Mullets

Susan Palmer-Komar

Zabriskie takes second

Brian Maxwell, founder of the multimillion-dollar PowerBar empire and a former world-class marathon runner, died in San Anselmo, California, of a heart attack at the age of 51 on Friday. According to friends, Maxwell collapsed at a post office near his home. Emergency personnel called to the scene were unable to resuscitate him and he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Maxwell and his wife Jennifer, a nutritionist, co-founded the popular energy bar company in 1986 and began selling PowerBars out of their kitchen. Over the next decade, the Berkeley, California-based

Brian and Jennifer Maxwell

Laurent was a pioneer?

Hushovd still leads the Coupe de France

Bessette was in control

Uhl's win was a bonus for Quark

Grajales fought hard to hold his place on GC

Postal's young gun Patrick McCarty made the break

Friedick's final push paid off

Give the boy some poker moneyEditor,Just writing to say that the Team Money essay/blurb/bit from Ang’ Sheldrakewas brilliant ( see "Youngguns: Playing poker with Team Money"). You should publish moreof him. Hell, are you paying these people? If not, you should even payhim.Thanks,Elliot Dickerson All I know is that I like what I likeEditors,I have no idea what I just read, but I liked it. Just thought I'd voicemy approval in case you get some differing opinions of this rather abstractpiece.Ryan RasmussenBozeman, Montanaand Calgary, Alberta What the....?!?!Sirs,Regarding Mr. Agnetti

Zabel celebrates, but Freire wins

Horner heads up the hill

Armstrong seems to be enjoying the ride

Bessette rides into the overall lead

Moninger put in a strong ride for third

Horner again

Candace Blickem was out on a break all day...

...but a strong chase brought her back to the field on the final lap.

Ted Huang of Webcor controlling the break

Trent Klasna

Zabel celebrates but Freire wins at Milan-San Remo

Cipollini makes adjustments for the day's changing weather

A cool day along the Mediterranean

Ooops!

Baden Cooke and Lance Armstrong, shown in last year's Tour, are a bit under the weather as Milan-San Remo approaches