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The Criterium International, aka the “mini Tour de France,” opened Saturday with the 187km rolling stage through the French Ardennes and ended in a mass gallop with Frenchie Damien Nazon (La Boulangere) repeating his brother’s win in the same stage last year and taking the victory. Nazon rode off the wheel of Fdjeux’s Jimmy Casper to win ahead of Swiss rider Aurelien Clerc (Quick Step) and Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner). With just about all the riders wearing a helmet, Nazon rode sans helmet and it was easy to spot the nearly bald-headed rider in the red jersey. The race was animated with

What, me worry?

German sprint ace Erik Zabel added one more to his palmares in the rain in Spain on Friday while Dario Frigo wrapped up the overall title at the Setmana Catalana. Zabel’s faced criticism all spring that he’s lost his touch. His first win didn’t come until Tour of Murcia, then he finished sixth at Milan-San Remo before losing his top-spot in the world rankings. Zabel, however, stayed quiet and simply let his legs – and his professionalism - do the talking. On Friday, he took his second win of the week by charging to an easy victory in the 176km fifth and final stage of Catalana week. Rain

For a story on the Health Net team in the upcoming issue of VeloNews I had the pleasure of speaking to Mike Sayers this week for the first time this season. Long the unsung worker on the Mercury team, Sayers has taken his act to the new Health Net squad after the dissolution of Mercury. But it almost didn’t happen, Sayers said. “Basically, I told [Health Net] I was retired in December,” Sayers said. In a winter that he called “poor and frustrating,” Sayers got tired of hearing the same things from prospective teams. “I talked to every team,” he said. “It was always the same story: Take it

Well he went down down downand the devil said where you beenhe went down down downhe screamin' down around the bend.-Tom Waits, "Down Down Down" I would make a poor match for Lucifer, though judging from the mailbag lately a number of readers would be delighted to see me "hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky/With hideous ruin and combustion down" to race that fallen angel around the Lake of Fire. Alas, the best I could expect from any head-to-horns competition with the Prince of Darkness - a descender of legendary ability who became directeur sportif down below after

Editor:Your photo of the '04 Dura-Ace rear derailleur, (not that you evenhave such a photo yet, nor would publish it) was intriguing.Without a cable attached, it was in what would normally be the extremeposition. So, either someone had been majorly jacking with the set-limitscrews... or it is Rapid Rise? Can you comment? I happen to like RapidRise on the dirt, but I'm not sure I'd like the idea on the road.Steen RoseA conspiracy theorist speculatesEditor:Just when I was starting to think, “What devious upgrade will Shimanocome up with to compel people to buy the new Dura-Ace?"

Mike Sayers

Goin' down, down, down....

Don't write him off yet

Cipo' has a new outfit he wants to bring to the Tour

Bruckner on her own

Bessette

Gaggioli

Vaughters managed to hold off Horner, but by only a small margin

Jonas Carney may be happier on Saturday

Dear Bob Mionske;While riding a local canyon here in Salt Lake City, we were stopped by a police officer in a car who told us (two of us riding side by side) it is not legal to do so. I ask him why? Just because it is unsafe for us. We could be a hazard. I also ask why then if we have the same right to the road as any motor vehicle can we not ride as our local police do on the motorcycles. Thank you,Kenny GSalt Lake City, UT Dear K.G. To quote my old coach Eddie Borysewicz, you and your friend were riding “side by each.” Before I answer your question, let me start with the general state

The green hills of spring.

First off, a little trivia. Take a good look at this recent cover of Time Magazine and tell me how it relates to our little world of mountain bike racing. Here’s a hint: NORBA pack fodder. Look for the answer at the end of this column. Now, on to more serious topics: Several weeks ago, the folks at Trilife Sports International, who run the 24 Hours of Adrenalin series, e-mailed out a press release announcing that they had decided to end their six-year relationship with NORBA. That in turn meant that there was now no federation sanctioned 24-hour national championships race on the 2003 race

Calling all bike racers...

Keith David (right) explains the ins and outs of pro cycling to a stunned Ice Cube

Stage 2: Mix Canyon Hill Climb 'Don't be proud - Consider a triple!'

Stage 3: Panorama Point Road Race

It's spring... no need to hurry

The escapees

Frigo and Piepoli

The man in charge

MTB News and Notes: The great 24-hour debate

Are 24-hour racers running away from NORBA?

MTB News and Notes: The great 24-hour debate

Room — and bathroom — for rentAs I recently searched the Web for upcoming local races, I came across a helpful Boulder-area Web site, cyclingevents.com, that, among race listings also features a headline offering a room for rent in North Central Boulder, available January 2003, complete with photos of the room and bathroom. That’s fabulous! Very thorough. No word yet if it’s still available. Undercover BrotherWhile working on a review of Jamie Paolinetti’s new feature-length domestic road racing documentary “The Hard Road,” I was surprised to discover that the film’s oh-so-sophisticated

Horner makes his move

Dario Frigo chugged away from Lance Armstrong and other top favorites to win the fourth stage of Setmana Catalana and take control of the race with just one stage remaining. The four-time Tour de France champion stayed with the lead group of riders up the long, difficult 19.5km Category 1 climb to the finish at the ski village of Pal, high in the Spanish Pyrénées, until the attacks by Juan Miguel Mercado fractured the lead group with 2km to go. Armstrong, racing in his second race of the season as he prepares for the Tour de France in July, came across 24th at 1:11 back. Frigo, however, is

Editor;In response to Mr. Tew's letter (see "Absolutely the last helmet letter we'll publish ... until the next one" - below) I would like to point out the following facts: 1. This was a staged photo shoot, where I was riding about 5 mph past the camera, trying to look like I was riding fast. 2. Our new helmet sponsor, Rudy Project, had not been able to deliver my new team helmet at the early date of this photo shoot, and so being the reckless fellow I am, I chose to wear no helmet at all, rather than the Credit Agricole-splattered helmet of another brand that I had with me. 3. I

Rabobank’s Beat Zberg sneaked into the overall lead of the 40th Setmana Catalana after finishing third in Wednesday’s third stage. Italian Marco Zanotti (Fassa Bortolo) delivered another loss to Erik Zabel in the bunch sprint into Parets del Valles while Gonzalo Bayarri (Phonak) finished behind Zberg to forfeit the leader’s jersey. Thursday’s 144km “queen’s stage” from Parets to Alto de Pal will be the decisive stage. U.S. Postal’s Lance Armstrong could jump into contention for final victory if he continues to demonstrate the strong form he’s shown so far in his “home race.” “Lance wants to

Dear Dr. Dawn;I am a Type 1 diabetic cyclist and I use an insulin pump to control my blood sugars. I keep reading about Marco Pantani being suspended for having insulin in his possession. How is insulin used as a performance enhancer? When I’m riding my pump is delivering little to no insulin to keep my sugars from going too low (bonk). I thought I knew how it worked – what’s up? -- Chris Erickson Dear Chris;Before I get into specifics of the role of insulin in doping, let me first take a position on doping in general as a physician. When I graduated from medical school I took the

Tech report: A product extravaganza!

Tech report: A product extravaganza!

Tech report: A product extravaganza!

Tech report: A product extravaganza!

Armstrong

Zberg

Lance coming on form

Rabobank at work

Americans Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods are among the nominees for World Sportsman of the Year as part of the 2003 Laureus World Sports Awards.Their rivals for the honor include last year's winner, Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher; Brazilian soccer World Cup hero Ronaldo; and Olympic gold-winning biathlete Ole Einar Bjorndalen of Norway.Other cyclists nominated for awards include Germany’s Michael Teuber (World Sportsperson of the Year With a Disability) and Anne-Caroline Chausson of France (World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year).The nominees come from a selection

An old wound?

It’s a busy week in Europe with stage races in Spain, Italy and France, the third stop of the women’s World Cup slated for this weekend in Spain and the kickoff of the northern classics season in Belgium. Here’s a look at the highlights. Armstrong headlines strong Catalana fieldLance Armstrong starts his second race of the season Monday with the 40th Setmana Catalana as the four-time Tour de France champion continues his preparation for his assault on the 2003 Tour. The five-day race is Armstrong’s “hometown” race as the course plies the roads of Spain’s Cataluyna region near Armstrong’s

Since I got here last year I have always been curious about the level of women’s racing in Belgium. This year, I actually have a friend racing the women’s races here in Belgium, so I had a chance to go and see her race, and experience another part of cycling in Belgium. I am here to report that women’s racing in Belgium is every bit as tough and brutal as the men’s races. I got the chance to check out a Kermis, or kermesse, last Saturday (March 29) near Aalst, and the previous weekend near De Panne. Both races were fierce battles from the start: fast, aggressive, and plenty of gutter riding

The women's field hits the pave'

Nathalie Visser

No contest: This one was easy for Zabel

With temperatures pushing well into the mid 80s, and almost nowhere to hide from the blistering sun, riders battled through a hot final day at the Nova Desert Classic outside Phoenix on Sunday. When racing was done, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Mary Grigson emerged as overall winners in the three-stage event that served as the kick-off race for the 2003 pro mountain biking season. Horgan-Kobelski earned his victory by facing down reigning world champion Roland Green in a one-on-one battle over the last half of the fifth and final lap around the six-mile course. After spending much of the day

The lead men wind their way through the Arizona desert.

Green took the stage, but the overall belonged to Horgan-Kobelski.

Grigson erased her deficit and won the final stage and the overall.

The men's lead group rolls through the Arizona desert.

The women's winner.

Racing gets rolling.

Pile-up at the start.

One of the saddest tasks for a journalist is writing obituaries, particularly in the case of young athletes at the height of their careers. A few weeks ago in this column, I wrote about Italian racer Denis Zanette, who died of heart failure at age 32. Who knows how much the harsh life of a professional cyclist contributed to his untimely death? This past week another member of the cycling family left this world prematurely. His name was Andreï Kivilev, a 29-year-old from Kazakhstan who raced for the French team Cofidis. In both cases, the tragedy was heightened by their being recent fathers:

Dear Editor;I don't expect cycling commentary from the Economist, nor do I want it. Why then does Patrick O'Grady think anyone cares about his personal views on the liberation of Iraq. Long Live Long Rides Kevin FarrellMission Viejo CA We've alway's kinda liked the Economist's Tour coverage, though.-- Editor Can you install a filter on PO'G?Editor;I am an avid reader of VeloNews as I consider it to be the bestsource of "cycling" news out there, so obviously I was shocked to see thebelow personal political message inserted into Patrick O'Grady's articleof

It’s too early to declare a full-scale power shift, but the second day of the Nova Desert Classic did serve as introduction to some new faces that could give last year’s established stars a run for their money. In the men’s short track race held Saturday at the McDowell Mountain Regional Park outside Phoenix, Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (RLX Ralph Lauren) was the winner. And while Horgan-Kobelski isn’t a new name (he’s the reigning U.S. national champion), beating the likes of world champion Roland Green with a last-lap attack was something he hadn’t done before. “He tried to go first, but we

The World Cup winner picked up where he left off

The defending World Cup winner picked up where he left off

Sure, Cipo' won the sprint, but this time it took place 11 seconds too late.

Bettini and Paolini held off the charge over the last 2km

Bettini tests the waters

FDJ's Jacky Durand was an another early break

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Mail: Put a sock in O'Grady

Horgan-Kobelski takes the win.

Haywood early in her TT.

The hunt for results.

Green settled for third.

Florit in the start house.