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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

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

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

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

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?

Lance coming on form

Rabobank at work

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.

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.

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

The women's winner.

Racing gets rolling.

Pile-up at the start.

I hate to make light of anything related to the war, but last night, the 9 o'clock local news on Channel 2 here in the Boulder/Denver area opened with the two anchor-people in a map of Iraq. Not with a map of Iraq behind them. Not standing beside a map of Iraq. No, somehow, through the magic of technology, they were actually in the map, walking around on Iraq and showing us what was happening with the war, and where. I couldn't believe my eyes, and I couldn't believe someone actually thought this was a good idea. Of course, I'm sure the local TV newsfolk were exhausted from

The place to be about 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon will be right behind the wheel of Mario Cipollini. The world champion enters the 94th Milan-San Remo race as the favorite to repeat and the only way to beat the Domina Vacanze rider will be to be on his wheel and come around him. Of course, that's assuming the 297km World Cup opener comes down to a sprint... and that most of Cipollini's powerful train makes it with him over the Poggio climb just 5.5 kilometers from the finish on the famed Via Roma in San Remo. And, that's assuming, Cipollini's threat not to start Milan-San Remo

VeloNews’s parent company, Inside Communications, Inc. and Ski Racing magazine publisher, Ski Racing International, have reached a merger agreement that will bring the Vermont-based skiing magazine to Boulder, Colorado. The deal, which will see Ski Racing make the journey west to be united with ICI's cycling and triathlon titles VeloNews and Inside Triathlon, is expected to close within 30 days. SRI's publisher, Gary Black, Jr., will become a vice-chairman of ICI and a member of ICI's board. He will continue to stay heavily involved in ski racing, the sport that has been his

“Where have all the flowers gone?” – Pete SeegerYour mileage may vary, they say. Especially when you’re a cyclist and it’s “springtime” in the Colorado Rockies. As most of the rest of the nation traded its hoodies for Hawaiian shirts and toddled off to get struttin’ drunk in the spring-break sunshine, Coloradans found themselves up to their American-flag lapel pins in real snow for the first time since “Wag the Dog” lit up the silver screen with its utterly fantastic, completely over-the-top tale of a president whose spin doctor whips up a war abroad as a distraction from woes at home. For

The good news is that high-level mountain-bike racing returned to the desert northeast of Phoenix on Friday. The bad news is the AMBC event, the Nova Desert Classic, was plagued by disorganization and timing problems on its first day. When the racing ended and times were calculated, Chris Sheppard and Sue Haywood were declared the winners of the stage 1 time trial. But the outcome on the men’s side was suspect, especially considering that several riders — Travis Brown and Dave Wiens among them — weren’t even on the results sheet. “When I left the word was check back in the morning and

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick...

Haywood early in her TT.

The hunt for results.

Green settled for third.

Florit in the start house.

Dad

Grigson fuels up after a morning training ride

An up close look at the paint jobs on the 2003 Trek Team bikes.

Desert solitaire?

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski

My emotions are mixed as I write this latest column from the partly sunny climes of Sedona, Arizona. On one hand I am ecstatic to be here in the desert southwest for the combined Trek-Volkswagen/Subaru-Gary Fisher training/media camp powwow. My two days here have included lots of face time with some of the world’s best mountain-bike racers (Green, Hesjedal, Sydor, Grigson, Redden, Bootes, Ferguson, etc.). And I’ve managed to sneak in a few rides on the labyrinth of sweet single-track trails that wind their way all around the outskirts of this picturesque town, two hours north of

Hi Bob;How much (legal) trouble can a person get into for taking a leak by the side of the road?- D.B. Dear D.B.;In law school, one learns that there are only two hard-and-fast rules: 1. Look thoughtful, never look puzzled.2. If you are asked a question and you don't know what the hell to say, answer "it depends." Therefore, I can, categorically and without reservation, definitely advise you that it depends. A few places, mostly big cities, have a specific ordinance against urinating in public. Most of the time, however, taking a leak is either going to get you busted for indecent

I have been in Belgium for two weeks now, and I can already feel the difference between this year and last. At this time last year, I had not yet finished a race. This year, I have yet to finish a race, but for very different reasons. The difference between this year and last is in the familiarity of the process. I feel like I am reading a novel for a second time and I am able to focus on all the details that escaped my attention on the first read. I also have the benefit of being able to watch the new riders step into this world and share their feelings of awe and enthusiasm. Eric

Germany’s Team Coast announced Thursday that its big Tour de France hope, Jan Ullrich, will make his first appearance in the peloton at the Tour of Sarthe in April. The stage race in central France is scheduled for April 8-11. The 29-year-old German is suspended from competition until March 23 after testing positive last June for amphetamines which he said he took in a nightclub. The positive drug test was just the last chapter in a terrible year for the 1997 Tour winner. Earlier, after undergoing the first of two knee surgeries, Ullrich was convicted of drunk driving charges after running

For a handful of pros and about 1000 amateurs, the 2003 mountain bike season is set to commence Friday at the Nova Desert Classic in Fountain Hills, Arizona. The three-day AMBC event kicks off with a time trial at the McDowell Regional Park, the same site that was used for the last edition of the now-defunct Cactus Cup series. The TT will be contested on an 8-mile loop, which includes a section that’s been dubbed the “brain rattler.” Racing continues Saturday with a short track (20 minutes plus one lap for the pros), and then finishes up Sunday with a cross country (30 miles for the pro men,

While you were out.... The folks back home had other things to enjoy

The oft confused Liam Killeen and Walker Ferguson

What a week this is shaping up to be, and it’s not even half-over. After a glorious weekend of sunny skies and 70-degree temperatures, Colorado’s Front Range is currently being blanketed by a wet, sloppy snowstorm that meteorologists are predicting will be measured “in feet, not inches.” Considering the aftereffects of a 30th birthday weekend, followed by a (somewhat) subdued St. Patrick’s Day celebrated with margaritas, a real-live Presidential ultimatum, and a first screening of Cameron Crowe’s mind-bender “Vanilla Sky,” it’s starting to look like your less than average week. After

The Union Cycliste International on Wednesday announced that it had reinstated the German Coast team, suspended earlier this month because of doubts about its financial situation. The reinstatement of the German squad, which had aggressively recruited 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich, comes just three days before the World Cup kicks off on Saturday with Milan-San Remo. "A thorough examination of documents provided by Team Coast, has enabled us to determine that prior conditions set when the team was registered for the 2003 season have been respected," UCI said in prepared

Yes, it was a dream. Except for the whole 'war' part — that was real.

The Church of Funk — where the truly funky go to worship

'I wonder if Postal will still let me ride if I grow a mullet?'

Tech report:Storm Watch '03

Tech report:Storm Watch '03

Tech report:Storm Watch '03