News

Speculation about Jan Ullrich’s future appears to have ended as German and Danish news services reported Friday that the 1997 Tour de France winner plans to sign a three-year contract within the next two weeks with Coast, the German squad that is a rival to Ullrich's former team, Deutsche Telekom. According to German news and wire reports, Ullrich’s signing and the team’s apparent reinvigorated financial picture will almost certainly guarantee the team a spot among the final round of teams to receive UCI approval for Division I status. Indeed, if Ullrich signs as expected both Coast and

Dear Mr. MionskeI am a professional triathlete and have a question about a company using my picture in an advertisement in a way that implies I endorse the product(which is not true). Do I have any legal rights? I live in California, which is where the advertisement was run and where the company that ran the ad is located.Name withheld by request Dear Tri-guyThe unauthorized use of a performer or celebrity name or image may be a violation of both state and federal copyright law. The tort of “invasion of privacy, false light may have been committed. Your right of publicity may have been

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

Hogmobile

I resolve to try and emulate daily in some small way the grace, dignity,humor, good nature, and integrity of two friends sorely missed by many, JohnPavlat and Chris Ethridge. MikeMaverick Sports PromotionsEditors;I resolve to:1) Start slow and ease off.2) Thank the Lord that I can still ride.3) Help those who can’t ride find something to channel their passion.4) Raise as much money as I can for my daughter’s Children’s Hospital.5) Tell my family and friends that “I love them” each day.6) Pray for peace.7) And “kick butt and win a race this year”.Ron Heimburger Tampa, FLEditors,I resolve to do

Long-time bike industry friend John Pavlat took his own life a week ago inSan Francisco. Several readers have written in and offered thoughts on hislife.If you would like to offer your own personal remembrances, photos or anythingelse, please visit www.JohnPavlat.comChristmas 2002 delivered more than a sleigh full of sorrow for many as itbrought the untimely passing of industry veteran John Pavlat. The task ofwriting words to remember a departed friend, words that pay adequate respect,and do justice to a fine man is difficult. A closer friend or member of thefamily would do better.  However,

I am falser than vows made in wine. William Shakespeare, "As You Like It"New Year’s resolutions usually bring to mind the “Oh, God, I’ll never (insert vice here) again” class of vow taken upon awakening queasily on New Year’s Day under your truck in a friend’s driveway with a fresh cast on one ankle, your pants on backward and your mouth tasting not of sweet midnight kisses, but of feedlot mire, SuperFund sludge and baboon’s ass.OK, so maybe that’s just me. Whatever. These annual trench confessions, if I am making them, are about as reliable as a baby-kissing politician, particularly if the

Dogmobile

Over December 14-17, the Saturn Men’s Team held a winter cross-training camp, near Winter Park, Colorado, to introduce new team members. Activities included snowshoeing, skate-skiing, and snowmobiling. VeloNews caught up with new Team Saturn member Phil Zajicek as he was loading up digital photos by the fireplace, after a day of snowmobiling. Velo News:Had you ever tired snowmobiling before?Phil Zajicek: Just once before, ten years ago. VN:What’s been the highlight of the camp so far?PZ: I'd have to say our hostess Chris at the Wild Horse Inn has been great. Her cooking has been

With the 2003 road season about to get underway, a number of Division 1 (andpotential Division 1) teams are still scrambling to complete their budgetsand rosters to become officially registered with the UCI. The delays arebeing caused by a number of different problems, headed by the uncertain economicclimate and the escalation in the number of professional riders in recentyears. With more riders available and with fewer sponsorship dollars to goaround, most teams have been cutting costs or signing fewer riders than inpast seasons.Indeed, when the UCI made its announcement of the Division 1

Phil Zajicek will be spending New Year's in an ice igloo

Final deadline looming for Division 1 teams

Jan Ullrich indicated Sunday that he will decide by January 15 if he willsign on with the Danish CSC squad or another team for the 2003 season.Ullrich’s agent Wolfgang Strohband told the Danish news wire service Ritzauthat Ullrich will decide no later than January 15 whether he will be theCSC team, headed by his former Telekom teammate, 1996 Tour de France winnerBjarne Riis.CSC director Alex Pedersen and Riis said Saturday that the team intends toconcentrate its efforts and energy on those already signed rather than tryingto try “at any price” to convince the 1997 Tour winner to join.Ullrich

News briefs: Ullrich ponders; De Clerq wins

After taking his fourth-straight Tour de France win, Lance Armstrong hasearned the title of the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, beatinglast year’s winner Barry Bonds by 59 points.Armstrong and Bonds were the top two finishers for the second straight year, only this time U.S. Postal team star took top honors. Armstrong received 45 first-place votes and 292 points from sports writers and broadcasters. Bonds had 31 first-place votes and 233 points."Uh-oh, hopefully he's not mad," Armstrong told the AP, referring to Bonds. "It's nice to be recognized."Tiger Woods, who won the

Friday news briefs: Armstrong AP athlete of the year

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

The Italian connection

The Italian connection

The Italian connection

Dear Mr. Mionske,My bicycle was totaled when it was run over by a truck. I was waiting at a red light on the right shoulder when the truck driver also waiting at the light, began a right on red turn. I saw that the trailer was going to hit me and tried to move out of the way. The wheel hit my front wheel and I jumped off the bike and was able to avoided being hit, but the bike was crushed under the rear wheels of the truck. The trucker’s insurance company offered to pay for the bike and asked me to get an estimate to replace it. My local shop provided me with an estimate for $3500, which is

Although this was not my first trip to Italy, this 12-day whirlwind was certainly the most eye-opening--not just from a tech perspective. My previous Italian experiences were limited to press functions where a manufacturer airlifts in a contingent of journalists, unveils a new product (sometime letting us ride it) and ships us back to the States ASAP. These trips usually end up being sterile slam-bang forays where one hardly spends enough time away from the office to adapt to the time change. While certainly not a summer backpack trip throughout Italy, this trip afforded me the opportunity

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - The aerodynamics of drafting

Mario Meggiolan

The pin

Look issues stem recall

Look issues stem recall

Last summer 29-year-old climbing specialist Kevin Livingston announced hisretirement. The news, which came during the Telekom rider’s sixth Tour deFrance, was a surprise to many people around him, including long-time friendsFrankie Andreu and Lance Armstrong. Livingston, who turned professional in1994, said that he was ready to move on from cycling and to spend more timewith his family.After the Tour, Livingston completed his summer racing schedule and returnedhome to Austin, Texas, in September after competing in the San FranciscoGrand Prix. VeloNews correspondent Ted Arnold caught up with

Livingston rode his final Tour this year.

Jan Ullrich revealed Friday that he came close to retiring from the sport after testing positive for amphetamines earlier this year. The 1997 Tour de France champion, who admitted taking the party drug Ecstasy on a night out with friends while recovering from knee surgery, was suspended for six months earlier this year. His ban ends on March 23, 2003. "I made mistakes. I was frustrated because my knee wasn't healing and that's why I did some stupid things," he told Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday. "But being suspended was unjust,” Ullrich asserted. “My ban was

Deck us all with Boston Charlie, Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo! Nora's freezin' on the trolley, Swaller dollar cauliflower alley'garoo!– The late Walt Kelly, lampooning the Christmas carol “Deck the Halls,” in the classic comic strip “Pogo” Deck the halls, ’tis the season, jingle-bell rock – however you sing it,the song is of Christmas, that time of year when we are supposed to buryour respective hatchets not in each other, but in the quivering trunks ofspruces, pines or firs destined for festive decoration in our living rooms.God bless us every one. Happily, we don’t

Friday's foaming rant:Merry Christmas, woof, woof, woof

Attorney Bob Mionske handles sports-related legal issues. Mionske invitesreaders to submit legal questions faced by cyclists and other endurance athletesto info@bicyclelaw.com. Hewill answer a cross-section of questions each Thursday here on VeloNews.com.The information provided in this column is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice (see notice below).ContractsHello Bob,As a pro cyclist for the past eight years I have signed several different types of “riders contracts” and have always been a little confused by them.They always seem to protect

With the Sea Otter Classic moving to April this year, one of mountain biking's newest races looks to be reaping the benefits of an open calendar in March. The Nova Desert Classic - which is billing itself as the rebirth of the Cactus Cup - recently announced that Subaru America has come on board as the event's title sponsor. The race is also doing well when it comes to attracting big-time talent. According to a press release issued in mid-December, Subaru-Gary Fisher, Trek-Volkswagen, RLX-Ralph Lauren and the Luna women's team have all committed to showing up in Phoenix for the

USA Cycling has announced a revised National Racing Calendar schedule for 2003. Entering its seventh year, the NRC is comprised of the top road cycling events from all over the country and lends itself to a national ranking system. Over 20 new events have been added as the 2003 calendar expands to eight levels of event classifications. Several new events join the NRC in 2003, beginning with the Tour de Georgia, a six-day stage race scheduled for April 22-26. With title sponsor Daimler-Chrysler on board, the stage race is sure to attract a competitive international field. The 2003 Tour de

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

USA Cycling announced Wednesday the automatic nominees to compete at the 2003 World Cyclo-cross Championships in Monopoli, Italy, Feb. 1-2. The six athletes were nominated Tuesday based on their results at last week's USCF Shimano U.S. Cyclo-cross National Championships in Napa, Calif. at the Domaine Chandon winery or their rankings on the USA Cycling Cyclo-cross points list. U.S. athletes nominated to the 2003 World Cyclo-cross Championships team include:Ann Grande, Des Moines, Wash. (elite women) Carmen D'Aluisio, Watsonville, Calif. (elite women) Jonathan Page, Northfield, N.H.

The rear derailleur is almost all carbon

Some of the power for the system will be supplied by batteries stored in ErgoPower lever

The front derailleur has been the biggest hurdle of the system

A highly modified ErgoBrain will be the control center of the new system

A birds-eye view of the rear derailleur reveals the tucked-away servo motor

A wider view

Organizers unveiled the route of the 58th Vuelta a España Tuesday, offering a challenging combination of stages, including four time trials and six mountain-top finishes. The 2003 Vuelta will kick-off on September 6 with an unusual team time trial as an opening stage, forgoing the more traditional short prologue individual TT. The Vuelta will continue with a pattern established this year, offering shorter and more challenging stages, with none exceeding the length of the 190km seventh stage from Huesca to Cauterets France. But most remarkable about the 2003 Vuelta – the 25th promoted by

Italian cycling stars Mario Cipollini and Marco Pantani will not ride together in the same team next season after negotiations broke down, it was announced on Tuesday. Discussions had been going on for several weeks in an attempt to amalgamate the teams of recently crowned world champion Cipollini and Pantani, who won both the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia in 1998. The new team was to be christened Mercatone-Elitron, but the boss of Cipollini's Acqua Sapone team, Vincenzo Santoni, said the issue of Pantani's image rights had scuttled a deal which had seemed close to

Success depends on the right materials

The Italian connection

The Italian connection

2003 Vuelta: Offering plenty of challenges

2003 Vuelta: Offering plenty of challenges

After losing the 2002 Vuelta a España in a final-day time trial to Aitor Gonzales, U.S. Postal Service’s Roberto Heras should be much happier with next year’s course that will be announced on Tuesday. Early reports indicate that the 58th Vuelta, September 6-28, will have its last time trial the day before the finish. But this won’t be another long, flat race against the clock, like this year, but a bona fide hill climb in the mountains near Madrid. Heras — and Spanish rivals Joseba Beloki of ONCE-Eroski and Oscar Sevilla of Kelme-Costa Blanca — will be pleased also that the 2003 Vuelta is

Heras may like next year's route.

Dear VeloNews; I agree that Frankie is a great team player, stand up guy, and had a great career as a rider. However, that does not necessarily qualify him to run a team (see "Andreu leaves Postal"). It's difficult to say who will succeed at what level in professional sports. Remember Magic Johnson when he attempted to coach the Lakers? He stunk, but no one would say that he did not have a great career as a player. David Tom (send an e-mail to: WebLetters@7Dogs.com) Frankie will outlast his team Dear VeloNews; I’m an American living in Switzerland who hasn’t missed many days of the

Very sorry can’t come. Lie follows by post.– Lord Charles Beresford, responding via telegram to a dinner invitation from the Prince of Wales– How did it get to be time for cyclo-cross nationals again so soon, and why am I tapping out inanities on the PowerBook in Colorado Springs instead of getting my steel plate power-washed by the deluge scouring the Napa Valley wine country? I’d like to say it’s because I had a previous engagement to accept the National Leadership Award offered me by a spokeswoman for incoming House majority leader Tom DeLay; that it’s a principled stand by a charter

Grande

Page

Hall takes the corner a bit fast

Adam Craig

Maher

Feldman

Racing Kain

Dear VeloNews;Disappointed is what I felt after finding out that Frankie Andreu was unceremoniously released by U.S. Postal. (See "Andreu leaves Postal")Frankie represented the best of the best and would always give a hundred percent – race after race, year after year, sacrificing for the team leader. I can understand the dynamics of business and how it relates to the world of professional cyclist, but there comes a time when dedication, commitment, professionalism, and strength of character should count for something.I'll still be a fan of Lance and the Posties but my cheering will be a

Organizers of this weekend's national cyclo-cross championship havescheduled a special fundraiser for the American Cyclocross Foundation onSaturday at Downtown Joe’s in Napa, California.Funds raised will directly benefit U.S. athletes selected to race theWorld Championships in Monopoli, Italy in February.“By simply getting a great meal and a few beers, you’re supporting theU.S. team,” said Rick Sutton, president of GaleForce Sports Marketing,which is promoting the event. “We’ve gotten great support from DowntownJoe’s, which has pledged to donate a portion of every beer poured and

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske

Rumsas will stay with Lampre

Edita Rumsas upon her release from a French prison.

This is the first in what will become a regular column on VeloNews.com from attorney Bob Mionske, who handles sports-related legal issues. Mionske is inviting readers to submit legal questions faced by cyclists and other endurance athletes to info@bicyclelaw.com. He will answer a cross-section of questions each Thursday here on VeloNews.com.The information provided in this column is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice (see notice below).K-9 encounterHello Mr. Mionske;My wife and I were on an a group ride on a quiet country road in NorthCarolina

After two years of running a split venue — once for the 2001 World Cup, once for last year’s NORBA race — organizers in Durango, Colorado, will be putting on their entire 2003 NORBA event at Durango Mountain Resort. “The split venue didn’t fail, but it didn’t work either,” said NORBA’s Eric Moore, of a set-up where the downhill was contested at the ski area, while the cross-country, short track and mountain cross where all held down near town. “Having everything in one place [for this year’s NORBA finals] will just be easier on everyone involved.” Well, everyone except the cross-country

Lithuanian cyclist Raimondas Rumsas, whose wife was jailed in France after being caught with large quantities of banned substances, will stay with Lampre next season, the Italian team said Thursday. Rumsas, third in this year's Tour de France behind American winner Lance Armstrong and Spaniard Joseba Beloki, signed an extension to his contract at the team's headquarters just outside Milan in the presence of team manager Giuseppe Saronni and team boss Emanuele Galbusera. Rumsas will share the role of team leader with Italian Francesco Casagrande, who recently joined from the Fassa

Frankie Andreu, the American director sportif of the U.S. Postal squad, said Wednesday that he has been released from his job and will be leaving the team at the end of the year. Andreu said the Postal decision came as a surprise and represents "a sad ending to a wonderful job." Andreu had a long career as a professional, competing in nine consecutive Tours de France between 1991 and 2000. He raced for Postal for the final three years of his career before retiring two years ago at the age of 34. He assumed the U.S. director's position at Postal at the beginning of the 2001 season.

Andreu at Paris-Nice in 2000

There are famous examples of shims being used with great success.

D'Aluisio

Hall celebrated her series win

We recognize the face and the uniform, but...