Road

Gregg Bleakney leaves the photo pit and wanders around the piazza in Milan as the 2011 Giro d'Italia comes to a close.

• 1. Ramon SINKELDAM, (NED), at 4:24:33
• 2. Jasper STUYVEN, (BEL), at 9
• 3. Jacob RATHE, (USA), at 12
• 4. Arnaud DEMARE, (FRA), at 17
• 5. Andrew FENN, (GBR), at 19

Will Alberto Contador race the Tour de France? That depends on how he recovers — and how the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules on his ongoing clenbuterol case.

Alberto Contador’s face didn’t give anything away Sunday as Giro organizers played a wrong Spanish national anthem associated with Franco’s fascist regime during Sunday’s post-race celebration.

1. David Millar (GBR), Garmin-Cervélo 2. Alex Rasmussen (DEN), HTC-Highroad, at 7 3. Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 36 4. Richie Porte (AUS), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 43 5. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR), Team RadioShack, at 55

Alberto Contador locked up the 2011 Giro d’Italia with a strong third-place ride in the final-stage time trial in Milan, a stage won by Garmin-Cervélo’s David Millar.

Stage 5

• 1. André GREIPEL, (GER) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 3:51:43
• 2. Aidis KRUOPIS, (LTU) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 0
• 3. Luca PAOLINI, (ITA) Team Katusha, at 0
• 4. Adrien PETIT, (FRA) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 0
• 5. Allan DAVIS, (AUS) Astana, at 0

FINAL GC

• 1. Philippe GILBERT, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 16:48:46
• 2. Greg VAN AVERMAET, (BEL) BMC Racing Team, at 20
• 3. Björn LEUKEMANS, (BEL) Vacansoleil-DCM, at 36
• 4. Bert DE WAELE, (BEL) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 1:03
• 5. Pim LIGTHART, (NED) Vacansoleil-DCM, at 1:16

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Solid teamwork and cunning strategy made the difference for the winners of the pro men’s and pro women’s Summit Criterium on day one of the two-day Superior Morgul Classic Saturday in Superior, Colorado.

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MILAN, Italy (VN) ─ The 2011 Giro d'Italia was called by some the hardest in years. Going into Sunday's final stage, 159 survivors were lining up for the final act into Milano.

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David Zabriskie on course during the 2011 USA Cycling pro time trial.

Casey B. Gibson was snapping away in South Carolina during the USA Cycling pro time-trial championships.

The 20-year-old BMC Racing neo-pro, who could manage only seventh place in the race against the clock, said he struggled to recover from the hardest race of his life and is tired of talking about the problems that have marked much of his rookie season.

Results

• 1. David Zabriskie, Team Garmin-Cervélo, 40:23.5
• 2. Tom Zirbel, Jamis-Sutter Home, 40:54.8
• 3. Matthew Busche, Team RadioShack, 41:22.1
• 4. Brent Bookwalter, BMC Racing Team, 41:22.2
• 5. Benjamin King, Team RadioShack, 41:42.6

In a Giro in which the mountains played such a central role, it was fitting that everyone who had anything left in the tank threw it all on the line.

Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervélo) won the individual time trial on Saturday at the USA Cycling pro road championships in Greenville, South Carolina.

Ned Overend wins his fifth Iron Horse Bicycle Classic road race as Mara Abbott wins her fourth in a row.

When I described the course of the Giro’s final time trial to my cab driver as we drove from my hotel to the Milan central train station, “That’s horrendous! I’m going to stay home that day; there’s no point to even taking my taxi out!”

GREENVILLE, South Carolina (VN) - Scott Zwizanski is a late scratch for the time trial at the U.S. Professional National Championships in Greenville, South Carolina.

1. Vasili Kiryienka (BLR), Movistar,6:17:03 2. José Rujano Guillen (VEN), Androni Giocattoli, at 4:43 3. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (ESP), Team Katusha, at 4:50 4. Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (COL), Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 5:31

Vasili Kiryienka wins the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia after spending more than 200km on the attack in the 242km race from Verbania to Sestriere.

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Stage 3

• 1. Aidis KRUOPIS, (LTU) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 4:21:41
• 2. Stefan VAN DIJK, (NED), at 0
• 3. Pim LIGTHART, (NED) Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0
• 4. Allan DAVIS, (AUS) Astana, at 0
• 5. Pieter GHYLLEBERT, (BEL) AN Post-Sean Kelly Team, at 0

GC after stage 3

• 1. Philippe GILBERT, Omega Pharma-Lotto, in 8:06:29 Belgium
• 2. André GREIPEL, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1 Germany
• 3. Dominique CORNU, Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, at 4 Belgium
• 4. Maarten WYNANTS, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 9 Belgium
• 5. Pim LIGTHART, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 10 Netherlands

Tom Zirbel's Jamis Xenith T2 time trial machine

MACUGNAGA, Italy (VN) – Alberto Contador is so strong at this Giro d’Italia he can start gifting stage victories.

The difficulties — or, rather, the over-the-top difficulties — of this month’s Giro d’Italia conclude this Saturday with a final gnarly mountain stage that features the dreaded Colle delle Finestre and a concluding climb to Sestriere for the eighth summit finish in two weeks.

QuickResults

• 1. Paolo Tiralongo (ITA), Astana, in 5:26:27
• 2. Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 0:00
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0:03
• 4. John Gadret (FRA), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 0:06
• 5. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (ESP), Team Katusha, at 0:06

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard, 77:11:24
• 2. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 5:18
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Cannondale, at 5:52
• 4. John Gadret (France), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 7:53
• 5. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at 9:58

Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) won stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia on Friday, crossing just ahead of race leader Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard), who rocketed out of a dwindling chase in the final kilometer to shadow the Italian across the line.

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The headline event in the States this weekend is the USA Cycling Professional National Championships in Greenville, South Carolina. Not to be lost in the shadows, however, are the oldest race on the National Racing Calendar, the Tour of Somerville, the 40th Iron Horse Bicycle Classic and the final stop on the Nature Valley Pro Ride.

Stage 2

• 1. André GREIPEL, (GER) Omega Pharma-Lotto, in 3:38:14
• 2. Kenny Robert VAN HUMMEL, (NED) Skil-Shimano, at 0
• 3. Maxime VANTOMME, (BEL) Team Katusha, at 0
• 4. Tom BOONEN, (BEL) Quick Step, at 0
• 5. Nikolay TRUSOV, (RUS) Team Katusha, at 0

GC after stage 2

• 1. André GREIPEL, Omega Pharma-Lotto, in 3:44:49 Germany
• 2. Philippe GILBERT, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 2 Belgium
• 3. Dominique CORNU, Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, at 3 Belgium
• 4. Maarten WYNANTS, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 8 Belgium
• 5. Tom BOONEN, Quick Step, at 10 Belgium

Joe Dombrowski knows how to speedily spin over mountains, but these days he’s even more adept at navigating his way up the pro ranks. Last spring, the 20-year-old Virginia native was a USA Cycling Category 3, mixing it up with the locals at office park crits and rural road races around the mid-Atlantic. This year, he’s earned podium spots at pro domestic and European stage races, quickly emerging as one of Trek-Livestrong’s best weapons in the mountains.

TERMINE, Italy (VN) – Peter Stetina calmly stepped out of his pedals and sipped an energy drink after finishing the 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia. From the look of his reaction, you would have never guessed he’s just days from finishing his first grand tour in what many are calling one of the most grueling Giros ever.

SAN PELLEGRINO TERME, Italy (VN) – Sometimes the best racing in the Giro d’Italia happens before RAI begins to broadcast the race. That was certainly the case in Thursday’s short but explosive 151km 18th stage from Morbegno to San Pellegrino Terme.

Road rash treatment, skewer placement, vans in the caravan and more

Stage 18

• 1. Eros Capecchi (ITA), Liquigas-Doimo, 3:20:38
• 2. Marco Pinotti (ITA), HTC-Highroad, s.t.
• 3. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL), Quick Step, s.t.
• 4. Gianluca Brambilla (ITA), Colnago-CSF, at 1:20
• 5. Paolo Tiralongo (ITA), Astana, at 1:20

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard, 71:45:09
• 2. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 4:58
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 5:45
• 4. John Gadret (France), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 7:35
• 5. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at 9:12

SAN PELLEGRINO, Italy (VN) — Apparent delays in Alberto Contador's hearing in his ongoing doping case could open the door for him to race this year's Tour de France despite having the risk of disqualification from last year's victory.

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Igor Anton’s Orbea Orca GDi2

• 1. Lieuwe WESTRA, (NED) Vacansoleil-DCM, in 6:36
• 2. Philippe GILBERT, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1
• 3. Dominique CORNU, (BEL) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, at 2
• 4. Sebastian LANGEVELD, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 5
• 5. Maarten WYNANTS, (BEL) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 7

This weekend brings in the U.S. Professional National Championships in Greenville, South Carolina, and the story is as much who will be there as who won’t.

• Jesse Anthony, Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, Beverly, MA
• Kai Applequist, Team Exergy, Boise, ID
• Andrew Bajadali, Kelly Benefit Strategies-OptumHealth, Boulder, CO
• Andrew Baker, Bissell Pro Cycling Team, Easley, SC
• Christopher Baldwin, Bissell Pro Cycling Team, Boulder, CO

Stage

• 1. Diego Ulissi, Lampre - Isd, in 5:31:51
• 2. Pablo Lastras Garcia, Movistar Team, at s.t
• 3. Giovanni Visconti, Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli, at s.t.
• 4. Jan Bakelants, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 4
• 5. Fabio Taborre, Acqua & Sapone, at 8

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco, Saxo Bank Sungard, in 68:18:27
• 2. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd, at 4:58
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 5:45
• 4. John Gadret, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 7:35
• 5. Kanstantsin Sivtsov, HTC-Highroad, at 9:12

FELTRE, Italy (VN) ─ Neil Stephens had a front-row seat during the Miguel Indurain era as a racer and he's seen the rise of Alberto Contador as a sport director working in the peloton. The ex-pro said the two Spanish riders have very different racing styles that result in the same thing: winning stage races.

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LZ fields questions on Mario's bikes, disc brake rotors, seized bottom brackets and power meter drag

Millar says CERA made 2008 Giro harder than this one, Contador has little to say on Hamilton, final TT shortened

Stage 16

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco, Saxo Bank Sungard, at 28:55
• 2. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 34
• 3. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd, at 38
• 4. José Rujano Guillen, Androni Giocattoli - C.i.p.i, at 39
• 5. Stefano Garzelli, Acqua & Sapone, at 46

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco, Saxo Bank Sungard, at 62:43:37
• 2. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd, at 4:58
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 5:45
• 4. John Gadret, Ag2r La Mondiale, at 7:35
• 5. José Rujano Guillen, Androni Giocattoli - C.i.p.i, at 9:18

Alberto Contador solidified his lead in the 2011 Giro d'Italia Tuesday, after dancing to a 34-second win over Vincenzo Nibali in the stage 16 uphill time trial.

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Police carried out a search at the RadioShack team hotel in Falcade on Monday, a day after former Lance Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton accused him on "60 Minutes" of participating in a sophisticated doping program, according to The Associated Press

The Showers Pass VelEau 42 is a specially shaped 1.25L container that fits inside a formed, under-the-saddle bag.

Photographer Gregg Bleakney piggybacks on a leg of a Thomson Bike Tours trip to the Giro d'Italia.