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It was with grit, great class and perfect timing that Matt Goss won Milan-San Remo on Saturday. He wasn’t meant to win though.

LLORET DE MAR, Spain (VN) – Taylor Phinney (BMC) made it through his European season debut in a tough stage at the Volta a Catalunya (Tour of Catalonia) that saw him dropped on the second of two first-category climbs.

MADRID (AFP) - Latvia's Gatis Smukulis of HTC-Highroad won the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia, a 166.9-kilometre (103.5-mile) ride that started and ended in Lloret de Mar on Monday.

Stage 1

• 1. Gatis SMUKULIS, (LAT) HTC-Highroad, in 4:08:48
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 28
• 3. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (ESP) Movistar, at 28
• 4. Rigoberto URAN URAN, (COL) Team Sky, at 28
• 5. Jan BAKELANDTS, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 28

GC

• 1. Gatis SMUKULIS, (LAT) HTC-Highroad, in 4:08:48
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 28
• 3. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (ESP) Movistar, at 28
• 4. Rigoberto URAN URAN, (COL) Team Sky, at 28
• 5. Jan BAKELANDTS, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 28

France's FMB makes, by hand, the tires prized by the cobbled classics stars.

Tom Boonen will lead Quick Step at Wednesday's 203km semi-classic Dwars door Vlaanderen, the first Belgian cobblestoned race of the season.

Stage 2:

• 1. Mehdi SOHRABI, (IRI) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 2:50:15
• 2. David MCCANN, (IRL) , at 3
• 3. Shinri SUZUKI, (JPN) Shimano Racing Team, at 1:08
• 4. Jumpei MURAKAMI, (JPN) Shimano Racing Team, at 1:08
• 5. Adam Phelan, (AUS) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:08

• 1. Mehdi SOHRABI, (Iran) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 4:14:33
• 2. David MCCANN, (Ireland) , at 7
• 3. Adam Phelan, (Australia) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:12
• 4. Shinri SUZUKI, (Japan) Shimano Racing Team, at 1:15
• 5. Junya SANO, (Japan) , at 1:17

A Japanese flag signed by all the riders at the start of Saturday's Milan-San Remo is being auctioned to benefit victims of last week's earthquake in Japan.

Matthew Goss (HTC-Highroad) leads the UCI WorldTour rankings following his win Saturday at Milan-San Remo.

• 1. Harley Goss Matthew, HTC-Highroad , with 203 points
• 2. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd , with 118 points
• 3. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team , with 108 points
• 4. Tony Martin, Htc-Highroad , with 108 points
• 5. Cameron Meyer, Team Garmin-Cervelo , with 106 points

Caley Fretz snaps the action in Boulder and Laramie as the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference gets its 2011 season under way.

The Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference starts its season with criteriums in Colorado and Wyoming.

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• 1. David VEILLEUX , (CAN) Europcar , in 4:14:20
• 2. Anthony DELAPLACE , (FRA) Saur-Sojasun , at 0
• 3. Sébastien CHAVANEL , (FRA) Europcar , at 5
• 4. Rony MARTIAS , (FRA) Saur-Sojasun , at 5
• 5. Sebastien FOUCHER , (FRA) , at 5

Thomas Voeckler wins the 34th edition of Cholet-Pays de Loire, round two of the Coupe de France.

Cholet-Pays de Loire

• 1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, 04:49:36
• 2. Tony Gallopin, Cofidis Le Crédit En Ligne, same time
• 3. Benjamin Giraud, Velo Club La Pomme-Marseille, s.t.
• 4. Mathieu Drujon, Big Mat-Auber 93, s.t.
• 5. Stéphane Poulhies, Saur-Sojasun, s.t.

Korea’s Park Sung Baek sprints to victory in the Taipei City Criterium, stage one of the Tour de Taiwan.

Stage 1

• 1. Sung Baek Park (Kor), Korea, 1:21:39
• 2. Bernardo Riccio (Ita), d'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo, s.t.
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), Rapha Condor-Sharp, s.t.
• 4. Dean Windsor (Aus), Rapha Condor-Sharp, s.t.
• 5. Chan Jae Jang (Kor), Korea, s.t.

Overall standings

• 1. Adam Phelan (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling, 1:24:22
• 2. Mart Ojavee (Est), Champion System, s.t.
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), Rapha Condor-Sharp, at 0:02
• 4. Michael Friedman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 0:02
• 5. Dene Rogers (Nzl), Giant-Kenda, at 0:02

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Adam Phelan wins the prologue in the Tour de Taiwan and dons the leader’s yellow jersey.

Solo breakaways find it tough going in Milan-San Remo, the sprinters' classic.

Prologue

• 1. Adam Phelan (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling , 2km in 2:43
• 2. Mart Ojavee (Est), same time
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), at 0:02
• 4. Michael Friedman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies , at 0:02
• 5. Dene Rogers (Nzl), at 0:02

Overall standings

• 1. Adam Phelan (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling , 2:43
• 2. Mart Ojavee (Est), same time
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), at 0:02
• 4. Michael Friedman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies , at 0:02
• 5. Dene Rogers (Nzl), at 0:02

Alberto Contador says he's motivated for the weeklong Tour of Catalunya, but he doesn't expect to have it easy in Spain's oldest stage race.

Classic Loire-Atlantique

• 1. Lieuwe Westra (Ned), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:4:31:45
• 2. Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel), Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 0:2
• 3. Yohan Cauquil (Fra), Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille, at 0:9
• 4. Toms Skujinš (Lat), Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille, at 0:16
• 5. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:22

Lieuwe Westra wins the Classic Loire-Atlantique.

Milan-San Remo

• 1. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus), HTC-Highroad, 6:51:10
• 2. Fabian Cancellara (Sui), Leopard-Trek, s.t.
• 3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Omega Pharma-Lotto, s.t.
• 4. Alessandro Ballan (Ita), BMC Racing Team, s.t.
• 5. Filippo Pozzato (Ita), Team Katusha, s.t.

Graham Watson captures the action at the 2011 Milan-San Remo.

Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) seems to be suddenly making headlines and is poised for yet bigger and better things following his dramatic victory in Tuesday’s sprint at Paris-Nice.

Matthew Goss outkicks Fabian Cancellara and Phillipe Gilbert to win Milan-San Remo in a thrilling eight-up sprint.

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• 1. Steve SCHETS, (BEL) Qin Cycling Team, in 4:48:12
• 2. Kenny Robert VAN HUMMEL, (NED) Skil-Shimano, at 0
• 3. Niko EECKHOUT, (BEL) AN Post-Sean Kelly Team, at 0
• 4. André SCHULZE, (GER) CCC Polsat Polkowice, at 0
• 5. Aidis KRUOPIS, (LTU) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 0

MILAN (VN) — Mark Cavendish was focused Friday afternoon when he met the press ahead of Saturday’s Milan-San Remo. The 2009 winner of the season’s first one-day monument will share leadership duties for HTC-Highroad with the up-and-coming Matt Goss.

MILAN (VN) — Fans may notice a piece of white tape on the arms of riders at Milan-San Remo Saturday. In a release distributed Friday, the Association of Professional Cyclists said that riders would carry the tape as a symbol of unity over the anti-doping proposals made in the last week by the groups representing teams (AIGCP), doctors (AIMEC) and riders (CPA).

MILAN (AFP) — As the UCI dug in its heels Friday over the radio ban, it was revealed that the peloton aims to defy UCI orders by wearing the radio-earpieces during the Harelbeke GP E3 on March 26, the Coppi-Bartali international cycling week on March 22-26 and the Criterium International on March 26-27.

With just days to go before the UCI must decide whether or not it will appeal the Spanish cycling federation's ruling to clear Alberto Contador, UCI president Pat McQuaid says that the three-time Tour de France champion is not receiving preferential treatment.

Pat McQuaid issues an open letter to riders regarding the radio ban

UCI president Pat McQuaid is digging in his heels over the race radio issue and promises there will be no moving backward.

A close look at the new Specialized Venge aero bike Cavendish and others will ride Saturday

Must Reads: Fuentes, Saíz facing jail time for Puerto

Team RadioShack on Friday announced its team for next week's Volta a Catalunya (Tour of Catalonia).

TAIPEI (AFP) - The German national cycling team has dropped out of a race in Taiwan this month due to concerns over possible radiation risk caused by the Japanese nuclear crisis, the organizer said Friday.

The past week or so has seen the “real” European racing schedule click fully into gear. Anyone who’s watched early season racing cannot deny there’s been so top-notch action across the board, but Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico saw the first hard-fought, gritty GC battles of the season.

MILAN, Italy (VN) – Fabian Cancellara says he is carefree headed into Milan-San Remo on Saturday, one day after he turns 30.

German rider Patrik Sinkewitz (Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli) is facing a lifetime ban after testing positive for human growth hormones from a blood sample taken during the GP di Lugano in late February.

Cadel Evans (BMC), hot off his overall victory at Tirreno-Adriatico, carries hopes of a strong GC performance into next week’s Volta a Catalunya, where he will have the support of American Taylor Phinney.

Ambitious plans to bring an international stage race to Russia are back online.

Classics wheels, roof-rack hierarchy and team car inventory

Specialized jumps into the aero road bike fray with a new bike to debut under Mark Cavendish at Milan-San Remo

At a meeting in Milan Thursday, the Professional Cycling Council decided to recommend a four-year suspension, rather than the current two-years, for the first doping offense "involving a serious substance."

The UCI on Thursday said cycling teams' decision to boycott the Tour of Beijing will not affect the organization's policy on race radios.

"President McQuaid regretfully noted this new element of tension in the situation. It will not, however, change the UCI’s position on the subject. "

2011 Milan-San Remo startlist

Maps and profiles for Saturday's race

LUCCA, Italy (VN) – Milan-San Remo is a lot of things. La classica di Primavera is the first monument of the season. At 298 kilometers, it is the longest one-day race on the UCI WorldTour. Milan-San Remo is the sprinters’ classic and it is multiple races in one seven-hour day, with the early attacks and the slow build-up to the climax of the Poggio and Cipressa climbs before the lights-out run-in to San Remo.

Milan-San Remo winners, 1907-2010

Why the latest Cancellara mechanical doping story is even more stupid than the first

Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) will not line up Monday to defend his title at the Volta a Catalunya due to a nagging leg injury.

UCI officials say they will push ahead with plans to hold the Tour of Beijing despite a call Thursday for a protest by the top professional teams of the inaugural event scheduled for October.

Frustrated teams threw down the gauntlet Thursday and vowed to not attend the UCI-backed Tour of Beijing in October over a long-running feud on the race radio ban issue.

Press Release: Statement from the AIGCP re: the race radio ban

PARIS (AFP) — Professional cycling teams opposed to the UCI's proposed ban on earpieces announced on Thursday that they plan to boycott the Tour of Beijing in protest.

La Classicissimia, Milan-San Remo, gets underway Saturday. Follow along on VeloNews.com via our new Live Update page. After the race check in for a complete report by European correspondent Andrew Hood and photos from the legendary Graham Watson. To whet your appetite, this morning we are sharing a few of Graham's best photos of the race from as far back as 1984. Remember that you can find the full archive of VeloNews.com's Milan-San Remo coverage at www.velonews.com/milan-sanremo.

2011 Amgen Tour of California teams

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The Saxo Bank-SunGard team is extending its partnership with Peaksware, LLC, the maker of TrainingPeaks software.

A reader asks if he should start using chamois cream.

VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood spends some time with Leopard-Trek's Jens Voigt.

• 1. Gert Steegmans, (BEL) Quick Step
• 2. Stefan Van Dijk, (NED)
• 3. Graeme Brown, (AUS) Rabobank Cycling Team
• 4. Jens Keukeleire, (BEL) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne
• 5. Yauheni Hutarovich, (BLR) Française des Jeux

While Tony Martin and Cadel Evans were the headliners this past week for their overall victories at Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico respectively, the biggest news was the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to uphold two-year suspensions on Italian racers Franco Pellizotti and Pietro Caucchioli.

Taylor Phinney (BMC) says he’s still hopeful he’ll be able to race the upcoming northern classics despite sitting on the sidelines so far through much of the 2011 season due to a nagging knee injury and a mild concussion.

Geert Steegmans (Quick Step) took a much-needed confidence-boosting victory Wednesday at the Nokere-Koerse semi-classic in Belgium.

LUCA, Italy (VN) - Last year's runner-up Tom Boonen will lead Quick Step into Milan-San Remo Saturday. The Belgian said Wednesday that he has recovered from the flu that held him back at Tirreno-Adriatico last week.

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With the 2009 winner and the most successful sprinter of the 2011 season, HTC-Highroad will enter Saturday’s Milan-San Remo, the first of the spring classics, with two viable options.

The Quiznos Pro Challenge stage race announced five more teams for the August event in Colorado. The five new names are in addition to the five teams announced in December.