Road

Men's stage 2: Frank Pipp (Bissell) Women's stage 2: Heather Logan-Sprenger (Colavita) Men's GC: Francisco Mancebo (RealCyclist.com) Women's GC: Mara Abbott (Diadora-Pasta Zara)

Pipp and Logan-Sprenger win Gila's second stage

Stefan Schumacher claimed victory in Thursday’s opening stage at the Vuelta a Asturias in what’s his first win since returning from a doping ban last season.

Quick Results

• 1. Damiano Cunego (ITA), Lampre-ISD, in 4:10:53
• 2. Cadel Evans (AUS), BMC Racing Team, at 0:02
• 3. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ), Astana, at 0:02
• 4. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (POR), Movistar, at 0:02
• 5. David Lopez Garcia (ESP), Movistar, at 0:02

GC

• 1. Pavel Brutt (Rus), Team Katusha, in 8:43:39
• 2. Damiano Cunego (Ita), Lampre-ISD, at 0:38
• 3. Cadel Evans (Aus), BMC Racing Team, at 0:42
• 4. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz), Astana, at 0:42
• 5. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0:46

Readers ask Nick about Contador's plans to switch bikes mid-stage and what it takes for a mechanic to make adjustments on the run.

Quick Results

• 1. Matteo Rabottini (Ita), Farnese Vini, 5:51:25
• 2. Alexander Efimkin (Rus), Team Type 1, at 0:00
• 3. Enrico Magazzini (Ita), Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 0:03
• 4. Thomas Peterson (USA), Garmin-Cervelo, at 0:03
• 5. Thibaut Pinot (Fra), Française Des Jeux, at 0:03

GC

• 1. Thomas Peterson (USA), Garmin-Cervelo, 22:49:41
• 2. Cameron Wurf (Aus), Liquigas-Doimo, at 0:27
• 3. Alexander Efimkin (Rus), Team Type 1, at 0:29
• 4. Andrey Zeits (Kz), Astana, at 0:1:42
• 5. Thibaut Pinot (Fra), Française des Jeux, at 0:2:02

Mark Cavendish and Marco Pinotti headline HTC-Highroad’s Giro d’Italia squad that will be looking to win stages in all terrain. While the team doesn’t have a strong GC candidate to win the Giro outright, the team will bring a mix of riders who can win stages in sprints, breakaways and time trials.

While Belgium rides the wave of unprecedented success in the spring classics, two-time Tour of Flanders champion Stijn Devolder is taking a hard look at what went wrong with his spring campaign.

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Men

• 1. MANCEBO Francisco, Realcyclist.com Cycling Team, at 03:59:22
• 2. WREN Tyler, Jamis Sutter Home P/b Colavita, at 03:59:36 at 00:14.00
• 3. DOMBROWSKI Joesph, Trek-Livestrong, at 03:59:57 at 00:35.00
• 4. HOWES Alexander, Chipotle Development Team, at 04:00:02 at 00:40.00
• 5. BENNETT George, Trek-Livestrong, at 04:00:02 at 00:40.00

Women

• 1. Mara Abbott, Diadora-Pasta Zara Team, in 4:11:40.
• 2. F Oliveira (parks), Pactimo Cycling Team, at 4:11:59. at 0:00:19
• 3. Clara Hughes, Pactimo Cycling Team, at 4:12:30. at 0:00:50
• 4. Andrea Dvorak, Colavita/forno D'asolo, at 4:13:02. at 0:01:22
• 5. Nicole Evans, Mapmyride, at 4:13:17. at 0:01:37

MOGOLLON, New Mexico (VN) — Francesco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) and Mara Abbott (Diadora) each won the first stage of the Tour of the Gila on Wednesday with solo victories atop the Mogollon climb.

Quick results

• 1. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA), Lampre , in 5:36:26
• 2. Bartosz Huzarski (POL), Team Netapp, at 0:00
• 3. Alexander Efimkin (RUS), Team Type 1, at 0:01
• 4. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU), Garmin-Cervelo, at 0:01
• 5. Rubens Bertogliati (SUI), Team Type 1, at 0:01

GC

• 1. Bartosz HUZARSKI (Poland), Team Netapp , 16:58:06
• 2. Wesley SULZBERGER (Australia), Française des Jeux, at 0:03
• 3. Riccardo CHIARINI (Italy), Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, at 0:07
• 4. Egoitz GARCIA ECHEGUIBEL (Spain), Caja Rural, at 0:07
• 5. Jesus DEL NERO MONTES (Spain), Team Netapp, at 0:07

Leopard-Trek's Italian sprinter Daniele Bennati has been ruled out of the Giro d'Italia after breaking ribs and a collarbone in a crash at the first stage of the Tour de Romandie Wednesday.

Quick Results

• 1. Pavel Brutt (Rus), Team Katusha, in 4:27:41
• 2. Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr), Lampre, at 56
• 3. Branislau Samoilau (Blr), Movistar, at 1:15
• 4. Jack Bobridge (Aus), Garmin-Cervelo, at 1:23
• 5. Damiano Cunego (Ita), Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 1:59

GC

• 1. Pavel Brutt (Russia), Team Katusha , in 4:31:26
• 2. Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukraine), Lampre, at 1:00
• 3. Branislau Samoilau (Belarus), Movistar, at 1:22
• 4. Jack Bobridge (Australia), Garmin-Cervelo, at 1:31
• 5. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kazakhstan), Astana, at 2:04

Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) sprinted to victory in Wednesday’s fourth stage at the Presidential Tour of Turkey that saw its fourth race leader in as many days.

Alberto Contador and key Saxo Bank-Sungard teammates previewed the decisive climbing stages for the upcoming Giro d’Italia and came away impressed.

Astana’s Robert Kiserlovski was forced to pull out of the Tour de Romandie due to lingering pain dating back to his spectacular crash at Paris-Nice and is questionable to start the Giro d’Italia next month.

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Graham Watson was snapping away during the prologue to the 2011 Tour de Romandie.

Prologue

• 1. Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Esp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 3:40
• 2. Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team, same time
• 3. Leigh Howard (Aus), HTC-Highroad, at 0:01
• 4. Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra), Team RadioShack, at 0:02
• 5. David Millar (Gbr), Garmin-Cervélo, at 0:02

GC

• 1. Jonathan Castroviejo Nicolas (Esp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 3:40
• 2. Taylor Phinney (USA), BMC Racing Team, at 0:00
• 3. Leigh Howard (Aus), HTC-Highroad, at 0:01
• 4. Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra), Team RadioShack, at 0:02
• 5. David Millar (Gbr), Garmin-Cervélo, at 0:02

Aussie Richie Porte will not be among the nine riders backing Alberto Contador as he tackles the 2011 Giro d'Italia, Saxo Bank-Sungard announces.

Spanish team Andalucía-Caja Granada denied reports that it has signed Italian veteran Davide Rebellin, but admits speaking with the veteran Italian, who is looking for a job after serving a doping ban.

Jonathan Castroviejo wins the prologue to the Tour de Romandie ahead of American Taylor Phinney and Leigh Howard.

“I don’t think I have ever seen stages so long, so hard and so spectacular in all my many years as a pro,” said Carlos Sastre after scouting some key sectors of the 2011 Giro d'Italia.

Geox-TMC has been doing some wind-tunnel work and scouted the decisive climbs in the Dolomites ahead of this year's Giro d'Italia.

Manuel Belletti wins the third stage at the Presidential Tour of Turkey and takes the race leader’s jersey.

Stage 3

• 1. Manuel Belletti (Ita), Colnago-CSF, 4:22:24
• 2. Roberto Ferrari (Ita), Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti Pvc Diquigiovanni, s.t.
• 3. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus), Française des Jeux, s.t.
• 4. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita), Lampre-Farnese Vini, s.t.
• 5. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu), Garmin-Cervélo, s.t.

title

• 1. Manuel Belletti (Ita), Colnago-CSF, 11:21:36
• 2. Roberto Ferrari (Ita), Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti Pvc Diquigiovanni, at 0:04
• 3. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus), Française des Jeux, at 0:06
• 4. Stefan Van Dijk (Ned), at 0:10
• 5. Diego Milan Jimenez (Esp), Caja Rural, at 0:10

What you tell yourself can make or break a race: Choose wisely, Grasshopper

The start list for the Tour de Romandie, April 26 through May 1.

Switzerland’s Tour de Romandie, which takes place this week, starts appropriately enough at Martigny, a town surrounded by famous alpine climbs: the Grand St. Bernard to the south, Col de la Forclaz to the east and Crans-Montana to the east. But ironically the six-day, 698.3km UCI WorldTour event is probably the least mountainous in the race’s 65-year history.

The dust is settling on Philippe Gilbert’s extraordinary week, but the Belgians are still celebrating the historic Ardennes sweep.

Philippe Gilbert’s magical ride through the Ardennes had another silver lining: the Omega-Lotto rider climbs into the No. 1 spot in the latest UCI rankings.

• 1. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, with 356 points
• 2. Fabian Cancellara, Leopard Trek, with 236 points
• 3. Harley Goss Matthew, Htc-Highroad, with 203 points
• 4. Andreas KlÖden, Team Radioshack, with 202 points
• 5. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd, with 202 points

Valentin Iglinskiy (Astana) surprised the top sprinters to dart to victory in Monday’s stage 2 at the Tour of Turkey.

Stage 2

• 1. Valentin IGLINSKIY, (KAZ) Astana, in 4:23:28
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at s.t.
• 3. Elia FAVILLI, (ITA), at s.t.
• 4. Juan Pablo FORERO CARRENO, (COL) Colombia Es Pasion Coldeportes, at s.t.
• 5. Stefan VAN DIJK, (NED), at s.t.

GC

• 1. Valentin IGLINSKIY, (Kazakhstan) Astana, in 6:59:12
• 2. Tyler FARRAR, (United States) Garmin-Cervelo, at 4
• 3. Kenny Robert VAN HUMMEL, (Netherlands) Skil-Shimano, at 6
• 4. Elia FAVILLI, (Italy), at 6
• 5. Stefan VAN DIJK, (Netherlands), at 10

• 1. Michael MATTHEWS, (AUS) Rabobank Cycling Team, in 4:50:50
• 2. Marcel KITTEL, (GER) Skil-Shimano, at s.t.
• 3. Giacomo NIZZOLO, (ITA) Leopard-Trek, at s.t.
• 4. David KOPP, (GER) Team Kuota-Indeland, at s.t.
• 5. Aidis KRUOPIS, (LTU) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at s.t.

Aussie sprinter Michael Matthews once again proved his pedigree with victory Monday at the one-day Rund um Köln in Germany.

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The Schleck brothers say it was impossible to beat Philippe Gilbert at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Graham Watson is on hand as Philippe Gilbert wins the 2011 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège

• 1. Philippe Gilbert, Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 6:13:18
• 2. Frank Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 0:00
• 3. Andy Schleck, Team Leopard-Trek, at 0:00
• 4. Roman Kreuziger, Astana, at 0:24
• 5. Rigoberto Uran, Sky, at 0:24

Philippe Gilbert caps a sweep of the Ardennes classics, easily out-sprinting Fränk and Andy Schleck to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

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Cadel Evans ─ who was forced to skip defending his title at Fleche Wallonne and missed the start at Sunday's Liège-Bastogne-Liège ─ will mark his return to racing for the BMC Racing Team on Tuesday at the Tour de Romandie.

Tour of Turkey, stage 1

• 1. Andrea Guardini (I), Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli, 2hr 35min 54sec
• 2. Tyler Farrar (USA), Garmin-Cervelo, same time
• 3. Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Nl), Skil-Shimano, s.t.
• 4. Manuel Belletti (I), Colnago-CSF Inox , s.t.
• 5. Roberto Ferrari (I), Androni Giocattoli, s.t.

Italian youngster Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini) opened up a long sprint to hold off Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) to win the opening stage at the Tour of Turkey on Sunday.

Paris-Nice winner Tony Martin will be at the center of HTC-Highroad's battle plan for the Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classic in Belgium on Sunday.

The Presidential Tour of Turkey has been around nearly half a century, but no one really paid much attention to it until about four years ago, when the UCI elevated its status and organizers up the ante to draw top teams.

LIEGE, Belgium (VN) – Dan Martin is starting Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but will be fighting a troubling arm injury suffered in a crash on Wednesday.

FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium – Two weeks ago, Fabian Cancellara was the talk of the cycling media. Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) has assumed that role with three wins in a week, but Cancellara's Leopard-Trek teammates aren't looking past anyone for Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Roman Kreuziger (Astana) and Michele Scarponi (Lampre) took morale-boosting victories Friday to put their rivals on notice going into next month´s Giro d'Italia.

Having recently come away from the World Track Championships with yet another rainbow jersey (Madison with Leigh Howard), a silver medal (points race) and a seventh place (scratch) young Aussie sensation Cameron Meyer is ready for the first race of his Euro road season, Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege. VeloNews caught up with him as he tries to build on his already amazing 2011.

Tension between the UCI and the top pro teams is reaching a breaking point over the use of race radios in elite professional races. Things got so bad that teams walked out of a meeting last week in Belgium that was supposed to be a sit-down between the major players to hammer out an understanding. Instead of reaching a common ground, both sides seem further apart than ever.

The Speed Dream Tonazzo carbon clinchers: light, stiff wheels from an artisan.

Quick look: If you ride white handlebar tape, white shoes and white shorts, then check out the new white Apex.

Dear BCSM, Can you explain the benefits and drawbacks of plyometric training?

Colombian Fabio Duarte (Geox-TMC) grabbed his first European pro win of the season in the third stage at the Giro del Trentino on Thursday in northern Italy.

Stage 3

• 1. Fabio Andres DUARTE AREVALO, (COL) Geox-TMC, in 4:41:05
• 2. Tiago MACHADO, (POR) Team RadioShack, at 0
• 3. Michele SCARPONI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 3
• 4. Steve MORABITO, (SUI) BMC Racing Team, at 3
• 5. Robert KISERLOVSKI, (CRO) Astana, at 3

GC

• 1. Michele SCARPONI, (Italy) Lampre-Farnese Vini, in 9:44:40
• 2. Tiago MACHADO, (Portugal) Team RadioShack, at 7
• 3. Luca ASCANI, (Italy), at 33
• 4. Steve MORABITO, (Switzerland) BMC Racing Team, at 34
• 5. Domenico POZZOVIVO, (Italy) Colnago-CSF, at 35

WALSHOUTEM, Belgium (VN) – Greg Van Avermaet is ready to close a long classics season Sunday and is looking to deliver a result to BMC Racing. Van Avermaet, 25, will start his first Liège-Bastogne-Liège Sunday.

"I am more in love with the sport than ever, and yet I still watch a pack of cyclists negotiating traffic or click-clacking through a coffee shop in their cleats, and I cringe. We are truly our own worst enemies ... "

Special shorts for Roubaix, team vehicle parking spots, painted roads and more questions, answered

ROME (AFP) - Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso will not be defending his title when the Giro begins on May 7 in Turin, he said Thursday.

The Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport reported Thursday that U.S. investigators are working with their Italian counterparts to review millions of dollars’ worth of financial transactions involving physician Michele Ferrari and several high-profile cyclists.

2011 Giro d'Italia startlist

Geox-TMC has named its "long list" for the upcoming Giro d'Italia, putting 12 riders on a list that will be whittled down to nine for the season's first grand tour.

WALSHOUTEM, Belgium (VN) – Nearly lost in the fever of Philippe Gilbert’s triumph for Omega Pharma-Lotto at La Flèche Wallonne Wednesday was Alexander Vinokourov’s best-ever result in the mid-week classic. Astana’s defending champion of Liége-Bastogne-Liége ground out a fourth-place result atop the Mur de Huy and said afterward that the ride gave him much confidence ahead of Sunday’s Ardennes finale.

HUY, Belgium (VN) ─ Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervélo) is hoping to cap his spring campaign with a run for the podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.

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Brian Holcombe talks to HTC-Highroad's Evelyn Stevens about her long solo attack at Wednesday's Fleche Wallonne

Brian Holcombe chats with Liquigas-Cannondale's Tim Duggan about the Ardennes and Mur de Huy

HTC-Highroad's Tejay Van Garderen talks with Brian Holcombe about his first Fleche Wallonne and his pressure-free Ardennes program