Road

Spaniard Francisco Perez Sanchez (Milaneza-MSS) took the lead in the Tour of Romandie on Saturday after winning the 146.5km stage between Monthey and Chatel-St-Denis on the penultimate day of the event. Perez Sanchez cruised home alone on the final kilometer after overtaking second-placed Italian Eddy Mazzoleni (Vini Caldirola-Sidermec), who eventually finished 21 seconds behind, on the final mountain climb. Swiss riders Fabian Jeker (Milaneza-MSS) and Alexandre Moos (Phonak), finished third and fourth. American Tyler Hamilton (CSC) was fifth. The start was delayed by three minutes as

A gutsy solo move in the final three laps of Saturday’s fourth stage of the Tour of the Gila propelled Tecos’s Florencio Ramos Torres to a win, robbing the field’s prominent sprinters from an opportunity to strut their stuff… and earn their paychecks. Of course the day’s biggest and most unexpected development came during the women's race when Rona’s Genevieve Jeanson did not win. We repeat: Jeanson did not win. At least that’s how the news should probably sound with Jeanson so dominant in U.S. women’s cycling these days, but that story line would take due credit from the strength and

Swiss rider Laurent Dufaux (Alessio) took the overall jersey from Italian Simone Bertoletti in the Tour of Romandie on Friday when he won the third stage of the event between Moudon and Loeche-Les-Bains, a stage that was marred when Spaniard Francisco Perez Sanchez (Milanez) was mistakenly directed off the course in the final kilometers. Dufaux and Perez Sanchez of Milaneza were credited with the same time and placing on the stage, with Swiss rider Fabian Jeker, also of Milaneza, second and Phonak's Alexandre Moos third. Italian Giosue Bonomi (Saeco) was forced to pull out early in the

Saturn and Navigators both came to the Uptown Greenwood Professional Cycling Challenge expecting to win. And so it was no surprise that between them, the two teams had five riders in a 14-man break that led the 50-mile race from midway on. But when push came to shove Thursday night on the streets of Greenwood, South Carolina, in the third race of the South Carolina Heritage Cycling Series, it was Ofoto-Lombardi pulling off an upset as the big boys concentrated on each other. Ofoto’s Erik Saunders took a flyer out of the front group with less than eight laps remaining, building a 10-second

It was just another day at the office for Geneviève Jeanson (Rona-Esker), who soloed off the front of the pack 12 miles into the 76-mile third stage of the Tour of the Gila on Friday morning, tacking an additional 5 1/2 minutes onto her overall lead. But Gord Fraser (Health Net) had to win his race in company, pouncing at the line on Steve Cate (Mathis Brothers) and Todd Wells (Hyundai-Mongoose) like a famished tabby on a pair of field mice, showcasing to whoever is paying attention that he is to be considered a racer of note in domestic cycling and is in top form early in the season. For

Ukrainian Yuriy Krivtsov won the second stage of the Tour of Romandie on Thursday but Italian rider Simone Bertoletti retains the overall lead with three days of the event remaining. Krivtsov, riding for Jean Delatour, put in a dominant performance after breaking from the pack early in the race and sprinted home to claim a comfortable victory. He finished the 178.2km test from Couvet to Lucens in four hours, 19 minutes and 36 seconds to finish 12 seconds ahead of Swiss Phonak rider Martin Elmiger. The chasing pack were one minute and 23 seconds behind Krivtsov, with Italian Angelo Furlan,

Geneviève Jeanson (Rona-Esker) did her solitary thing Thursday, extending her overall lead to nearly four minutes in just the second stage of New Mexico’s Tour of the Gila. Meanwhile, Drew Miller relied upon his Trek-VW All Stars team to keep the race under control and leave him free to do what he does best - climb. With perfect weather (clear, with temperatures in the 70s), the 92-mile men’s race offered up two sprint bonuses for riders with GC aspirations. Early on, a 13-man group that included Mike Sayers, two Health Net teammates and a couple of strong Mexican climbers from Team Tecos

Rarely do suicidal solo breakaways pay off, but it did for Lampre’s Simone Bertoletti in Wednesday’s 181km first stage of the Tour of Romandie. The Italian jumped away from the group in the opening 25km and built up a lead that went north of 15 minutes over the rolling stage in the rain-drenched hills of Switzerland. Phonak and CSC finally started to chase, but it was too late to catch Bertoletti. He had plenty of time to roll across the finish-line for a full celebration ritual: straighten the jersey, do a Holy Cross, kiss toward the heavens, pump his arms and blow kisses to the crowd. “At

With the nation’s newest and richest stage race — the Dodge Tour de Georgia — just wrapped up, the five-stage Holiday Inn Express Tour of the Gila, held in Silver City, New Mexico, won’t be pulling in the same caliber of road teams as it has in years past. “It’s going to be a mountain bikers’ training ground this year,” noted race director Jack Brennan, regarding the absence of top domestic teams like Saturn, Prime Alliance and Navigators in the men’s NRC event. “With [NORBA National Championship Series #1] Big Bear two weeks away, it’s a perfect chance for them to get in some racing

Genevieve Jeanson continued her sweep through the southwest Wednesday as she dominated a tough 15.7-mile time trial that opened New Mexico’s Tour of the Gila Wednesday. Though renowned as a tough sprinter, Health Net’s Gord Fraser proved he was no slouch in a hilly time trial as he took the men’s event. Kicking off in Silver City, New Mexico Wednesday, Jeanson (Rona-Esker) left few doubters as she cruised to an apparently easy win in the first stage of the 17th running of the Tour of the Gila, a 15.7 mile out-and-back climbing time trial with a time of 40:00:68. Ex-teammate Manon Jutras

ONCE’s sport director Manolo Saiz says Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano will race at this summer’s Tour de France despite a six-month racing ban in France handed down Wednesday by a French anti-doping agency. “I am tranquil and I am convinced that Igor will be present at the start line of the Tour de France,” Saiz told the Efe news agency Wednesday. “Neither the racer nor we have had any communication, so there’s not a lot to say or worry about right now. From the first day, the UCI has said this is not a question of doping, but of health.” On Wednesday, Gonzalez de Galdeano -- the ONCE rider who

Saturn's Viktor Rapinski rode to the top spot on the podium at the first race of the inaugural South Carolina Heritage Cycling Series in Anderson, S.C., Tuesday, April 29. Rapinski took the win in a two-man break with Danny Pate of Prime Alliance. Rapinski, Pate, Saturn's Chris Horner and Roberto Gaggioli of Monex landed the first four spots after lapping the main field 1-1/2 times. Saturn dominated the race from the beginning, with Trent Klasna attacking after the initial lap. His attack went unchallenged and grew into a lead of more than 20 seconds before he rejoined the peloton.

Hi Monique;As an active cyclist and sometimes runner, I love reading your magazinecolumn. Your nutritional advice has proven very useful.My stomach is my dilemma. During the work week, I usually exercise earlyin the morning (pre-work) then I eat a sensible breakfast (banana/OJ/yogurtsmoothie), lunch (apple/pear/ham or turkey sandwich) and am able to makeit through the day. Unfortunately, when I get home at about 6 p.m., I immediatelygrab a snack, followed by a larger than should be allowed dinner, followedby desert (and a nice serving of guilt as an aperitif).When I commute, the evening

Dear Lennard Zinn;As an on again, off again frame builder and repairer for the past 20+years I have a dilemma. A friend brought me a ‘60s era Atala with a failedbraze at the down tube, head tube lug. The friend wants it fixed withoutdestroying the original finish. Will JB Weld or something similar provideand adequate fix and will the frame be rideable?? --Dave Dear Dave;No and no. The surface area is too small and the forces too great foran epoxy glue like JB Weld to hold it. It would not last through one ride.He’s going to have to grit his teeth, get fixed right and then look forreliable

Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo) led an all-Swiss sweep Tuesday in the opening prologue of the Tour of Romandie on the streets of Geneva. The former Mapei protégé was fastest over the short, 3.4km course, nipping compatriot Alexandre Moos (Phonak) by just two seconds. Laurent Dufaux (Alessio) was third at three seconds in arrears. Tyler Hamilton, fresh off his triumph at Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday, had trouble finding his racing legs on the short technical course, but finished safely in seventh-place. Team CSC sport director Sean Yates said Hamilton is motivated to take advantage of

On a whim, decided to head out West to Fruita, Colorado for a little get-away before the racing season slams into high gear. Didn't realize our little rendezvous coincided snack-dab with the 2003 Fruita Fat Tire Festival. "All the better," I figured. I mean, the more the merrier when it comes to riding bikes–or so I thought until I tried to reserve a hotel room in a sold-out town. Lucking out with a last-minute cancellation at the ol' Super 8, VeloNews's own Jason Sumner, my old riding pal, Vegan Bob, and I were off to be a part of one of the largest off-road festivals in the United States

The warm ties between Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx and Lance Armstrong appear to have hit a rough stretch following Sunday's Liège-Bastogne-Liège World Cup race. Merckx, who won the Tour de France five times over a career that included three world titles, seven victories at Milan-San Remo and five wins at La Doyenne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, said that Armstrong may have "overestimated" his abilities. "He was supposed to sail to victory. To have listened to him, it was a formality and his rivals never even had a look in," said Merckx, in a story published in Tuesday's edition of

Tyler Hamilton’s dramatic victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège was the lead sports story in European newspapers Monday (well… after soccer news, of course). “Hamilton, the first,” read the French daily L’Equipe. “An American in Liège,” wrote Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport. “The Other American,” wrote Spain’s MARCA. Hamilton’s win was the first by an American at “La Doyenne,” the oldest classic in cycling. Greg LeMond finished third in 1984, beaten in a sprint by Irishman Sean Kelly and Aussie Phil Anderson. Armstrong was runner-up in both 1994 and 1996 and the Texan entered Sunday’s race as the

Podium Shots from the final day of the 2003 Tour de Georgia

Word from the Trek-Volkswagen camp is that while Roland Green is beat up pretty bad, he should be fine come the NORBA NCS season opener, May 17-18, at Big Bear Lake, California. According to Eric Wallace, the Trek-VW team manager, Green received 13 stitches in his face after crashing out of the final stage of the Tour de Georgia road race in Atlanta on Sunday. “He has three on his left orbital, two below his left eye and the rest are on his lip,” said Wallace, describing the state of the two-time defending world cross-country champion. “He’s completely bruised and battered in the face, but

If Tyler Hamilton doesn’t achieve any thing else in his career — and he certainly will — his stunning victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday will always hold a special place in his heart. Shortly after winning the 89th edition of the world’s oldest classics (and one of the toughest) on a rainy afternoon in the green hills of the Belgian Ardennes, he made a cell-phone call to his wife Haven at their home in Gerona, Spain. “She just screamed,” Tyler reported. “She had just as hard a job as I did of believing what’s happened.”

Saeco’s Gilberto Simoni won the Tour of Trentino in northern Italy on Sunday in a key warm-up race for the upcoming Giro d’Italia. Simoni, who lives in the Trentino region, won the decisive second stage ahead of the resurgent Stefano Garzelli (Sidermec) and finished safely in the main bunch Sunday to score his first stage-race of the 2003 season. Italian Michele Gobbi (De Nardi-Colpack) took the stage ahead of compatriot Rinaldo Nocentini (Pinzolo) in the 156km finale from Caldonozza to Arco. Tour of Trentino (UCI 2.2), stage 4, Caldonozza to Arco, 156km 1.Michele Gobbi (I), De

Saturday’s stage from Dalton to Gainesville pretty much sealed the overall Dodge Tour de Georgia victory for Saturn’s Chris Horner, but there was still some unfinished business and suspense left for the grand finale in downtown Atlanta on Sunday. In the end, though, there was no catching Horner. Meanwhile, Fred Rodriguez fell short of a third consecutive stage win when Prime Alliance’s David Clinger scored his biggest victory for his new team. The race began on a near-perfect afternoon, under sunny skies at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park in downtown. On the docket was 10 laps of a fast

For the last few weeks I feel like these diaries have been my gripes, and excuses as to why Prime Alliance isn't winning. I wouldn't blame anyone who interpreted them that way, but I would give them an earful. Anyhow, I'm not really an excuse maker by nature, I just try to explain things as objectively as I can… it’s just that sometimes it comes across as an excuse. Sometimes it's just depressing, but today my “logical explanation” of events can be summed up with a resounding “good JOB!” Today also was justification and redemption for out ill-fated strategy of yesterday. Just think, if we

As it was in the beginning, so it was at the end of the 25th La Vuelta de Bisbee, as Andrew Miller and Manon Jutras won their respective final stages and collected their overall titles. Miller (Landis-Trek-VW) and Jutras (Saturn) were the victors in the Mule Pass prologue on Friday evening, the kickoff to the weekend’s racing in southern Arizona. But while Jutras held her lead throughout La Vuelta, winning three of four stages along the way, Miller lost his yellow leader’s jersey to Viktor Rapinski after the Saturn rider won Saturday afternoon’s Warren Time Trial. Come Sunday, and the

This is about all I can say about how our day went at Tour of Georgia. We tried. No, we didn't actually miss the key move today. Missing a move is to imply "oops I guess we should have been there". No, we did that at Redlands. Here we had a good strategy, carried out perfectly… and then were simply out-powered. We had our man Svein in the early break. We had everyone nice and fresh at the bottom of the last climb, and then we just got smashed. The best laid plansOur plan was to keep David Clinger (who climbs better than Henk, but not as well as the top guys) as close to the leaders as

Chris Horner wanted a hard day. He got it. On Saturday’s stage 4 at the Dodge Tour de Georgia, the race blew apart as anticipated, and the major players of the first four days were all in the spotlight. Navigators and Henk Vogels were on the hotseat after defending the race lead for the past two stages; Horner and Saturn were in the driver's seat, with a course finally suited to their strengths; and Fred Rodriguez continued to exact his revenge following the time penalty he was assessed on stage 1. In the end, Rodriguez won his second stage in a row, Horner took the yellow jersey, and

Only four Tour de France winners have won Liège-Bastogne-Liège:Eddy Merckx (a record five times), Bernard Hinault and Ferdi Kubler (bothtwice), and Jacques Anquetil (once). Lance Armstrong would like to be the fifth. This Sunday will see the Texan on the start line at Liège foronly the fifth time in his career. Prior to his cancer diagnosis, he finishedsecond in 1994, sixth in 1995 and second again in 1996. He returned towhat is the world’s oldest bicycle classic (founded in 1894) only lastyear, when he finished 65th, 8:12 behind winner Paolo Bettini, after ridingthe 258.5km race in support

Looks like organizer Albert Hopper was right: His 25th La Vuelta de Bisbee may very well boil down to the final climb in today’s Tombstone Road Race. Saturday was a double-stage day in southern Arizona, beginning in the morning with the Sulphur Springs Road Race. After a fairly mellow ride that didn’t see much action until the final miles of the elite men’s 79.3-mile stage, on a long, wide 5-percent grade back into town, Gord Fraser (Health Net) outkicked Saturn teammates Viktor Rapinski and Ivan Dominguez to claim the victory. Nothing was getting away in the 45.8-mile women’s race,

Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) remained in charge of the Tour of Trentino after a long break dominated Saturday's 165km third stage. Elio Aggiano (Pinzolo) won ahead of three other riders that stayed away for most of the stage from Fondo to Levico Terme in northern Italy. Stefano Garzelli (Sidermec) won the bunch sprint at 8 seconds back to take fifth after the lead group couldn't reel in the break. Simoni finished safely with the peloton to retain the overall lead going into Sunday's 118km final stag, which shouldn't present any major problems for Simoni and his motivated Saeco team. Tour of

While the "other" cycling event in Georgia has garnered the headlines this week, the Athens Twilight just kept on partying this weekend as if nothing had happened. And in front of the big, festive Twilight crowd on Saturday night, Genesis Scuba’s Candice Blickem and 7UP-Maxxis’s Dan Schmatz took the biggest wins of their careers in solo fashion. The women’s favorite, former Georgia Bulldog Tina Mayolo-Pic (Diet Rite), had her problems early on, crashing hard about 10 laps into the race when her front tire punctured. Despite hitting her head hard, Mayolo-Pic got back in the race and was

Saeco's Gilberto Simoni won Friday's climbing stage of the Tour of Trentino in northern Italy and bounced into the overall lead. Simoni and yesterday's winner Stefano Garzelli (Sidermec) traded places, with Simoni taking the flowers this time ahead of the resurgent Garzelli. The opening two days of Tour of Trentino give a nice glimpse of who's in form for the upcoming Giro d'Italia, with both Simoni and Garzelli looking sharp. The race continues with Saturday's 165km third stage from Fondo to Levico Terme. Stage 2, Tour of Trentino (UCI 2.2), Moena to Ronzone 1. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saeco,

After a rocky start to his Dodge Tour de Georgia, Fred Rodriguez has just been taking things day by day. Fortunately for the American, things have been getting better with each passing stage. On Friday, the Vini Caldirola rider outsprinted Prime Alliance’s David Clinger and U.S. Postal’s Tony Cruz to take the stage 3 win after 138 miles from Pine Mountain to Rome. Meanwhile, Navigators Henk Vogels retained the race leader’s jersey while a war of words between Saturn and Navigators heated up. Rodriguez was still upset after being assessed a 20-second time penalty for motorpacing after a crash

Before I dive headlong into my notebook from the Tour de Georgia, er, the Dodge Tour de Georgia, I have to take a few minutes to say thanks to State Trooper Stewart of the Georgia State Patrol, who was kind enough to drive me to the finish line of Thursday’s stage in Columbus after the Navigators team car I was riding in got a flat tire. After logging onto the VN Web site and checking back on our final-hour live coverage, I realize that my editors took a few, um, liberties with the details, so here’s the rest of the story. The Navs pulled over with the flat about 10 miles from the finish.

La Vuelta de Bisbee kicked off its 25th year of bicycle racing in southern Arizona on Friday afternoon with the Mule Pass Time Trial, a little leg-stretcher that climbed 837 feet in just 2.8 miles. Andrew Miller (Landis-Trek-VW) won the elite men’s prologue in 9:42, well short of Malcolm Elliott’s 1993 mark of 9:18, but still 15 seconds ahead of Mike Sayers (Health Net), Miller’s teammate Scott Price, and Saturn’s Viktor Rapinski, all of whom were given the same time as Sayers and Price. Cyclo-crosser Todd Wells (Hyundai-Mongoose) rounded out the top five a further three seconds back. Among

Stefano Garzelli (Sidermec) won Thursday's opening stage of the Tour of Trentino in northern Italy in a dramatic comeback for the Italian star. Garzelli, who was kicked out of last year's Giro after testing positive for a banned diuretic, beat compatriot Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) and Slovenian Tadej Valjavec (Fassa Bortolo) in a sprint in the 170km stage from Arco to Moena. Tour of Trentino (UCI 2.2), Stage 1, Arco to Moena1. Stefano Garzelli (I), Sidermec, 170.5km in 4:582. Gilberto Simoni (I), Saeco, at 6 seconds3. Tadej Valjavec (Slo), Fassa Bortolo, same time4. Sabaliauskas (Lit), Saeco,

From looking at the Navigators team car in the closing minutes of stage 2 of the Dodge Tour de Georgia, you’d have been hard pressed to pick it out as the car of the race leader. Sure its windshield was marked with the No. 1, thanks to Henk Vogels starting the day in the yellow jersey, but pulled over by the side of the road in Columbus, Georgia, its rear right tire going flat, the team’s silver wagon looked like just another sign that things were slipping away. Team directors Ed Beamon and Ray Cipollini, and mechanic Mike Spilker, could only watch as the race disappeared up the road,

What a sense of timing. Here after a week of talking about safety, helmets, course closures and otherwise, I figured what the heck, why not start the Tour of Georgia by making myself look like a complete Fred and taking myself out in a prologue? Yes, it really was a first for me, crashing in a time trial, and hopefully a last too. It was the old 'I don't need to brake for that corner' that was my fatal error on that lovely sunny day. I have a history of taking risks in time trials, especially short ones like prologues> I figure if I lose much speed in the corners, I really don't have a

To breakaway on the first climb of a very hilly road race is usually not a smart tactic, especially when there are still 134km and nine more climbs to go. It’s usually even more stupid to attempt such a long shot in a classic as difficult as Belgium’s Flèche Wallonne. Luckily, the little Basque rider Igor Astarloa doesn’t think much of conventional wisdom. On Wednesday, he became the first Spanish cyclist to win the Flèche; indeed, no Spaniard had ever won a classic in Belgium, France or the Netherlands. And Astarloa did it by being strong, audacious, confident, and very, very smart. You

Dear Monique;I have read that you should drink only water with gels. In the past, I’ve taken gels with Gatorade or R4 on the bike and have quite often developed stomach cramps on the run. Why is this? Are there other foods that shouldn’t be ingested with sports drinks while training and racing? Thanks, -- MikeDear Mike;Sports drinks are formulated to provide just the right balance of both carbohydrate and fluid when you are exercising. When you add gels to the mix, the additional carbohydrate can prolong the amount of time it takes for the mix of gel and sports drinks to empty from your

In a field of 144 women packed with Olympic, world and European champions, and with the best professional teams all out to win, the incredible Nicole Cooke did it again. The British prodigy won the sixth edition of the women’s Flèche Wallonne, held over the same 97.5km that formed the final loop of the pro men’s race, only three days after doing the same at the Amstel Gold race, and only 10 days after her 20th birthday. Cooke won the race by attacking on the closing one-kilometer climb up the formidable Mur de Huy, which averages 13 percent and has a couple of 19-perecent switchbacks. And

2002 Giro d’Italia champion Paolo Salvodelli (Telekom) is expected to be back in action by late May, officials from Team Telekom said. Savoldelli crashed while training in the Canary Islands this past winter. Savoldelli is penciled in to start the Tour of Bavaria on May 21-25 and the team hopes the Italian will be ready in time to start the Tour de France. Telekom also lost Cadel Evans for at least two weeks, who fell in Sunday’s Amstel Gold race and broke a clavicle. Dekker sidelined againErik Dekker’s health problems to give the Rabobank star problems. Dekker pulled out of the Amstel

The U.S. pro peloton hasn’t seen much of the Navigators this spring, but the squad made a big impact in its first major road stage on home soil this year, with Henk Vogels winning stage 1 of the Tour de Georgia and taking the race leader’s jersey in the process. Vogels emerged from a lead group of about 30 riders and beat out Schroeder Iron’s Miguel Meza at the end of the 136-mile stage from Augusta to Macon, heading east to west across the center of the state. While the rest of the U.S. domestic teams were out in California in full force for the opening of the season, Navigators had only

Dear Lennard Zinn,I just upgraded from Ultegra 8-speed to Ultegra 9-speed. I replacedthe shifters, cassette, chain, and crankset/BB. I checked the derailleurmodel numbers and they didn't need replacing. My problem is that with thechain on the small chainring it rubs on the large chainring when I shiftto the 7th or 8th cog on back. I don't mind losing the 9th cog and maybethe 8th, but not having the 7th really cramps my shifting style. Any suggestions?--Bob Dear Bob,You can eliminate the rub by moving the crank outward by putting aspacer between the BB drive-side cup and the BB shell to

As he sat under a shade tree along the start-finish straight of the Tour de Georgia prologue, John Lieswyn couldn’t help but reflect on the last major professional stage race in the U.S., the Tour du Pont. "This is just as professional as the Tour du Pont, and it’s only the first year. They’re obviously using the same blueprint for this race," he said. And while the Georgia race has a long way to go before it reaches du Pont proportions, it still had Lieswyn and all of the other 139 starters excited for the upcoming six days. "I don’t get nervous before a race anymore very often," Lieswyn

Still reeling from the product overflow that was this year's Sea Otter. Sure, the racing action was great and all, but for the die-hard tech head, it's hard to beat the "Otter" for an opportunity to see the latest and greatest componentry and bikes. While the masses are content perusing the rows of exhibitors tables, really sharp tacks head deep into the pits for sneak-peeks at 2004 prototype equipment gracing racer's steeds. In fact, thinking more about it, those intent on catching a glimpse at future innovation are better served venturing out to Monterey in early April instead of trying

Rabobank’s Levi Leipheimer will be at the start line for this week’s Ardennes classics to cap what’s been a solid buildup throughout the spring for the American. The hilly courses suit Leipheimer’s strengths better than the cobbles and Liege-Bastogne-Liege will be his World Cup debut. Leipheimer said his role will be to help Rabobank teammate Michael Boogerd as much as possible and perhaps look for an opportunity if it presents itself. Otherwise, Leipheimer said he’s happy with his form coming out a series of Spanish races and he’s already looking ahead to the Tour de France. “I’m happy

Three days after Alexandre Vinokourov of Telekom clipped the wings of the climbers at last Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race, and four days before the more prestigious Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the 67th edition of the Flèche Wallonne has a very uncertain outcome this Wednesday. What we do know is that after his impressive Amstel performance Lance Armstrong is back home in Spain preparing himself for an assault at Liège, while his perennial Tour rival Jan Ullrich is using the Flèche as a tune-up for Sunday after scoring a stunning solo victory at Tuesday’s Tour of Cologne. Other stars who have said they

Jan Ullrich, of the Coast team, claimed his first victory in 18 months on Monday attacking 55km from the finish to win the 88th edition of the Tour of Cologne. Ullrich, the 29-year-old Olympic champion and the only German to have won the Tour de France (1997), recently returned from a long lay-off due to a drugs ban and undergoing operations on a troublesome knee. In his first competition on native soil in 19 months, a slimmed down Ullrich showed he could soon be a force to be reckoned with by initiating a breakaway with around 55km to go on one of the 203km course's numerous small

The inaugural Dodge Tour de Georgia begins Tuesday with a short, technical prologue through the streets of Savannah, kicking off the 605.7-mile journey that starts in Savannah and finishes five days later in Atlanta. Tuesday’s prologue will set the early tone for the race before things get underway in earnest on Wednesday, with a 136.4-mile road race between Augusta and Macon. If the racing goes anything like the early-season U.S. races, the top of the leader board could be colored red-and-yellow by the end of the day, as the Saturn men hope to continue the run that saw them take 1-2-3 sweeps

No one expected Telekom’s Alex Vinokourov to win Sunday’s 38th Amstel Gold Race. Least of all him. “I’ve never won a one-day race until today,” the 29-year-old Kazakh said after the finish. [nid:24206]That is, except for a criterium or two in post-Tour de France appearances. But a criterium is little league compared with the mega-status of a classic like Sunday’s. “I rode the last 80km of the course on Friday,” Vinokourov said. “I learned that you have to be at the front all the time. It’s very technical, turning, left, right, up, down, on very narrow roads.”

Former two-time world junior road champion Nicole Cooke of Great Britain won the biggest event of her young pro career on Sunday: the Amstel Gold Race, fourth round of the 2003 World Cup. The 20-year-old Welsh rider on the Ausra-Safi team – which is affiliated to the Italian Acca Due O squad – bridged up with the Spanish rider Teodora Ruano of Prato-Marathon to solo leader Oenone Wood of Australia, who went clear on the Keutenberg with 11km to go. The three joined forces on the descent of the Sibbergrubbe with 4km to go, then Cooke attacked on the finishing climb, the Cauberg. “We could

The Tour of Aragon seemed stuck on rewind for Sunday's final stage. Leonardo Piepoli finished safely in the middle of the bunch sprint to wrap up his third overall title while Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) finished at the front of the mass gallop to win his third stage of the week. Piepoli won Wednesday's opening stage up the Category 1 summit finish to Cerler and saluted to the heavens with three fingers held high. The rest of the week became nothing more than a defensive battle for iBanesto.com to keep a lid on things until everyone arrived to Zaragoza for the final stage. Winds

Fassa Bortolo's Alessandro Petacchi won his second stage of this year's Tour of Aragon, easily taking the bunch sprint in Saturday's 168km fourth stage from La Muela to Borja. Petacchi pushed Spanish rider Angel Edo (Milaneza-MSS) into second place for the third straight day. iBanesto.com's Leonardo Piepoli finished safely in the main bunch to retain the overall lead going into Sunday's finale. The defending champion will only have to worry about strong winds that could cut up the main bunch, because otherwise the final stage presents little challenge to his hold on the lead. Sunday's 149km

The Amstel Gold Race is Lance Armstrong’s favorite spring classic, and he would dearly like to win the Dutch event’s 38th edition on Sunday. He has twice finished second, in 1999 and 2001, and last year came in fourth after triggering the winning breakaway with Dutchman Michael Boogerd. In each of the four years that he has won the Tour de France, Armstrong has tested his late-spring form at the Amstel Gold Race. This year is no exception, and perhaps he has his best chance yet of taking the victory. For the first time, the finish will no longer be on the flats, but near the summit of the

Kelme’s Alejandro Valverde just keeps on winning races. The 22-year-old Kelme rider, already a winner at the Mallorca Challenge, a stage at Pais Vasco and the Clasica Primavera, won his fourth race of the spring in Friday’s third stage of the Tour of Aragon. “Everything’s been going well and I’m hitting my strongest form right now, so I have to take advantage of it,” said Valverde, who jumped with 200 meters to go to beat Angel Edo (Milanezz-MSS). iBanesto.com’s Leonardo Piepoli finished sixth in the fast, climbing finish into Illueca to retain the overall lead. Mikel Astarloza (Ag2r)

They’ll never forget you ’til somebody new comes along. – The Eagles, “New Kid in Town” There’s a new kid in town this month - the Dodge Tour de Georgia, a prologue and five stages. According to the official web site, it starts in Savannah and ends in Atlanta, traversing “the rolling hills of central Georgia and the state’s rugged northern mountains … a beautiful and ever-changing landscape for the cyclists as they do battle in breathtaking sprints and grueling climbs.” Sounds great. New races are great. In the Land of Golden Arches, where NASCAR is king, all bicycle races are great, even

I’m a curious person. I raced my bike quite successfully after my two kids went to kindergarten and I no longer had to hire a sitter just so I could sneak out and train. Women in the peloton are always amazed to find out that I have a white-collar high stress day job, two special needs boys, and still manage to get by as a Cat. 2. But I know I’m hardly alone. On the podium of a mountain bike race a couple years ago the woman in third place tried to say something smug to my friend and I who were first and second. “Well I have to go home now to my husband, job, and 3 kids.” We laughed. As if!

Maps and such

Fassa Bortolo’s Alessandro Petacchi easily won Thursday’s second stage of the Tour of Aragon in Spain, scoring his fourth win of the season. Leonardo Piepoli (iBanesto.com) safely finished in the front group to retain the overall lead in the five-day stage-race in northern Spain. Scores of riders tried to escape in the final 20km coming into Sabinanigo, but Banesto, Fassa and Euskaltel worked to keep things together. Petacchi had a nice set-up and bolted across the line with both arms in full victory salute a full bike length ahead of Angel Edo (Milaneza-MSS). Petacchi safely negotiated the

I gotta start hanging out at DIA (Denver International Airport) more often. This past Wednesday, I'm on my way to the Sea Otter with our photo editor, Galen Nathanson, when who other than "Charlie Hustle" Pete Rose rolls up to the first class counter. Picture this: an aging overweight white fella wearing a pair of the goldest pair of Dolce Y Gabana shades (complete with gold grandma "safety" chain), a honest-to-goodness man-blouse, a pair of overly tight-fitting black chinos and topping off the whole kit with a pair of the fruitiest pointed boots you've ever done seen. Galen and I were

Dear Monique;What's the deal with muscle cramps? I'm suddenly getting them in my calves after about an hour or two of riding. Is it simply a matter of hydration or is electrolyte balance more important? I usually only drink water on rides and take gels for energy. I didn't get cramps in the early season when the rides were just as long (though maybe not as hard). By the way, thanks for taking time to answer readers' questions. I know you can't get to all of them, but it is very cool of you to take time out to do this for all of us who love cycling. Have a great one,Eric Hi EricSorry to

Leonardo Piepoli won his first race of the 2003 season, attacking with 1km to go to drop Saeco’s Gilberto Simoni and take the lead of the Tour of Aragon in Wednesday’s first stage. Piepoli jumped with 3km to go in Wednesday’s 154km stage from Huesca to the Category 1 summit finish at Cerler, a ski station high in the Spanish Pyrenees. Simoni and Coast’s Manuel Beltran followed, but the defending champion was too strong. Simoni hung on until the final kilometer when Piepoli put on the after-burners to roll across the line with his finger pointing to the skies. Simoni isn’t the only big name

Dear Lennard Zinn,I have a Chorus Ti seat post (less than a year old) and Flite Gel saddlewith Ti rails. I cannot get the saddle to stay in the right place; it keepsslipping back and has to be reset every couple of days. I screw the boltas tight as I dare and keep the saddle rails and clamp grease free (withgrease it slips back in about 5 minutes). Previously I had the Daytonapost on the bike and did not have this problem (same saddle), but the clamplooks the same. --Peter Dear Peter,Check to see if there is some sort of obstruction that is preventingthe top of the clamp from moving

Peter Van Petegem proved that his fortitude is harder than the cobbles of northern France in a dramatic victory in Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix. Van Petegem (Lotto-Domo) had better luck than most in a day dominated with crashes and punctures and becomes the first rider to win the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in the same year since Roger de Vlaeminck in 1977. Dario Pieri (Saeco) earned a well-deserved second-place while Viatcheslav Ekimov scored the second consecutive third-place podium finish for the U.S. Postal Service team in cycling’s "Hell of the North."

Immediately after finishing seventh at Ghent-Wevelgem on Wednesday, Johan Museeuw was angry with how the race had developed for his Quick Step-Davitamonteam, but he later said, “I again felt a little weakness [from my coldlast week], but in any case I will be ready for the Hell” — referring toParis-Roubaix’s moniker, the Hell of the North. In hindsight, Museeuw andhis Quick Step teammates Tom Boonen and Servais Knaven should havecontrolled the 12-strong break that emerged 40km from the finish of Ghent-Wevelgem,and protected each other in the strong head winds before making some attackspay off

Quick Step1. Museeuw (B)2. Boonen (B)3. Bramati (I)4. Cretskens (B)5. Kashechkin (Kz)6. Knaven (Nl)7. Tankink (Nl)8. Vandenbroucke (B)Telekom11. Zabel (G)12. Aldag (G)13. Hundertmarck (G)14. Klier (G)15. Kopp (G)16. Nardello (I)17. Schaffrath (G)18. Schumacher (G)Saeco21. Pieri (I)22. Bonomi (I)23. Commesso (I)24. Fornaciari (I)25. Ludewig (G)26. Pepoli (I)27. Quaranta (I)28. Zanini (I)Fassa Bortolo31. Cancellara (Swi)32. S. Ivanov (Rus)33. Kirchen (Lux)34. Larsson (S)35. Loda (I)36. Petito (I)37. Trenti (USA)38. Zanotti (I)fdjeux.com41. Guesdon (F)42. Casper (F)43. Derepas (F)44. Durand

When riders roll up to the start line in front of the Place du Palais in Compiegne on Sunday morning for the 101st Paris-Roubaix, there will be only three Americans in the field. Tony Cruz, 32, will be riding in support of U.S. Postal team leaders Max Van Heejswick and Vietcheslav Ekimov; 30-year-old Fred Rodriguez of Sidermec will be hoping to score a good result for himself. There’s a third American, if count Fassa Bortolo’s “virtual Italian” Guido Trenti, the young man who made his American debut on the U.S. world’s team in Zolder last October. Both Rodriguez and Cruz are recovering from

In a day marked with cold, wet and windy weather, Matt Decanio of Prime Alliance and Saturn's Manon Jutras took big wins in the Sea Otter Classic's Stage 4 road race on Saturday. In the men's race, an initial break consisting of Danny Pate (Prime Alliance) and Jacob Erker (Schroeder Iron) dangled in front of the field for almost the entire day, reaching a maximum gap of 1:45 — with Saturn’s trio of GC leaders controlling the front off the field — before it was brought in at the base of the final climb. Once there, the peloton spread thin as racers, tired from nearly three weeks of continuous

The 1890s1896 Josef Fischer (G) 280km&Nbsp; (30.162kph)1897 Maurice Garin (F) 280km (28.124kph)1898 Maurice Garin (F) 268km (32.599kph)1899 Albert Champion (F) 268km (31.976kph)The 1900s1900 Emile Bouhours (F) 268km (37.352kph)1901 Lucien Lesna (F) 280km (25.861kph)1902 Lucien Lesna (F) 268km (28.088kph)1903 Hippolyte Aucouturier (F) 268km (29.104kph)1904 Hippolyte Aucouturier (F) 268km (32.518kph)1905 Louis TROUSSELIER (F) 268km (33.206kph)1906 Henri CORNET (F) 270km (27.034kph)1907 Georges PASSERIEU (F) 270km (30.971kph)1908 Cyrille VAN HAUWAERT (B) 271km (25.63kph)1909 Octave LAPIZE (F)

Spain’s Iban Mayo ruled the final day of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco while CSC’s Tyler Hamilton finished second overall in a classic shoot-out in the rugged hills of northern Spain. Hamilton rode strong in Friday’s rain-marred final split stage, finishing with the lead group of just three riders in the morning’s difficult climbing stage and then performed well in the afternoon time trial. But it was Mayo who stole the show, winning the morning stage and the afternoon time trial to wrap up the overall title. It’s an important victory for his Euskaltel team, hoping for a bid to this summer’s

The Cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, 2003 - Total= 49.100 kmSection 26 Km 99.8 TROISVILLES Rue de la Sucrerie2200 metersSection 25 Km 106.3 VIESLY - Rue de la Chapelle1800 metersSection 24 Km 108.5 QUIEVY - Rue de Valenciennes3700 metersSection 23 Km 113.7 QUIEVY à SAINT-PYTHON1500 metersSection 22 Km 121.9 HAUSSY 900 metersSection 21 Km 128.6 SAULZOIR 1200 metersSection 20 Km 132.9 VERCHAIN-MAUGRE à QUERENAING1600 metersSection 19 Km 136.0 MAING 2500 metersSection 18 Km 139.2 MONCHAUX SUR ECAILLON 1600 metersSection 17 Km 145.8 HASPRES 1700 metersSection 16 Km 158.3 HAVELUY 2500 metersSection 15 Km

For many European road teams, a win at a major spring classic can go a long way toward calling the season a success. With Peter Van Petegem’s win at the Tour of Flanders last Sunday, his Lotto-Domo squad, beloved by their Belgian fans, has one feather in its cap already. And Telekom had a pleasant surprise when its 27-year-old German Andreas Klier stole a win at Ghent-Wevelgem Wednesday. But two days before the 101st running of Paris-Roubaix, arguably the most prestigious race of all the spring classics, one team is growing restless for a win: Quick Step-Davitamon. Stacked with talent, the

I just managed to sneak away from the Tech area at Sea Otter long enough for a quick update. A pre-dawn raid on SRAM's tech headquarters proved fruitful with us coming away with another first-look at 2004 products. Wanted to make sure you read it here first. Here's the short story (look for complete coverage in VeloNews #8 due out in two weeks). SRAM has introduced two all-new trigger shifters: the X-9 and X-7. Both use 1:1 "Impulse Technology" which is said to provide riders the flexibility to activate shifts with multiple parts of their hand. This translates into shifting ability with

Day three of racing at the Sea Otter Classic pro stage race saw no major changes on the leader board, as Saturn’s Lyne Bessette and Prime Alliance’s Michael Creed took stage wins in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Originally planned to be a criterium in Santa Cruz, Friday’s course was, at the last minute, changed to the raceway circuit of years past, due both to concerns over the integrity of the Santa Cruz course and a push to intensify the stage race after the pro men protested the controversial Redwood City circuit. Instead, the circuit race course was used, a course that includes a steep

Day two of the Sea Otter pro stage race — a 12-mile time trial course finishing with a long, sustained climb — brought few surprises on the leader board, as Nathan O’Neill (Saturn) and Genevieve Jeanson (RONA-Esker), both time trial and subsequent overall winners last week at Redlands, again put their stamp on the general classification. Often called the race of truth, Thursday’s time trial lived up to the name. It was a case of déjà vu all over again, as the strongest riders from the Redlands time trial rose to the top: the women’s event contained the same top-five as the Redlands time

Hey Monique;As a nutritionist you will probably shriek in anguish, but I’m a fast (in my dreams) recreational cyclist who for the past two months has been following the Atkins nutritional method. The positive news is that I have dropped 17 pounds. However, as spring approaches and I start doing longer rides, I am concerned whether I will be visiting bonk-land more often with my reduced-carb approach. Currently, I am consuming about 40 to 50 grams of carbs a day and ride 3 to 4 times a week (50 to 200 miles a week depending on the time of year). Is there a general rule of thumb of how many

Andreas Klier was in no hurry to leave on Wednesday afternoon. Perched in a dirty brown chair in a smoke-filled room of reporters in Wevelgem, Belgium — the finishing town of the 65th running of the midweek classic known as Ghent-Wevelgem — the blond-haired, blue-eyed German was soaking it all in.

Sitting at the start-finish line before the Sea Otter’s opening Redwood City road race, Saturn’s Chris Horner was concerned. Relaxed, of course, as he always is, but concerned. In lieu of the Sea Otter’s traditional Fort Ord road race, which was replaced after permit issues hindered a full road closure, the Northern California stage race designed a new circuit race, in the hometown of Sea Otter chief operating officer Rick Sutton. But many of the riders that had pre-ridden the tight and twisty residential course, with its sharp, short climbs and narrow, technical streets, felt it was too

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