Road Racing

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A look at QBP's Foundry Cycles

Since Steve Hed and Zipp started beating the drum for wider road rims, a number of other wheel manufacturers have followed suit.

It seems that for almost every new component that sees the light of day, there’s a new tool to accompany it.

Even with the unexpected overall Vuelta victory of Juan José Cobo, Chris Froome’s second overall caught most – if not all – observers completely off-guard. Among the most surprised was Fromme himself.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (VN) – A young Dutchman rode an impressive surge up the finishing straight Wednesday night to earn props from Elvis in a tactical and most dynamic Cross Vegas.

Spanish manufacturer Rotor is throwing its hat in the power measurement ring

LZ rides up stream in a gully washer, then finds mad fibers and happy rims

Pre-built, disc-brake-compatible, high-end, deep-section, cyclocross wheels from Reynolds. No-kidding.

More details on Speedplay's mysterious new offroad pedal

A look at some evolved road bike gear at the Outdoor Demo

Juanjo Cobo (Geox-TMC) says he hopes that his victory in the Vuelta a España will erase doubts associated with his reputation dating back to the scandal-plagued 2008 Tour de France.

What's new at the Outdoor Demo? A Breezer road bike, Chris King goes ceramic, Giro's budget helmet and more

Lennard takes a look at some cyclocross offerings for the new season

What's new from Giordana? New DMT shoes and new bikes from Eddy Merckx and Pinarello

Ag2r-La Mondiale's Kuota KOM Evo

Nick Legan takes a look at fi’zi:k's new Kurve saddles

Bauke Mollema won the points jersey ahead of a sick Joaquim "Purito" Rodríguez in a final-day showdown in Madrid.

Team Sky officials said they had no regrets as the team rode to an historic second and third at the Vuelta a España with Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins sharing the podium with surprise winner Juanjo Cobo.

1. Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Cannondale in 2:20:59 2. Daniele Bennati, Leopard Trek at 0 3. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre-ISD at 0 4. John Degenkolb, HTC-Highroad at 0 5. Nikolas Maes, Quickstep Cycling Team, at 0

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Check out CyclingTips's author page.

On a day when all eyes were on the podium finishers from Friday’s Grand Prix Cycliste Québec City, Portugese rider Rui Costa of Movistar upset the favorites by powering a late-race move in Montréal to win a two-up sprint against Frenchman breakaway mate Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ).

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) made a winning start to the Tour of Britain with a classy sprint victory in the opening stage in Scotland on Sunday.

Peter Sagan burst down the middle of the road in the final 150 meters to blow past a fading Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) and Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) to round out a superb Vuelta that also included two wins in the first half of the race.

Juan Jose Cobo (Geox-TMC) claimed the first grand-tour win of his career when he won the Vuelta a España

Juanjo Cobo says he cannot breathe easy yet despite only having a short, sprinter-friendly stage standing between him and a surprising Vuelta a España victory.

Graham Watson captures the penultimate stage of the 2011 Vuelta a España.

Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) dashed to victory Saturday just in time to confirm his candidacy for leadership of the hyper-competitive Italian squad ahead of the world road cycling championships.

Stage 20

• 1. Daniele Bennati, Leopard-Trek, 4:39:20
• 2. Enrico Gasparotto, Astana, same time
• 3. Damiano Caruso, Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t.
• 4. Sep Vanmarcke, Garmin-Cervélo, s.t.
• 5. Koen De Kort, Skil-Shimano, s.t.

GC

• 1. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 82:38:32
• 2. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, at 0:13
• 3. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 1:39
• 4. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:03
• 5. Denis Menchov, Geox-TMC, at 3:48

Leopard-Trek's Daniele Bennati sprinted to victory on Saturday in the 20th stage of the 2011 Vuelta a España. Juan Jose Cobo (Geox-TMC) continues to lead with one stage remaining.

A look at Pat McCarty's Argon 18 Galium Pro, a Canadian bike in a Canadian race

BILBAO, Spain (VN) - Igor Antón delivered a dream-come-true victory in Friday's emotional return to the Basque Country after a three-decade absence with an impressive solo victory.

Stage

• 1. Igor ANTON HERNANDEZ, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi, in 3:53:34
• 2. Marzio BRUSEGHIN, (ITA) Movistar, at 41
• 3. Dominik NERZ, (GER) Liquigas-Cannondale, at 1:30
• 4. Haimar ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, (ESP) Team RadioShack, at 1:30
• 5. Chris SÖRENSEN, (DEN) Saxobank-Sungard, at 1:31

GC

• 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (Spain) Geox-Tmc, in 77:59:12
• 2. Christopher FROOME, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 13
• 3. Bradley Wiggins, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 1:41
• 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:03
• 5. Denis MENCHOV, (Russia) Geox-Tmc, at 3:48

BILBAO, Spain (AFP) — Basque rider Igor Anton (Euskaltel) on Friday won the 19th stage of the Tour of Spain, a 158.5km ride from Noja to Bilbao in his native Basque country.

NOJA, Spain (AFP) - Italy's Francesco Gavazzi of the Lampre team Thursday won the 18th stage of the Tour of Spain, but Spain's Juan Jose Cobo kept the leader's jersey with just three stages left.

Carbon brake surface repair, team mergers and more

BILBAO, Spain (AFP) — When the Vuelta a España reaches Bilbao on Friday, the cycling-mad Basques will finally get to see the Vuelta in their own land after 33 years' absence.

"It's not over yet," said Sky sport director Servais Knaven. "We still have three stages to try to take it to Cobo. It won't be easy, but we're motivated to keep fighting. It's a grand tour. We are going to fight right to the end."

PENA CABARGA, Spain (VN) — Movistar lost three riders Wednesday as a stomach flu wiped out the team; meanwhile injury derailed Purito Rodrîguez in the final week of the Vuelta a España.

PENA CABARGA, Spain (VN) — There was a very tense moment about 500 meters from the finish line in Wednesday's 17th stage when it appeared Juanjo Cobo's dream Vuelta a España was turning into a nightmare.

Stage

• 1. Christopher FROOME, (GBR) Team Sky, in 4:52:38
• 2. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (ESP) Geox-Tmc, at 1
• 3. Bauke MOLLEMA, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 21
• 4. Daniel MARTIN, (IRL) Garmin-Cervelo, at 24

GC

• 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (Spain) Geox-Tmc, in 69:31:41
• 2. Christopher FROOME, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 13
• 3. Bradley WIGGINS, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 1:41
• 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:05
• 5. Denis MENCHOV, (Russia) Geox-Tmc, at 3:48

Stage 16

• 1. Juan José HAEDO, (ARG) Saxobank-Sungard, in 4:41:56
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Isd, at 0
• 3. Daniele BENNATI, (ITA) Leopard-Trek, at 0
• 4. Vicente REYNES MIMO, (ESP) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0
• 5. Leigh HOWARD, (AUS) HTC-Highroad, at 2

GC

• 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (ESP) Geox-Tmc, in 64:39:14
• 2. Christopher FROOME, (GBR) Team Sky, at 22
• 3. Bradley WIGGINS, (GBR) Team Sky, at 51
• 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:41
• 5. Maxime MONFORT, (BEL) Leopard-Trek, at 2:40

HARO, Spain (AFP) - Argentina's Juan Jose Haedo of the Saxo Bank team won the 16th stage of the Tour of Spain Tuesday while Spain's Juan Jose Cobo of Geox retained the leader's red jersey.

Lennard Zinn takes questions on headset wear, tall-bike headtube angles, 10-speed derailleurs, nitrogen in tires and more

Wilier takes an unusual approach to time trial bike design

Easton comes out with an affordable aluminum-rim tubeless road wheel. Plus some more new goodies.

LEON, Spain (VN) — Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins says Vuelta a España race leader Juanjo Cobo deserves a benefit of the doubt against insinuations that the Geox-TMC rider's Angliru performance might appear too good to believe.

A look at the low, low gears riders used on the Vuelta's 15th stage

LEON, Spain (VN) — You'd think that one of the best young, emerging climbers in the peloton might love the 20-percent-plus grades of the Angliru, but Garmin-Cervélo climber Daniel Martin rode away unimpressed with Spain's hardest mountain.

Tom Boonen's rough ride in the Vuelta a España got even rougher during Sunday's 15th stage to the notorious Angliru.

Graham Watson captures the action on the Angliru.

Dreams of overall victory at the Vuelta a España came crashing down for Team Sky under a lethal onslaught from Juanjo Cobo (Geox-TMC), who tore away from the tandem of Wiggins and Froome with 5km to go on the Angliru and turned a 55-second deficit into a 20-second lead.

Stage 15

• 1. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 4:01:56
• 2. Wouter Poels, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:48
• 3. Denis Menchov, Geox-TMC, same time
• 4. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, s.t.
• 5. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 1:21

GC

• 1. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 59:57:16
• 2. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, at 20
• 3. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 46
• 4. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:36
• 5. Maxime Monfort, Leopard-Trek, at 2:37

Juan Jose Cobo (Geox-TMC) climbed to the overall lead in the Vuelta a España on Sunday, conquering the decisive Angliru stage and leaving red jersey Bradley Wiggins (Sky) struggling on the steeps.

On paper, Angliru favors Christopher Froome over Bradley Wiggins. It will be interesting to see how Sky plays it out once the race is under way. Will Team Sky put the brakes on Froome if he's flying again and Wiggins is just barely hanging on?

For Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Cervélo) and Matthew Busche (RadioShack), making it to the finish line in Spain's capital on September 11 would mean more than a personal milestone; it would prove that both have the grit to not only finish their grand-tour debuts, but do so against a brutal course in harsh conditions.

Karsten Kroon (BMC) and Sep Vanmarcke (Garmin-Cervélo) were both involved in a heavy crash on the descent off the Cat. 2 Puerto de Ventana in Saturday's 14th stage at the Vuelta a España.

Graham Watson shoots stage 14 of the 2011 Vuelta a España.

Rein Taaramae, who's been close to big wins since turning pro in 2008, proved Saturday that youthful exuberance sometimes pays off. He bravely fought all the way to the line, losing David de la Fuente (Geox-TMC) in the final kilometers to solo home for the biggest win of his young, but promising career.

For Quick Step's Tom Boonen, who only returned to racing at the Tour of Poland after crashing out of the 2011 Tour with a concussion, getting through the Vuelta is essential for him to have any chance of winning the rainbow jersey a second time.

Stage 14

• 1. Rein Taaramae, Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, 4:39:01
• 2. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 0:25
• 3. Fuente David De La, Geox-TMC, at 0:29
• 4. Wouter Poels, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:40
• 5. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 0:45

GC

• 1. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, 55:54:45
• 2. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, at 0:07
• 3. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:36
• 4. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 0:55
• 5. Jakob Fuglsang, Leopard-Trek, at 0:58

Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) rode alone to victory in stage 14 of the Vuelta a España as race leader Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and teammate Christopher Froome pummeled the other GC favorites on the final climb.

Laura Van Gilder and newly minted USPRO criterium champion Eric Young opened their accounts in the THF Realty Gateway Cup on a steamy Friday night in St. Louis, winning the Tour de Lafayette criterium.

PONFERRADA, Spain (VN) - Taylor Phinney's grand tour debut ended Friday on the steep, punishing roads of western Spain in the 13th stage of the Vuelta a España.

Fulgsang said Leopard-Trek riders have heard nothing from team staff about an alleged merger