Road Racing

CHONGMING ISLAND, China－Despite forecasts to the contrary, the first stage of China’s Tour of Chongming Island was a cold and wet affair, as Garmin-Cervélo’s Elizabeth Armitstead scored her first international stage victory and Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (HTC-Highroad) grabbed the overall lead on the strength of sprint bonus times.

Questions on spectator etiquette, pros with fenders and lightweight bike

ORVIETO, Italy (VN) – Garmin-Cervélo earned a trip to the post-stage podium presentation as the Giro d’Italia’s “super team,” but it was without top sprinter Tyler Farrar and the maglia rosa.

Caley Fretz takes a look at Francisco Ventoso's Pinarello Dogma, with Campy's electric parts

ORVIETO, Italy (VN) – Giro d’Italia race director Angelo Zomegnan strongly defended the use of the “strade bianche” white roads in the face of criticism from some riders who suggest the dirt roads don’t belong in stage racing.

Nick Legan prepares himself, and a special bike, for a 200-mile gravel road race

ORVIETO, Italy (VN) – Rabobank rider Tom Jelte Slagter will stay overnight in an Italian hospital for observation, but avoided serious injury despite a heavy fall with about 15km to go in Wednesday’s fifth stage at the Giro d’Italia.

Quick Results

• 1. Pieter Weening (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, in 4:54:04
• 2. Fabio Andres Duarte Arevalo (COL), Geox-TMC, at 8
• 3. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez (COL), Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, at 8
• 4. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA), Garmin-Cervelo, at 8
• 5. Oscar Gatto (ITA), Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli, at 8

GC

• 1. Pieter Weening (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, 14:59:33
• 2. Marco Pinotti (Italy), HTC-Highroad, at 2
• 3. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at 2
• 4. Christophe Le Mevel (France), Garmin-Cervelo, at 5
• 5. Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spain), Movistar, at 22

Rabobank’s Pieter Weening scored an impressive solo win on the fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia, as the peloton returned to racing, following the tragic death of Wouter Wylandt on Monday.

Wouter Weylandt’s death on Monday at the Giro d’Italia reminds us just how close danger lurks, and maybe his passing will stop us all from taking quite so many risks the next time we go out on the road.

LIVORNO, Italy, May 10, 2011 (AFP) - The Leopard Trek team withdrew from the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday, a day after team member Wouter Weylandt died in a crash during the second stage, the team announced in a statement.

Johan Tschopp's BMC Impec

GENOA, Italy (VN) - Carlos Sastre ceded 1:14 during Monday's tragic third stage at the Giro d'Italia after crashing and breaking the pedals on his bike.

LIVORNO, Italy (VN) – The peloton paid its due respects to Wouter Weylandt in an emotional tribute to the fallen Belgian rider, but promises to get back to the business of racing bikes in Wednesday’s fifth stage at the Giro d’Italia.

CARRASCO, Italy (VN) - A nondescript stretch of Italian road claimed the life of Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt on Monday.

Veteran Italian manager Gianni Savio leads his low-budget Androni Giocattoli team through a successful day at the Giro d'Italia

Garmin-Cervelo's Tyler Farrar will leave the Giro d'Italia following Tuesday's neutralized stage in honor of Farrar's friend Wouter Weylandt.

GENOA, Italy (AFP) - A moment of silence was held before the start of Tuesday fourth stage of the Tor of Italy, in honor of Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt, who died Monday following an horrific crash on the third stage.

LIVORNO, Italy (VN) — Bjørn Selander of RadioShack spent two days in the white jersey of the best young rider on general classification, and his parents have been able to see it in person for it. Dag and Heidi Selander had been planning to come visit their son in his new home in Italy for some time, and those plans were accelerated when they found out that their son would be riding the Giro.

Garmin-Cervelo's Tyler Farrar released a statement Monday afternoon about the death of his friend Wouter Weylandt

RAPALLO, Italy (VN) – Giro d’Italia race director Angelo Zomegnan said “the race will go on,” after the death of Wouter Weylandt.

RAPALLO, Italy (VN) – David Millar won the pink jersey Monday, but he was in no mood to celebrate following the tragic death of Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt during the third stage of the Giro d’Italia.

RAPALLO, Italy (VN) – Manuel Cardoso, a Portuguese rider on the RadioShack team, is one of the few riders who witnessed the tragic accident that claimed the life of Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt in Monday’s third stage at the Giro d’Itali

RAPALLO, Italy — The professional peloton reacted with shock and sympathy Monday at the tragic death of popular Belgian Wouter Weylandt following a crash on the third stage of the Giro d'Italia.

RAPALLO, Italy (VN) – Giro d’Italia doctor Giovanni Tredici said “there was nothing we could do” to revive Wouter Weylandt.

Andrew Hood talks to Garmin sports director Bingen Fernandez, who was one of the first to arrive at the scene of Wouter Weylandt's death.

RAPALLO, Italy (VN) — There was no immediate word from Leopard-Trek on whether the team would continue in the Giro d’Italia following the tragic death of Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt in Monday’s third stage.

Stage 3

• 1. Angel Vicioso Arcos, (ESP) Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni , at 3:57:38
• 2. David Millar, (GBR) Garmin-Cervelo , at
• 3. Pablo Lastras Garcia, (ESP) Movistar , at
• 4. Daniel Moreno, (ESP) Team Katusha , at
• 5. Christophe Le Mevel, (FRA) Garmin-Cervelo , at

GC

• 1. David Millar, (GBR) Garmin-Cervelo , at 10:04:29
• 2. Angel Vicioso Arcos, (ESP) Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni , at 10:04:36 at 0:07
• 3. Kanstantsin Sivtsov, (BLR) HTC-Highroad , at 10:04:38 at 0:09
• 4. Marco Pinotti, (ITA) HTC-Highroad , at 10:04:38 at 0:09
• 5. Craig Lewis, (USA) HTC-Highroad , at 10:04:38 at 0:09

RAPALLO, Italy (VN) – The tragic death of Wouter Weylandt left the Giro d’Italia in a state of shock Monday.

Belgian professional Wouter Weylandt was a successful racer capable of winning grand-tour stages but happy to give his all for others. Weylandt died after a crash Monday during stage 3 of the 2011 Giro d'Italia.

The Italian news agency RAI is reporting that Leopard-Trek's Wouter Weylandt died after crashing out of the Giro d'Italia Monday.

Angel Vicioso (Androni Giocattoli) won out of a late-forming breakaway Monday after a spectacular twisting finale on the Italian Riveria at the Giro d'Italia.

Tyler Farrar and VeloNews' European scribe Andrew Hood discuss the stage-two sprint in the 2011 Giro.

Caley Fretz got up close and personal with the Specialized Venges of Marco Pinotti and Mark Cavendish on stage 2.

Mark Cavendish blasts race commissaires and officials after losing the stage-two sprint to Alessandro Petacchi, suggesting he is being “singled out” when it comes to jury decisions.

Quick Results

• 1. Alessandro PETACCHI (ITA), Lampre-ISD, 5:45:40
• 2. Mark CAVENDISH (GBR), HTC-Highroad, s.t.
• 3. Manuel BELLETTI (ITA), Colnago-CSF, s.t.
• 4. Roberto FERRARI (ITA), Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, s.t.
• 5. Borut BOZIC (SLO), Vacansoleil-DCM, s.t.

General Classification

• 1. Mark CAVENDISH (Great Britain), HTC-Highroad, 6:06:27
• 2. Kanstantsin SIVTSOV (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at at 12
• 3. Craig LEWIS (United States), HTC-Highroad, at at 12
• 4. Marco PINOTTI (Italy), HTC-Highroad, at at 12
• 5. Lars Ytting BAK (Denmark), HTC-Highroad, at at 12

Alessandro Petacchi outlasts a late charge from Mark Cavendish to win stage two of the 2011 Giro d’Italia.

Wilier Triestina’s brand new TwinFoil time trial frame was put to its first international test at the Giro’s stage 1 team time trial

The UCI is on a tear these days, regulating, banning and measuring every millimeter of a bike and its components. Lennard Zinn is clearly annoyed.

Frank Travieso and Lauren Hall win the Dilworth Criterium, the penultimate stop in the 2011 USA CRITS series.

Gregg Bleakney caught the pageantry of stage one at the 2011 Giro d'Italia's first stage.

Casey B. Gibson was on hand with his bag o' cameras to snap the team time trial at collegiate road nationals.

Caley Fretz watches the UCI decide what constitutes a proper time-trial bike — and a legal fit to same — as the 2011 Giro d'Italia gets under way.

Bjorn Selander, the white jersey after day one of the 2011 Giro d'Italia, says he's there for the team.

Team time trial Division 1 Men

• 1. Marian University, 37:51.87
• 2. Appalachian State, 38:47.46
• 3. Lees-McRae College, 38:53.15
• 4. Stanford University, 39:09.43
• 5. Fort Lewis College, 39:24.55

• 1. Marian University, 44:20.34
• 2. University of California-Davis, 44:51.98
• 3. Lees-McRae College, 45:32.07
• 4. University of Wisconsin, 46:14.34
• 5. Fort Lewis College, 46:25.10

• 1. Mesa State College, 38:57.10
• 2. Western Washington University, 39:16.86
• 3. Mars Hill College, 39:17.88
• 4. Duke University, 39:53.62
• 5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 41:13.14

• 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 45:35.22
• 2. Whitman College, 49:10.67
• 3. Mesa State College, 49:58.90
• 4. Mars Hill College, 51:01.24
• 5. United States Military Academy, 55:49.78

Tens of thousands of retired and active “Alpini” soldiers descended on Torino for an annual convention set to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification — just in time for the start of the 2011 Giro.

Quick results

• 1. HTC-HIGHROAD, in 20:59
• 2. TEAM RADIOSHACK, at 10
• 3. LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE, at 22
• 4. OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO, at 22
• 5. TEAM GARMIN-CERVELO, at 24

GC

• 1. Marco Pinotti (ITA), Htc-Highroad, in 20:59
• 2. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN), Htc-Highroad, at 0
• 3. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (BLR), Htc-Highroad, at 0
• 4. Mark Cavendish (GBR), Htc-Highroad, at 0
• 5. Craig Lewis (USA), Htc-Highroad, at 0

HTC-Highroad wins the kickoff to the 2011 Giro d’Italia, putting Marco Pinotti into the first maglia rosa.

VENARIA REALE, Italy (VN) – Alberto Contador says he’s not letting his ongoing clenbuterol case distract his attention coming into the Giro d’Italia and defended his right to be lining up for Saturday’s start of the season’s first grand tour.

Jake Keough and Jennifer Purcell take the flowers in the Spartanburg Regional Classic.

With the Giro d’Italia’s opening team time trial coming up Saturday afternoon, mechanics spent Friday putting the final touches on each rider’s TT bike.

3T has announced its entrance into the wheel business with their new Mercurio line of carbon tubulars.

Lennard Zinn takes a closer look at Peter Denk’s latest creation, the new Cannondale SuperSix Evo.

Fat tire love, Mavic's neutral support questions and power meter queries.

VENARIA REALE, Italy (VN) - Nine North Americans start the 94th Giro d'Italia on Saturday, all bringing a wide range of experience, expectations and responsibilities to the season's first grand tour.

VENARIA REALE, Italy (VN) — Saturday's 19.3km team time trial will be about team honor and setting the tone for the ensuing battle in the season's first grand tour, as the 2011 Giro d'Italia clicks into gear.

One theme apparent in this year’s Giro d’Italia startlist is the presence of a number of young Americans. Peter Stetina (Garmin-Cervélo) will make his grand tour debut Saturday alongside teammate Tom Peterson, BMC Racing’s Chris Barton, Chad Beyer and Chris Butler, HTC-Highroad’s Craig Lewis and RadioShack’s Bjorn Selander.

Garmin-Cervelo is gunning for the pink jersey in Saturday's team time trial to open the Giro d'Italia with hopes of repeating their breakout success in 2008.

Riding Cannondale's new 695-gram road frame, the SuperSix Evo

Review of high-end race kit from Mavic, Rapha and Castelli. Nice enough to make you want to race unattached.

DANA POINT, Calif. (VN) — Brad Huff (Jelly Belly) emerged from an 18-man break to take the fifth annual Dana Point Grand Prix criterium over Rahsaan Bahati (SKLZ p/b Pista Palace) and Ben Kersten (Fly V Australia).