Road

Alberto Contador solidified his lead in the 2011 Giro d'Italia Tuesday, after dancing to a 34-second win over Vincenzo Nibali in the stage 16 uphill time trial.

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Police carried out a search at the RadioShack team hotel in Falcade on Monday, a day after former Lance Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton accused him on "60 Minutes" of participating in a sophisticated doping program, according to The Associated Press

The Showers Pass VelEau 42 is a specially shaped 1.25L container that fits inside a formed, under-the-saddle bag.

Photographer Gregg Bleakney piggybacks on a leg of a Thomson Bike Tours trip to the Giro d'Italia.

Men

• 1. Francisco Mancebo , Realcyclist.com, with 575 points
• 2. Jacobe Keough , Unitedhealthcare, with 297 points
• 3. Benjamin Jacques-Maynes , Bissell Pro Cycling Team, with 222 points
• 4. Michael Northey , Pureblack Racing, with 194 points
• 5. Christopher Baldwin , Bissell Pro Cycling Team, with 170 points

Women

Roman Kreuziger looks set to top his ninth-place finish at last year’s Giro, and he’ll do so riding a Specialized Tarmac SL3.

Spanish cyclist Xavier Tondo died in a freak accident on Monday, crushed between his car and a garage door at a ski resort in southern Spain.

BELLUNO, Italy (VN) – Tuesday’s climbing time trial up to the base of the Nevegal ski area present Alberto Contador with another chance to tighten his grip on the maglia rosa.

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BELLUNO, Italy (VN) – Vicenzo Nibali vows to go down fighting in the Giro d’Italia and has no regrets about going on the attack despite losing time in Sunday’s epic trek across the Dolomites.

There was both irony and hope in the confluence Sunday afternoon of CBS’ “60 Minutes” exposé on doping in cycling and the finish of the sixth Tour of California.

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Lance Armstrong was part of a sophisticated doping program, according to former teammate Tyler Hamilton, who told "60 Minutes" that a positive test was made to "go away."

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (VN) — Chris Horner took a trip down memory lane Sunday as he rolled toward the biggest result of his career at the close of the Amgen Tour of California. Minutes after leaving the stage in gold leader’s jersey, the RadioShack veteran took aim at the Tour de France — and his doubters.

Stage Results 1. Matthew Goss (AUS), HTC-Highroad, at 2:56:39 2. Peter Sagan (SVK), Liquigas-Doimo, s.t. 3. Gregory Henderson (NZL), Team Sky, s.t. 4. Oscar Freire Gomez (ESP), Rabobank Cycling Team, s.t. 5. Kevin Lacombe (CAN), SpiderTech-Planet Energy, s.t. Final GC 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 23:46:41 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 38 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 02:45 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 03:18 5. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Highroad, at 03:23

RadioShack's Chris Horner locked up the 2011 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday as Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) won the finale, a 129.1km leg from Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks.

BELLUNO, Italy (VN) – Riders were coming across the finish line in Gardeccia in a daze. Some had been riding more than eight hours. Giro leader Alberto Contador called it “the hardest stage of my life.”

BELLUNO, Italy (VN) – The last kilometer of Sunday’s monster, five-climb, seven-hour 229km trek across the Dolomites may well have been the longest Mikel Nieve has ever ridden.

World road champion Georgia Bronzini (Colavita Forno d'Asolo) won the Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau on Saturday in Quebec.

Quick Results

• 1. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 7:27:14
• 2. Stefano Garzelli (ITA), Acqua & Sapone-Caffe Mokambo, at 1:41
• 3. Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 1:51
• 4. Michele Scarponi (ITA), Lampre-ISD, at 1:57
• 5. John Gadret (FRA), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 2:28

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard, 62:14:42
• 2. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 4:20
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 5:11
• 4. John Gadret (France), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 6:08
• 5. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spain), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 7:03

Peter Kraiker sends a gallery from the Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau in Quebec.

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Nick Legan takes a look at the bikes used in the penultimate stage of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

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Inside the Team RadioShack mobile kitchen

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What exactly were Hesjedal and Talansky up to in Saturday's breakaway?

Newcomers Busche and King play major role in the Horner-Leipheimer show

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Stage 7 Results 1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 3:33:01 2. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 00 3. Laurens Ten Dam (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 43 4. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:01 5. Steve Morabito (SUI), BMC Racing Team, at 01:21 General Classification 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, 20:50:02 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 38 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 02:45 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 03:18 5. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Highroad, at 03:23

Levi Leipheimer and race leader Chris Horner finished one-two in the queen stage of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California on Saturday

MONTE ZONCOLAN, Italy (VN) – The Giro d’Italia is always a little bit crazy, but Saturday’s run up to Monte Zoncolan was a stretch even by Giro standards.

MONTE ZONCOLAN, Italy (VN) – Igor Antón had tunnel vision – literally – to claim the biggest stage of his career rocky career.

Quick Results

• 1. Igor Anton Hernandez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 5:04:26
• 2. Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 33
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Liquigas-Doimo, at 40
• 4. Michele Scarponi (ITA), Lampre-ISD, at 1:11
• 5. Denis Menchov (RUS), Geox-TMC, at 1:21

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard, 54:45:45
• 2. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 3:20
• 3. Igor Anton Hernandez (Spain), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 3:21
• 4. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 4:06
• 5. John Gadret (France), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 5:23

MONTE ZONCOLAN, Italy (VN) — Igor Anton (Euskaltel-Euskadi) scored an impressive solo victory atop the brutally steep Monte Zoncolan in the 14th stage of the Giro d’Italia, his first grand tour win since crashing out of the 2010 Vuelta a España while wearing the leader’s jersey.

MONTE ZONCOLAN, Italy (VN) – An angry Giro d’Italia race director Angelo Zomegnan blasted sport directors and the UCI for forcing the cancelation of Saturday’s climb and descent of Monte Crostis.

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Five hours of bike work for 30 minutes of racing? Must be TT time.

SOLVANG, California (VN) ─ Former Lance Armstrong teammate Frankie Andreu spoke out in support of Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie Friday afternoon, following news reports that both have testified to federal authorities about their former teammate’s use of performance-enhancing drugs.

George Hincapie, one of Lance Armstrong’s closest friends during their time together at the U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams and the only member of all seven of Armstrong’s Tour de France-winning squads, testified before a federal grand jury that he and Armstrong had supplied one another with EPO and testosterone, CBS News reported Friday afternoon.

George Hincapie has added his name to the list of ex-Lance Armstrong teammates who say they saw the embattled American cycling hero use performance-enhancing drugs, CBS News reported Friday.

Svein Tuft's prototype time trial bike

HEILIGENBLUT, Austria (VN) - Monte Crostis, the brutal climb and harrowing descent that had everyone in the peloton on edge, is out of the Giro d'Italia.

HEILIGENBLUT, Austria (VN) - With the Giro d'Italia heading into a tough run in the mountains, Eddy Merckx observed that the only hope the GC rivals had to knock Alberto Contador off-balance was to attack from afar and try something truly daring.

HEILIGENBLUT, Austria (VN) - José Rujano (Androni) seems back at his best in this year's Giro d'Italia after a five-year drought that saw him struggle with form, personal problems and results.

A sneak peek at Levi Leipheimer's Giro TT helmet

For stage 6 of the 2011 Tour of California, Christian Vande Velde chose a 2010 bike.

Quick Results

• 1. José Rujano Guillen (VEN), Androni Giocattoli, in 4:45:54
• 2. Alberto Contador Velasco (ESP), SaxoBank-Sungard, at 0
• 3. John Gadret (FRA), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 1:27
• 4. Hubert Dupont (FRA), Ag2r La Mondiale, at 1:29
• 5. Igor Anton Hernandez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 1:29

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard, 49:40:58
• 2. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 3:09
• 3. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 3:16
• 4. David Arroyo Duran (Spain), Movistar, at 3:25
• 5. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic), Astana, at 3:29

José Rujano (Androni Giocattoli) won the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia Friday, finishing just ahead of overall race leader Alberto Contador atop a tough, rain-soaked climb to the finish on Austria’s highest mountain, the Grossglockner.

Clara Hughes wins the Chrono Gatineau in Quebec and dedicates the win to Daron Richardson, a young girl from Ottawa who tragically died last year.

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Video highlights from stage five of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California.

Stage 5

• 1. Peter Sagan (SVK), Liquigas-Doimo, at 5:16:03
• 2. Leigh Howard (AUS), HTC-Highroad, at 00
• 3. Ben Swift (GBR), Team Sky, at 00
• 4. Paul Martens (GER), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 00
• 5. Alex Candelario (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 00

GC

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 16:45:35
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22
• 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:29
• 5. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:30

Rabobank's Oscar Freire, a sprinter, found himself in a rare solo break in stage five of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California. And he nearly took it all the way to the line.

Retired cyclist Tyler Hamilton has told the CBS program "60 Minutes" that he saw his then-U.S. Postal teammate Lance Armstrong inject EPO and use other doping methods.

Peter Kraiker caught the action at the Chrono Gatineau.

PASO ROBLES, California (VN) — World champion Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) and race aggressor Ben Jacques-Maynes (Bissell) were among the riders who left the Amgen Tour of California Thursday.

Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) won stage five of the Amgen Tour of California on Thursday, extending his lead in the sprint classification in the process.

Stage 4

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 3:27:51
• 2. Andy Schleck (LUX), Leopard-Trek, at 01:15
• 3. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:15
• 4. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 5. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22

GC

• 1. Christopher Horner (USA), Team RadioShack, at 11:29:32
• 2. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Team RadioShack, at 01:15
• 3. Tom Danielson (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:22
• 4. Christian Vande Velde (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, at 01:29
• 5. Rory Sutherland (AUS), UnitedHealthcare, at 01:30

RAVENNA, Italy (VN) – The Giro d’Italia peloton will be smaller at the start line Friday as sprinters are expected to leave the corsa rosa in droves.

RAVENNA, Italy (VN) – Alberto Contador (SaxoBank-Sungard) is getting comfortable after four days in the pink jersey. The Spaniard finished safely in the main bunch Thursday to carry a 59-second lead into three decisive stages looming in the Dolomites.

Quick Results

• 1. Mark Cavendish (GBR), HTC-Highroad , 4:17:25
• 2. Davide Appollonio (ITA), Team Sky, s.t.
• 3. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA), Lampre-ISD, s.t.
• 4. Roberto Ferrari (ITA), Androni Giocattoli, s.t.
• 5. Gerald Ciolek (GER), Quick Step, s.t.

GC

• 1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spain), SaxoBank-Sungard , 44:55:16
• 2. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Belarus), HTC-Highroad, at 59
• 3. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy), Liquigas-Doimo, at 1:21
• 4. Christophe Le Mevel (France), Garmin-Cervelo, at 1:28
• 5. Michele Scarponi (Italy), Lampre-ISD, at 1:28

RAVENNA, Italy (VN) - Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) grabbed his second stage win at the Giro d’Italia on Thursday, winning a drag race to the line against Sky’s Davide Appollonio and Lampre’s sprint star Allesandro Petacchi.

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