Road

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Colorado State University hosted the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference’s third weekend of racing with a windswept circuit race on Saturday, and a rainy criterium Sunday. In typical Colorado fashion, the weekend was marked by high winds and wild swings in temperature. A record high of 78 degrees on Saturday was followed by rain, snow, and temperatures in the low 40s Sunday.

Complete results, Colorado State University race weekend

The Denver Post, citing an anonymous source, is reporting that NBC will broadcast the final stage of this year's Quiznos Pro Challenge stage race.

Francisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) and Amber Neben (HTC-Highroad) sit atop the season’s first National Racing Calendar standings after their overall wins at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Realcyclist.com and HTC also lead the team classifications for men and women, respectively.

With nearly all the major Tour de France hopefuls lining up this week at the Tour of the Basque Country, Alberto Contador has gone to the mountains.

• 1. Harley Goss Matthew, HTC-Highroad, with 203 points
• 2. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd, with 202 points
• 3. Fabian Cancellara, Leopard Trek, with 156 points
• 4. Tom Boonen, Quickstep Cycling Team, with 140 points
• 5. Cadel Evans, BMC Racing Team, with 128 points

Chris Horner (RadioShack) kept alive his GC hopes in a wild opener at the Vuelta a País Vasco (the Tour of the Basque Country), where the veteran American lined up Monday with the No. 1 start bib as defending champion.

GENEVA (AFP) - Chile's top cyclist Marco Arriagada, his compatriot Jose Medina Andrade as well as Argentina's Alfredo Lucero have tested positive for doping, the UCI said Monday.

Fabio Duarte (Geox-TMC) is a name to watch this season as the former U23 world champion makes inroads into the European peloton. The 24-year-old Duarte promises to be in the thick of the action this week at the Vuelta al País Vasco, a race that fits his characteristics as he enters his first full season in Europe after racing three years in his native Colombia.

• 1. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver, Katusha Team, at 4:02:42
• 2. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez, Euskaltel-Euskadi, at s.t
• 3. Andreas KlÖden, Team Radioshack, at s.t.
• 4. Christopher Horner, Team Radioshack, at 1
• 5. Ryder Hesjedal, Team Garmin-Cervelo, at 6

REDLANDS, California (VN) – Former U.S. time trial champion Alison Powers is recovering from surgery to her fractured right arm. Powers (Tibco-To The Top) suffered multiple fractures Saturday in a crash late in the stage 2 criterium at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. She could miss two months with the injury.

The UCI has confirmed that the Spanish city of Ponferrada will be the only candidate to organize the 2014 world road cycling championships.

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Stage 3

• 1. Cole House, Realcyclist.com, 3:40:54
• 2. Jonathan Cantwell, Fly V Australia, same time
• 3. Luca Damiani, Kenda-5hr Energy, s.t.
• 4. Raymond Kreder, Chipotle Development, s.t.
• 5. Joeseph Lewis, Trek-Livestrong, s.t.

Final GC

• 1. Francisco Mancebo, Realcyclist.com, s.t.
• 2. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 0:01
• 3. Chris Baldwin, Juwi Solar-First Solar, at 0:09
• 4. Corrales Andres Diaz, Team Exergy, at 0:10
• 5. Cesar Grajales, Realcyclist.com, at 0:17

Cole House scores a rookie win at Redlands while his Realcyclist.com teammate Francisco Mancebo squeaked out of town with the final leader's jersey.

Stage 3

• 1. Catherine Cheatley, Colavita Forno D'asolo, 3:10:54
• 2. Carmen Small, Team Tibco-To The Top, same time
• 3. Denise Ramsden, Team Juvederm, s.t.
• 4. Kristen Armstrong, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty 12, s.t.
• 5. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, s.t.

Final GC

• 1. Amber Neben, HTC-Highroad Women, 7:31:01
• 2. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, at 0:14
• 3. Evelyn Stevens, HTC-Highroad Women, at 0:19
• 4. Carmen Small, Team Tibco-To The Top, at 0:31
• 5. Andrea Dvorak, Colavita Forno D'asolo, at 0:41

Team Type 1 keeps edging ever closer to a breakthrough European victory with Jure Kocjan dashing to second in the Fleche d'Emeraude

On paper, Garmin-Cervélo boasts the deepest classics team in the sport. Yet the team came up empty-handed at Milan-San Remo and now Flanders.

Cath Cheatley makes it three stage wins in four tries as Amber Neben wins her third overall Redlands title.

When push came to shove — and the racing came down to an onslaught of fierce attacking and counterattacking — Nick Nuyens found himself in contention at the 2011 Tour of Flanders.

Fabian Cancellara didn’t just enter the Tour of Flanders as a race favorite — he entered the race as the defending champion and the overwhelming favorite.

Tour of Flanders winners, 1913-2011

Most of this year's Flanders peloton opted to ride straightforward race bikes, mostly using 25mm tubulars.

Nick Legan snaps some pre-race shots of Flanders machinery.

Preliminary Results

• 1. Nick Nuyens (B), Saxo Bank-Sunguard, 256.3km in 6:00:42
• 2.Sylvain Chavanel (F), Quick Step, s.t.
• 3. Fabian Cancellara (Swi), Leopard-Trek, s.t.
• 4. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step, at 0:02
• 5. Sebastian Langeveld (Nl), Rabobank, at 0:08.
• 6. George Hincapie (USA), BMC, at 0:08
• 7. Björn Leukemans (B), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:08
• 8. Staf Scheirlinckx (B), Veranda's Willems-Accent, at 0:08
• 9. Philippe Gilbert (B), Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0:08
• 10. Geraint Thomas (GB), Sky, at 0:08

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Nick Nuyens wins a hard-fought Tour of Flanders as Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek) finally proves himself mortal on the steeps of the Muur.

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Roman Van Uden wins the stage-two downtown criterium at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

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Gran Premio Miguel Indurain

• 1. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 4:42:47
• 2. Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus), Team Katusha, at 0:02
• 3. Fabian Wegmann (Ger), Leopard-Trek, at 0:07
• 4. Ryder Hesjedal (Can), Garmin-Cervélo, at 0:07
• 5. Angel Madrazo Ruiz (Esp), Movistar, at 0:07

The American U-23 squad is showing strength at the Triptyque Mont et Chateaux in Belgium.

Amgen Tour of California organizer AEG appears set to launch a women’s elite time trial alongside the men’s event in Solvang, with sources saying the purse will be paid based on the number of men the women beat.

The VeloNews crew eyeballs Leopard-Trek's prototype Bontrager wheels before Tour of Flanders.

Fabian Cancellara prefers a bit more rake in his fork and is using a mechanical group instead of Shimano's Di2 Dura-Ace group.

Tech editor Nick Legan checks out Fabian Cancellara's Flanders bike.

While the cobblestone specialists hog the spotlight ahead of tomorrow’s Tour of Flanders, riders who will take over in the Ardennes sharpened their form in an exciting battle at the GP Miguel Indurain in Spain.

Ted King's Cannondale

When Ted King signed with Liquigas/Cannondale he didn’t speak a word of Italian. That had to change and quickly. Thanks to Rosetta Stone and his move to Lucca, Italy, he’s progressing nicely. Immersion is the key to his success.

Basque squad Euskaltel-Euskadi plans to welcome back Mikel Astarloza to the team when his racing ban for EPO ends later this summer.

Stage 1, MEN

• 1. John Bennett, California Giant-Specialized, 4:40:01
• 2. Lachlan Morton, Chipotle Development, s.t.
• 3. Andres Diaz, Team Exergy, s.t.
• 4. Anibal Borrajo, Jamis Sutter Home, at 00:12
• 5. Shawn Milne, Kenda/5hr Energy/geargrinder, at 00:12

Overall Standings, Men

• 1. Fransisco Mancebo, Realcyclist.com, 4:49:52
• 2. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 00:01
• 3. Chris Baldwin, Juwi Solar-First Solar, at 00:03
• 4. Andres Diaz, Team Exergy, at 00:06
• 5. Andy Jacques-Maynes, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 00:09

Stage 1, WOMEN

• 1. Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Colavita Forno D'asolo
• 2. Christina Gokey-Smith, Rouse Bicycles, s.t.
• 3. Jen Purcel, Danbury Audi, s.t.
• 4. Carmen Small, Team Tibco-To The Top, s.t.
• 5. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, s.t.

Overall Standings, Women

• 1. Amber Neben, HTC Highroad Women
• 2. Evelyn Stevens, HTC Highroad Women, at 00:08
• 3. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, at 00:13
• 4. Andrea Dvorak, Colavita Forno D'asolo, at 00:30
• 5. Kristen Armstrong, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty 12 , at 00:34

BEAUMONT, California (VN) - Theresa Cliff-Ryan (Colavita-Forno-D'Asolo) took the stage 1 bunch sprint under oppressive heat at the Redlands Bicycle Classic Friday. A few minutes after the women's teams cleared out of the Beaumont, 20-year-old amateur John Bennett (Cal Giant-Specialized) took a radically different win in the men's race, topping a three-up sprint from the day's long breakaway.

BRUGGE, Belgium (VN) – Fabian Cancellara is the undisputed favorite heading into the Tour of Flanders and the reigning champion. He knows it, two-time winner Tom Boonen knows it, and the oddsmakers around cycling-mad Belgium certainly know it. But as to who has more pressure, Cancellara and Boonen both point to the other guy.

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Rapha North America has issued a recall notice on 200 cans of its chamois cream.

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Women

• 1. Amber Neben, Htc Highroad Women, in 11:12
• 2. Evelyn Stevens, Htc Highroad Women, at 0:08
• 3. Erinne Willock, Team Tibco-To The Top, at 0:13
• 4. Andrea Dvorak, Colavita Forno D'asolo, at 0:30
• 5. Kristen Armstrong, Peanut Butter & Co. Twenty 1 , at 0:34

Men

• 1. Fransisco Mancebo, Realcyclist.com, in 9:39
• 2. Ben Jacques-Maynes, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 0:01
• 3. Chris Baldwin, Juwi Solar-First Solar, at 0:03
• 4. Andy Jacques-Maynes, Bissell Pro Cycling, at 0:09
• 5. Luis Amaran, Jamis Sutter Home, at 0:10

REDLANDS, California (VN) - Francisco Mancebo (Realcyclist.com) showed the U.S. peloton he means business Thursday, topping the Sun Time Trial prologue at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Amber Neben is back in the driver’s seat Thursday after winning her second consecutive prologue at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

Readers ask about treating tires, both inside and out, and protecting your knees in cold weather.

The 27th Redlands Bicycle Classic opens Thursday in Southern California with a 3.1-mile uphill prologue. Redlands pulls back the curtain on the 2011 National Racing Calendar and runs through Sunday’s stage 3 Sunset Road Race.

Unless they ride May’s Giro d’Italia, Tour de France contenders choose between June’s Critérium du Dauphiné in France and Tour of Switzerland (Tour de Suisse) to hone their form for La Grande Boucle. This year, the choice is going to be a difficult one.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Stage 3b (ITT): De Panne - De Panne

• 1. Sébastien ROSSELER (BEL), Team RadioShack , 18:31
• 2. Lieuwe WESTRA (NED), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:14
• 3. Michal KWIATKOWSKI (POL), Team RadioShack, at 0:14
• 4. Sylvain CHAVANEL (FRA), Quick Step, at 0:18
• 5. Bert GRABSCH (GER), HTC-Highroad, at 0:22
• 6. Andriy GRIVKO (UKR), Astana, at 0:24
• 7. Dmitriy MURAVYEV (KAZ), Team RadioShack, at 0:30
• 8. Rick FLENS (NED), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:30
• 9. Tomas VAITKUS (LTU), Astana, at 0:34
• 10. Cyril LEMOINE (FRA), Saur-Sojasun, at 0:50

Final overall standings

• 1. Sébastien ROSSELER (Belgium), Team RadioShack , 12:21:33
• 2. Lieuwe WESTRA (Netherlands), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:06
• 3. Michal KWIATKOWSKI (Poland), Team RadioShack, at 0:14
• 4. Sylvain CHAVANEL (France), Quick Step, at 0:18
• 5. Bert GRABSCH (Germany), HTC-Highroad, at 0:22
• 6. Andriy GRIVKO (Ukraine), Astana, at 0:24
• 7. Dmitriy MURAVYEV (Kazakhstan), Team RadioShack, at 0:26
• 8. Rick FLENS (Netherlands), Rabobank Cycling Team, at 0:30
• 9. Tomas VAITKUS (Lithuania), Astana, at 0:34
• 10. Cyril LEMOINE (France), Saur-Sojasun, at 0:50

Just how big is De Ronde van Vlaanderen in Belgium? Big enough to spawn a popular new weekly Belgian television program, titled “De Ronde,” a fictional drama, written and directed by Belgian writer/director Jan Eelen.

A keen eye may have noticed a slight change in the bib shorts and jerseys of Garmin-Cervèlo’s Tyler Farrar, Johan VanSummeren, Heinrich Haussler, and Matt Wilson at Milan-San Remo this year. That’s because they weren’t wearing bib shorts and jerseys anymore – at least not as we know them.

Stage 3a: De Panne - De Panne

• 1. Jacopo GUARNIERI (ITA), Liquigas-Doimo, 2:32:11
• 2. Denis GALIMZYANOV (RUS), Team Katusha, s.t.
• 3. Jimmy CASPER (FRA), Saur-Sojasun, s.t.
• 4. Kenny Robert VAN HUMMEL (NED), Skil-Shimano, s.t.
• 5. Alexander KRISTOFF (NOR), BMC Racing Team, s.t.

Overall Standings

• 1. Bert DE BACKER (Belgium), Skil-Shimano, 12:02:52
• 2. Lieuwe WESTRA (Netherlands), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:02
• 3. Arnoud VAN GROEN (Netherlands), at 0:04
• 4. Dmitriy MURAVYEV (Kazakhstan), Team RadioShack, at 0:06
• 5. Romain FEILLU (France), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:07

DE PANNE, Belgium (VN) - Young Italian rider Jacopo Guarnieri (Liquigas) won the bunch sprint during the morning stage of Three Days of De Panne, ahead of Wednesday’s stage winner Denis Galimzianov (Katusha).