Road

Road

Road

Milan-San Remo: Can Cavendish get over the Poggio?

Mark Cavendish isn’t expecting to win his first crack at Milan-San Remo, but he’s getting some advice from someone who has. Four-time winner Erik Zabel has been quietly working and training with the British sprinter since retiring. Cavendish is expecting that expert advice to pay dividends sooner than later. “He knows every race by the back of his hand, so it’s perfect for me,” Cavendish told VeloNews. “It takes away at least one year for experience. We’re talking and training together all the time, at the races or after.”

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Road Racing

Wrenched & Ridden bike reviews: TRP R960 dual pivot brakes

Options in aftermarket brakes have multiplied in recent years. A category once defined by feathery but flimsy-looking carbon and aluminum has matured, and the TRP R960 is evidence that shedding weight need not result in shredded skin from a blown corner. At 245 grams for the pair (with pads, but minus mounting hardware) they are almost 50 grams lighter per pair than Shimano Dura-Ace, but proved to function almost as well.

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Road

Henk Vogels talks about his new team, the North American peloton, and life as a director.

Henk Vogels is back. Well, sort of. After a career that included a pair of top-10 finishes in Paris-Roubaix, second at the 2003 Gent-Wevelgem, wins at the USPRO road and criterium championships, an overall victory at the Tour de Beauce and an Australian national road title, Vogels quietly retired at the end of the 2008 season. There was no announcement, no send-off race or ceremony — just a shift, from the bike to the driver’s seat in a new role as team director.

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Road

OUCH’s Cam Evans back to defend title at San Dimas

The domestic stage-racing calendar opens up this weekend with the three-day San Dimas Stage Race. The race begins Friday with a 3.7-mile climbing prologue, followed Saturday by a hilly road race run on a 7.15-mile circuit. The race concludes Sunday with the Old Town Grand Prix, raced on a 1.2-mile circuit in downtown San Dimas. Rising Canadian star Cameron Evans of OUCH-Maxxis returns to San Dimas Friday as the defending champion.

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Road

Crash sidelines Fränk Schleck

A bad crash during training this week meant a trip to the hospital and now a break from racing for Team Saxo Bank’s Fränk Schleck. The rider from Luxembourg skidded and crashed on a downhill curve. Seven stitches on the chin and a heavy contusion on his left wrist was the immediate damage.

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Road

Redlands teams announced

More than 200 men and nearly 150 women will line up for the Redlands Bicycle Classic, starting Thursday March 26. “Not only is this one of the largest number of entrants we’ve had for both the men’s and women’s fields, but it’s also one of the most prestigious,” said Race Director Dan Rendler. “The women’s field reads as a ‘who’s-who’ of female cycling, while the men’s field features 11 of the 13 registered UCI Continental teams.” Among the women are five current national champions, one current world champion and the current NRC champion.

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Road

Injury and illness lead Cancellara and Ballan to pull out of Saturday’s race.

Italy's reigning world champion Alessandro Ballan and Olympic time-trial champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland have both pulled out of this weekend's Milan-San Remo race, their teams announced on Wednesday. Ballan, who had also withdrawn from the Tirreno-Adriatico, must take a fortnight off owing to an infection on the orders of Lampre team doctor Dr. Carlo Guardascione.

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Road

Mark Cavendish says he needs a few years before he can be competitive at Milan-San Remo

Add Mark Cavendish to the growing list of people who think Daniele Bennati is one of the big favorites for Milan-San Remo.   The British sprinter easily handed Bennati defeat in Tuesday’s final stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, but when pressed to give one name who would win Saturday, Cavendish thought long and hard before saying, “Bennati.”   “Three hundred kilometers at 23 is a long way,” said Cavendish, discounting his own chances for his San Remo debut. “I will be ready to win San Remo in a few years. Bennati looks strong. He can get over the climbs and he has the sprint.”

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Road Gear

Bontrager Aeolus 9.0

Price: Tubular $2500; Clincher $2800 Weight: Tubular 1840g/pair; Clincher 1910g/pair Web site: www.bontrager.com New from Bontrager, the high profile Aeolus 9.0, a 90mm-deep time trial wheelset. As with past Aeolus models, the 16 spokes are embedded within the rim for better aerodynamics. Why upgrade to the 9.0 model? Bontrager reports that the Aeolus 9.0 is 10 seconds faster over 40km than the Aeolus 6.5.

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Road

Milan-San Remo: Is it finally Boonen’s turn?

Tom Boonen leaned back on the hood of the Quick Step team car on a sunny morning in San Benedetto del Tronto before the final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico. Life was good. The sun was out, his form was closing in on its annual spring peak and, most importantly, his left knee wasn’t giving him any problems.

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Road Gear

Tech Updates: New from DT Swiss, Stan’s NoTubes, SRM, and ROTOR

DT Swiss

Earlier this month, DT Swiss announced that a limited edition XRC 100 suspension fork will be offered to the public this spring. The 100mm travel XRC 100 Race Ltd. weighs only 1250 grams and was designed to be a no-compromise race fork, with every effort made to reduce weight while maintaining strength and performance. This fork was tested both in the lab and on the trail, and will be used in 2009 by pro mountain bikers Nino Schurter, Florian Vogel, and Nathalie Schneitter.

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Road Racing

Cavendish wins final T-A stage as Scarponi wraps up the overall win.

Mark Cavendish wasn’t going to let anyone pass him this time.   Just days after Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) relegated Cavendish to a rare second place in Friday’s third stage, Cavendish evened the score in Tuesday’s 169km finale at the 44th Tirreno-Adriatico.   Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) tried in vain to sprint early, but Cavendish darted past him in easy work to win for the fifth time in 2009. Farrar trailed through second in another strong performance for the American while Baden Cooke (Vacansoleil) took third.  

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Tour de France

The Tour de France announces its team selection for the ’09 race

Twenty teams have been selected for the 2009 Tour de France, but Fuji-Servetto won’t be among them.

20 teams for 2009 Tour de France France: Ag2r-La Mondiale, Agritubel, Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, FDJeux Belgium: Quick Step, Silence-Lotto Spain: Caisse d’Epargne, Euskaltel-Euskadi USA: Columbia-Highroad, Garmin-Slipstream Italy: Lampre, Liquigas

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Road

Racing This Week: Milan-San Remo highlights the action

There are a few races around Europe this weekend, but it is Saturday’s Milan-San Remo that will be the center of attention. The race is celebrating its 100th edition this year and the Italians are expected to pull out all the stops. The presence of Lance Armstrong in his first European race since his comeback will only heighten the media attention and anticipation for the 100th edition of the Italian spring classic.

Ongoing through Tuesday

44th Tirreno-Adriatico (Ita, HIS)

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Road Gear

Time ATAC XS Absalon pedals

Price: $220 Weight: 350 grams/pair Web site: www.time-sport.com New from Time are the Julien Absalon signature ATAC XS mountain bike pedals. Even if you can't attack like Absalon, at least you can ride the same pedals.

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Road

Armstrong leads Astana at Milan-San Remo

Lance Armstrong will lead the Astana colors at Milan-San Remo on Saturday in his first race on European roads since he retired after winning the 2005 Tour de France. Just like during Australia’s Tour Down in January and the Tour of California in February, Armstrong’s appearance is expected to pique interest for the centenary edition of the Italian classic. It will be Armstrong’s first appearance at Milan-San Remo since 2002, when he finished 44th with the same time as winner Mario Cipollini.

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Road Racing

Michele Scarponi takes the lead at Tirreno-Adriatico as Klöden gets dropped

It was another day of epic racing at Tirreno-Adriatico, this time with Michele Scarponi (Diquigiovanni) snatching the stage victory and the leader’s jersey in Monday’s 235km climbing stage to Camerino. Scarponi, back to the winner’s circle after serving a racing ban after being implicated in the Operación Puerto doping scandal, darted ahead of Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone) to win the stage. Ivan Basso (Liquigas), riding with strength in grand tour-like conditions, crossed third.

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Road

Team Type 1’s Jesse Anthony wins the climber’s title at the Tour de Taiwan

Team Type 1's Jesse Anthony won the King of the Mountain title at the seven-stage Tour de Taiwan, which ended Saturday in Taipei. Poland's Je?owski Krzysztof of the Merida Europe team won the overall title, followed by Australia's Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche) and Roman Zhiyentayev (Kazakhstan National Team). Anthony was 17th on the GC. His teammate Ken Hanson, the only other American to finish the race, was 29th on GC and was sixth in the final stage.

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Road Racing

Mark Cavendish to return to the boards at the track world championships in Poland

Four-time Tour de France stage winner MarkCavendish has been included in a largely experimental 19-man British track cycling squad that will head to the World Championships in Pruszkow, Poland next week. Cavendish, who normally plies his trade with the Columbia-High Road team, is a surprise inclusion in a squad that will be shorn of many of its big names. At last year's Olympic Games Britain won seven of the ten golds on offer at the Laoshan velodrome in Beijing, with Scotland's Chris Hoy claiming three and Bradley Wiggins winning two from both pursuit events.

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Road Racing

Tirreno-Adriatico: Klöden takes over

It was another day of the double at Tirreno-Adriatico. Twenty-four hours after Joaquim Rodríguez (Caisse d’Epargne) won a stage and claimed the overall leader’s jersey; it was Andreas Klöden’s turn in Sunday’s individual time trial. The veteran Astana rider notched a commanding, 20-second victory in the 30km fifth stage featuring two short but steep hills. With his first victory of the 2009 season, he takes the overall leader’s jersey, six seconds ahead of Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia-Highroad).

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Road Racing

Sanchez wraps up Paris Nice, Colom wins final stage

Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d’Epargne) trumped compatriot Alberto Contador of Astana to win the 67th Paris-Nice cycling race after the eighth and final stage here on Sunday. Sanchez finished the race one minute ahead of Luxembourg's Frank Schleck in the overall standings, with French rider Sylvain Chavanal a further 9 seconds adrift in third.

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Road Racing

Rodriguez doubles on Montelupone; Hesjedal 7th

It was a double-whammy times two for Caisse d’Epargne in racing across Europe on Saturday. Barely an hour after Luís León Sánchez won the stage and took the overall lead at Paris-Nice in France, Joaquim Rodríguez pulled off the same feat at Tirreno-Adriatico in Italy. Attacking with less than 500m to go up the punishing Montelupone climb, Rodríguez held off Davide Rebellin (Diquigiovanni) to win the hilltop finish and claim the overall leader’s jersey in the 171km fourth stage.

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Road Racing

Sanchez takes over at Paris-Nice

Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) won the seventh and penultimate stage of Paris-Nice on Saturday to take the leader's yellow jersey. Overnight leader Alberto Contador (Astana) suffered over the final four kilometers, losing almost three minutes. He later admitted that he had forgotten to eat and drink properly. Sanchez broke away 15km from the finish line and eventually came home 50 seconds ahead of Antonio Colom (Katusha), Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank) and French rider Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step). Sanchez said afterwards that everything had gone as expected.

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Road Gear

Continental GP4000 LTD White tire

Price: $125/pair Weight: 205 grams Sizes: 700 x 23 only Colors: White! Web site: www.conti-online.com With the popularity of white cycling gear gaining ground, Continental is releasing a limited model GP4000 white tire. The tire will use the same casing and construction as the GP4000 S, including Vectran puncture protection.

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Road Gear

Rapha Stowaway Jacket

Price: $290 Weight: 165 grams Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL Colors: Black, Orange, and Blue Web site: www.rapha.cc New from Rapha, a high-end producer of stylish cycle wear, is the windproof and water resistant Stowaway jacket. Meant for year-round use, the Stowaway is designed to keep you protected from the elements, without compromising your sense of style.

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Road

Farrar: ‘Biggest win of my career’

Tyler Farrar did what many haven’t been able to manage lately – come around Mark Cavendish to win a bunch sprint. That’s just what the 24-year-old Garmin-Slipstream did on what was a very lucky Friday the 13th. He timed his final punch to the line perfectly to win the 166km third stage from Fuchecchio to Santa Croce Sull’Arno at the 44th Tirreno-Adriatico on Friday. Farrar bolted past Cavendish’s left shoulder, taking a prestigious bunch sprint ahead of the likes of Tom Boonen (fourth) and Robbie McEwen (fifth).

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Road Gear

After a two-year hiatus, Litespeed’s TT bike is back and looks sharper than ever.

Re-introduced in September 2008, after a two year hiatus, the Litespeed Blade is a bike with a storied history. The signature titanium airfoil tube shape was created by accident in the early 1990s and brought to widespread prominence when Lance Armstrong used one (disguised as a Trek) in the 1999 Tour de France. Ten years after that historic ride, Litespeed is wielding a totally new Blade, and we had a chance to check out one of the first bikes to leave the test lab.

Sharpening the Blade

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Road Racing

Contador charges off the front on “Ventoux’s little sister” to take control of Paris-Nice.

There’s seemingly no one who’s capable of stopping Alberto Contador through the first weeks of the 2009 season.   The Spanish climber dropped arch-rival Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank) on the mountain dubbed Mont Ventoux’s “little sister” to win Friday’s sixth stage and take back the overall lead at Paris-Nice. Contador, winner of the opening time trial in Amilly on Sunday, bolted away from the pack on the snow-covered, 1600m Montagne de Lure summit to win for the fourth time this year.  

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Road Racing

Farrar outkicks Cav’ at Tirreno-Adriatico

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) bolted past Mark Cavendish (Columbia-Highroad) to win Friday’s third stage at Tirreno-Adriatico. Cavendish looked to have the sprint in the bag when Farrar came off Cavendish’s wheel and surged past his left shoulder to take the biggest win of his European career.

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Road

Team Astana confirms it will race this year’s Tour of Missouri

It's too early to say if Alberto, Levi, Andreas or Lance will show, but Team Astana is confirmed to race in this year's Tour of Missour, September 7-13. The Kazakstan-registered team joins Garmin-Slipstream, Columbia-High Road, Liquigas, Cervelo TestTeam as confirmed ProTour teams at the race, which will feature 15 teams. “To have the participation of Astana is yet another huge step for this race," said Chris Aronhalt, the managing partner of event organizer Medalist Sports.

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Road Racing

Petacchi scores at Tirreno-Adriatico, El Fares keeps lead

Alessandro Petacchi (LPR Brakes) won the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico over 177km from Volterra to Marina di Carrara on Thursday. Petacchi edged out compatriot Daniele Bennati of Liquigas and Spaniard Koldo Fernandez in a sprint finish. Frenchman Julien El Fares of Cofidis, who won the first stage on Wednesday, held onto the leader's jersey with Bennati in second 15 seconds behind.

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Road Training

The Coach(ed) Corner: Finding the time

Of all the lessons I learned during this past year of getting coached, No. 1 by a long shot is this basic tenet: More time on the bike does not necessarily translate to increased fitness. Instead, the key is finding that critical balance between high intensity and adequate rest. Better to crush yourself a couple times a week, and then have several short truly easy days, than to noodle around whenever you can and rarely take time off.

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Road Racing

El Fares takes Tirreno-Adriatico opener

French rider Julien El Fares (Cofidis) held off the chasing peloton to win the first stage of Tirreno-Adriatico. Led by Liquigas and Columbia-Highroad, the chasing pack fell 11 seconds short of ending the Frenchman’s adventure in the 147km stage to Capannori on Wednesday. El Fares dropped his fellow escapee, Vladimir Duma (Flaminia), with about 20km to go but Duma chased back with 9km to go. They held a slender lead of 1:34 to hungry sprinters.

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Road

Liquigas racer arrested in drug probe

Italian Liquigas racer Gianni Da Ros was arrested on Wednesday in the northern city of Padua amid an investigation into the trafficking of banned doping products, the ANSA news agency reported. Da Ros, 23, was arrested during a team run out at the Padua velodrome and was to be questioned Thursday by a Milan judge, ANSA reported. The news agency added that the investigation at the behest of the Milan state prosecutor had seen 12 people arrested in total as well as 64 searches of properties across the country.

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Road

Wiggins bails on P-N to attend funeral

Britain's Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins (Garmin-Slipstream) pulled out of Paris-Nice on Wednesday to attend the funeral of his wife's grandmother, team sports director Lionel Marie said. Wiggins scratched from the 173.5km stage from Vichy to St Etienne after placing second in the opening time trial only to lose 11 minutes on the leaders in Tuesday's third stage.

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Road Racing

Vande Velde wins stage 4, Chavanel retains overall lead

Christian Vande Velde’s world went from black to kisses from the podium girls in just four days at Paris-Nice. The Garmin-Slipstream captain attacked with 20km to go out of a seven-man breakaway to snatch a thrilling solo victory in a hard-fought rainy and cold day in Wednesday’s fourth stage at the 67th Paris-Nice. “I was good at (Tour of) California, nothing special, so to come out and do that today, it gives me a lot of confidence,” Vande Velde told VeloNews. “The form is coming along really well. I am just surprising myself.”

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Road

SRAM becomes title sponsor of New Mexico’s Tour of the Gila

SRAM has taken over title sponsorship of New Mexico's Tour of the Gila stage race, which begins this April 29 in Silver City. “SRAM has given this race security for the next several years and, with their increasing popularity in the peloton, we can only anticipate growth for our event. And SRAM’s professional neutral race support, along with their great team relationships, make them a perfect long-term partner,” stated Jack Brennan, Tour of the Gila Race Director.

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Road

Kelly Benefit’s Canadian strongman, David Veilleux, breaks his collarbone at Texas training camp.

Kelly Benefit Strategies' David Veilleux will miss a few weeks' racing after breaking his collarbone in a crash during a team training camp in Texas. Veilleux was reaching back to put his sunglasses in his jersey pocket when he hit a pothole and crashed. He is returning to his native Quebec, Canada to recover and is expected to miss the Redlands Bicycle Classic and the Tour of Uruguay. His team expects him to return to racing at New York's Tour of the Battenkill April 18-19.

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Road

Pennsylvania’s Tour de ‘Toona returns to a four-day format after scaling back to a one-day last year.

The International Tour de 'Toona will hold a four-day stage race this year, bouncing back after having to downscale to one-day criterium last year. The race is part of the National Racing Calendar for men and women. This year's race begins July 16 with a time trial in Altoona, in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. The event continues with a road race in Martinsburg on the 17th, then a difficult road race on the 18th and a concluding criterium in downtown Altoona on Sunday the 19th.

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Road Gear

Easton EC90 Bar Ends

Price: $70 Weight: 71 grams Web site: www.eastonbike.com Easton EC90 bar ends, new for 2009, are made of Easton composite carbon fiber and are ergonomically molded. One-piece carbon construction lends strength and a clean look. The pair weighs in at just 71 grams and is approved for use with Easton bars. The EC90 bar ends carry a limited 5-year warranty.

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Road Gear

Magura Marta SL Magnesium disc brake

Price: $389 Weight: 315 grams per brake with rotor Sizes: 160, 180, and 203mm rotor sizes Web site: www.magura.com The Magura Marta SL hydraulic disc brake is now available in a magnesium model, which is about 20 grams lighter than the original SL model. The Marta SL Magnesium uses magnesium for the master cylinder and the slave cylinder, typically the heaviest parts of the system. For added look and feel, carbon levers are used and for additional weight saving, Magura uses titanium hardware.

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Road Racing

Haussler wins stage 2, Contador leads P-N

Heinrich Haussler slammed home his third victory of the 2009 season on Monday in the second stage at the 67th Paris-Nice. The Cervélo TestTeam rider cranked up his sprint with 250m to go in the 195.5km stage and had plenty of time to thump his chest as he crossed the line clear by three bike lengths. Coming through second was Mark Renshaw (Columbia-Highroad) with Mirco Lorenzetto (Lampre) slotting into third. "The sprint wasn't easy. We were racing into a headwind so I tucked my bike in behind Renshaw and the Columbia team,” said the 25-year-old Haussler.

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Road Gear

Phil Wood Co. 3.5 Track Limited gold hub

Price: $575 to $900 Sizes: 120mm spacing Colors: Silver, black, gold, red, blue, green, and purple Web site: www.philwood.com As part of their 38th anniversary, Phil Wood will be releasing 100 specialty track hubs. The 3.5 Track Limited hub has a 3.5-inch flange and is only available in 32 and 36 spoke models. [nid:89071]

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Road Racing

Grabinger, Holcomb win Tucson Bicycle Classic

J.R. Grabinger (Fly V Australia p/b Successful Living) and Janel Holcomb (Webcor Builders) collected the overall titles at the 23rd annual Tucson Bicycle Classic on Sunday. Nick Clayville (Hagens Berman LLP) won the final stage, the Speedway/Anklam Circuit Race, crossing five seconds ahead of Sean Mazich (Team Waste Management) and Chad Beyer (BMC). But Grabinger finished with the bunch at 1:48 to claim the overall after three days of racing. Michael Mathis (CRCA-Empire Cycling Team) took the runner-up spot at 17 seconds back with Waste Management’s Scott Stewart third at 0:24.

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Road

Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico serve up the goods

There’s not a lot on the menu this week in terms of choice. What Europe lacks in quantity this week is certainly made up for in quality, however. Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico serve up the season’s first major European stage races and provide the first glimpse of who’s strong in 2009. Victories at either one of these two prestigious races can make a season, and sometimes a career, for the victors. Winners coming out of France and Italy this week usually figure very high in both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.

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Road Racing

Menchov wins Murcia

Denis Menchov wrapped up the overall title at the Vuelta a Murcia in Spain on Sunday to claim his first victory since winning the 2007 Vuelta a España. There was no major shakeup in the overall standings as a busted-up peloton came in for a mass sprint for the fifth and final stage.

Vuelta a Murcia
Stage 5:

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Road

Hoogerland wins West Flanders

Dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil) won the overall crown at the Three Days of West Flanders in Belgium on Sunday. The Dutch sprinter, winner of the first stage on Friday, finished safely in the pack in the 185.7km final stage starting and finishing in Ichtegem to wrap up the overall title. Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) claimed the finale in a bunch sprint, finishing ahead of Danilo Napolitano (Katusha), winner of Saturday’s second stage. Coming through third was Roy Sentjens (Silence-Lotto).

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Road Racing

Contador wins Paris-Nice opener

Alberto Contador likes to say he doesn’t feel obliged to win, so perhaps it's just that he can’t help himself. The 25-year-old Spaniard is turning into a modern-day cannibal, seemingly winning at will as he continues his superb start of the 2009 season.

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Road Racing

Grabinger, Holcomb lead Tucson Bicycle Classic

J.R. Grabinger (Fly V Australia p/b Successful Living) and Janel Holcomb (Webcor Builders) lead the 23rd annual Tucson Bicycle Classic going into stage 3, the Speedway/Anklam Circuit Race. Grabinger holds a 12-second lead on overall runner-up Michael Mathis (CRCA-Empire Cycling Team) with Caleb Fairly (Felt-Holowesko-Garmin) third at 14 seconds. In women’s racing, Holcomb sits just six seconds up on Melissa McWhirter (Veloforma) with Webcor teammate Rebecca Much third at 11 seconds.

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Road Racing

Florencio Ramos wins stage 7

Tecos' Florencio Ramos won stage of la Vuelta Mexico on Saturday, while Team Type 1's Shawn Milne was second and Jackson Rodriguez (Serramenti PVC) continued to lead the general classification. Americans featured in the day's key breakaway and remain atop the sprint and U23 competition leader boards.

2009 Vuelta Mexico Telmex

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Road Racing

Menchov takes over at Murcia

Spanish rider Rubén Plaza (Liberty Seguros) won Saturday’s “etapa reina” climbing stage at the Vuelta a Murcia in Spain and Denis Menchov (Rabobank) surged into the overall lead. Plaza was first out of a group of 10 riders that pulled clear after topping over the Cat. 1 Collado Bermejo some 22km from the finish line in Alhama de Murcia. Coming through second was Jesús Herrada (Contentpolis) while Menchov crossed the line third in the 156km fourth stage.

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Road

Napolitano wins in Belgium

Italian sprinter Danilo Napolitano shot to another victory for his Katusha team after taking the flowers Saturday in the second stage at the Three Days of West Flanders in Belgium. The stocky Italian won ahead of last year’s winner Bobby Traksel (Vacansoleil) while French rider Denis Flahaut (Landbouwkrediet) came through third in the 179.3km stage from Torhout to Handzame. “My teammates did a very good job today,” said Napolitano. “We always ride in the first position and in the final 5km, we took control of the head of the group. I won the sprint even for a little.”

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Road Racing

Lövkvist wins Monte Paschi

Swedish rider Thomas Lövkvist (Columbia-Highroad) bolted home to victory in the 3rd Monte Paschi Strade Bianche Toscana on Saturday as foreign riders dominated the popular one-day race on gravel roads across Tuscany. Coming through second was German Fabian Wegmann (Milram) at four seconds back with Swiss rider Martin Elmiger (Ag2r-La Mondiale) completing the podium with third.

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Road

Contador optimistic heading into Paris-Nice

Alberto Contador says he’s quietly optimistic ahead of Paris-Nice, which begins Sunday with an individual time trial in Amilly. Contador, already a winner at the Volta ao Algarve in his first race of the 2009 season last month, said he hopes to be among the best. “I am not obsessed with winning, because for this time happen everything has to go the right way,” Contador said in an interview released by his press agent. “My idea is to do the best possible and I believe the fans understand this.”

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Road Racing

Evans takes stage in Mexico tour

Cameron Evans (OUCH Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis) won a three-up sprint to take the victory at the end of Stage 6 of la Vuelta Mexico. The rolling, 190 km stage saw a break succeed for the third consecutive day. And for the third consecutive day, an OUCH rider made the most of it. “We knew a break had a good shot to stay away to the finish,” Evans said. “We wanted to make sure we had a guy in every move.”

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Road

UCI and AFLD will cooperate at Paris-Nice

The UCI and the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) reached an agreement on Friday regarding drug-testing measures in the Paris-Nice stage race, which starts on Sunday. "There was a strong desire on both sides to work together," UCI president Pat McQuaid said. AFLD president Pierre Bordry, who declared himself "very satisfied" with the agreement, said the drug-testing program for the Paris-Nice would serve as a test prior to a new collaboration between the two bodies during the 2009 Tour de France.

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Road Training

Training with type 1 diabetic athletes has taught coach Rick Crawford about metabolism — and life.

I got involved with Diabetes Training Camps about three years ago. I’ve been to seven camps since then. I just wrapped up a camp in Tucson with the Triabetes group, which was a departure from the other camps I’ve done in that all the diabetic campers were training for the same goal, an ambitious one, to complete the Ironman in Phoenix in November ’09. All the campers have type one diabetes.

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Road

West Flanders S1: Hoogerland gets first dibs

Johnny Hoogerland delivered his Vacansoleil team a victory in the opening stage of the Three Days of West Flanders on Friday. The 25-year-old Dutchman finished ahead of his teammate Jens Mouris as Agritubel’s Kevin Ista came through third in the 176.4km stage from Kortrijk to Bellegem. Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step), winner of the GP Le Samyn on Wednesday, finished out of the podium in ninth. Hoogerland, who finished fifth at the GP Marseillaise and fourth overall at the Etoile de Bessèges to open the season, carries the leader’s jersey into Saturday’s second stage.

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Road

A Southwestern tradition, the Tucson Bicycle Classic gets under way this afternoon

The 23rd annual Tucson Bicycle Classic gets under way Friday for what should be a sun-splashed weekend of road racing in southern Arizona. Racing begins with the Old Tucson/McCain Loop Time Trial. The course uses a 3-mile stretch of freshly paved road, beginning with gentle rollers leading to a 5 percent climb, then serving up more rollers followed by a 6 percent-plus climb to the finish.

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