Road

[nid:26864]Brazilian sprinter Luciano Pagliarini (Lampre) took a chaotic mass sprint at the end of the Tour de Langkawi’s eighth stage Friday, edging out Enrico Degano of Barloworldin a photo finish. Graeme Brown (Panaria) finished third, while Gord Fraserof Health Net-Maxxis took fourth. It was Pagliarini's second field sprint victory in as many days, bothexecuted to perfection without the use of a teammate’s lead-out. When askedabout the aggressive sprint, which saw Panaria’s Ruben Bongiorno and Wismilack’sMatnur Matnur crash in the final 500m, Pagliarini laughed.

First, officials canceled Friday’s opening stage of the fourth Giro della Liguria due to traffic problems. Then they canceled Saturday’s stage for the same reason and finally pulled the plug on the entire race, the Italian ANSA wire service reported. Local officials weren’t happy that key roads along Italy’s Italian Riviera would be closed for the opening stages and said race organizers hadn’t received official approval for the event. Unable to find a compromise, the race has been canceled and teams will reconvene for Tuesday’s Trofeo Laigueglia (UCI 1.2). Armstrong to test-drive new TT

The three-day Valley of the Sun John Earley Memorial Stage Race kicks off today with an individual time trial in the western Phoenix-metropolitan area. The 12th annual race continues Saturday with a road race south of Phoenix and concludes Sunday with a criterium downtown, near the State Capitol. Among the elite men’s teams slated to compete are Colavita-Bolla, featuring U.S. national champion Mark McCormack, Australian national champion Nathan O’Neill and Cuban sprinter Ivan Dominguez; the local Landis-Trek-VW squad, which won the 2003 Tour of the Gila and Vuelta de Bisbee; and Team Monex,

Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com) nipped Mario Cipollini (Domina Vacanze) in an exciting photo-finish sprint to take his second stage in three days Friday at the Tour Mediterranean. The 25-year-old Australian picked up his fourth win of the season (Tour Down Under stage, GP d‘Ouverture and Med Tour stage 1) at the expense of 37-year-old Cipollini, racing for just his fourth day of the season. Cooke was beaming after beating Cipollini head-to-head for the first time. “It was a difficult sprint. Cipollini tried to block me but couldn’t,” Cooke told Reuters. “To finally beat Cipollini, that’s

Nathan O’Neill (Colavita-Bolla) gave his new sponsor something to celebrate with a victory in the opening stage of the Valley of the Sun stage race on Friday. The former Saturn racer covered the 13.6-mile individual time trial in 24:05:06, 22 seconds faster than Mariano Friedick (Jelly Belly) and an additional two seconds ahead of Joey Dantoni (Cycles de Oro). Defending champ Aaron Olsen (Colavita-Bolla) was 14th, 1:12 off the pace. In the women’s race, T-Mobile put two racers in the top three. Mari Holden took the win in 27:15:17, with teammate Lynn Gaggioli third at 0:15 and Rona’s

[nid:26855]On a hot, flat stage 7 designed for the peloton’s musclemen, Brazilian hotshot Luciano Pagliarini (Lampre) took a mass sprint Thursday, narrowly edging out points leader Gord Fraser (Health Net). It was Pagliarini’s first win this year, to add to the three consecutive wins he took in Malaysia in 2003. “I want to thank my team,” a grinning Pagliarini said, clearly happy to have the first win of the year under his belt. “They had a lot of confidence in me, and brought me to the finish.”

An Australian cyclist is facing doping charges, an Australian Sports Commission (ASC) spokesman said Thursday. Reuters reported that the ASC released a short statement but declined to name the cyclist, although his identity has been widely published in local media. “The ASC and Cycling Australia have both written to the athlete outlining the nature and basic details of the alleged doping offences and are awaiting a response from the athlete,” the ASC said. “The ASC continues to work with Cycling Australia in relation to this matter. ASC rules state an athlete on doping charges has 14

After four days of training together, and with just two days until their first race of the season, the new-look Colavita Pro Cycling Team is beginning to take shape. Significantly upgraded in the personnel and organizational departments, the 2004 iteration of Colavita bears only a passing resemblance to the ’03 version of the squad. Just four riders remain from the Colavita-Bolla squad that passed last year in relative anonymity, and the 11-rider roaster boasts a host of “name” riders. Chief among the changes in the ’04 was the late-fall signing of USPRO road champion Mark McCormack. After

Two big names moved to the front of the pack in Thursday’s climb-riddled 130km second stage of the Tour Mediterranean. World Cup champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) and world champion Igor Astarloa (Cofidis) finished 1-2 ahead of about 30 lead riders, with Bettini taking the stage and Astarloa grabbing the race leader’s yellow jersey. The pair made headlines last fall when Astarloa suggested Bettini offered a pay-off to throw the road world championships in Hamilton. Astarloa quickly retracted the statement and the two have since made up. There was no sign of any hangover of bad feeling

In the beginning there was RockShox. When first raced in 1990, Paul Turner’sRS-1 fork jump-started the suspension revolution. As you’re most likelyaware, Manitou followed suit and produced its own elastomer-sprung forkjust a year later. Within two short years the two suspension companieshad locked horns over market share (albeit small dollars way back then). Fast forward to 2004 and the two are back at it again-this time vyingover potentially millions of dollars in original equipment spec' and aftermarket sales. Stroll on down to your local bike shop and take an informal poll and I’ll bet

Dear Monique,This time of season many of us are including resistance training inour current training programs. What can I do nutritionally to maximizemy strength-building efforts? I am specifically interested in what I caneat before and after weight training. How do my nutritional strategiesdiffer after a long bike ride or run?ThanksBK Dear BK,For the cyclists and triathletes who opt to include resistance trainingin their program, nutritional considerations should include both one'sdaily training diet (especially when combined with your regular endurancetraining), and before and

[nid:26841]Italian sprinter Ivan Quaranta (Formaggi Pinzolo) won the first fieldsprint of the Tour de Langkawi Wednesday, following a pancake-flat 175kmstretch from Muar to Johor Bahru, Malaysia’s portal to neighboring Singapore.Two South Americans — Brazilian Luciano Pagliarini (Lampre) and ArgentineanRuben Bongiorno (Panaria) filled out the top-three; Canadian Gord Fraserwas fourth.

World Cup champion Nicole Cooke says she might skip the series opener later this month in Australia to focus entirely on the Olympics and world championships. The 20-year-old British star became the youngest rider to win the overall World Cup last year, but she told BBC Sport that she’s still feeling pain from a knee injury suffered in a crash last June “I've had 10 weeks without training and that's left a massive hole in my preparation,” she told BBC Sport. “Given that, the Olympics and the World Championships are the target this year.” Cooke said the allure of the Olympics could prove

It was an all-star cast taking the initiative in Wednesday’s 111km opening stage of the Tour Mediterranean with last year’s green jersey winner Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com) edging classics strongman Michele Bartoli (CSC) in a 20-up sprint. Some of cycling’s biggest names seemed anxious to test their form as a group of about 20 riders tore away from the main bunch early in the sunny stage featuring two Category 1 climbs. “Since I was the only sprinter in the group I worked to stay with them in the break,” said Cooke, who’s already won at the Tour Down Under and the GP d’Ouverture. World

[nid:26838]Canadian rocket Eric Wohlberg stormed through a tight 18km circuit in central Melaka to take the time-trial stage of the Telekom Malaysia Le Tour de Langkawi on Tuesday. “I went as hard as I could. It was really tough out to the turn but I had the lead at that point and was really surfing coming back,” Wohlberg said at the finish. It was a double triumph for the strong man, originally from Ontario but now residing in California, as he also led his compatriots Roland Green and Peter Wedge to the team prize.

Keeping important parts comfyDear Lennard,This isn't a nuts and bolts question, but I thought you might shedsome light on this subject. Most roadies I know (including myself) preferto wear bib shorts with leg warmers instead of tights in cold weather.I can't understand why nobody makes a short with a windproof panel in thesensitive chamois region. Surely I'm not the first to think of this.JayDear Jay,Good question! No, you are certainly not the first to wonder this!Here are somewhat contradictory answers from De Marchi and from Sportful,which also owns Castelli.From De MarchiDear Lennard,The

Portuguese rider Candido Barbosa won his second stage and wrapped up the overall victory in the three-day GP Correos in Portugal. Barbosa edged two Spanish riders to take his second stage in three days and lay claim to the spoils of the first Portuguese race of the season. Garzelli confident in GiroStefano Garzelli (Vini Caldirola-Nobili Rubinetterie) wants another maglia rosa to go along with 2000 victory and is putting everything into winning the 2004 Giro d’Italia. The 30-year-old from Varese told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he’s confident he can take down defending champion Gilberto

[nid:26834]It was another day for breakaways in Malaysia, as Australian Sean Sullivan of the South African Barloworld squad took the fourth stage of the Tour de Langkawi in a dramatic two-up sprint against breakaway companion Devis Miorin (De-Nardi) after 100km off the front. Behind, Canadian Gord Fraser of Health Net won the bunch sprint for a second consecutive day, adding to his points jersey tally and confirming that, at this tour, he’s the sprinter to beat.

Sprinting superstar Mario Cipollini will start Wednesday’s Tour Méditerranéendespite crashing hard in Sunday’ GP Costa degli Etruschi, team officialsreported Monday. Cipollini wasn’t seriously injured in the spill about 2.5km from thefinish line along Italy’s coast, with his helmet evidently protecting the2002 world champion from serious injury. “Despite the hard crash in the finish Sunday, Cipollini will be at theTour Méditerranéen,” said Domina Vacanze sport director AntonioSalutini. “This will be the first stage race of the season for Cipolliniand the team. Our goal is to win a

[nid:26830]Panaria’s 24-year-old Brett Lancaster, a member of Australia’s four-man world record-setting team pursuit squad, pulled off a courageous stage victory Sunday in heavy rain at the Tour de Langkawi. After Saturday’s 60km climbing day, the event’s third stage featured 100km of flat terrain before ascending a gradual pitch at Gap Rest House (elevation 881m), deep in Malaysia’s highland country. The course then quickly dropped into a fast and winding 35km descent to the town of Raub.

French team Ag2r enjoyed a banner day Sunday in the final day of theEtoile de Bessèges, claiming the overall title with Laurent Brochardand the stage victory for veteran sprinter Jaan Kirsipuu.Thirteen riders escaped early in the 145.8km stage between Pont Gaignièresand Bessèges and stayed away until the final lap on the finishingcircuit. Kirsipuu surged ahead of Saulius Ruskys (MBK-Oktos) to take hissecond stage of the five-day race.Stuart O’Grady (Cofidis) nipped former teammate and rival Thor Hushovd(Credit Agricole) to take third, but the Aussie didn’t win a stage in hisseason debut.

Teammates Marlon Perez and Freddy Gonzalez of the Columbia-Selle Italia squad set the stage for the general classification on the first of two mountain stages at the 10-day Tour de Langkawi Saturday, finishing first and second on the day’s nearly 60km gradual climb into the Cameron Highlands. It was a good day for the South American squad, which now holds both the yellow leader’s jersey (Perez) and the blue sprinter’s jersey (Gonzalez).

Laurent Brochard (Ag2r) won Saturday’s fourth stage and slipped into the overall lead of the Etoile de Bessèges with just one stage remaining. The victory makes it the first by a French racer of the 2004 season and proves the 36-year-old former world champion still has the desire to race at the sport’s top level. Brochard outfoxed the younger French rider Sylvain Calzati (MBK-Oktos) and Spanish rider Joseba Zubeldia (Euskaltel) in the 150km stage between Branoux les Taillades and Les Salles du Gardon in France. Seven riders attacked on the day’s climb at La Baraque and took a one-minute

[nid:26826]Spectators at the finish of the Tour de Langkawi’s flat stage 1 from Penang to Taiping, Malaysia, were surprised to see the peloton roll across the line intact without a contested sprint. What initially appeared to be a rider protest proved to be more a matter of survival after local police marshals errantly waived traffic onto the course following the first of two 8km closing circuits.

With our 2004 Buyer’s Guide entering the critical home stretch, I was hoping I’d be able to dodge this week’s Tech Report, but this press release from Michelin was too important to overlook. As rumored for the past three years, tubeless technology is officially making the crossover to the road. Here are some excerpts from Michelin’s release: Michelin is initially targeting the world of professional road racing in 2004 with three new products: the Michelin Pro Race Tubeless, the Michelin Pro Grip Tubeless and the Michelin Pro Grip Special Paves Tubeless. This year, Michelin-sponsored

South African sprinter Robert Hunter (Rabobank) took care of business in the Middle East to win Friday’s final stage and claim the overall title of the third Tour of Qatar. Hunter won his second stage in three days to claim the overall prize, scoring a big win ahead of Italian Francesco Chicchi (Fassa Bortolo) and Wouter van Mechelen (Vlaanderen), who came across third. With only one second separating race leader Hunter and archrival Robbie McEwen (Lotto-Domo) going into Friday’s 163km finale, it was heated battle from the gun. A group of about 40 riders tore away early as Lotto-Domo

The 10-day, 1251km Tour de Langkawi is set to start Friday, February6, on Malaysia’s resort island of Penang. Now in its ninth year, the Tour’s2004 course will follow a clockwise loop along the western coast of PeninsularMalaysia, offering a feast of sprint finishes with just three mountainousstages and two mountain-top finishes. Twenty teams of seven riders will contest the Tour, which boasts thefourth largest prize list in pro cycling. However, missing from the raceis any one overwhelming favorite, generating a consensus that it’s anyone’srace to win. Last year’s winner, American Tom

Toni Colom (Illes Balears-Banesto) sewed up the overall title of thefive-day Mallorca Challenge on Friday – too bad it won’t be in the officialrecord books. The Mallorca Challenge is technically a series of one-day races, whenriders can pick and choose which races they want to start. Officially,there are no UCI points for the final GC, but that didn’t stop the Spanishriders from racing break-neck through the final five-climb stage. Kelme – oops, Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme – tried to rattle Banesto –oops again, that's Illes Balears-Banesto – but couldn’t over the challenging up-and-down

Belgian Tom Steels (Landbouwkrediet) got his season off to a good start Wednesday, beating compatriot Jo Planckaert (Mr Bookmakers) in a bunch sprint to open the five-day l'Etoile de Bessèges race in France. Stuart O’Grady (Cofidis) and Gorka Gonzalez (Euskaltel) livened things up early with a long breakaway, but the Aussie was reeled in with 15km to go and it came down to a mass gallop coming into Marseille. The race continues Thursday with the 149km second stage into Palavas-les-Flots. l'Etoile de Bessèges, Stage 1, Marseille1. Tom Steels (B), Landbouwkrediet, 139km in 3:34:03 (39.131

Training camp has finished. I am back in Colorado and will soon be heading overseas for the beginning of the season. In the last week the training load increased and that old competitive spirit reappeared in the team. We rode between 4.5 and 6 hours each day with one easy day and one travel day when we left Solvang, California for Scottsdale, Arizona and our "sponsor camp" - which consisted of a weekend of fine meals at a nice hotel, where we could both ride and meet up with our sponsors and friends of the team before heading overseas for the races. The new team jerseys were also unveiled

Tour de France green jersey winner Baden Cooke (Française desJeux) stormed to victory in the Grand Prix La Marseillaise on Tuesday toopen the French racing season. Cooke nipped Jo Planckaert (MR Bookmaker.com) to take the bunch sprintin the 152km race from Gardanne to Aubagne. Italian Fabio Baldato (Alessio-Bianchi) came across the line third. Racing continues Wednesday in France with the five-day l'Etoile de Bessèges.GP La Marseillaise (UCI 1.3)1. Baden Cooke (Aus), FDJeux.com, 152km in 3:38:302. Jo Planckaert (B), Mr Bookmakers3. Fabio Baldato (I), Alessio-Bianchi4. Stefan Van Dijck

Things that work and things that don't Dear Lennard, Would my 9-speed FSA Carbon cranks work with my 2004 Campagnolo Record 10-speed? Do I need to take off my 10-speed rings from my Record cranks and put them on the FSA cranks? Chad Dear Chad, Yes, it will work fine as is. And you could not take your Campy rings and put them on the FSA crank anyway, because the Campy rings have a 135mm bolt circle, and the FSA crank has a 130mm bolt circle (or 110mm, if it is a Compact Road crankset). Lennard Were it a Brooks, it would just be getting broken in Dear Lennard, How many miles can a saddle last

Oscar Freire profited from quality work from his orange Rabobank train to win Monday’s stage into Port d'Alcudia by a half-bike length ahead of Erik Zabel (T-Mobile). Five Rabos set a blistering pace over the final 10km to catapult the former two-time world champion to victory. Sunday’s winner, Allan Davis of Liberty Seguros, was caught out of position but sprung back to finish third. “Today was different than yesterday’s circuit course when it was hard to find the right position,” Freire said after winning in 3 hours, 57 minutes, 38 seconds. “Today the team did amazing work over the final

Using the climbing skills that won her the world mountain-bike title at Mont-Ste-Anne five years ago, French off-road star Laurence Leboucher took her second world cyclo-cross title on her home turf Sunday morning. “We’ve talked about the world’s taking place in Pont-Château for a long time, but actually doing them, and winning, was another thing,” said Leboucher. “And I couldn’t have won without Maryline’s help behind.” She was referring to her teammate Maryline Salvetat, who closely marked two-time world champion Hanka Kupfernagel when the German was the only rider strong enough to chase

Bart Wellens made the right choice, Mario De Clercq didn’t. The younger of Belgium’s past world elite cyclo-cross champions chose to start the final sprint from the front. The older man chose to follow. And though there was only about an inch between their knobby front tires at the line, Wellens just held on. “Eight times out of 10 I would lose the sprint to Mario, so it was a great honor to beat him,” said a jubilant Wellens, 25, who thus kept the title he first earned last year in Monopoli, Italy. “Today was much more special for me than Monopoli.” Perhaps this was De Clercq’s final best

Allan Davis christened the 2004 European road season with a sprint victory in Sunday’s Trofeo Mallorca to give his new Liberty Seguros team the best possible start to the year. The Australian fought hard to get back in position after being boxed out in the final kilometer of Sunday’s 82.5km circuit course along the harbor at Palma de Mallorca to open the five-day Mallorca Challenge. Davis overcame a strong effort by Rabobank to set up former two-time world champion Oscar Freire to grab the victory. Erik Zabel (T-Mobile) ill-timed his sprint and came through to take third. Racing was

It was clear that Saturday afternoon’s under-23 men’s race at the cyclo-cross world’s in Pont-Château, France, was going to be dramatic and highly tactical when there was a crash on the first turn. This was not just another of those crashes caused by a traffic jam of riders when they are still grouped together. This crash happened right at the front when the first six riders tangled wheels and fell on a muddy, off-camber slope as they emerged from the long bend. Among the six fallers were the three top favorites: defending champion Enrico Franzoi of Italy; Belgian champion Wesley Van der

The 2004 European bike racing season kicks off Sunday with the five-day Mallorca Challenge, the continent’s first major race of the road season. Many big-hitters are starting the series among the 19 teams and 300 riders, including such big guns as Erik Zabel (T-Mobile), Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Alejandro Valverde (Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme). Held over five stages, the races are held as a string of one-day races rather than accumulative time. Races: Day 1: Palma to Palma, 82.5km; Day 2, Alcudia-Port d’Alcudia, 159km; Day 3: Soller-Port de Sóller, 150,6km; Day 4: Calabona-Manacor,

Former world cycling champion Mario Cipollini wants the Tour de France to grant him a final farewell appearance before the end of his career, Reuters reported Friday. Speaking during the presentation of his Domina Vacanze team on the shores of Lake Como, the 36-year-old Italian said he deserved a place on the Tour because of his 185 victories as a sprinter over the last 15 years. “I'm convinced I can still win stages in the Tour de France and I think I deserve a place in this year's race as a kind of lifetime achievement award," Cipollini said. “I don't know how much chance we've got ...

Right from the gun, I gotta apologize because I missed last week’s column. I swear; it was the damn 2004 VeloNews Buyer’s Guide that made me (not) do it. You see, it falls upon my (and Lennard Zinn’s) shoulders to put this puppy out every year and, since last year’s edition was something of a success, the beast has gotten even bigger this time around. Of course, that means more pages to fill; more bikes and components to write about; more (hopefully) insightful features to generate. So getting back to last week’s excuse, I found myself with VeloNews photo editor Galen Nathanson

The international governing bodies of soccer and cycling remain the two most prominent and vocal holdouts when it comes to embracing new anti-doping rules the World Anti-Doping Agency suggested on Thursday.

Dear Joe and Dirk,I'm a mountain-bike racer and have just started my off season. I'dlike to do some running and maybe do a couple running races. I know thatif I do race these I will probably push it to the max. Is it counterproductive for me to be doingrun races in what is normally my off season?I know that working to maximum during these events will do little forme in June, but I'd like to stay active and keep things interesting.ThanksFeeling competitive in JanuaryDear January,We actually encourage cyclists to do cross training activitiessuch as running, snow shoeing, hikes, etc. As long as

Another race season is quickly approaching and I have spent this past week preparing for it with my T-Mobile teammates in Buellton, California. It is always interesting showing up for training camp, as there are some strong indicators of who has been working hard through the winter months and who might have put back a few too many Christmas cookies. Training camp is often the only time in a season that puts all of the team’s riders and staff in one place at one time. This gathering forced me to reflect on my first races as a member of T-Mobile and on how much the team has progressed since

Dear Monique,I am a 47 year old woman. I have heard for years that weight liftingwas beneficial to keep our bones dense, as was running and any other weightbearing sport.What confuses me is that they say cycling is not and yet when I am doinga long sustained climb, it sure feels like I'm doing leg press's. Samewith a long hard flat ride. My legs begin to burn and it often feels likeweight lifting after awhile.When climbing on the mountain bike, I lift on the bar-ends and use themotion of my arms and upper body to help me get up the climb. Why is thisconsidered not weight bearing when my arms

Last year’s Tour de France prologue winner Bradley McGee has taken his first step in a year in which he hopes land double Olympic gold - and another shot at wearing the Tour de France yellow jersey. McGee, the de facto team leader of FDjeux.com, who won last year's Tour de France prologue in Paris, admits that winning Olympic gold is his biggest priority of the year. And that opens up the possibility of a duel with David Millar, the world time-trial champion who this year is aiming to add an Olympic gold to his rainbow jersey. Millar, the 27-year-old Scot, is considering making his first

Cofidis’s Philippe Gaumont has, during police interrogation, admitted taking the banned substance EPO and admitted that he had supplied EPO to another cyclist, the AFP reported. “Philippe Gaumont has admitted to doping,” said his lawyer Olivier Combe on Monday. “He also explained some unfortunate things that are happening in the (cycling) system." "I have admitted to taking illegal substances. What cyclist could say anything to the contrary?" the 30-year-old Gaumont told French police. Police have questioned several riders from the Cofidis team and have seized human growth hormones,

Hi Lennard,I have an opportunity to buy a new frame (steel with carbon fiber rearstays) that has a 1-1/8-inch head tube for an integrated head set. A coupleof years ago I bought a 1-inch threadless carbon fiber fork -- with steelsteerer tube -- that I'd like to use rather than having to buy an 1-1/8-inchfork.I have three questions:1. Is there a product (headset or adapter) on the market that fits 1-inch forks to a 1-1/8-inch frame?2. Are there any shims that can be used with a 1-1/8-inch head setto fit 1-inch forks?3. Do you have any other suggestions or do I have to buy a 1-1/8-inch

When you feel the cold blast of the Mistral on your face in this final week of January or skid on the ice that formed overnight on the roads above the French Riviera, it doesn’t seem like a new European road season is about to get underway. But this coming Sunday, the day that cyclo-crossers will be battling for their world title in Brittany, 15 pro teams will line up for the first of five days of racing on the Spanish island of Mallorca. “Mallorca is always hard,” said American Christian Vande Velde earlier this week at his Spanish base of Girona, prior to attending Tuesday’s media

Cofidis's Cedric Vasseur, questioned by police last week in the latestdoping affair to hit French cycling, claims drug cheating is no longersystematic.However, former Festina manager Bruno Roussel says it's time for theauthorities to wake up to reality.Cycling was discredited in the 1998 Tour de France when the Festinateam was expelled after police uncovered stocks of prohibited substances.The scandal effectively prompted the creation of the World Anti DopingAgency (WADA).Vasseur was taken into custody with team-mate Phillipe Gaumont - whowill be charged after he admitted using the banned

Despite earlier reports that Lance Armstrong will race in the Tour de Georgia, the five-time Tour de France champion won’t decide on his domestic racing program until later this week. “Armstrong will have a decision on his North American race calendar this week. Despite earlier news reports, no decision has been made regarding the Tour de Georgia,” said Bill Stapleton, chief executive officer of Tailwind Sports and Armstrong's agent. Stapleton was quoted on Armstrong’s official web page (www.LanceArmstrong.com). Armstrong has said he’d like to race and train more in the United States this

It’s not quite the Champs-Élysées, but for the tens of thousands who turned out for the final stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under on Sunday it was a race finale to rival anything on the world stage. Not only did top sprinters Baden Cooke and Robbie McEwen take the top-two finish spots for the day, one of Adelaide's favorite sons, Patrick Jonker, duly bowed out a winner after a distinguished 14-year career in the pro ranks. Jonker, 34, earmarked this year's event as his last as a professional cyclist, and in a fairytale ending he achieved a dream result.

After three months away from the team, we are all back together again – with a few new additions – to prepare for another season. We are in southern California, just outside of Santa Barbara. We have enjoyed solid sunshine throughout the week (at least until Saturday) and have been taking advantage of the quiet winding roads and surrounding hills to improve our fitness before heading back over to Europe for the start of the season. For the past three months Dede and I have enjoyed several months at home in Boulder. It has been nice being settled in one spot, together. The last few years we

Alejandro Valverde has received a nice pay raise and will earn closeto 1 million euros per season in a new deal signed with the Comunidad Valenciana-Kelmeteam (formerly Kelme) and will lead the team until at least 2007.Valverde was Spain’s revelation last season, winning two stages andfinishing third in the Vuelta a España and taking silver at theworld road championships in Canada.Despite efforts by other teams to lure Valverde away from the troubledKelme team, the Valencia regional government stepped up to ensure the team’sfinancial future and secure Valverde’s services, the Spanish daily

Ben Day, Queensland’s time-trial champion, led home an all-Aussie trifecta in the penultimate stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under at Willunga on Saturday. While the Team Australia rider won in style, beating Tour de France sprinters Robbie McEwen (Lotto) and Baden Cooke (FDJeux.com)after attacking 3km from the finish, it will be South Australian Patrick Jonker who will be acclaimed the overall victor when the Tour ends on Sunday. Jonker, 34, riding in his swansong tour after a distinguished career, holds a nearly unassailable 1:34 lead over McEwen with Belgian Philippe Gilbert

French cyclist Cedric Vasseur, held by police for 48 hours while questioned on suspicion of doping, pleaded his innocence on Saturday. "I have nothing to do with what's going on. I have my line of conduct and I stick to it," the 33-year-old Cofidis rider, who wore the Tour de France yellow jersey for five days in 1997, told a media conference. "This affair is not a Cofidis problem, it's a problem for some individuals." Vasseur was arrested for questioning last Tuesday alongside teammate Philippe Gaumont after police raided Cofidis headquarters and the office of one of the team doctors.

Australian Patrick Jonker maintained his overall lead after Friday's 141km fourth stage of the Jacobs Creek Tour Down Under as Lotto’s sprinter Robbie McEwen won his second bunch finish. Jonker finished in the main field in 28th, holding on to a 1:38 advantage in general classification over McEwen, who moved into second place overall. McEwen, who was disappointed to finish third in yesterday’s sprint into Victor Harbor, said today’s win makes up for that loss. “It’s still always going to be the one that got away but it’s good to be able to win today,” he said, adding that he hadn’t planned

Lefevre expects – and wants – Armstrong to win No. 6Quick Step-Davitamon boss Patrick Lefevre said he doesn’t see anyone capable of keeping Lance Armstrong from winning a record sixth Tour de France. “If he’s healthy this year, we’ll see Lance stronger in 2004 than last year,” Lefevre told VeloNews this week. “We saw him with the problems he overcame last year. He was fighting back like a great champion. I don’t know his situation, but with his divorce, his fall in the Dauphine, the way he fought back, I have no one to beat him this year. I want to beat him in 2005.” Lefevre said Quick

Cycling's world governing body announced on Friday that an Australian-pioneered test to detect illicit blood transfusions will be used for the first time this season. The Union Cycliste Internationale's move comes in the wake of a new doping scandal in France that has already led to the arrest of several current and former members of the Cofidis team, whose soigneur Bogdan Madejak is still being held by police in connection with distributing banned substances. In tapped telephone conversations French police also claim to have heard Madejak suggesting to Polish rider Marek Rutkiewicz that

French police are calling Cofidis rider Philippe Gaumont a central playerin the growing doping investigation that’s threatening to overwhelm cyclingbefore the start of the 2004 racing season. According to a report in L’Equipe, Gaumont is said to be oneof the suppliers of EPO and other doping products that’s the center ofan investigation started last week when police questioned two former Cofidisriders -- Marek Rutkiewicz and Robert Sassone – as well as a Cofidis soigneur,Bogdan Madejak. Gaumont also reportedly admitted to taking EPO, accordingto L’Equipe. Gaumont and teammate Cedric Vasseur

FDJeux.com’s Philippe Gilbert was a brilliant winner of Thursday's third stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under, but South Australian Patrick Jonker (UniSA )has all but guaranteed he will finish his illustrious career on an high note. Jonker, 34, took over the leader's yellow jersey from David McPartland (Team Australia) and now leads the overall standings by 1:39 at the half-way mark of this six-day stage race. It’s a situation that Jonker, who has earmarked this event as his swansong, would have only dreamed about. And it came about Thursday because he had the legs to ensure he was in

Tour de Georgia officials announced Wednesday that the Dodge division ofDaimler-Chrysler has renewed its title sponsorship for the 2004 event,scheduled April 20 – April 25.Specific course details were not included in Wednesday’s announcement,but promoters promised to unveil the route and offer a list of participantsat a “media event” scheduled for February.“We are extremely pleased to renew Dodge as the title sponsor and tocontinue building the prestige and global scope of the Dodge Tour de Georgia,”said John Rice, Chairman of the Georgia Partnership for Economic Development,the non-profit

Young New South Wales rider David McPartland (Team Australia) celebrated the signing of a new professional contract by winning the second stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under in emphatic fashion Wednesday. And the victory, over Dutchman Alain Van Katwijk (Bankgiroloterij) and South Australian Patrick Jonker (UniSA), was enough to catapult the 23-year-old from Albury into the leader's yellow jersey. A last-minute replacement for top international Scott Sunderland, McPartland's best domestic performance before yesterday was winning the national under 23 category in the 2002 Australian

Tim Johnson will make his debut Friday in his new colors at the Saunier Duval team presentation in northern Spain. His bosses are already saying good things about the former Saturn rider. “Our co-sponsor, Prodir, has an interest in the American market and Johnson appeared to me as one of the best in the country,” team manager Joxean Fernandez told the Spanish cycling weekly Meta2Mil. “He has a big motor and he’s good in all terrain. I met him when he was racing at Saturn and he always impressed me with his strength.” Fernandez said Johnson will be racing at the 2004 Giro d’Italia, with the

Robbie McEwen and arch rival Graeme Brown were involved in another controversial start to the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under Tuesday. But unlike last year when Brown was disqualified for not holding his line, the chaotic finish saw McEwen win clearly from Dutch champion Rudi Kemna and NSW`s Mark Renshaw, with Brown fourth. However, there was utter confusion in the last lap when a breakaway group of 12 riders, led by Victorian David McKenzie (Navigators), caught the main field, and Brown accused McEwen's Lotto-Domo teammates of blocking his run. A fuming Brown labeled the event "an absolute

While his teammates are in Italy, Jose Antonio Pecharromán is hopingfor a “strong start” to his 2004 season at the Tour Down Under. The 25-year-oldwas picked up by Quick Step following his impressive 2003 season, withvictories in the Bicicleta Vasca and the Volta a Catalunya.“I am going to start the season strong, racing in the first competitionsof the season, to be competitive at the Tour of Valencia (Feb. 24-28),”Pecharromán told the Spanish daily MARCA. “Depending on howthings go, I could be on the Tour team, even though my principal goal ofthe season is the Vuelta a

Dear Lennard,Your maintenance book has been a great help to me in building my firsttwo bikes. I've noticed from your book that you've recommended changingthe chain approximately every 1500 miles. Of course, I read this afterI put 4k on my current drivetrain! I have a Campy record 10-speed groupwith 13-26 in the back. I use dry lube. It still shifts great and wearlooks very low. There hasn't been any skipping at all.Could you please clarify for me about this issue; Are you suggestingthat the same cassette be kept and the chain switched out every 1500 miles?I've read conflicting suggestions on

German cycling great Jan Ullrich said Monday that he is optimistic that he can end Lance Armstrong's five-year reign as Tour de France champion. The 30-year-old 1997 Tour de France winner, on the island of Mallorca for team camp, said his T-Mobile team was the strongest squad he had ever lined up with as he seeks to shake off his bridesmaid's tag which has seen him fill the runners-up spot five times - three of them behind Armstrong. "This is the strongest team I've raced with," said the Olympic road race champion, who pushed Armstrong all the way last year losing by just over a

Reigning world time trial champion David Millar defended his Cofidis team despite some current and former members being caught up in the latest doping scandal to rock cycling. "We are not cheats," Millar told the English daily The Guardian on Monday. "I'm confident in the team and I hope Cofidis remain in cycling for a long time." Last week, French police began an investigation into team masseur Bogdan Madejak and former Cofidis racer Marek Rutkiewicz. Rutkiewicz is accused of smuggling growth hormones and other drugs into France, but said this week he is innocent of anything involving

Marek Rutkiewicz, the Polish rider who last week was reportedly caught by French police in possession of banned substances, has hit out at being made a scapegoat in an affair which he says has been blown out of proportion. As part of the investigation, Rutkiewicz’s former Cofidis team was under the spotlight last week as he was arrested along with Cofidis soigneur Bogdan Madejak. Madejak is accused of being part of a smuggling ring and has now been suspended by the team, who boast a string of top riders including world champions David Millar (time trial) and Igor Astarloa

Canberra cyclist Oenone Wood won the road race on Saturday at the BMC Software Australian Open Road Championships, two days after claiming victory in the individual time trial. The 23-year-old Wood barely outsprinted Victoria’s Katie Mactier after 10 laps of a 10km course in Buninyong. Sara Carrigan of Queensland crossed third. “It’s pretty amazing, and I don’t think it’s quite registered yet,” said Wood. “To win with such a quality field, I’m amazed.” The race began in wet, cold and windy conditions, and although the rain let up by the third lap, the wind and cold made it tough going. But

After what he admits were five dark years struggling to rediscover the winning formula that shot him to the 1998 Tour de France podium, Bobby Julich says he’s excited about the 2004 racing season. Julich said he’s rediscovered his passion for racing after joining Bjarne Riis at Team CSC in what he admits is his “last chance” to return to glory. “I was very close to retirement and I’m very happy to get this chance to ride with Bjarne,” Julich told VeloNews during the team’s training camp in Lucca, Italy. “I feel like I’ve gotten my last chance.” Since his meteoric rise to third place in

Kelme and Domina Vacanze will roll on as Division II teams for the 2004 season, according to the UCI, which on Friday released its official list of second-division teams for the upcoming season. Earlier this month, both teams failed to meet UCI requirements for continuing in cycling’s first division, which gave them automatic berths in many of the sport's top races. Also confirmed among the 18 teams in Division II is the Navigators Insurance team. Four other teams are on a pending list and have until January 28 to provide more documentation. Division II teams for the 2004 season:Acqua &

Well, the holidays are certainly over – here at VeloNews, we're hard back at it. I'm working on putting together our second Buyer's Guide, which means I'm up to my eyeballs in catalogs, price sheets and unreadable-image CDs. Our guide isn’t one of those all-inclusive publications, providing the brand and make of every single bicycle on the market – instead, it’s a selective compilation showcasing what we feel are the crown jewels and best values of 2004. So far, it's obvious that most of our pro-level road bikes incorporate carbon into their frames (if they’re not entirely built of carbon).

The Navigators cycling team is hustling to get its star sprinter squared away in time for Tuesday's start of the Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia. Race director Mike Turtur, noting that the Navigators only drew an invitation to race last month, said Russian speedster Vassili Davidenko has been encountering visa problems. "We're still hopeful,” Turtur told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “We've got him on a booking on the 16th out of New York, but I think time might be against us." Never fear, says Navigators business manager Ray Cipollini. “Yes, there has been a delay due

Dear Monique,What is the scoop on ZMA? I have been trying to find out about thisrelatively new supplement. Is it safe? Is it effective? Isn't ZMA essentiallya mixture of vitamin B6, zinc, and magnesium?DRDear Monique,In papers worldwide, there has been concern over THG and its relationshipto the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO). ZMA, a product relatedto BALCO and SNAC Systems is on the market. Is ZMA fuel safe and untaintedby illegal substances and anabolic precursors? Can you provide a breakdownof the product? Are there any benefits to taking the product? Thanks,KGDear DR and KG,ZMA

Polish rider Marek Rutkiewicz and Cofidis soigner Bogdan Madejak have been charged with illegally possessing and supplying toxic drugs. Police said Thursday that Madejak, the Polish soigner on the Cofidis staff, was held on remand while Rutkiewicz, who left Cofidis last year, was released on police bail. The 2001 world track champion Robert Sassone, who also left Cofidis last year, and Madejak's wife and pharmacist daughter were due to be brought before an investigating magistrate. The police investigation, which started eight months ago, centers on some elements of the Cofidis team. The

Marco Pantani celebrated his 34th birthday Tuesday without much hope of returning to cycling's elite level. The former Giro d'Italia and Tour de France is 15 kilos overweight and isn't expected to race this year, according to a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport. While Pantani won't officially say he's retired, his father, Ferdinando, says it's not likely 'The Pirate' will roam cycling's peloton this season. "Between 1 and 10 for him to comeback to cycling, I see it as a chance of 1," the paper quoted the racer's father. "Marco is a sensitive man and all this has been too much for

Just days after the Cofidis team presentation, the French daily L'Equipe is reporting Tuesday that a current trainer and one its former team members, Marek Rutkiewicz, are suspected of operating a "vast" drug ring between Eastern Europe and the peloton. According to reports, police acted on a tip and stopped Rutkiewicz -- a 23-year-old Polish rider formerly with Cofidis and newly signed with French team RAGT Semences-MG Rover (formerly Jean Delatour) -- at Charles de Gaulle airport Monday night in Paris. Rutkiewicz was taken into custody after police allegedly found doping paraphernalia.

Funky disco drop-outDear Lennard;Last Saturday I installed a new Kelly rigid mountain bike fork on aGunnar Ruffian. Friends at the shop were a little miffed by the drop-outson the fork. Seems that they are, in a sense, forward/upward facing. Somephone calls yielded some vague information about problems with wheels runningdisc brakes coming loose from 'standard' forks. Can you comment on thisproblem? Can you tell me if you've seen Kelly's solution to the problem and,if so, what you think of the design?Judd Dear Judd;Well, you can just barely see that the dropouts face forward on thatKelly

Britain's David Millar is relishing his appointment as the sole leader of France's number one cycling team Cofidis - and an upcoming season which he hopes to top with Olympic time trial gold. The new-look Cofidis team was unveiled here on Friday with some high-powered new additions intended to make the French outfit a serious rival for the likes of T-Mobile and Quick Step in the various one-day and stage races during the 2004 season. Australians Stuart O'Grady (Credit Agricole) and Matthew White (U.S. Postal) have joined the fold, and the team now boasts three reigning world champions –