All Content
The Explainer – Of rules, jerseys and blood
Is it a fix?
Dear Explainer,First, let me say that I have huge respect for Levi Leipheimer, as a hard-working sportsman and as a classy human being. He is most certainly the strongest guy at this year’s Amgen Tour of California. However, I know I didn’t dream that first stage. I know that the radios crapped the bed and the dream team let two minutes get away from them. It happened. Mancebo, who nobody likes any more, and this kid Nibali, that nobody in California knows about yet earned themselves a real shot at the GC. It happened.
Tech editor Zack Vestal takes a look at Mark Cavendish’s Scott Addict SL
Tuesday's stage marked the first bunch sprint of the Tour of California, with Thor Hushovd taking the win and Mark Cavendish in fifth. Cav’s leadout seemed to leave him without a good wheel to follow, but his 2009 Scott Addict SL was well prepared for the expected bunch gallop. Prior to the stage, we had a few minutes to catch up with Columbia-High Road team mechanic Nick Vandecauter, who gave us a quick tour of the Cavendish machine.
From rain to snow?
Today’s stage of the Amgen Tour of California may be free of rain, but snow in the high country may force a re-routing of the course, VeloNews managing editor Neal Rogers reports from the start in Merced.
Northwave to supply Team BMC with shoes
Northwave, the Italian based cycling company, is proud to announce its partnership with BMC Professional Cycling Team for the 2009 season. This is a product-based sponsorship combined with a retail-based partnership.
AToC Stage 4: Into the Sierras (sort of)
With sunshine at the start Wednesday morning, and no rain in the forecast for stage 4 of the Amgen Tour of California, the 117 riders who have survived the storms are ready to discard their wet-weather gear and make the racing even more animated than it has been. “It’s been brutal, it’s been true NorCal weather for the last three or four days, and everybody’s hurting,” race leader Levi Leipheimer said Tuesday night. “The forecast’s better so we’re really looking forward to that.”
2009 AToC stage 3, Live Coverage archive
- 12:00 PM: Good day and welcome
to VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the third stage of the Amgen Tour of California, a race scheduled to cover 104.2 miles from San Jose to Modesto.
Spanish court seeks to block CONI case
A court in Spain moved Wednesday to block an investigation by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) into doping allegations against Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde, judicial sources said. Valverde has been summoned to appear before the committee, CONI, at Rome's Olympic Stadium on Thursday to face charges related to the Operación Puerto doping scandal which erupted in Spain in 2006. The summons is the result of a blood and urine sample given by the Caisse d'Epargne rider last year during an Italian stage stop in the Tour de France.
The ride to Modesto
Gustav Larsson completed stage 3 of the Tour of California under control and with no major mishaps or issues. He was in charge of protecting his Team Saxo Bank sprinter Juan Jose “JJ” Haedo.
Coors boss: California is a great evolution
The conversation about the magnitude and importance of the Amgen Tour of California and the Coors Classic has been improperly phrased, says the former director of the latter. It’s not a matter of one being better than the other, but instead a linear and encouraging progression of American bike racing. Standing at the finish line, Aisner was chatting away with old friends and new ones. With an ear-to-ear smile, he was clearly delighted to witness the biggest names in the sport roar across the line.
The Biggest Loser – Week 6
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
Looking For Inspiration?
Check out CyclingTips's author page.
One stolen Astana bike turns up, proto-SRAM shifters revealed, and McQuaid arrives to explain new TT rule
Cancellara’s eyewear
A sharp-eyed reader pointed out that Fabian Cancellara won the prologue while wearing Oakley Radar glasses with a unique look. Steve Blick, sports marketing guru at Oakley, explained what we were seeing.Leipheimer crash series
Photographer Casey B. Gibson was taking some shots of some Garmin-Slipstream riders in the peloton Tuesday when, as Casey tells it, "Levi bounced into the frame." The Amgen Tour of California race leader was riding behind a cluster of his teammates when he bumped into Lance Armstrong's rear wheel and fell. Leipheimer bounced up, got a new bike and his teammates quickly helped pace him back to the peloton.