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In a back room at the San Diego Wind Tunnel Cervélo co-founder and engineer Phil White sat at his laptop. With a phone held to his ear, he motioned to his laptop: “Which of these three shots do you think would make the best autograph card?” When you go from team sponsor to team owner, no task — down to selecting autograph cards or getting your team cars brand-wrapped in time for the Amgen Tour of California — is too small.

Two days before his debut in the Tour of California, Carlos Sastre is recovering from a bout of flu, his Cervélo team reported Wednesday. The Tour de France champion has been training in the United States ahead of his season debut, but despite the flu bug, Sastre plans to race. “It has been nearly a week since I've ridden as I was hit hard by the flu and I’m still getting over it now”, Sastre said in a team release. “Until now, my preparation was going well, but this setback will prevent me from performing as I would have liked in this American race.”.

Belgian rider Kevin Ista (Agritubel) took a win in Thursday´s third stage at the 36th Tour Méditerranéen ahead of French rider Jimmy Engoulvent (Besson Chaussures) in the shortened 70km stage. Organizers reduced the stage from 110km to 70km in a course that ran from Maubec-Coustellet to Istres. A trio pulled clear of the pack, with Ista coming up big with the victory. It was Caisse d’Epargne who placed hot potato with the leader’s jersey, passing the lead from Luis Leon Sanchez to Ivan Gutierrez. [nid:87649]

NorCal’s Ben Jacques-Maynes has been a mainstay domestic pro at the Amgen Tour of California since the race’s first edition in 2006, and he’s back for 2009. Jacques-Maynes, who hails from Berkeley but lives outside of Santa Cruz, will co-captain the Bissell squad alongside fellow time-trial specialist Tom Zirbel.

Katusha’s Toni Colom gave his newly-formed team its first overall stage race victory of the season winning, the Mallorcan Trophy, a five-stage race which ended here Thursday, for the second time. German sprinter Gerald Ciolek (Milram) claimed victory in the fifth and final stage held over 147km between Magaluf and Palmanova. Katusha, Russian-funded and the newest addition to the pro cycling peloton, dominated the race almost from start to finish.

Indonesia's Samai Samai Thursday took the fourth stage of the Tour de Langkawi, ending Mattia Gavazzi's three-stage winning streak. "I never thought that today would be the best day for me in the Tour de Langkawi," said Samai, a member of the Le Tua Cycling Team. "I'm really proud as I only had a month of practice with Le Tua in Malaysia,” he said. “This win proves that now I'm the best rider in Asia."

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ARMSTRONG ANNOUNCES TEST RESULTS, POSTED ON LIVESTRONG.COM Austin, TX, February 11, 2009--"After a thorough review of the efficiency of a separate testing program the decision has been made to transfer the comprehensive program we had planned to do with Don Catlin to Ramsus Damsgaard, a renowned anti-doping expert who runs the Astana team’s internal testing program," said Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's long-time agent and lawyer.

After starting an independent anti-doping program by taking samples at the Tour Down Under last month, Lance Armstrong and Anti-Doping Sciences Institute agreed to end the program, Oliver Catlin, the company's CEO and program manager, told VeloNews Wednesday. Catlin, the son of company founder Don Catlin, said expense was a factor, but administration of the program, coordination with other testers and communicating the results to the public also were challenges that led to the "mutual decision to end the program."

Plans to host a ProTour race in Russia this year are being waylaid by the world economic crisis. Officials from the UCI confirmed Wednesday that the planned Tour de Sochi, expected to be held sometime in May, will be pushed back until 2010. “The new UCI race is well-supported by the Russian government and motivated sponsors,” said a UCI statement released Wednesday. “However, the global economic crisis promoted organizers to delay the race.”

Last year’s Tour of California was notable for its cool, rainy weather that combined with a nasty bug going through the peloton to produce a 41 percent attrition rate for the then-eight-day race. This year, riders are hoping to avoid the infection. But there is little hope of escape from a longer, tougher, race and predicted cool, wet and windy weather. Team OUCH's Tim Johnson, known for his ability to race cyclocross in brutal conditions, says he is preparing for the toughest race of his career. "It's going to be friggin' brutal," Johnson told VeloNews Wednesday.

Pre-season strength training carries its own nutritional demands

Dear Explainer,
I just read that Alejandro Valverde is being brought before CONI in relation to Tour blood samples being linked via DNA to Puerto samples collected. I was just wondering how it is that an Italian Olympic Committee can pursue charges on a Spanish rider in relation to a Spanish investigation based on samples collected at a French event. Perhaps I'm confusing the roles of UCI and WADA, but are there not jurisdictional issues here?

Thanks for your consideration.
Gavin Eaton
Victoria, BC, Canada

Hello Gavin,
You are right.

Price: $59 to $129 Web site: www.deuterusa.com Deuter is coming out with three new hydration packs and a brand new drip-proof bit valve. The new Helix valve is standard issue with the 2009 hydration pack range and is also available on its own. The valve can be sealed shut and reopened with a twist. Even when the valve is open it should be resistant to leaking thanks to the new internal, spring-loaded plunger that seals the system.

On Saturday Lance Armstrong returns to pro racing in America. Following the Tour Down Under in January — his first stage race since coming out of retirement — Armstrong returned home to Texas for a week before heading to Astana’s Santa Rosa team camp. A few days before heading to California for the Amgen Tour, Armstrong spoke with VeloNews about his expectations for the race, his teammate and two-time race winner Levi Leipheimer, and his take on some of the other major teams in the race. VeloNews: The Tour of California starts Saturday. How are you feeling?

Spaniard Antonio Colom (Team Katusha) won the penultimate stage of the Mallorca Challenge on Wednesday and charged into the overall lead. Colom won the 143.3km stage around Bunyola in 3:54:49, 56 minutes ahead of Edvald Boasson (Team Columbia-High Road) and Jérôme Pineau (Quick Step). Colom now leads Pineau by 41 seconds going into the finale, a 147.6km leg from Magaluf to Palmanova, with Boasson third in the same time.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Wednesday summoned Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde to face charges of doping or attempting to dope in relation to the infamous Operación Puerto affair. The Caisse D'Epargne rider has been asked to appear before CONI at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on Monday. CONI said it had also informed the rider's team and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) of the summons. The summons relates to a blood-urine sample given by Valverde on July 21, during the 2008 Tour de France after a stage in Italy.

Winter-weary racers will get a taste of springtime this weekend during the 17th annual John Earley Memorial Valley of the Sun stage race. The? three-day event in and around Phoenix has traditionally been the first stage race ?for many domestic professional and elite regional teams, and the weather should be welcoming, with sunshine and temperatures in the upper 60s.

Caisse d'Epargne won stage two of the 36th Tour Méditerranéen on Wednesday, and Spaniard Luis Sanchez took over the leader’s yellow jersey from Belarussian sprinter Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux). The American Garmin-Slipstream squad took second in the 25km team time trial between Narbonne and Gruissan, with Barloworld third.

In a year of comebacks, Hayden Roulston has one of the most interesting. No doping bans, no suspicious test results. Instead, Roulston walked away from the sport’s biggest team in 2005 because his heart just wasn’t into it anymore. Six years ago, Roulston was hailed as New Zealand’s most promising talent ever. He signed on with Cofidis at the ripe age of 22, then joined Discovery Channel for the 2005 season. Everything was looking up for the tall, powerful Kiwi.

Mattia Gavazzi is on a roll. The 25-year-old Italian on Diquigiovanni-Androni won the third stage of the Tour de Langkawi on Wednesday which ended in the historic Malaysian port city of Malacca, his third victory in as many days. Australian Chris Sutton (Garmin-Slipstream) team took second place. Gavazzi, the overall race leader, won the 186-kilometer (115.58-mile) stage in four hours, 33 minutes and 29 seconds. Gavazzi won the opening stage from Putrajaya to Senawang on Monday and the second stage from Senawang to Malacca Tuesday.

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Just one day before heading out to the Amgen Tour of California, Tom Zirbel (Bissell Pro Cycling) stopped by the VeloNews offices with his Pinarello FM1 time trial bike. He was on his way out for a last day of training before joining the star-studded peloton in Sacramento for Saturday’s prologue. We got some photos and component highlights, and enjoyed a relaxed conversation with Zirbel.

The Santa Cruz premier of Road to Roubaix, a 2008 release about the fabled race over the cobbled roads of northern France, known as The Hell of the North. Get revved up for the Tour of California cycling race, which roars into Santa Cruz the next day. Also Showing these Shorts: Goodbye Tomorrow, by local filmaker Brian Vernor Millar's Tale, about Garmin-Slipstream rider David Millar NorCal High School Mountain Bike League Plus a Raffle featuring these prizes and more: A $5,000 Carbon Giant Road Bike donated by Bicycle Trip

A simple 20-minute field test can determine your power at threshold and is the best starting point for a power-based training plan. Knowing one’s threshold wattage gives you the ability to use wattage-based training zones and to understand power readout in real time on the bike. Most importantly, you will be able to analyze training data on your computer and measure your cycling improvement. What

The VELOVE Winter Bicycle Festival is about to transform downtown Santa Rosa into a bicycle wonderland during Valentines Day weekend, February 14-15. Held in conjunction with the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, VELOVE is packed with events for everyone, including bike competitions, race viewing parties, non-profit fundraising events, a pro race team signing and plenty more. It is a joint production between Bike Monkey, the City of Santa Rosa, Mainstreet and West Coast GoldSprints. To learn more and register for events, visit www.VeloveFestival.com .

The Licence Commission today granted “wild card” labels to the following 13 teams, for a period of one year: • Vorarlberg – Corratec (AUT) • Landbouwkrediet – Colnago (BEL) • Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator (BEL) • Andalucia – Cajasur (ESP) • Contentpolis – AMPO (ESP) • Barloworld (GBR) • Ceramica Flaminia – Bossini Docce (IRL) • ISD (ITA) • Skil – Shimano (NED) • Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team (NED) • Cervelo Test Team (SUI) • BMC Racing Team (USA) • Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni – Androni Giocattoli (VEN)

U.S. based pro team BMC earned wild card status from the UCI on Tuesday, but some major European teams did not, possibly ruling out starts at the major tours and ProTour events. Agritubel, Acqua e Sapone, LPR and Xacobeo did not receive the wild card label needed which allows riders access to their biological passport and hence the sport's major tours.

Free Burgers in Bonelli

The third and final stage of the Women's Tour of Qatar saw Italy’s Giorgia Bronzini triumph for the second time of the event, outsprinting her rivals to clinch the win on the Al Khor Corniche. Overall victory went to Dutch rider Kirsten Wild. As the 84 remaining riders started, only 6 seconds separated Wild from her closest Bronzini on the GC.