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Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has been training with new Astana teammate Alberto Contador in the Canaries, his team announced on Wednesday. On Monday, the 37-year-old Armstrong revealed his intention to ride in the 2009 Tour de France after a four-year absence. An Astana spokesperson told AFP that "Contador rode in Armstrong's group for almost an hour", before the Spaniard took a plane to Madrid to receive a prize from sport paper AS on Wednesday night. The two stars of the Astana team trained in separate groups on Tuesday.

The final two weekends of 'cross racing in the United States are upon us and when I think back to Star Crossed in September, just one week after finishing the Tour of Missouri and a long road season, it’s hard to remember all the racing up to this point. This 'cross season has been packed with travel and races every weekend. So, as we barrel down to the final and most important weeks of the season, it’s really awesome to think back on some of the great battles we’ve all had against one another.

Although he is only three days into the Astana team’s first pre-season training camp on the island of Tenerife, Lance Armstrong has already shown team manager Johan Bruyneel that he will be ready for the new season. “Yeah, he’s in good shape,” said Bruyneel when the team returned to base after their third training spin of the camp, a three and a quarter hour ride, which according to the Belgian included "a few hills, but nothing special."[nid:85556]

Dear Explainer,
Whenever I read about Floyd Landis’ disqualification from the Tour de France it’s always referred to as the first rider to be “stripped of his title of his title for a doping violation.” Why the qualification? Isn’t he just the first guy to lose the Tour after the fact, period?
Jon Byrnes
Bloomington, Indiana

Sara Carrigan, an Olympic road champion in 2004, has announced her retirement from professional cycling, Cycling Australia reported on Wednesday. The 28-year-old Carrigan represented Australia at eight world championships, two Commonwealth Games and two Olympic Games. Four years ago in Athens she won gold in the road race. Carrigan was twice Australian champion in the road time trial and won a clutch of victories in international races around the world.

Price: $95 to $125[nid:85546][nid:85548] Web site: www.sanmarcovintage.com In the world of cycling, fashion is determined by small details that are typically overlooked by the "noobs" and those not involved in the sport. One of the more subtle, yet convincing ways to step up your cycling fashion is with a classy saddle.

Matching your tire to a course’s conditions is a key to achieving the best possible result. There are currently three major tubular tire manufacturers that design, manufacture and produce complete tire lines: Challenge, Dugast and Tufo. Each manufacturer’s line is made up of three models — file tread, all-condition and mud — in a multitude of sizes.

Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong will train together for the first time on Thursday, their Astana team said. On Tuesday, the two former Tour de France champs trained in separate groups in a session that began on Sunday on the island of Tenerife. "We have groups each day, one with the best prepared cyclists and the other with the least prepared," an Astana spokesman said. The two are to train together "in theory” on Thursday.

Katie Compton, four-time national champion and worlds silver medalist, does not have a component sponsor. Compton and her mechanic husband Mark Legg, are not entirely pleased about this state of affairs, but the pair does enjoy the freedom to choose the parts they prefer.

For American cyclocrosser Katie Compton, the pieces are coming together in her long pursuit of a world 'cross championship, a chase she hopes to conclude successfully Feb. 1 in Hoogerheide, Netherlands. Compton, who turns 30 on Wednesday, says she feels stronger than ever this season — and she's been racing bicycles since she was 10 years old.

Ryan Trebon (Kona) and Georgia Gould (Luna) lead the national standings after 34 events on the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Calendar. This past weekend saw Jamey Driscoll (Cyclocrossworld.com-Cannondale) and Maureen Bruno-Roy (MM Racing-Seven Cycles) win the UCI C2 Bay State Cyclocross on Saturday in Sterling, Massachusetts.

Olympian Sarah Hammer will be riding for the newly established UCI professional cycling team, Hawk Relay Cycling in 2009. The two-time world champion has signed a two-year contract with the team that will see her racing in domestic competitions, the Pan-American Championships, World Cups and World Championship events. Hammer, 25 of Temecula, California, has won two world championships in the 3km pursuit as well as seven World Cup gold medals.

From Michael Ball, Rock Racing Team Owner Culver City, Calif. – “Whenever a rider is suspended – be it for doping or any disciplinary issue – it brings negative attention to the sport that so many of us are working hard to cast in a positive light.”

Do I need wedges under my cleats?

December 1, 2008 Sean Petty Chief Operating Officer USA Cycling 1 Olympic Plaza, ??Colorado Springs, CO 80909 Dear Mr. Petty:

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y) has stepped up to support the Tour of the Battenkill’s application to ?be included in the 2009 UCI America Tour. In mid-November, despite authorization from the UCI for a late application, USA Cycling declined to review promoter Dieter Drake’s bid to replace the Tour of Georgia on the UCI America Tour.

What brings a team together? CSC’s boot camps are legendary. Often teams bring in consultants that help with “team building” activities. Ropes courses are status quo. A little trust-tree action from time to time is surely part of the deal. Last year on Garmin we realized that while all of this is well and good, and does form solid ties, we found something even better — booze, and bar-food-fueled attempts to stimulate Boulder’s nocturnal economy.

Dear Lennard,
I'm a 39-year-old, 175 lb., 150-200 miles-per-week recreational rider who frequently rides long charity rides and occasionally races. I recently switched to Specialized Armadillo Elite tires to avoid a rash of flats I'd been having, and they've worked wonders (no flats at all since the switch.) I had most recently been riding Schwalbe Stelvios, and Michelin Lithions prior to them.

Check out CyclingTips's author page.

Massachusetts-based CCB International has announced its team roster for the 2009 season. Sponsors: Time Bicycles, Time pedals, Belmont Wheelworks, Giro Helmets, Marblehead Cycle, Michelin, Sigma Sport Computers, Mavic wheels, Clif Bars, Clif Blocks, Northwave Shoes. Elite Road team roster: Amos Brumble Cat 1 age 31 Westerly, RI Jeffrey Craddock Cat 2 age 26 Barnstable, Ma

A three-member arbitration panel has suspended Rock Racing rider Kayle Leogrande for two years, after concluding that he used EPO during last year's Super Week, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Monday. The independent panel of arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association (AAA)/North American Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) unanimously found that Leogrande, 31, used EPO when competing at Superweek on July 26, 2007. Leogrande, who has the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport, said he was not yet prepared to respond to the panel’s decision.

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America's seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong announced on Monday that he will be trying for an unprecedented eighth Tour title as well as his first win at the Giro d'Italia. The 37-year-old Texan had been thought to be solely focusing on the Giro, but said on Monday that he also intends to take on the Tour in July. "Lance Armstrong announces his participation in the 2009 Tour de France," announced his Astana team on its Web site.

The weather for Storm the Greens was not stormy, but it was ‘cross weather — temperatures in the low 40s, spitting rain, and wind. But that didn't deter the 200-plus racers who came out to vie for Zipp OVCX Tour points and Kentucky State Championship medals. In the Elite Men's race, Ryan Knapp (BikeReg.com) continued his string of dominating performances. Knapp separated himself from a lead group of four after two laps and never looked back.