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Cofidis' Rik Verbrugghe broke his clavicle in a fall Saturday in the Clasica San Sebastian. The Belgian, 34, fell in the first part of the race. A former stage winner in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, Verbrugghe has suffered numerous health problems in recent seasons, notably a fall in the 2006 Tour that left him with a broken leg. This year Verbrugghe left the Giro in the first week with a wrist injury.

Italy's Damiano Cunego, still feeling the effects of a fall in the Tour de France, on Saturday pulled out of the Olympic road race event in Beijing, his Lampre team announced. He finished 36th in Saturday's Clásica San Sebastián, more than nine minutes behind winner Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), as he returned to competition after pulling out of the Grand Boucle three days before the end. "I was having bad sensations when going uphill," the reigning Amstel Gold race champion said. "I had problems breathing and a persistent headache."

The International Cycling Union (UCI) on Saturday confirmed it has granted Australia a second starting place in the men's Olympic road time trial with Cycling Australia saying it had gratefully accepted following discussions with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC). Cadel Evans was originally down as the sole Aussie rider but then withdrew last Tuesday because of a knee injury, ceding his berth to three-time world champion, Michael Rogers.

Caisse d'Epargne's Alejandro Valverde won Saturday's Clásica San Sebastián by outsprinting a group of about ten riders including Davide Rebellin, Paolo Bettini, Franco Pellizotti, Denis Menchov and Samuel Sánchez. The group formed after Bettini's Quick Step team put the hammer down in the final kilometers, leading into the Cat. 3 Alto de Arkale climb 16km from the finish. Bettini attacked twice on the climb and whittled the peloton down to about a dozen riders.

One week after Mont St. Anne, the World Cup circus moved a couple of hours west to Bromont for the next round of racing. This is round seven for the cross-country and round five for the gravity events of Four-Cross and Downhill. As was the case at Mont St. Anne, there has been lots of rain all week, so the ground is soaked through. Sections of the Downhill and Four-Cross courses had to be closed to training and the cross-country had one section removed, all due to the mud. Cross-country

Saturday's Clásica San Sebastián is Spain's major one-day classic, the first major race since the end of the Tour de France, and an important Olympic road race tune up. As such, the 225-kilometer race features a stellar line-up, with starters including Carlos Sastre, Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Paulo Bettini and Davide Rebellin, among others. (full rosters below). The course is famous for its Jaizkebel climb, a Cat. 1 toughy that comes about 40km from the finish and the Cat. 3 Alto de Arkale, just 16km from the end.

Neal Henderson is the Sport Science Manager at Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. He is a USA Cycling certified coach and works with a diverse clientele at BCSM. He has been Taylor Phinney’s personal coach since 2006 and will is traveling with Phinney and his family in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. "Votre hard-drive ne marche pas ... c'est morte" is something that I didn't want to hear today.

Frenchman Sandy Casar confirmed Saturday that he has extended his Francaise des Jeux team contract by two years. The 29-year-old, who turned professional in 2000, was the top French finisher in this year's Tour de France where he placed 14th. Casar won the 18th stage of last year's Tour de France, and was second in the 16th stage this year at Jausiers behind compatriot Cyril Dessel of Ag2r.

A combination of timing, tactics and sheer leg power on a climb that will be raced seven times during the men's Olympic road race is a must for any cyclist aiming for gold in Beijing. But the climbers in the peloton will do better if they can also close out the day with a formidable sprint. The men's Olympic road race will finish near the Great Wall on August 9 and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde will be hoping to live up to his childhood nickname of El Imbatido (the unbeaten one) when he challenges Italy's formidable reigning champion Paolo Bettini.

The Crédit Agricole team has not found a new sponsor and team director Roger Legeay has given team riders free rein to pursue contracts for next season. The bank that has supported the team since 1998 is ending its sponsorship after this season. Legeay has been trying to line up a replacement, but recent negotiations with potential sponsors were not successful. Legeay told AFP that his top riders have told him they will hold off signing with another team until after August 15.

Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, welcome the NRC crowd this weekend with a pair of crits. Charlotte

FUNDRAISER AT DENVER’S TABLE 6 TO SUPPORT 5280 JUNIOR CYCLING PROGRAM

GEARGRINDER Launches New Cycling Inspired Apparel Website Milwaukee, WI – GEARGRINDER, a new cycling-inspired apparel company created by four avid cyclists, has officially launched its new e-commerce site at www.gear-grinder.com . While the GEARGRINDER "Cycling Inspired Apparel for Your Active Lifestyle" brand draws its inspiration from the cycling culture, the offerings on the website appeal to cyclists and non-cyclists alike as the clothing line is intended for "off the bike" wear.

The 4th Six Days of Burnaby -- Bigger and Better than Ever! Burnaby, BC _ The Burnaby Velodrome continues to lead the charge to bring professional Six Day racing back to North America. This year's Six Day will take place December 29 through January 3 and will feature more prizes, bigger crowds, and a larger cash purse. The event will showcase separate Pro and Amateur fields, plus will provide high-octane entertainment with an Invitational Sprint & Keirin Tournament!

The Wisconsin Cycling Series, which spanned a two-day weekend in 2008, is expanding in 2009 into a multi-day format of professionally-produced, high energy cycling events, as the result of a new joint venture between two seasoned Milwaukee-area cyclists and multi-sport event promoters.

Kinetic Koffee of Arcata, CA announced today that it will donate a percentage of all coffee sales in the month of August to World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to independence and livelihood through The Power of Bicycles in impoverished areas throughout the world.

Norwegian sprinter Thor Hushovd, a stage winner in last month's Tour de France, on Friday pulled out of the Beijing Olympics, citing health problems. "It's stupid and very bitter but I have to think of my health. I struggled on the Tour de France and I was sick," the 30-year-old Hushovd, who races for Crédit Agricole, told Norwegian agency NTB. "I wanted to compete, but like I explained to the team doctor, I need rest."

Shortly after the official result sheet of last Saturday’s Tour de France time trial was dropped on my table at the pressroom in St. Amand-Montrond, I made an interesting discovery. All but one of the riders who had just taken the top 15 places in the challenging 53km test either represent teams that have a strong internal anti-doping program (CSC-Saxo Bank, Garmin-Chipotle and Team Columbia) and/or are members of the Movement for Credible Cycling (Gerolsteiner, Rabobank, Garmin and Columbia).

Shimano has formally announced plans to release Dura-Ace Di2, a new electronic shifting option for the all-new 7900 series Dura-Ace, in January. Composed of dual control shift/brake levers, front derailleur, rear derailleur, a wiring harness and battery pack, the new Dura-Ace Di2 7970 components integrate with components from the upcoming 7900 series Dura-Ace group, while adding only 68 grams.

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