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Gert Steegmans (Quick Step) wins the first stage of Paris-Nice ahead of Jerome Pineau (Bouygues Telecom) and race leader Norwegian Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole).

On a stage dominated by local riders, Health Net-Maxxis’s John Murphy took the green jersey and sits second overall after the first stage of the Tour of Taiwan. Besides Health Net, the other American team in the race is Team Type 1. Their top rider after the first stage was Emile Abraham in 25th.

One of the worst winter storms of the year ripped across central France on Monday and left the Paris-Nice peloton looking like shredded wheat in a brutal, weather-shortened first stage. Only a Belgian could be happy racing in howling crosswinds, piercing rain and plummeting temperatures, so it shouldn’t come as a complete surprise as Tom Boonen’s favorite lead-out man, Gert Steegmans, out-toughed a reduced bunch in a 40-up sprint on a steep climbing finish into Nevers to claim victory.

The Mt. Hood Cycling Classic is stepping up its efforts this year with a brand new UCI designation for the women, one of the top-ranked NRC events for the men, and two brand new stages in downtown Portland, Oregon.

New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale, today announced that it will serve as the Title Sponsor of six of the eight Urban Assault Rides™ hitting streets across America this summer. The “Pedal Powered Urban Adventure” taps into the bicycle culture that New Belgium has long embraced with events like Tour de Fat and their bike commuter advocacy program, Team Wonderbike (www.followyourfolly.com ).

Portrait of a Commuter

Virginia Tech Spring Break Training Camp

Bobbie Traksel (P3 Transfer) won the Three Days of West Flanders on Sunday after claiming victory in the third and final stage, a 186km leg beginning and ending in Ichtegem. The 26-year-old Netherlander took the final overall four seconds ahead of Belgian Niko Eeckhout (Topsport Vlaanderen) and 15 ahead of Russian Serguei Ivanov (Astana).

German prosecutors are reportedly prepared to drop charges against Jan Ullrich if the fallen cycling star cooperates with a doping inquiry and pays a one million euro fine. The report, which appears in Monday's edition of Focus magazine, suggests the tribunal in Bonn handling Ullrich's case is set to present this deal to the former T-Mobile rider's lawyers.

If it’s short, fast and flat, chances are good that Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) will be among the favorites in any opening prologue. The 30-year-old Norwegian sprinter confirmed he’s one of the peloton’s best “short course” time trial specialists Sunday with a solid four-second victory in the wet and windy 4.6km opener at the 66th Paris-Nice.

L'Espirit Road Race, L'Espirit Kentucky, Feb 2008

Working overtime off the back of the early morning paceline

Cadel Evans is one of the favorites for this year's Paris-Nice.

Cadel Evans is one of the favorites for the 2008 edition.

Paris-Nice used to be cycling’s sparkling season kickoff, a chance for the sport to shake off the winter doldrums and click fully into gear for the year’s first major stage race. The once shining “Race to the Sun” has since been transformed into the sport’s major battleground in the ugly, drawn-out power struggle between cycling’s governing body and the sport’s preeminent race organizer, Amaury Sport Organisation. At the dawn of Sunday’s prologue start of the 66th edition, the UCI and ASO are showing no signs of a last-minute cease-fire.

CSC's powerhouse Fabian Cancellara won Saturday's new Italian one-day, the Monte Paschi Eroica. The long-time amateur race, which includes miles of gravel roads, was held for the first time as a professional race last fall. The first pro edition also was won by a CSC rider, Alexandr Kolobnev.

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde of the Caisse d'Epargne team won the Tour of Murcia cycling race for the third time on Saturday. Compatriot Kolko Fernandez, riding for Euskaltel-Euskadi, won the 134.9km fifth and final stage from San Javier to Murcia. Valverde, winner in 2004 and 2007 and who stamped his mark on this year's renewal in Friday's stage, said that having achieved one of his targets for the season, he hoped it would prove to be a launchpad for the rest of his campaign.

Team Type 1 riders (from left) Phil Southerland, Tim Hargrave and Dan Eldridge check their blood glucose levels in the midst of a training camp ride.

Sunny skies were the name of the game during Team Type 1's training camp near Buellton, California.

Fresh off a 10-day training camp in the Santa Ynez Valley near Buellton, Calif., Team Type 1 is headed to the Tour of Taiwan to help Shawn Milne successfully defend his title at the seven-stage, week-long UCI 2.2 race.

The 2007 Eroica was held in the fall, after the world championships.

CSC's Alexandr Kolobnev on the attack last year at the Eroica

Alejandro Valverde pedaled himself into position Friday to win the Vuelta a Murcia for the third time. The Caisse d’Epargne rider won the decisive 23.1km climbing time trial and moved into the overall lead with just one stage remaining in the five-day stage race in Spain with his first win of the 2008 season. Valverde, who hails from the Spanish region, won the race against the clock from Alhama to Aledo in 33 minutes, 32 seconds, some two seconds faster than Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone) and six seconds faster than 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador (Astana).

Following a successful debut last year, the Monte Paschi Eroica will be held March 8 in Italy over 181km that includes seven sectors of gravel. World champion Paolo Bettini and his Quick Step-Innergetic will be among the 8-man squads taking the start, along with High Road and Slipstream-Chipotle. Last year’s edition was held in the fall in Tuscany, and was won by CSC’s Alexandr Kolobnev soon after he took second at the world championships.

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