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It hasn’t rained all week in Treviso and that could mean that this weekend’s world cyclocross championships could be settled on what is probably the fastest world’s course since the 2002 championships in Zolder, Belgium.

The Trevosiso course is designed by former world champion Adrie Van der Poel.

The 3.25km course is expected to be fast... unless it rains.

The course begins with a 150 meter slight uphill to the finish area.

The surface is made up of a sand and gravel mix, that could muck up in wet conditions.

After a quick ride through the grandstands, the course drops onto grass...

.. and takes a long sweep through a meadow.

Riders were picking up a lot of mud on Friday.

The course turns back up a slight rise...

... and transitions back to that sandy gravel.

The world's at treviso

Another twisting route through another section of grass.

And then on to the day's biggest obstacle, a 26 percent slope

that many riders find too tough to ride.

Try to imagine the traffic jam on the first lap.

A brief rest, again on gravel.

Then comes a quick drop onto asphalt...

... and into the pits.

The world's at treviso

After the pits, a twisting ride through hill and meadow and a fast drop to the lake

A short, but steep hill, features a tough off-camber drop.

The final 200 meters features a sharp right-hander...

... and that uphill charge to the finish.

We counted 26 TV cameras on the course, including this arial trolley along the lake

As teams roll out their new squads for 2008, VeloNews.com is rolling out its new Web site, packed with new features.

Interbike could be looking at Las Vegas in a whole new way come 2009 —in the rear-view mirror. The trade show’s contract with the Sands Convention Center ends when the ’09 expo closes its doors, and Interbike industry consultant Lance Camisasca reviewed a couple of options for alternative venues — including Denver, Colorado, and Anaheim, California — during the 11th annual Bicycle Leadership Conference January 19 in San Diego, California. Camisasca said Interbike's top venue requirements include:

With a crowd of past, present and future BMX stars proudly looking on, USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson and Steve Roush of the U.S. Olympic Committee officially opened the Olympic BMX training track on January 21 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, four members of the U.S. BMX Olympic talent pool sped down the 19-foot-high starting ramp and onto the 370-meter course, which is dotted with berms and sizable jumps.

A group of roughly two-dozen women will converge on the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs on Friday to learn what they can do to encourage female leadership in cycling. They will be exposed to information from an impressive slate of attendees and speakers presenting an array of topics like health concerns for female athletes, opportunities and realities in women’s racing, as well as unique considerations when training moms.

It’s rather comical how meticulously I pack my bikes and gear for a big race trip, such as this recent adventure to Belgium. Everything is cleaned, wrapped, folded, and hermetically sealed, then put in its perfect place. However, on the return leg of trips such as this one, it’s a different story.

Could Levi Leipheimer and defending champion Alberto Contador be left out of the 2008 Tour de France because of the bad-news legacy of the Astana team? That’s what French and Spanish media reports are suggesting as the Tour de France organization mulls its invitations for the upcoming edition. Sources say lingering questions over whether Contador is linked to the Operación Puerto investigation and Astana’s scandalous legacy from 2007 might prompt Tour organizers to leave the team out of the season’s most important race when invitations are announced in the coming weeks.

The finish may still be three days away, but there's every possibility the 10th edition of the Tour Down Under will come down to the wire. And get this: The winner may well be the sprinter who can climb best.

Oscar Freire and Rabobank trainning in the south of Spain (Mojacar, Almeria)

AT&T Inc. has signed on as the presenting sponsor for the 2008 Tour de Georgia, race organizers announced Wednesday. As presenting sponsor, AT&T will own exclusive rights for communications services during the race, scheduled April 21-27. Last year, AT&T was one of the race’s “founding partner” sponsors. Its support included naming rights to the overall leader’s jersey awarded after each stage. That will continue in 2008. “AT&T is pleased to continue its involvement with the Tour de Georgia this year,” said Sylvia E. Anderson, president of AT&T Georgia.

Kona-Yourkey.com rider Ryan Trebon, the 2006 national champion and three-time Crank Brothers USGP of Cyclocross series winner, has withdrawn from this weekend’s world cyclocross championship in Treviso, Italy.

The 2008 Amgen Tour of California will boast the most comprehensive anti-doping protocol in competitive cycling, organizers proclaimed on Tuesday. The announcement comes one year after the premier U.S. stage race drew criticism for pursuing a relaxed testing campaign. “We believe that an aggressive approach to having a clean and fair race is essential to restore the credibility of top-tier bicycle racing,” said Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, during a press conference at the ADT Event Center velodrome in Carson, California.

Taylor Phinney’s pursuit win at the UCI World Cup in Los Angeles over the weekend sure makes us look smart for putting him and Danny Summerhill on our awards-issue cover. Thanks, Taylor.

USA Cycling has named the 35 cyclists eligible to represent the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games. The national governing body has selected a Long Team of eligible athletes in men's and women's mountain bike and women's road cycling. Its Talent Pool of track athletes will serve as a list of riders from which the Olympic team will named. Five women road racers met automatic nomination criteria while two were discretionary selections. Automatically named to the Long Team include Kristin Armstrong, Amber Neben, Tina Mayolo-Pic, Mara Abbott and Christine Thorburn.