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Ghyllebert grabs a win, but third-placed Elmiger was a big winner, too.

Elmiger moves into the lead, but it's still close.

The weather is still rougher than usual this year.

Brouchard was in the hunt for sprint points

The escapees stayed out for most of the day...

... until the chase began in earnest.

The Nav's lend a hand

Elmiger had hoped to gain time on the climb.

Menzies was not happy with the outcome

Hammer cranking it up

How'd I do, coach?

Hampton in the scratch race . . .

. . . and on the podium

Hoy in the keirin

Another view

Meares in the sprint

Meares

Quinn in the points race

Hammer en route to cracking her own U.S. pursuit record

It's Hammer time again

The arrival of Iban Mayo helps bolster Saunier Duval-Prodir as a major player going into the 2007 season and gives the Spanish team more options in the grand tours. With Gilberto Simoni focusing on the Giro d’Italia and rising star José Ángel Goméz Marchante the man for the Vuelta a España, team management can only hope the troubled Basque climber can return to the same heights he enjoyed when winning Alpe d’Huez at the 2003 Tour and the overall at the 2004 Dauphiné Libéré. “Mayo is a major ‘star’ but we have 28 riders on this team who will be able to achieve goals,” said Saunier

The on-again, off-again courtship between Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov and Jan Ullrich may be back on again, if recent press reports are to be believed. Back in November 2006, Tinkoff Credit Systems team manager Omar Piscina told Agence France Presse that title sponsor Tinkoff was "a huge fan" and wanted to sign Ullrich, but that the former Tour de France winner didn’t seem interested. "It has been more than a month since we spoke," Piscina said at the time. On Friday, during a team presentation in Moscow, Tinkov confirmed reports that he had tried to sign Ullrich and said the major

Unibet sprinter Baden Cooke underlined his early season ambitions by claiming a well-deserved victory onthe rain-soaked third stage of the Tour Down Under Friday. Cooke, a former Tour de France green jersey winner, flew first over the finish line of the 128km stage, drenched but happy having stayed true to his morning pledge to claim a win in the early part of the season. Five seconds further back was Australian Chris Jongewaard (UniSA), one of six riders contending the finale, who was initially part of a 19-man breakaway but whose powerful riding left the peloton trailing 14 minutes

Border guard: Your papers, please!Hippie: Sorry, man, all I got is a pipe.—A Child’s Garden of Grass I’ve heard it said that the French love Jerry Lewis movies. But anti-doping chief Pierre Bordry must be a Cheech and Chong fan, because he seems to be modeling his pursuit of cycling cheats on the work of Sgt. Stedenko. If salbutamol could put a wanker on a Tour podium, I’d have won eight or nine of the damn’ things by now because I’ve been an asthmatic since childhood. Alas, my various inhalers failed to land me a berth on the U.S. Olympic swimming team back in the Seventies, and a pro

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you havea comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen incycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write toWebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name andhome town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writersare encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month.The letters published here contain the opinions of the submittingauthors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policies or positionsof VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, InsideCommunications,

SAN FRANCISCO – For the first time in San Francisco, residents can use their pedal power to support the fight against cancer during PedalFest 2007. PedalFest – an Amgen Tour of California professional road cycling race pre-event – is a unique, stationary cycling fundraiser in which miles pedaled will earn matched dollars. U.S. individual time trial champion David Zabriskie of Team CSC, the No. 1 cycling team in the world and winners of the 2006 Amgen Tour of California, will join local residents as they "pedal their way" to raise money and awareness aboard stationary bikes. The event will

Mayo swaps orange of Euskaltel for yellow of Saunier Duval, but will be it enough for the maillot jaune of the Tour?

Gilberto Simoni makes a watery arrival at the team presentation. Can the aging general still muster the forces to win the Giro? Gibo says it's so.

Saunier Duval-Prodir's team presentation at the Crowne Plaza hotel was a posh affaire. The team training camp continues through the weekend before the racing season begins in earnest.

Cooke wins it under rainy skies.

A big group formed up, but no one posed a threat to Menzies's lead.

The Chocolade Jacques squad lent a hand monitoring the break

The pace started out high as escapees tried to sort out a potentially successful combination.

Vansevenant (Predictor-Lotto) tried his hand, but was caught.

Asthmatic child, or future Tour winner and notorious dope fiend?

Young Belgian Steven Caethoven swept past two-time race winner Stuart O'Grady less than 300 meters from the finish line to claim victory in stage two of the Tour Down Under Thursday. A textbook team tactic by Caethoven's Chocolade Jacques riders stunned the Australian after he had led a brave attack to close out the day's racing. CSC team leader O'Grady had worked hard throughout the day in pursuit of a stage win, a consolation of sorts after he finished Wednesday’s stage more than 26 minutes in arrears. However, O’Grady’s hopes were scuppered when Pieter Ghyllebert, one

Australian Baden Cooke is hoping that an off-the-bike battle will not prevent him unleashing the kind of form that won him the Tour de France green jersey on the European cycling scene. The 28-year-old's chances of challenging in major one-day classics, and the Tour de France, have been put in doubt because of a long-running dispute between cycling’s biggest players, and they’re not men on bikes. Cooke joined Swedish-registered Unibet last season, after leaving Francaise des Jeux. Cooke brought with him an impressive resume, including the 2003 Tour de France points jersey. Unibet

Dear Bob,I am getting ready for the new season of racing and am planning out my training schedule in preparation for the spring races. My teammateand I want to work on our leg speed and plan to motor-pace behind my car.Can I get a ticket for pacing him like this?Peter S.Eugene, OregonDear Peter,I do not recommend that you motor-pace your friend. But if youinsist, I offer the possible legal ramifications as well as some basicpacing advice. This is the classic "do as I say, not as I do" lecture.In fact, when I was racing and training, I wasn't even smart enough tolimit my motor-pacing to

Spaniard Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d’Epargne), who finished second to Floyd Landis in the 2006 Tour de France, twice tested positive for the banned substance salbutamol during the race, French newspaper Le Monde alleged Thursday on its website. Salbutamol, a substance often prescribed for asthmatics, was discovered in Pereiro's urine samples after the 14th and 16th stages, the newspaper alleged. Landis also tested positive, for a skewed testosterone-epitestosterone level, following Stage 17. Pereiro defended himself in an interview with Radio Cadena Ser in Spain, saying he used Ventolin— an

Top Australian cyclist Baden Cooke is hoping an off-the-bike row will not prevent him unleashing the kind of form that won him the Tour de France green jersey in 2003. The 28-year-old's chances of challenging in major one-day classics and the Tour may be scuppered by a dispute between cycling bosses. Cooke joined Swedish-registered Unibet last season from Française des Jeux, with whom he won the Tour points competition four years ago. Unibet became the latest addition to the UCI ProTour at the end of 2006, thus paving the way for automatic inclusion in 27 of the series' biggest

Teamwork! Caethoven grabs the win, with a little help from his friends.

O'Grady earned the title of most aggressive rider on Thursday's stage

Summertime racing in Oz.

The winning break... with four men from Chocolade Jacques in the mix.

Another day in ochre for Menzies

Clarke and Gonzalo worked hard to join up with O'Grady

For a short time, this appeared to be a winning combination.

Pereiro in the 2006 Tour, after taking the yellow jersey from Landis on Stage 13

Hushovd ended his 2006 Tour the way he began it - with a win

Cooke dons the green at the finale of the 2003 Tour

A successful early breakaway effort blew a hole in the hopes of many race favorites at Australia’s Tour Down Under on Wednesday as powerful Tasmanian rider Karl Menzies claimed one of the biggest wins of his career. The UniSA rider held off Swiss ace Martin Elmiger (Ag2r) in a sprint for the line and then exploded with joy after picking up the race leader's ochre jersey. "This is as big as it gets for me, this is the best result for a long way," beamed the big 29-year-old, who finished more than 26 minutes ahead of 93 of the race's 111 riders. “That was everything I had on Sunday at

American Cycling Association PresentsA NIGHT OF CYCLING GREATS - PAST TO PRESENTA fundraiser for American Cycling Association - Tom DanielsonJunior Cup SeriesDATE: January 17, 2007 6:30PM  Join Tom for an event to raise money and awareness for the new "TomDanielson ACA Junior Cup Series" in Boulder, Colorado. This is a new programwhich includes a series of races throughout the state. There are over tenraces in the series and each junior participant can accumulate points tocompete for the title of Junior Cup Champion at the end of the season.There are five age groups of both girls

A fund-raiser for the Tom Danielson Junior Cup Series is scheduled tonight at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, Colorado. Among the cycling luminaries scheduled to appear during "A Night of Cycling Greats, Past to Present" are Tom Danielson, Ned Overend, Andy Hampsten, Ron Kiefel, Alexi Grewal, Connie Carpenter, Michael Aisner and Dave Towle. The event, which starts at 6:30 p.m., will include a silent auction featuring race memorabilia, clothing and equipment. Aisner will provide rare footage from the Coors Classic and talk with the retired pros about their experiences racing in America and

The 2008 Tour de France cycling race, sans prologue, will start in Brittany on Saturday, July 5, going from Brest on the Atlantic coast to Plumelec, organizers announced Wednesday. The second stage will run from Auray to St. Brieuc on Sunday, July 6, while the third stage starts at St. Malo. Further details about the early stages of the 2008 Tour will be unveiled January 25 in Rennes. Discovery announces 28-man rosterDiscovery Channel has fleshed out its roster for 2007, signing Spanish climber Alberto Contador, British trackie Steve Cummings and U.S. mountain biker-turned roadie John

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you havea comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen incycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write toWebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name andhome town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writersare encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month.The letters published here contain the opinions of the submittingauthors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policies or positionsof VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, InsideCommunications,

Saul Raisin - the 25-year-old American climber who nearly died from a brain hemorrhage after a high-speed crash last April – continues to defy expectations. This week, Raisin joined his Crédit Agricole teammates for the team’s preseason camp along France’s Cote d’Azur and is laying plans for a comeback to racing this season. “I’ve just been surprising everyone, including myself on how well I am doing,” Raisin told VeloNews. “The doctors can’t believe it. Statistically, I should be dead or in a wheelchair. At first I just wanted to be able to live a normal life again. Now I think I can race

With the big squads represented in the break, the main field settled in for an easy ride.

... but it was this combination that worked.

McCauley and crew made an early dig...

O'Grady was hoping for another TDU win, but at 26 minutes back, this year's race is now just for training.

Menzies relishes his win.

The attacks shattered the lead group with less than 10km to go.

Former Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis has pleaded for cycling to get its house in order, or face losing further credibility in the eyes of an increasingly suspect public. The CSC team manager led his Danish-based team to the top of the ProTour rankings last year, despite losing his star rider, Ivan Basso, following the release of allegations from a doping investigation in Spain. Basso, last year's Giro d’Italia winner, was released by CSC. After Italian sporting authorities cleared the Italian ace, who was tipped as Lance Armstrong's successor, he has since moved to Discovery

Australian sprinter Mark Renshaw announced his aims for the five-day Tour Down Under stage race by winning a 50km inner-city criterium in Adelaide, Australia on Tuesday. The on-form Credit Agricole rider got the better of sprint heavyweight Robbie McEwen in a tight bunch finish to continue his sizzling early season form. The criterium is classified as the TDU’s “prelude,” and does not count toward the Tour’s overall classification. Hilton Clarke, of Navigators, finished second just ahead of SouthAustralia.com rider Simon Clarke, a promising 20-year-old who is no relation. Early in the race

Questions about cutting carbon, shifting problems, chain length and more

World champion Paolo Bettini skipped training in Spain on Tuesday as a precaution after smashing his left knee into his handlebars during a ride Monday, but team officials were quick to say it won’t keep the Grillo off his bike for too long. The Quick Step-Innergetic captain donned his rainbow jersey and rode for about 10 minutes during the team rollout Tuesday morning to pose for pictures for the assembled media, but quickly returned to the team hotel to rest the knee. “It’s nothing serious, but we don’t want to take any unnecessary risks,” said team spokesman Alessandro Tegner. “It’s

While professional road teams are blowing the dust off their bikes and drowsily congregating for early-season training camps, the international cyclo-cross circuit is reaching its boiling point. With less than two weeks until the UCI world championships in Hooglede-Gits, Belgium, the pecking order in European ‘cross is in its final days of firming up, and North America’s top riders have taken different approaches to preparing for the final push. Over the past several years the "Christmas ‘Cross" series from late December through early January has become something of a "must" race for all

LOS ANGELES, January 16, 2007 – Joining previously announced DiscoveryChannel Pro Cycling Team, Team CSC, Predictor-Lotto and Health Net ProCycling Team, 14 additional teams, including U.S. teams Toyota-United ProCycling Team, Jelly Belly Cycling Team and Colavita/Sutter Home Presentedby Cooking Light Team, have been confirmed for the 2007 Amgen Tour of Californiaby AEG, promoter and operator of the professional cycling race.  The650-mile, eight-day stage race, modeled after the Tour de France, willfeature 18 of the world’s top professional teams racing from San Franciscoto Long Beach

Renshaw surprised even himself with the win.

A fast summer day in Adelaide.

Robbie's new kit.

Bettini will take Tuesday off and make a decision on Wednesday

Trebon is back Stateside training after suffering a nagging illness

Veterans Robbie McEwen and Stuart O'Grady are among the favorites whenthey saddle up for Australia's Tour Down Under on Wednesday. Sprint king McEwen is well known for his exploits at the Giro d'Italiaand his three points jersey wins at the Tour de France. But McEwen, whowill debut his Predictor-Lotto team's new pink and black jersey this week,has big obstacles to overcome if he hopes to extend his record tally of11 stage wins at this five-day home race. The Belgium-based Australianfailed to win any stages last year, when the speed of Allan Davis, ridinghere for the UniSA

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you havea comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen incycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write toWebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name andhome town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writersare encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month.The letters published here contain the opinions of the submittingauthors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policies or positionsof VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, InsideCommunications,

Our latest reader-submitted Photo Gallery has been posted, along with a special year-end gallery, featuring contest winners from throughout 2006. Of course, a new gallery also means the naming of the winner of ourmost recent contest. Take the time to wander through that gallery and see if you agree or disagree with our choice of winners this week. This time around, we found Jeff Sakacsi’s “Hillsboro USGP,” nicely captures the frantic environment of a muddy day mired in the middle of the field at a ‘cross race. Congratulations Jeff. Nice work. Please drop us a note at

USA Cycling has released the dates for the inaugural Mountain-Bike Racing Calendar (MBRC), which features competition in three individual categories: cross country, gravity and ultra-endurance. Cross country events include cross-country, short-track, time-trial and stage races; gravity includes downhill, four cross, dual slalom and Super D; and ultra endurance includes 100-mile, 12-hour, 24-hour and marathon cross-country races.The calendar, modeled after USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC) on the road side, features 53 races at 37 individual events. The total prize purse for the 53