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No one who saw the dramatic highlights reel the Amaury Sports Organization presented on Thursday will say that the organizers of the Tour de France are downplaying the doping that has so undermined the event’s image. The eight-and-a-half-minute video, which played at the unveiling of the 2007 route, began and ended with the subject of doping, just as the three-week race did last July. There were 40 seconds of footage of the chaotic disqualifications of so many top riders at the start of the race (allegedly snared in the Spanish Operacion Puerto doping plot) and 40 seconds more of Floyd

Manolo Saiz, the team manager implicated in the Operación Puerto doping investigation, was told on Friday that his ProTour license remains valid for the time being at least. The decision to allow Saiz to provisionally continue operating was taken by the Union Cycliste Internationale's licensing commission. But in a statement the UCI made clear its displeasure at the lack of vital information from the Spanish authorities heading Operación Puerto to help it in its ruling on Saiz. Operación Puerto is the wide-ranging police inquiry into an alleged blood doping network run by Madrid-based

The Italian cycling federation dropped doping allegations against Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso on Friday. The organization upheld the Italian Olympic Committee's recommendation that the case against Basso be dismissed, the federation said in a statement. Basso was excluded from this year's Tour de France after being linked to the Spanish Operacion Puerto doping investigation. "It's the right outcome," Basso's lawyer, Massimo Martelli, told The Associated Press. "More than being happy, we feel it was deserved."

Michigan CX circuit visits the ‘Devil’s Soup Bowl’Michigan cyclo-crossers will be in for an extra helping of pain and suffering on Sunday as the state series visits the "Devil’s Soup Bowl," better known as Veterans Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The park, with its natural amphitheater layout, has featured run-ups of 75 to 100 meters, sections incorporating deteriorated flights of cement stairs, off-camber switchback climbs with 15 percent grade, and muddy sections of soft grassy soil. Sunday’s race promises more of the same, including last year’s "L’Alpe d’Huez" section of

Pereiro cautions that Landis is still the official winner.

Karen, we're going to miss you.

Brrrr . . . .

Prudhomme announcing the 2007 Tour route

Livingstone has high hopes for the Tour start in London

Veterans Park

Newly-installed Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said there was no alternative to producing a “clean” winner of next year's race after unveiling the 2007 route in Paris on Thursday. This year's edition was beset by doping controversies, which were compounded by a Spanish doping investigation which embroiled top riders Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso. Combined, they have left the sport fighting for its credibility. The winner of the race's yellow jersey, American Floyd Landis, added to the scandal when he tested positive for testosterone on stage 17. Having proclaimed his

Bob,I have a question regarding riding at night. I'm a Minnesota commuter and commute using a generally accepted excellent setup – a Niterider 15 watt headlight with a Niterider blinking taillight. But Minnesota statutes 169.222 subsection 6 says:(a) No person shall operate a bicycle at nighttime unless the bicycle or its operator is equipped with a lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector of a type approved by the Department of Public Safety which is visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEVeloSwap Denver to Feature Four Author AppearancesAttendees can get new bike components and learn about bike maintenance,bike fit, and trainingBoulder, CO, October 26, 2006 — VeloSwap is pleased to announce four author events at this weekend's Denver VeloSwap.Four VeloPress authors will answer questions and autograph books on bikemaintenance and repair, bike fitting, and training. The Denver VeloSwapis the largest bike swap in the country, drawing over 10,000 swappers and400 vendors.Lennard Zinn, VeloNews magazine Technical Editor and master framebuilder, will present

A bright, vibrant light has gone out in the cycling community as well asin the community of cancer survivors.Karen Hornbostel, a four-time master’s national road champion and recipientof the 2003 Lance Armstrong Spirit of Survivorship award passed away peacefullyat home in Littleton, Colorado, surrounded by family and friends on Tuesday,October 24, eight days past her 54th birthday. She had battled metastaticbreast cancer for over 13 years. Hornbostel made a difference in the cyclingcommunity with her devotion to improving opportunities for women in cyclingas well as with her infectious wit

The route for 2007

Prudhomme unveils the 2007 route and demands a clean race.

London mayor Ken Livingstone and Prudhomme say the '07 Tour will offer a unique set of features and challenges.

Karen (right) with her good friend Beth Wrenn-Estes

Karen with friends who bought her a scooter when bike riding became too difficult for her

Oscar Pereiro is frustrated at suggestions that Tour de France officials are considering leaving the 2006 Tour without an official winner. Faced with the unsavory prospect of seeing winner Floyd Landis disqualified for doping, Tour officials are reportedly considering leaving the 2006 results as they stand, without an official winner and runner-up Pereiro staying where he is in the No. 2 spot. An angry Pereiro said he wouldn’t race next year in the Tour if Landis can’t win in his legal battle to clear his name and he wasn’t awarded the overall victory. “I don’t have a lot of information

Some rant-readers aren’t too SwiftEditor:I wondered all weekend if anyone would get Patrick O'Grady's last rant. I knew there would be a few who would play the role of the outraged Englishman, but I thought at least one person would check the link. I'll just blame the lack of recognition on crumbling schools and Lilliputian library budgets. Maybe you had to be raised in an Irish household to get this one. A pint of the black for my man O'Grady. Courtney ConnellyTucson, Arizona You want fries with your Mick-baby sandwich?Editor:Am I the only one who noticed the link to

One-time Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich on Wednesday denied that he is being investigated in Spain as part of the Spanish doping probe dubbed Operación Puerto. Ullrich was fired by his T-Mobile team this year after being barred from competing in the Tour de France after Spanish investigators offered evidence which suggested he was involved in doping. The 32-year-old is said to have been given the blood-boosting drug EPO, human growth hormone, steroids and blood transfusions by Madrid-based physician Eufemio Fuentes, the apparent head of a doping ring, but denies knowing him. "Jan

I ’m in seat 14B right now on a return flight to Denver and since I’m notmuch into watching “The Lake House” with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves,and the woman sitting behind me seems to be having a wrestling match withher tray table which is keeping me awake, I decided to kill some flighttime by recapping my weekend travels. On Friday, my girlfriend Heather and I traveled to Baltimore, Marylandwhere her folks, who live close by, picked us up and let us use their houseas our home base for the first weekend in the Verge MAC Cyclocross Series. The first two races in the very popular

The directors of ProTour cycling teams meeting in Paris this week are calling for the use of DNA evidence to identify doping cheats involved in the Operación Puerto scandal. The directors want all cyclists implicated in the Spanish affair to agree to take DNA tests that would categorically prove whether or not their blood samples were held in the laboratory owned by Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes. "All the teams will ask their riders to agree before January 1, 2007, to the UCI (International Cycling Union) using DNA testing if necessary, particularly in the Puerto affair," a spokesperson for the

The Council of Europe nominated French sports minister Jean-Francois Lamour for president of the World Anti-Doping Agency on Wednesday. The 46-nation body endorsed Lamour, a two-time Olympic fencing champion, to succeed Dick Pound, whose term as WADA's president expires next year. Lamour is regarded as one of Europe's most outspoken officials on doping. Lamour, a gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and four years later in Seoul, became Sports Minister in 2002. The council confirmed Danish sports minister Brian Mikkelsen as a candidate to WADA's executive

Bicycle Pedals Recalled by Time Sport International Due to Fall HazardNEWS from CPSCU.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionOffice of Information and Public AffairsWashington, DC 20207 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 25, 2006Release #07-014 Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 240-8051CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908 Bicycle Pedals Recalled by Time Sport International Due to FallHazard WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recallof the following consumer product.

Pereiro might not be declared the winner of the 2006 Tour, even if Landis is bumped from the top spot.

Every home needs is own cyclocross course viewing tower, right?

Me, Italian Davide Frattini, Tim Johnson and Geoff Kabush

Future crossers wrestling for position in the sand pit.

Cycle-Ops Fluid 2 trainers conveniently located next to the keg.

How do I open this thing?

Press Release: Time announces pedal recall

In what Health Net is describing as a “rebirth,” the team announced the addition of ProTour riders Ryder Hesjedal and Rory Sutherland for 2007 following the departures of Gord Fraser, Mike Sayers and Scott Moninger. The moves are part of sweeping changes for the team that includes seven new riders coming onboard for next year. “Both guys have started and finished grand tours, and they have a lot of experience racing at the top level in Europe,” said Jeff Corbett, sport director for Health Net presented by Maxxis. “(Ryder’s) a good time trialist and a strong climber. He and Nathan (O’Neill)

Don’t expect to see many of cycling’s marquee names at Thursday’s unveiling of the 2007 Tour de France route.Unlike most years, when the October presentation typically draws racing’s glitterati, VeloNews has learned that several major stars are staying away in droves from the annual ceremony.One major rider told VeloNews that racers are boycotting the ceremony in the wake of the ongoing spat between the UCI and the organizers of cycling’s most important three-week tours. In a similar protest, riders also boycotted the podium ceremony following the season-closer at Giro di Lombardia earlier

The UCI called on the World Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday to intervene in a dispute with Spanish authorities over the probe into the Operacion Puerto doping scandal. A Spanish judge told the UCI on October 3 that documents from the investigation could not be used for disciplinary action by sporting authorities until he concludes his work. "The UCI believes that WADA, which has often invoked its prominent position in relations between political authorities and sports bodies, must now assume its responsibilities," the federation said in a statement. The UCI said it was counting on the

Hesjedal at this year's Volta a Cataluyna - before Phonak unraveled

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.O'Grady's terrible proposalEditor,I think rules and laws are meant to set a precedence for future behaviorsand actions which may guide us and our activities to within what is reasonableto save us from ourselves from reverting back to the animals we are withoutconsciousness or

Given the doubts surrounding 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, thestill uncertain fallout from the Operación Puerto dopinginvestigation and the grand tours continuing power struggle with the UCIProTour, this Thursday’s 2007 Tour de France presentation in  Pariscan only be contentious. It’s rumored that Landis won’t even get a mention in this year’s Tourvideo produced by race organizer ASO, while a big asterisk will replacehis name in the official list of winners. And, like last year, new racedirector Christian Prudhomme will no doubt have some strong words to sayabout the sport’s

Ryan Trebon (Kona) and Katie Compton (Spike Professional-Primus Mootry) did it again on Sunday as the Verge MAC Cyclocross Series moved north for round two of its 2006 campaign. The Wissahickon Cyclocross, held at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair Ground, offered a course that was more windswept and less steep than the one the two ruled on Saturday at Granouge Estate near Wilmington, Delaware. And the racing proved different, too — in the women’s race, at least. Canadian champ Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) and Compton quickly gapped U.S. mountain-bike champion Georgia Gould

Riders may not thank them for it but organizers of the often-epic Paris-Roubaix spring classic have decided to add another cobbled section to next year's race. The famed classic, also known as the “Hell of the North” and characterized by its multiple crashes and mud-splattered finishers, Paris-Roubaix, held on April 15 next year, is one of the cornerstones of single-day racing. Last year's winner, Fabian Cancellara, deposed Belgian favorite Tom Boonen to lift the fabled cobblestone trophy aloft after seeing some of his rivals snared by a train's level crossing. Next year, the

At the helm: Just where will Christian Prudhomme be leading the Tour next July?

Barnholt

Obye

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEVeloSwap Denver to Feature Lennard Zinn Bike Maintenance Clinic VeloSwap attendees can get new bike parts and then learn installationtechniques from a master bike technician Boulder, CO, October 22, 2006 — VeloNews magazine TechnicalEditor and master framebuilder Lennard Zinn will present a one hour clinicon bike maintenance at the VeloSwapDenver Special Events Stage on Saturday, October 28 at 11:00 a.m.VeloSwap attendees can upgrade their bikes with new components availableat VeloSwap, the world's largest consumer bike swap, and then learn installation,repair, and

Commonwealth Games cycling silver medalist Hayden Roulston defied his doctors to win the New Zealand road title Sunday in Dunedin, two months after being told he has a life-threatening heart condition. The 25-year-old claimed he was "100 percent cured" but refused to disclose details of his treatment. Roulston was told by his cardiologist two months ago to quit riding after he was diagnosed with the heart disease arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. "I wanted to prove a point and show everyone that I was back," Roulston said after the race. "So I rode really conservatively at the

Belgian national champion Sven Nys won round two of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Sunday in Kalmthout, Belgium, riding away from breakaway partner Francis Mourey of France on the final lap of the hour-long event. Nys (Rabobank) thus solidified his hold on the overall World Cup lead, having also won the opening round October 1 in Aigle, Switzerland. On Sunday, Nys and Mourey (Française des Jeux) joined Czech rider Zdenek Mlynar in setting an early lead in the 10-lap race. With four laps remaining, however, Mlynar faded back and then rolled a tire, completely falling out of contention. Up

Angel Fire, N.M. (October 22, 2006)-Fort Lewis College completedits sweep of all four Division I men's events at the 2006 USA Cycling CollegiateMountain Bike National Championships as Chris Heath won Sunday's downhillcompetition to secure the overall Division I title for Fort Lewis College- its third championship in the last four years. Fort Lewis Collegeearned a total of 698 points to edge defending champion University of Coloradoby 25 points. After the men's squad won the short track and 4-cross eventsFriday and the cross country race Saturday, Heath clocked a winning timeof 5

The podium

The Austrian cycling federation is prepared to help former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich, currently under investigation for doping, by issuing him with a professional license. Ullrich is currently without a team and fighting off doping allegations which came in the wake of a Spanish doping investigation dubbed Operación Puerto. The Swiss-based Ullrich, who has denied doping and also any link to the Spanish investigation, split with the Swiss cycling federation on Thursday. The 32-year-old winner of the 1997 Tour de France insisted the split does not mean the end of his career. Now

Final standings are in from the 2006 Women’s Prestige Cycling Series (www.womencyclists.com),and showing the parity in domestic women’s road racing, four differentteams took category titles. At September’s Hurricane Florence-shortenedCD&P Bermuda Grand Prix, Webcor-Platinum came from behind to claimthe team title, while an absent world time-trial champion Kristin Armstrong(Lipton) retained her individual lead. The Women’s Prestige Cycling Series began at the Nature Valley GrandFinal 2007 NRC RankingIndividual Women1. Tina Pic, Colavita-Cooking Light, 2106 points2. Kristin Armstrong, Lipton,

Angel Fire, N.M. (October 21, 2006)--Fort Lewis College won itsthird consecutive event at the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain BikeNational Championships Saturday as Friday's shorttrack winner, Alex Hagman, won the 18-mile Division I men's cross countryrace.  Other key performances were turned in by the University ofArizona who placed first and second in the Division I women's cross countryevent and Colorado College who claimed the top-two spots in the DivisionII men's cross country contest.After Hagman captured the short track title Friday and teammates EricRansom and

Katie Compton (Spike Professional-Primus Mootry) and Ryan Trebon (Kona) overpowered their respective fields on Saturday at the UCI C1 Cyclocross at Granogue Estate near Wilmington, Delaware. The start at Granogue is a long, slightly uphill paved driveway, and it proved decisive. Georgia Gould (Luna) got the hole shot with Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld) on her wheel — but Compton shot by on the right and that was all she wrote. "I should have jumped on her wheel right away, but I didn’t and Katie got a gap. I would have had to ride much faster than her to catch up, but she is so strong I

The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the Prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this. — Albert Einstein Like many of you, I’ve been following this summer’s Keystone Kops marathon, aided and abetted by regular, hefty doses of my drugs of choice (caffeine and alcohol in various flavors). I used to enjoy nicotine, too, but managed to shake that habit

Remembering Jon Jonathan Dechau was a friend of mine. Like many, I was shocked tohear of hispassing. I hadn’t talked to him a couple of years and it was a shockfor me to come across it on all the cycling websites. It was almost surreal.Jon and I had both started out racing in New England and had gotten toknow each other. I got to thinking about Jon again after recent developments.Years ago Jon and I were both chasing the dream. We were bothracing the better part of the NRC schedule that year and seeing each otherat all the events. In that same year the Olympic trials were held in

Not much has happened in the last week and half since I returned from the sufferfest in Gloucester. I decided not to race last weekend and spent most of my time working at the shop and training. We are converting nearly a third of our bike shop into a specialty Nordic ski shop, called Boulder Nordic Sport, which will be operated by my good friend, Nathan Schultz. You might remember Nathan from the NORBA pro mountain bike circuit. He raced for the Schwinn-Toyota Team and was the driving force behind the NEMA- Ionic Bikes Team, a team that sponsored Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski. Speaking of things

Ivan Basso might not have it so easy finding a new team for the 2007 season as the cloud of doping allegations look likely to continue to haunt the Italian rider despite being cleared by Italian officials last week of any possible sanctions. The 2006 Giro d’Italia champion “divorced” with his Team CSC this week in a mutual agreement that frees the Italian from the remaining two years on his contract with the Danish team. Despite initial reports that Basso might be tipped to join Discovery Channel or Milram, both teams have denied interest Basso. Milram officials said the Puerto links to

The eight-race Verge MAC Cyclocross Series kicks off this weekend with the UCI-C1 Cyclocross at Granogue on Saturday and the UCI-C2 Wissahickon Cyclocross on Sunday. Granogue promoter Tom McDaniel is excited about the field for this year’s races. "This is the best field we’ve had at Granogue and Wissahickon for several years. Geoff Kabush is coming, (Ryan) Trebon and (Barry) Wicks are coming, and so are Tim Johnson and both Todd and Troy Wells." The women’s field is equally strong. Two-time U.S. national champion Katie Compton will face Canadian champ Lyne Bessette, who won both races last

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.Tour of Missouri is great newsEditor:Finally, there is some good news in American cycling with the announcement of the Tour of Missouri! The American cycling has had a gloomy 2006 with the drug scandals. Having a fourth major state tour is the exact type of racing that we need to develop

Tyler Hamilton has been linked to a deal to join new Italian-Russian continental team Tinkoff for the 2007 racing season and could be part of the team’s roster set to be revealed Monday. Team officials wouldn’t confirm Friday if they have signed the 35-year-old, but other sources told VeloNews that Hamilton is poised to sign a contract that could mark his return to competition after serving a two-year racing ban for blood doping. “I have contact with many riders and the Tinkoff team is very interesting to many riders. We have a long list of riders and Tyler Hamilton is among them,” Tinkoff

Angel Fire, N.M. (October 20, 2006)-Backed by a sweep of the top-three spots in the men's short track cross country race and the top-two spots in the men's 4-cross competition, Fort Lewis College dominated the Division I ranks as the 2006 USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships opened Friday.Alex Hagman, Eric Ransom and Noah Singer claimed first, second and third place respectively in the morning's short track race to put the Durango,Colo.-based institution on pace to win the overall Division I championship it last captured in 2004.

Gully in Tabor in 2001

The future of home of some bike racing stars?

Finn Gullickson out motorpacing.

Son Leo having fun!

Finn: like father, like son.

Will Basso be at next year's Giro?

Thanks to a little cocaine, Freewheeling Franklin and Phineas set a world record for the 40km TT (two stoners, single bike). For the complete cartoon, click here

Mmmm ... beer

Hamilton, seen here before the 2004 Olympic road race in Athens, may have a team for '07.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,in cooperation with the manufacturers named below, has announced a voluntaryrecall of the following consmer product. Consumers should stop using recalledproducts immediately unless otherwise instructed.Name of Product: ARC Lithium Ion Bicycle Light BatteriesUnits: About 1,700Light Manufacturer/Battery Reseller: Light & Motion, of Monterey,Calif.Battery Manufacturer: GP Batteries International Ltd., of SingaporeBattery Importer: Gold Peak Industries (North America), Inc.of San Diego, Calif.Hazard: The battery can overheat,

Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich on Thursday announced his split from the Swiss cycling federation but maintained that his career is not over. The Swiss-based German star is still fighting off doping allegations which came in the wake of a Spanish doping investigation dubbed Operación Puerto. However Ullrich, who was fired by T-Mobile after the team suspended him before the start of the Tour de France, appears to have some hope of getting back to competing. Ullrich said he may seek a license in his native Germany, instead. "This split from the Swiss federation doesn't mean

Tom Boonen has signed up to take part in a 10-hour endurance race at the wheel of a Porsche 996, the former world cycling champion reported on Thursday. The 25-year-old Quick Step rider is normally known for his prowess in one-day cycling classics and can count the prestigious Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders and world road race crowns among his list of honors. Now with the season drawing to a close Boonen will team up with Belgian pair Bert Longin and Anthony Kumpen, the national touring endurance champion,for the race which will be held at the Zolder race track - which coincidentally

Press Release: Light & Motion announces battery recall

Ullrich, here winning a time trial at this year's Tour of Switzerland, won't be getting a Swiss license in 2007.

Why does my Mavic freehub squeal?

Crunch timeDear Lennard,I have Campagnolo record 10-speed shifters. In fact the componentsare all campy record, except the wheels. I have been having a terribletime with the front shifter. It gets hung up and won't shift or is veryhard to shift and then it makes a terrible crunching noise. I have theCampagnolo triple front derailleur. Two different mechanics have lookedat it, without taking the levers apart, and nether has been able to diagnoseit or fix it. Any suggestions?DebbieDear Debbie,That’s the beauty of Campagnolo Ergo Power; you can fix it if somethinggets jammed inside.

Team CSC and Italian star Ivan Basso cut ties in a mutual agreement Wednesday that releases the 2006 Giro d’Italia champion from the remaining two years of his contract with the Danish team. Basso was forced out of the Tour de France this summer after he was linked to an alleged blood doping ring in Spain. Despite the fact that Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) officials subsequently recommended that he be cleared, the relationship between Basso and Team CSC boss Bjarne Riis appear to have been irreparably soured. “After all that has happened, especially this summer, Team CSC and Ivan Basso