Technical FAQ: Refinishing a titanium frame
How can I re-finish my titanium frame?
How can I re-finish my titanium frame?
Why are my Mavic wheels noisy?
Should I grease my Campy Ultra-torque spindle?
Floyd Landis, who may well become the first Tour de France champion to be stripped of the title over a doping charge, will release an online presentation outlining his defense, USA Today has reported.Landis told the newspaper he would post the presentation and documentation from his case on his personalwebsite this week.In a story first posted on its website at the weekend, USA Today's Sal Ruibal outlined documents from a preliminary version of the presentation that included "many elements" of Landis's planned defense. Landis is expected to post both a PowerPoint slide show and
The Discovery Channel cable television network is reportedly in negotiations to renew its sponsorship of its U.S.-based road cycling team. Discovery has sponsored the team since the 2005 season in a three-year deal that expires at the end of the 2007 season. Despite the sport’s scandal-plagued season, the Discovery team has avoided direct implication in any allegations of doping hitting the 2006 Tour and cycling in general. A spokesperson for Discovery said its sponsorship deal, reportedly worth between $10 million and $15 million each year, has proven to be a solid investment. The team
The standard version
The Compact version
Landis in Paris, ready to accept the final yellow jersey of the 2006 Tour. Will he be able to keep it?
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.Due Process?Dear Mark Bertram,You are not alone on this(see "TheUCI is gonna do what?")."Guilty until proven innocent” is a terrible way for the UCI, or anyoneelse, to conduct business. Just ask Botero, Vino, Vino’s teammates and(apparently) Basso how they liked their forced vacations.
Berlin - A rider was suspended Sunday and the team doctor faces court for reportedly dispensing performance-enhancing drugs on the German cyclo-cross team Stevens. The case will be the first handled under strict anti-doping regulations passed by the German Cycling Federation allowing it to take action without a positive test. ''Stevens has a license from us. Our rules have been in effect since Aug. 31 _ this will be our precedence case,'' federation president Rudolf Scharping said.Stevens suspended rider Johannes Sickmueller after a report by the Suddeutsche Zeitung daily
Australian cyclist Karl Menzies won the second stage of the Herald Sun Tour on Monday and holds the overall lead over German Tobias Erler. Menzies, who finished third in Sunday's opening stage, won Monday's 110-mile stage between the towns of Shepparton and Bendigo in 4 hours, 16 minutes and 40 seconds. Mitchell Docker of Australia was second, two seconds behind, followed by Erler. In the overall standings, Menzies has a six-second lead over Erler. Menzies, riding for the U.S.-based HealthNet team, made a decisive break in the last of the three 1.17-mile closing laps in central
Gregory Henderson is the latest rider to move up from the Health Net Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis to the Pro Tour. In an effort to fulfill Greg’s lifelong dream to ride for a Pro Tour cycling team and race in a Grand Tour or the Classics, Health Net Presented by Maxxis has honored Greg’s request to release him from the 2nd year of his agreement with the team so that he can join T-Mobile for the 2007 season. “I am extremely grateful to the management, staff and riders of Health Net Presented by Maxxis for allowing me to pursue my lifelong dream of racing at the Pro Tour level in
Novakovich, Gasaway win Alaska seriesMatt Novakovich and Heather Gasaway wrapped up overall victories in the 2006 Alaska Cyclo-cross Series with convincing wins at a windy ArcticCross No. 6 in Anchorage. Novakovich (Team Bicycle Shop) and Josh Yeaton (Team Kaladi) wasted no time in leaving the rest of the men’s field behind on the first run-up. The two spent most of the race, as they had all season, in front of a chase group containing Andy Duneow, James Stull (Kaladi) and Tony Brugliera (Bicycle Shop). At only 16 years old, Yeaton is sure to be a force in coming years. By the end of a
Australian Karl Menzies (HealthNet) won the second stage of the Herald Sun tour of Victoria state on Monday and held the overall lead over Germany's Tobias Erler. Menzies, who finished third in Sunday's opening stage, won Monday's 179-kilometer (110-mile) stage between the towns of Shepparton and Bendigo in a time of 4 hours, 16 minutes and 40 seconds. Mitchell Docker of Australia was second, two seconds behind, followed by Erler, giving Menzies a six-second lead over Erler on GC. Menzies made a decisive break in the last of the three 1.9-kilometer (1.17-mile) closing laps in
Novakovich putting the hammer down
The long French victory drought at Paris-Tours was just a hazy memory on Sunday as Frederic Guesdon won the 100th edition of the classic race. The veteran rider from Brittany beat Norway's Kurt-Asle Arvesen at the line, the two of them representing the final, desperate remnant of a 28-man pack that broke away more than four hours earlier. Crossing the finish on the famous Avenue du Grammont in Tours, just eight seconds behind the first two riders, were 35 pursuers led by Stuart O'Grady. They had come some 254km, under sunny skies, from the outskirts of Paris. Guesdon, who turns 35
Day two of the Crank Brothers Grand Prix of Cyclocross once again saw sunny skies and a wide-open speedway of a course in Gloucester, Massachusetts. In the women’s race, Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com) charged to the front just as she had the day before — only this time, both Wendy Simms (Kona) and Georgia Gould (Luna) managed to find her wheel. While the rest of the field shattered, Gould and Simms surprised spectators as they shadowed the hard-charging Bessette despite multiple attacks and accelerations throughout the course.
Melbourne, Australia - Australian Hilton Clarke won the opening stage of the Herald Sun cycling tour of Victoria state Sunday for the U.S.-based Navigators team. Clarke was one of six riders to join an early breakaway in the criterium stage at Shepparton in north-central Victoria. The group built a lead of more than a minute halfway through the stage. Australian team members Robbie McEwen and Simon Gerrans, last year's winner, worked hard to cut their advantage to 20 seconds but the lead group was able to hold off their pursuers. Clarke, who won the final stage of last year's
Chris Eatough’s attempt to secure his seventh straight victory at the 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World Championships ran into an impassable roadblock Sunday morning — Australian Craig Gordon. Gordon, a 34-year-old former World Cup cross-country rider, hails from Sydney, Australia. After riding wheel-to-wheel at a blistering pace, Eatough and Gordon lapped the field after only eight hours. But as night fell, Gordon (Cannondale) gradually rode away into the dark, adding two minutes, three minutes, five minutes, and once even ten minutes per lap over the 31-year old Eatough (Trek-Volkswagen).
Guesdon scores a second classics win, nine years after his first
The early going - before two thirds of the field called it quits
The day's first escape
Van Impe, Guesdon, Moreni and Arveson on the march
O'Grady at the head of the chase
Arveson and Guesdon
The winner
The podium
Haywood takes the title
A who's who of cycling's fastest sprinters will assemble in Paris on Sunday hoping to claim a prestigious victory in what will be the 100th edition of the Paris-Tours one-day classic. From Belgian starlet Tom Boonen to aging German Erik Zabel, almost the entire European sprint squadron will turn up to pay their respects in the254.5 km race that was first won by Eugene Prevost, as an amateur, in 1896. Quick Step sprinter Boonen recently failed to defend his world champion's rainbow jersey in Salzburg, and will be motivated to make amends on a luscious and seemingly endless
On what could only be described as an ideal fall day, the Crank Brother’s Grand Prix of Cyclocross kicked off in Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Massachusetts on Saturday. With racers coming off long road and mountain seasons, as well as the Interbike week, no one was too sure of who or what to expect, except that it was going to be fast.
The 2006 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships concluded Saturdayafter Jennie Reed (Spike) and Sarah Hammer (Ouch) added more stars-and-stripesjerseys to their closets. Reed claimed two more national titles tosweep the women's sprint events with four victories and Hammer won thewomen's 15-kilometer scratch race to score a hat trick in the enduranceevents.After successfully defending her sprint and 500-meter time trial victoriesearlier in the week, Reed won the keirin and teamed up with Liz Carlson(East Coast Velo) to win the women's team sprint Saturday.Hammer, already
Zabel won his third Paris-Tours last year. Can he set the record on Sunday?
Cross Crusade nears 800-rider markThey do like their cyclo-cross in Oregon. The Cross Crusade series organizers report that the October season-opener at Alpenrose Dairy in Portland drew 798 racers, making it the largest one-day ‘cross race ever held in the United States. Some 760 racers tackled the Alpenrose course last year, organizers say. "The popularity of cyclo-cross racing in the Northwest continues to amaze us," said Brad Ross, director of the 15-year-old series. "The turnout speaks to the accessibility and fun of cyclocross, despite how physically demanding the sport is." The
Recently crowned Paolo Bettini will return to racing less than a week after his brother died in a car accident. The Italian Olympic champion said Thursday he will race in a pair of one-day semi-classics this weekend in Italy out of respect to his older brother, Sauro, who died Monday in a car crash near the family’s home in Bibbona, Italy. “I have spoken to my relatives and have decided to race on,” said Bettini. “In this difficult time my wish is return to my family and to wear this jersey (the world champion's rainbow jersey) with pride in memory of Sauro.” Quick Step officials
Bob Roll to Autograph Books and Lead Charity Ride in Support of theFort Worth Museum of Science and HistoryBoulder, CO, October 5, 2006 — Bob Roll will greet cyclists andfans and autograph copies of his book, BobkeII, at Bicycles, Inc. in Fort Worth, Texas from 3:00-5:00 p.m.on Thursday, October 12. Roll's appearance is part of a weekend of charityevents supporting the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Roll is known for his wild antics as an OLN Tour de France commentatorand for his groundbreaking performances as a member of Team 7-Eleven, America'sfirst powerhouse cycling
Disgraced former world time-trial champion David Millar of Britain is among seven cyclists who have been called before a French court over the Cofidis affair. Millar, who was stripped of his world title after admitting to being doped,joins Massimiliano Lelli, Philippe Gaumont, Robert Sassone, Mederic Clain,Marek Rutkiewicz and Daniel Majewski in being called before the court in theParis suburb of Nanterre from November 6-10 to answer doping charges. The inquiry into the Cofidis affair was launched back in early 2003 and it has taken three-and-a-half years to bring some of those accused to
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.What's in a name?Editor: Sometimes it is the little things.Here is a small idea, with the potential to prevent a significant negativeimpact. It is irresistible to come up with a shorthand or abbreviatedreference to something like a doping scandal. Something catchy orrelated to those
The 2006 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships continued Fridaynight as both Sarah Hammer (Ouch) and Jennie Reed (Spike) each rode totheir second national title of the week. After setting a new nationalrecord in the women's three-kilometer individual pursuit Wednesday, Hammertook a convincing win in the 25-kilometer points race while Reed addeda women's 500-meter time trial title to her sprint jersey. Giddeon Massie (Spike) also captured his first-career men's sprint titleand the TIAA-CREF foursome of Mike Creed , Mike Friedman, Will Frischkornand Brad Huff bested a
Bettini - now the reigning Italian national, Olympic and world champion - will ride in honor of his brother's memory.
Boonen will ride the Roubaix into Roubaix
Friday's Mailbag: Names, Games and a Contest
TIAA-CREF takes the four-man pursuit
Reed gets another national title
A breif celeb' visit on Friday night
Don’t count cycling legend Eddy Merckx among the pessimists who think the sport is on the wane after a string of high-profile doping scandals.Speaking the London Telegraph, the 61-year-old Belgian said cycling retains its charm and appeal among the general public. “Cycling sometimes gets a bad press but it always comes through, in fact I am very optimistic as present,” Merckx told the paper. “Its dope testing is the most severe and frequent in the world, much more than any other sport. No wonder we catch people. Cycling has identified many culprits and they have been dealt with. Other
A mountain of pressure sits on Chris Eatough’s back this week, as the six-time solo 24-hour mountain-bike world champion prepares once again to defend his title. The 31-year old Eatough, who has made a career of dominating 24-hour events, knows he is expected to bring home number seven as he and others ready for this weekend’s world championships in Conyers, Georgia. The 2006 24-Hours of Adrenaline’s solo world championships are slated for this Saturday and Sunday in Conyers, the site of the 1996 Olympic cross-country race. Eatough’s primary sponsor, Trek Bicycles, would like nothing more
Lyon, France - Interpol, the world’s largest police organization, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have committed to work together to identify areas for collaboration in combating the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport. The need for stronger and more unified action in tackling the problem of doping was underlined as a key point during the meeting between Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble and WADA Director General, David Howman at the General Secretariat on Monday 2 October. A global congress on combating doping in sport was among the proposals discussed during the
Morgan Hill, California – QuickStep-Innergetic announced theyhave chosen Specialized to supply their team bikes and select equipment for2007 and beyond. The team’s marquee riders—such as reigning world andOlympic champion Paolo Bettini and 2005 world champion Tom Boonen—will beperfectly served by the diverse range of technologically advanced bicyclescreated by the S-Works division at Specialized. Effective 1/1/07, Bettini’s choice will be the S-Works Tarmac SL for its razorsharp handling, minimal weight, and efficiency. Boonen, often known as The King of the Cobbles, will opt for the all-new
Carson, California - Three more national champions were crowned in Southern California Thursday night as the 2006 USA Cycling Elite Track National Championships closed the books on day two of the four-day event. In the men's kilometer time trial, Stephen Hill (East Point Track Club) clocked a winning time of 1 minute, 6.239 seconds to claim the national title ahead of silver medalist Steve Beardsley (Rubicon-Chinook Cycling) and third-place finisher David Espinoza (JC Investors). With none of the top-three finishers from 2005 returning, there was no clear-cut favorite in the 26-rider
Merckx (right) and Felice Gimondi at the VeloNews booth during last week's Interbike trade show.
Methodical: Eatough's success often comes as a result of meticulous preparation.
Reigning U.S. champion Cameron Chambers is one of the few to have beaten Eatough at his specialty.
U.S. short-track champ, Susan Haywood is giving a new discipline a try... on a really long track.
The S-Works Tarmac
The S-Works Roubaix
Not all the news coming out of Las Vegas at last week’s Interbike trade show was product related. Some North American teams and riders used the occasion to announce their plans for the 2007 season — a season that looks to see some big changes. Some had more immediate objectives, such as Fred Rodriguez’s announcement that he plans to race the final four events of the upcoming Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross. And even when news wasn’t officially released, trying to quell a rumor on the Sands Convention Center showroom is about as likely as trying to find a ray of sunlight in a
Ouch. It’s been more than eight months since I suffered through my lastcyclo-cross race in Belgium and let me tell you it doesn’t take long toremember why ‘cross is such a tough sport. It also doesn’t take long toremember why it’s so much fun, either. A few weeks ago in Boulder, Colorado, we had our first group cyclo-crosstraining ride, which is called – for lack of a more creative description– the “Wednesday morning ‘cross ride.” For the past seven years, from Septemberthrough ‘Cross Nationals, I’ve rolled my body out of bed at the crack ofdawn every Wednesday morning for this group ride.
UCI president Pat McQuaid has vowed to take Jan Ullrich's case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if the Swiss Cycling Federation provide him with a license for 2007. "If the Swiss Cycling Federation do not exclude Jan Ullrich we will consider going to the court of arbitration for sport," McQuaid told SportBild magazine. The 33-year-old Ullrich’s contract was terminated by his T-Mobile team during this year's Tour de France - which he was barred from racing in when the allegations weremade - after a Spanish investigation offered evidence that he was involved
After breaking an 11-year drought with a world title in the women's three-kilometer individual pursuit in April, Sara Hammer (Ouch Pro Cycling) eclipsed another 11-year-old mark Wednesday, setting a new national record inthe same event during the opening session of the USA Cycling EliteTrack National Championships at the ADT Event Center. In the ensuingfinals Wednesday evening, Hammer added another national title to herrésumé, catching silver medalist Katie Compton (Spike) six laps into the 12 lap race. Hammer clocked a time of 3:32.865 seconds to smash the previous national record of
Revamped schedule or not, GH is still the king of the American road... for now.
Who cares? It's a rental!
Sheriff Dave: coming to Michigan single-track near you.
The breakfast of champions.
Dialin' in the rigs.
One in front...
...and one in back
“I’m 49 and realized I’m halfway done,” my former boss Tom Ritchey told me wistfully at Interbike. “What am I going to do with the second half of my life?” His answer is Project Rwanda (www.projectrwanda.org), a development project designed to assist in lifting Rwandans out of the devastating financial conditions they find themselves in after their devastating 1994 civil war marked by tribal genocide and the deaths of nearly a million Rwandans in 100 days. At the heart of Ritchey’s involvement is a new bicycle he is designing from the ground up to make transportation in general and
Embattled Tour de France winner Floyd Landis reiterated his innocence against doping charges and promised he will return to racing following his rehabilitation from hip surgery last week. In an interview with the Associated Press, Landis said his rehab sessions will provide him focus following rocky months since winning the 2006 Tour that included doping allegations as well as the suicide of his father-in-law. “Things have been up and down for me,” Landis said Monday in an interview with the AP. “I’ll be happy when it's a little more simple. I’ll get through it though. I have a strong
Our latest reader-submitted Photo Gallery is now up for your viewing pleasure. 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 winner. Marmie Westihuff’s “Our Team Car” captures the joy of being part of a sport that, despite the big bucks and pricey equipment, really just comes down to riding bikes with your friends… and beating them. Nice work. Marmie! Drop us a note at Rosters@InsideInc.com to work out the details and we’ll send you a copy of Graham
Lo-tech, but hard-working, these rigs are built to haul
Steel bikes are often customized to carry more
Tech Talk: Real bikes for real people
Bikes by the cord
Stieda considers his Tour options
Race Day - The single-speeds mass to the line
Ritchey and Stieda try to hang...
...and are nearly lapped by the day's winner.
Ritchey at Interbike, explaining the thinking behind the new Project Rwanda rig.
Landis in happier times this July.
Our Team Car