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The 61st Vuelta a España ended with a fiesta in Madrid as huge numbers of fans turned out Sunday to watch the season’s final grand tour come down to an exciting finale. Erik Zabel (Milram) proved that some things get better with age to win for the second time this Vuelta while Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) enjoyed an easy day on the bike to win his first major grand tour. “This Vuelta has been very hard and complicated and I am very happy with the victory,” Vinokourov said after sealing the success over Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) with Astana teammate and compatriot Andrey

Starting with the deluge after a night of hard rain combined with a strike by train and subway workers, getting to the 64th Milan Bicycle Show was by no means an easy task. Even more cars than on a normal day packed flooded roads, and the occasional vehicle stalled in water above its wheels brought urban traffic to a complete standstill in places. It is a good bet that many people who had planned to attend to the first day of Italy’s premier icycle industry trade show ultimately gave up in frustration. The sun came out in the afternoon, but the rain returned later to wash out the

The police who raided the Swiss home of Germany's 1997 Tour de France champion Jan Ullrich on Wednesday did not take DNA evidence from him, chief police officer Herbert Ammann said in a magazine article published Sunday. Ullrich's home was one of ten private and business addresses raided both in Germany and abroad as he and others are investigated further over connections with Spanish sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, the alleged head of a blood-doping ring. In an article in Sunday’s Focus magazine, Amman, however, denied earlier reports that the police had seized DNA samples in the

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials decided Saturday not to ban hypoxic tents, which may allow athletes to gain endurance-boosting results of altitude without the travel. WADA president Dick Pound announced the decision not to include the tents on the banned training method list, but said scrutiny on the matter will continue. Three WADA commissions examined the tents and suggested not banning them, conforming to the vast majority of committee members in saying they should not be on the prohibited list for 2007. "The biggest item for discussion was whether we should put on the list

American Floyd Landis, who tested positive for testosterone after winning the Tour de France, said Sunday he is confident of proving his innocence. Landis was making an appearance at the final stage of the Vuelta a España and was mobbed by journalists as he watched Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov secure the race's gold jersey on the final day. The American is facing being stripped of his yellow jersey crown after tests showed abnormal amounts of testosterone in his body after his stunning victory on stage 17 which allowed him to re-launch his bid for the overall victory. But following

Despite rolling in with a three-man roster at the September 15-17 Parker Mainstreet Omnium, the Health Net team showed why it’s been the top domestic dog for three years running at the final National Race Calendar event of the season. Scott Moninger and Karl Menzies went 1-2 in the road race after both placing well in the time trial, then Menzies won the concluding criterium Sunday to take the overall title with Moninger in the second podium spot. Priority Health time-trial specialist Tom Zirbel won the opening 7-mile time trial in conditions so windy many riders rode the final downhill

Vinokourov's golden moment.

New brakes, new crank, new bottom bracket... Campagnolo is making changes

This is what a No. 245 looks like.

Vittoria's Pit Stop Corsa is the solution for punctured tubulars.

When pedaling, the Equilink pulls down on the top lever to stop the suspension from bobbing.

Time's ASX monocoque carbon cranks combine an integrated spindle with an ISIS left arm attachment.

Zabel nabs another

Danielson and Barry enjoy a mellow day in the saddle.

The Vuelta came down to a battle of two-against-one at times.

The action heated up when the peloton reaches the closing circuit in Madrid.

The boys from Khazakstan celebrate in Madrid.

Discovery takes the team prize

Not a bad consolation prize, but a consolation prize, nonetheless.

King of the Mountain, Egoi Martinez

The last start line of the year. Parker marks the end of the 2006 NRC season.

Newly crowned national criterium champ Brad Huff was one of a few riders to hit the deck in the criterium.

Stevic went clear alone, but an ill-timed bee sting on his forehead took him out of the race.

Sarah Uhl, out in Colorado for three weeks in preparation for the national track championships, showed good form in winning the crit.

Revelation of the 2006 season, Alison Powers stomped the women’s field and won the road race to wrap up the omnium. Powers will be riding for Colavita next year.

Blue Streak: TIAA-CREF had 9 riders in the race — every last one of whom lined it up for the last dozen or so laps.

Huff took his turns on the front in the closing laps too, working for his teammate Mike Friedman.

Frischkorn leapt from his team’s train to net a pricey prime with 5 laps to go.

But Health Net’s Karl Menzies got the best of them all, getting out of the last corner first.

Priority Health’s Tom Zirbel won the time trial and got fifth in the road race, but a ninth place finish in the criterium dropped him to fourth in final points-based classification.

Alexandre Vinokourov gave himself the best possible birthday present: a victory in Saturday’s time trial to all but seal overall title in the 61st Vuelta a España. The Kazakh celebrated his 33rd birthday scoring his third stage win of this Vuelta and beat Spanish rider Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) by six seconds to put an exclamation point on what will likely give him the first grand tour win of his career. “I am very happy today. I wanted to try to win today because it’s my 33rd birthday,” Vinokourov said. “I did the first 10km pretty quiet and then I knew that I could faster in the

Embattled Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is in Madrid to meet with his Spanish attorneys on Monday, VeloNews has learned. Sources at Phonak confirmed that Landis is in Spain and is expected to be at the start of Sunday’s final stage of the Vuelta a España. Landis was also reportedly enjoying Madrid’s notorious nightlife and was seen at a local nightclub by journalists. Calls to Landis’ Spanish cell phone and his attorney, Jose Maria Buxeda, were unanswered Saturday afternoon. The 31-year-old is battling allegations that he doped to win July’s Tour when post-stage urine tests taken

SpeedyReedy to Host Power Meter Clinic for Cyclists and TriathletesBoulder, CO, September 15, 2006 — Seattle's top triathlon retailerwill host a workshop with one of the world's leading power meter coaches.Hunter Allen will lead a workshop on the benefits and methodology of trainingand racing with a power meter on Friday, September 22 beginning at 7:00p.m. After the presentation, Allen will answer questions and autographcopies of Training and Racing with a Power Meter. The event is free ofcharge and is open to interested triathletes and cyclists.SpeedyReedy is located at 1100 N.

In fine form, Vino’ stomped his pedals on the peloton one last time and flew around the time trial course to seal his first victory in a grand tour. It is said that the winner of a grand tour should win a time trial stage; not only did Vinokourov win the time trial today but he also dominated the last ten days of the race, winning three stages, placing second twice and never spending a moment in difficulty. In all, he won a mountain stage, a field sprint and a time trial which is incredible and shows he is truly the most complete rider of the Vuelta. This morning, prior to the time trial,

Vinokourov stayed calm, pounded through the TT and keeps the lead going into Madrid on Sunday.

Danielson maintained his spot on GC

Bodrogi sets the early standard

Zzzzooooom. Vinokourov powers through the tough part.

IRVINE, Calif. 9/13/06 -- Long-time sales and management executive David Pfeiffer has been named the new president for Shimano American Corporation, the Irvine, Calif.-based bicycle component and fishing tackle manufacturer, announces Kozo Shimano, current Shimano American president. Pfeiffer’s new role is effective December 1, at which time Kozo Shimano will move into a senior executive position for corporate advocacy and public relations, enabling him to pursue both his personal and company interests in growing the bicycle and fishing tackle markets. “David has extensive experience in all

Friday’s long and slow 19th stage across the flats Castilla y La Mancha seemed tedious after three gripping days in the mountains of southern Spain. The 205.3km trudge from Jaén to Ciudad Real – the third longest of this year’s Vuelta a España – produced a seven-man breakaway and a winner in José Luis Arrieta (Ag2r) to give the Spanish journalists something to write about. Otherwise, the Vuelta was on a holding pattern. "I have been waiting for this moment for 14 years," said the 35-year-old after scoring just his second professional victory. "I knew there was a headwind at the finish, I

Discovery Channel isn’t going to win the Vuelta a España, but it looks likely the team GC is theirs. The American unit started Friday’s road stage holding a 15:21 lead to Astana. Discovery Channel boss Johan Bruyneel said the team classification reflects just what the squad is all about in the post-Lance Armstrong era. "It’s a prestigious classification and I think it’s a reflection of the image we’re giving in this Tour of Spain that we’re a very diverse team, we can win different things, we don’t have a clear leader, that’s something we want to fight for to Madrid," he said. They have

Irish rider Nicolas Roche, the son of former world, Giro d'Italia and Tour de France champion Stephen Roche, will be one of Crédit Agricole's new recruits for next season, the team said Friday. The French outfit will also wave goodbye to aging veteran Jaan Kirsipuu, one of four riders who will be replaced by Roche, French duo Christophe Kern and Christophe Laurent and Italian Angelo Furlan. Kirsipuu, 37, is one of the elder statesman of the peloton having notched up an impressive career tally of more than 120 victories including stages in the Tour de France. Also leaving the Pro

The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team will investigate former team lieutenant Frankie Andreu's admission that he used EPO in preparing for the 1999 Tour de France, team officials announced Friday. In a statement released by the team, officials said lawsuits were possible as a result of Andreu's admission of doping to the New York Times and asked for probes by the International Cycling Union and US Anti-Doping Agency. "Team management will be investigating this issue and considering all legal options and trust that the relevant authorities (USA Cycling, USADA and the UCI) will be

This evening we left the olive groves and arid countryside for the concrete and bumper to bumper traffic of Madrid… and it actually feels good. Three weeks of hotels, pedaling, pasta, bus transfers and the same routine is now coming to an end and we are in our last hotel and the final finish line is only a flutter of pedal strokes away. The last couple of days have been good for the team but long for the peloton. The stages were never flat but quite hilly to mountainous and it seemed we always had a gusty wind blowing up our noses and across our cheeks. Sadly, we rarely had it on our backs.

Every cyclist's worst fear was realized for Jon Dechau on the evening ofSeptember 13. Dechau, 33, was killed after being struck from behind bya motorist. The accident occurred in Lima, New York, about 20 miles southof Rochester.The Livingston County sheriff’s office said that Dechau was riding westbound on the shoulder of route 20 approximately two feet to the right of the white line. A sheriff’s spokesman said a westbound vehicle driven by Sharon Cameron, 61, crossed the white line and struck Dechau from behind at approximately 45-50 mph, and Dechau died at the scene. Cameron could not

Arrieta wins

Astana controlled the bunch

Vino' holds the gold

CSC tried the old attack-into-the-crosswind gag

Andalucia

Vino' on the job

Services slated for Dechau

The Kazakh one-two punch took the fight out of the Spanish mountain goats in Thursday’s grueling summit finish at La Pandera during the Vuelta a España. Alexandre Vinokourov delivered the knockout blow in the 18th stage to take firm control of the leader’s jersey with only three days left as Astana teammate Andrey Kashechkin won the stage and slipped into third overall. Vino’ did what he does best, attacking archrival Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) with about 6.5km to go in the brutally steep La Pandera climb to widen his lead to 53 seconds. "I would have preferred to win the Tour

Americans have often used the Vuelta a España to bounce to bigger things and Tom Danielson is certainly hoping that’s the case after winning Wednesday’s dramatic 17th stage. Dave Zabriskie, Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong all enjoyed Vuelta success before advancing toward more important triumphs in their respective careers. Armstrong finished fourth overall in the 1998 Vuelta in what was a glimpse of his potential to eventually win a record seven consecutive Tours de France. It was during that 1998 Vuelta performance that Johan Bruyneel would help convince Armstrong that he could win

The World Anti-Doping Agency can only watch and wait as the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency considers Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' request to have the case against him thrown out, WADA president Dick Pound said Thursday. "I think we have to wait and see what happens," Pound said in a teleconference from Montreal, where the WADA executive committee will meet on Saturday. "We're kind of a monitoring agency in these things. This is a UCI process. Pound said that USA Cycling's "procedure is to punt to the national anti-doping agency, which in this case is USADA. USADA will

Cycling’s three major grand tours looked poised to rock the ProTour boat yet again. The heads of cycling’s most important races are meeting this weekend in Madrid ahead of important meetings next week that coincide with the world championships. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme arrived at the Vuelta on Thursday while Giro d’Italia director Angelo Zomegnan is expected to fly to Madrid on Saturday. “We are here to bring together the ideas of the Vuelta, Giro and Tour ahead of the meetings in Salzburg,” Vuelta race director Victor Cordero told VeloNews. “We have to clarify the

Tyler Hamilton, whose two-year ban for blood doping is due to end on September 22, is now facing another investigation, USA Cycling said today (AEST). A statement from the US federation said it has received information from the International Cycling Union (UCI) "regarding Tyler Hamilton and his alleged involvement in 'Operation Puerto', along with a request to move forward with disciplinary action". "Operation Puerto" was the Spanish doping affair that saw 13 riders, including Italy's Ivan Basso, Germany's 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich and Spain's Francisco

Eddy Merckx to Autograph Copies of Cycling's Golden Age at Interbike Boulder, CO, September 13, 2006 — Cycling legend Eddy Merckx will autograph copies of Cycling's Golden Age: Heroes of the Postwar Era, 1946-1967 at Interbike. Merckx, who wrote the foreword to the book, will sign books on Wednesday, September 27th from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the VeloNews booth # 3359. Featuring previously unpublished vintage photographs, trophies, race-worn jerseys, and other invaluable cycling artifacts from The Horton Collection, Cycling's Golden Age offers a fresh appreciation of the

German authorities secured samples of former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich's DNA when they raided his Swiss residence Wednesday, according to a report released Thursday. Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung said in an advance release of its Friday edition that authorities plan to compare the German rider's DNA with frozen blood seized at a Madrid clinic as part of a doping investigation that forced Ullrich and eight other riders to withdraw from this year's Tour. Authorities could not immediately be reached to comment on the report. On Thursday, Germany's Federal Crime

Two former members of the U.S. junior national cycling team are settlingfederal lawsuits after contending their coaches injected them with steroidswithout their knowledge.Gregory Strock and Erich Kaiter were completing a settlement agreementwith USA Cycling and former coach Rene Wenzel, a lawyer for the riderssaid in a court filing late Wednesday. U.S. District Judge John Kane onThursday gave both sides until Sept. 27 to file papers dismissing the case.Attorney William Senter, who represents the defendants, confirmed thesettlement but said terms were confidential. John Pineau, an attorney

The one-two Astana punch

Vinokourov added to his advantage over Valverde...

... and was joined by compatriot and teammate Kashechkin

They proved to be a formidable pair...

...putting another 32 seconds into Valverde.

Danielson says if the climb had been longer, he might have made it back up to Vinokourov.

Kaisen leads the escape...

...while Valverde's Caisse d'Epargne boys give chase.

Passing through Jaen.

Merckx to autograph copies of 'Cycling's Golden Age' at Interbike

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.The truth... the whole truthDear VeloNews,Thanks to Frankie for opening this box, now please find the courageto spill the contents. When did you do it? How often? Other drugs? Whogot them for you? Who else did it? Did the team know? Did Lance know? Wasit encouraged? How much did it help?

Tuesday’s thrilling 17th stage of the Vuelta a España was a lesson in conviction. Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) stormed into the race leader’s gold jersey on the strong belief that he could simply will his way to overall victory while stage winner Tom Danielson (Discovery Channel) buried two weeks of frustration with the joy of his biggest pro win. "I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It was perhaps even more special because the beginning of the race was such a disaster," said Danielson, who’s jumped from 12th to sixth overall in two days. "So many people lost faith in me and

Raids were carried out Wednesday in private houses and offices in Germany and abroad in the framework of a crackdown on doping in cycling, the Bonn prosecutor's office announced. "In total, 10 private houses and offices were raided in Germany as well as overseas," the office said. "These raids follow the investigation of a complaint lodged in Bonn for fraud after the investigations by Spanish authorities into people suspected of having had access to banned products to improve their performances in cycling." The German daily Focus reported Wednesday that one raid took place in

Tom Danielson won’t win this Vuelta a España, but his dramatic stage victory in Wednesday’s 159.2km 17th stage from Adra to Granada bolstered his belief that someday he might. The 28-year-old finally delivered the big victory that everyone has been expecting from him since he came to Europe to race in 2004 with Fassa Bortolo. VeloNews European correspondent Andrew Hood caught up with Danielson at the finish line in Granada (portions of this interview are from the post-race press conference). Here are excerpts of what he had to say: VN.com: This is the win you’ve been looking for since

Tom Danielson came into the Vuelta with big ambitions, but he struggled a little in the first week, unable to find his potent pedal stroke in the mountains, and losing time to his rivals on terrain where he usually excels. He persisted, kept his head together, and today he achieved a big objective with an impressive stage victory on one of the Vuelta's toughest days. Two days ago, on the rest day, we rode the first climb of today's stage: a 17-kilometer ascent from the coast to an altitude of 1300 meters (4265 feet). As we climbed the mountains in training one thought persisted-if

Danielson gets the stage . . .

. . . and Vino' gets the gold

Vino' and Danielson rocket toward the finish

Danielson and Martinez working the earlier break

Paulinho and Danielson in the break