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Roberto Heras is denying allegations he took the banned blood booster EPO and expressed his confidence that a follow-up test will prove his innocence. On Monday, his Liberty Seguros team suspended the four-time Vuelta a España champion after traces of EPO were found in a urine sample taken after the penultimate stage of this year’s Vuelta. “It was a surprise to me when they told me,” Heras said on Spanish radio. “It was a shock, but we are convinced that it’s been a laboratory error. There can’t be any other reason. My lawyers are already working on the issue.” The UCI notified the team

Heras as he prepared to ride into Madrid this year

Menchov (L) isn't thrilled with the prospect of winning the Vuelta this way

Thomas Voeckler – the plucky Frenchman who soared into the yellow jersey in the 2004 Tour de France – couldn’t quite repeat the drama this year. By his own admission, the 26-year-old’s season fell far short of the expectations he had for himself. “I am disappointed with my season, but I knew it would be difficult to repeat the success of a year ago,” Voeckler told Ciclismag. “I would have liked to have had better results, but I couldn’t pull it off, though there were races when I was in the hunt.” The Bouygues Telecom rider enjoyed a breakout season in 2004, winning a stage in the Route du

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.Hey, business is businessVeloNews,There is an article in the Saturday, November 5th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle explaining how Health Net, the nation's largest HMO (and professional cycling team sponsor), is about to let a four-year-old child die (see "Family fights an HMO

The Southern California Cyclocross Cup reached its halfway point in grand fashion on Sunday as nearly 100 riders took to the European-style course of Hart Park in Bakersfield, California. The course, designed by race director Sam Ames, featured pavement, grass and one short, steep run-up. Two high concrete curbs were a crowd favorite - a few riders were able to bunny hop them, but most stuck to the traditional dismount. In the women’s A race series promoter Dorothy Wong (Kelly) took the win from rival Carolyn Popovic followed by Amy Bowen in third. "It was a tough race but such a good

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. Austin Seroogy’s shot of two cyclo-cross racers remounting after clearing the sandy run-up at Boulder Reservoir was one of those rare perfectly timed photos that catches the essence of a sporting event. Congratulations Austin! Contact us and you win a copy of Graham Watson's "Landscapes of Cycling."Go ahead and take a look at our latest gallery,decide what you like and let us know what you think by dropping a noteto

Roberto Heras – winner of an unprecedented fourth Vuelta a España crown this September – has been released by his Liberty Seguros team after tests indicated that he had used EPO prior to stage 20 of this year’s Vuelta. The UCI notified the team on October 27 that Heras, 31, had tested positivefor the banned blood booster EPO in samples given after the Vuelta’s penultimatestage, an individual time trial from Guadalajara to Alcalá de Henares, in which Heras finished second, just two seconds slower than winner Ruben Plaza(Comunidad Valenciana). “Roberto Heras was released from the team

Not quite 2004, but Voeckler has no regrets

Wong loved the course

Noble shows 'em the way

VeloNews Photo Contest: Last week's winner and a new gallery

Heras tested positive after his strong performance in the stage 20 TT

Tom Boonen (Quick Step-Innergetic) wasted no time winning his first race in the rainbow, winning Saturday’s Amstel Curaçao Race in the Caribbean. Of course, the criterium on the Dutch Antilles is hardly in the same league as Paris-Roubaix or Tour of Flanders, but a win is a win, even when it doesn’t really count. The 25-year-old Belgian was decked out in a full-body white team jersey with the rainbow stripes he earned in Madrid in late September in full display. Boonen finished ahead of Giro d’Italia champion Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) while Dutch rider Peter Weening (Rabobank)

A day after its national cyclo-cross championships, Canada’s first-ever UCI sanctioned C2 cyclo-cross event took place in Aurora, Ontario, just south of the Saturday’s championship site. While the majority of the field consisted of riders who had ridden the day before, there were a number of Americans, including one significant addition to the men's field: Lyne Bessette's husband and teammate Tim Johnson (Cyclocrossworld.com - Louis Garneau). The pair showed why they are considered among the top riders on the continent this season by riding away from their respective fields to

Boonen may retire at 30

Bessette remains the undisputed Queen of `Cross in North America

Johnson took off early and stayed off the front

Greg Reain gives chase

Amgen Inc. and USA Cycling are rebutting critics who say the drug manufacturer’s three-year sponsorship of the Tour of California sends a mixed message to athletes. Amgen pioneered the making of EPO, arguably cycling's most famously abused substance, to help cancer and kidney patients recover more quickly. Both the UCI and USA Cycling, which is sanctioning the California race, ban use of the synthetic hormone. "Many people think the EPO drug was invented to be used in doping," Amgen spokeswoman Mary Klem said on Friday. "We are opposed to the inappropriate use of Amgen’s EPO

American Colby Pearce took the silver in the 30km points race on Saturday during day two of the UCI track World Cup in Moscow. The TIAA-CREF rider, from Boulder, Colorado, scored 27 points to secure the runner-up spot behind Argentina’s Sebastian Cancio, with 32 points. Petr Lazar of the Czech Republic was third with 24. In other action, Australia easily won the team pursuit; Stefan Nimke of Germany won the sprint; Natalia Tsylinskaya of Belarus took the 500-meter time trial; and China’s Lee Meifang con the individual pursuit. UCI World CupMoscow, RussiaNovember 5MenTeam pursuit1.

The 2000 racers that flock to Northern Michigan's 27-mile Iceman Cometh Challenge each year never know what kind of weather to expect. Seven of the past 14 years, the Iceman has been held in cold and snowy conditions. However, in recent years, racers have enjoyed unseasonably balmy weather. This year's weather continued that trend, with a mid-day temperature in the mid-50s, leaving race promoter Steve Brown to suggest that perhaps the race should be renamed the "Niceman." And the weather wasn't the only thing heating up at the Iceman. The pro men's class had some of the

Two former champions regained their titles at the Canadian national cyclo-cross championships Saturday at the Hardwood Hills Mountain Bike Centre, 90 minutes north of Toronto. Lyne Bessette (Cyclocrossworld.com-Louis Garneau) won the women's title, after an absence of two years, and Peter Wedge (Kona-Les Gets) took his seventh Canadian title after his streak was snapped at six last year. The streak continuesBessette remains unbeaten in North America this season, with the nationals being her ninth consecutive win, and making her a strong contender for the world championships in Holland

Whoa! Yes, friends — after watching the first few riders shoot down Malibu’s twisting Tuna Canyon during Saturday’s Red Bull Road Rage time trial, all this reporter could offer up was a dumbfounded, Keanu Reeves-like expression. Whoa-HUH! My declaration of disbelief grew louder as riders dialed in their lines and technique around the 40-something sharp turns dotting the two-mile, 2000-foot drop. The average times during the preliminary round of the time trial were in the five-minute range. But by the second round, riders posted times nearly 20 seconds faster, approaching rocket-like

Saturday's VeloBriefs: Amgen, USA Cycling defend sponsorship deal; NORBA schedule announced; Colavita-Sutter Home signs Wams

Nine and counting: No one has figured out a way to beat Bessette yet this year

Simms regained the lead... for a bit

Wedge resumed his winning ways

Lopes tearing it up (or down)

The winners

Meyer's stack-up was the day's worst

Carter debuts the latest in denim-skinsuit technology

Decker had it all - a fairing and a water bottle filled with pennies taped to his down tube

Craig rides in on his own

Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;But he that filches from me my good nameRobs me of that which not enriches himAnd makes me poor indeed.—William Shakespeare, Othello The predictably Shakespearean sound and fury has erupted over the announcement that biotech giant Amgen Inc., maker of a certain synthetic hormone all too familiar to cycling fans, has signed on as title sponsor of the 2006 Tour of California. Jeez, it must be true — irony is dead. Not even EPO could save it. The World Anti-Doping Agency

It might not come as a real big surprise that Michael Rasmussen was less than thrilled at the presentation of the 2006 Tour de France. The rail-thin Dane likes mountains, not time trials and - save for a wicked trio in the final week in the Alps - the 93rd Tour will be more about the race of truth than scampering up steep roads. “It’s a different Tour,” Rasmussen told VeloNews. “It favors the time-trial specialists and there are only three mountain-top finishes.” Rasmussen, 30, electrified the Tour last year, going on the attack early to secure the King of the Mountains jersey and win a

What are those pedals?It seems that lastweek’s column sparked a bit of interest in the pedals we hadmounted on the Zero G crankset. Well, those are M2 Racer’s ORB pedals andthe pair weighs in at just 99 grams. Fabricated from 6/4 titanium, theORBs feature 15 degrees of self-centering float. Their $228 price is wellwithin the ballpark for high-end titanium spindled pedals. The ORB is among a host of ultra-light M2 Racer products. Thecompany’s range includes a 43-gram saddle, a 69-gram seat post and a 6-grambottle cage. To highlight what a complete package of M2 Racer componentscan do, the

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.Amgen Tour: Truth is stranger than fictionEditor:My first glance at the news of Amgen sponsoring the Tour of California caused me a moment of confusion; it smacked of a classic VeloNews April Fool's headline. Then my imagination got the best of me; can you picture the AMGEN PR tent

A few months ago I wrote a column focused on Red Bull’s one-of-a-kind downhill road race, the Red Bull Road Rage, to be run on Saturday in sunny Malibu, California. For those not up to speed on the Rage, it’s a downhill road race. First comes a time trial; fastest man takes the prize. Next is a four-up competition similar to mountain biking’s mountain-cross. Four athletes shoot out of the gates at once and make their way down the treacherous descent; the first two advance to the next round while the second two retire for drinks at the bar. Our good friends at Red Bull invited top-level road

No, it's not an early April Fool's Day gag

Tech Shorts: That mystery pedal; surprising the GQ crowd

Tech Shorts: That mystery pedal; surprising the GQ crowd

Tech Shorts: That mystery pedal; surprising the GQ crowd

Going down

Alejandro Valverde knows that if he wants to win the Tour de France someday, he needs to work on his time trial. Toward that end, Valverde has joined several key Illes Balears teammates in Italy this week for tests that should help improve his performance against the clock. For Valverde, known best for his attacking panache and climbing credentials, it’s the only way to better his chances of a break-out performance next July. Valverde knew he had his work cut out for him when he looked at course details during last week’s Tour presentation in Paris “For me, with so many kilometers of time

Dear Bob,I am involved with a charity. In my case, it’s the Lance Armstrong Foundation Peloton Project, but for purposes of this question it could be any charity. The extent of my involvement is raising funds. Instead of asking for donations all the time, I would like to hold an event such as a bike ride. Since the event is designed to raise money for the charity but is not an event conducted by the charity, I would need to do this on my own. Therefore, I would need participants and sponsors to write checks to me personally and I would send the money, after expenses, to the charity. While I

American gravity racing’s reigning matron Marla Streb (Luna) is ready to make that more than just a title. She’s pregnant with her first child. Streb, 40 and husband Mark Fitzgerald are expecting their new arrival sometime in April of 2006. “We didn’t really expect it,” Streb said in a phone interview. “We’ve been playing the lottery for a long time and didn’t expect to hit the jackpot. We’ve both really happy.” Streb, who has nine NORBA downhill victories, two single-speed cross-country world titles and a World Cup downhill win under her belt, says she ducked out of racing the 2005

It’s been a long, long, long season. Now that it’s over, life has been chugging by very slowly and I’ve been happy to soak it all in. This is my first off-season in Europe, since Leah and I decided that we wanted to stay in Girona this year and experience a little different lifestyle during my annual downtime. Living here makes trips to European destinations very easy and worthwhile. Solidifying friendships and actually living a semi-normal life is a good change of pace here in Spain, albeit somewhat slower than what I am used to. My relaxed days now include golf in the afternoon, mountain

Valverde at this year's Tour de France

Hi Monique:I have a question about measuring my Resting Metabolic Rate. I wouldlike to make some adjustments to my nutrition plan this winter. When itcomes to measuring my RMR, can I simply wear a heart rate monitor for a24 hour period to determine more accurately how many calories I burn ina given day? Isn't this method more accurate than using a formula?CD Dear CD,The upcoming winter season is definitely a great time to not only restand have some changes in your training program, but also to lose some bodyweight and body fat, and to incorporate some new foods and recipes intoyour diet.

Gilberto Simoni was all smiles at last week’s presentation of the 2006 Tour de France. Sitting next to compatriot Ivan Basso, Simoni won’t be among the frontline favorites for overall victory in France, but surely will be in his favored Giro d’Italia. The two-time Giro champion confirmed he’ll be back to try for a third title in Italy and will probably race the Tour, but with the idea of hunting a stage victory rather than fight for the overall. “The Tour is always difficult, it doesn’t matter how the design the course. The Tour is the Tour, so you can’t say too much, it’s always the

Rumors surrounding the rather unusual sponsorship of the upcoming Tour of California, appear to be true. USA Today and other media are reporting that Tuesday’s route announcement of February’s Tour of California will also include the revelation of the race’s title sponsor: AMGEN, the biotech firm that pioneered the manufacture of recombinant Erythropoietin, or EPO. One of the most widely abused drugs in endurance sport, EPO has been at the heart of cycling’s doping scandals since the early 1990s. The company, which boasts more than $2 billion in annual sales, says that its sponsorship is

Organizers have unveiled the route of the upcoming Tour of California and confirmed speculation that one of the world’s largest biotech firms has signed on as title sponsor of the event. Scheduled for February 19-26, 2006, the Amgen Tour of California has signed16 professional cycling teams from around the world to compete across 700 miles of scenic California roadway from San Francisco to Redondo Beach, California. Among the 16 teams competing in the inaugural event are six ProTour teams – Discovery, Gerolsteiner, Davitamon-Lotto, Phonak, Saunier Duval Prodir and the T-Mobile - and the

What happens now that Lance has retired? Many cycling fans in this country have been repeating that refrain since Lance Armstrong hung up his cleats after winning his seventh Tour de France. Lance is gone, but the inheritors of his American dream — including George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis, Chris Horner, Fred Rodriguez and Saul Raisin — will have a jump start to show their strengths and characters at next February’s Amgen Tour of California. With a one-hour nationwide broadcast on espn2 every evening during the eight-day race, the U.S. standouts will have their best

The feed zone - That Resting Metabolic Rate

Simoni wants a win on Alpe d’Huez

A prologue in Seraing

Stage 1 from Mons to Charleroi

Tour of California route unveiled

Can Simple Green cause chains to crack?

Do you recommend compact cranks for climbing?

I'm a tall rider and my foot hits my rear derailleur, what can I do?

Do cranks flex, or is it the bottom bracket and frame?

Team CSC signed up two more experienced hands in Volodymir Gustov and Iñigo Cuesta to round out its 2006 roster with 30 riders. The top ProTour team penned deals with Gustov, 28, and Cuesta, 36, on the recommendations of current team members. Team captain Ivan Basso had good memories of Gustov during their stint together at Fassa Bortolo while Carlos Sastre put in the good word for compatriot Cuesta. “Obviously, I'll listen when our top guys make suggestions for new riders and that’s been the case with these two final additions to the team,” said Team CSC boss Bjarne Riis in a statement.

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Crank issues galore

Iñigo Cuesta comes from Saunier Duval

Gustov (L) chats with future teammate Ivan Basso during this year's Tour

Add Thor Hushovd to the name of stars making an early season trip to Australia for the 2006 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under. The winner of the green points jersey at this year’s Tour de France will join Crédit Agricole teammates Laszlo Bodrogi, Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu and Frenchman Patrice Halgand for the season opener. It is the first time the Norwegian sprinter has raced in Australia's premier road event and ensures the sprints will be hotly contested in 2006. Hushovd, who pipped Australians Stuart O'Grady and Robbie McEwen, for the prestigious green jersey in July, also claimed

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. This last contest was among the best collection of submissions we’ve seen this year. As a result, we had a tougher time choosing and never could get it down to fewer than two. So for only the second time in our contest history, we’re giving two awards: Craig Forester’s shot of crowds waiting for the peloton on the Col du Galibier underscores the size and grandeur of the Tour de France. On a more personal level, Rosie Ray’s

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.Where the real problem isHey VeloFolk,To be as brief as I can… I love our sport and the pure athleticismit requires. Obviously, there is a doping problem at hand. However, itseems to me that ASO and WADA and their "War on Doping" is only perpetuatinga greater problem.With

The U.S. National Mountain Bike Team collected seven medals over the weekend - two of them gold - at the Pan American Mountain Bike Championships outside Mexico City. Mary McConneloug (Chilmark, Massachusetts) rode to a Pan American Championship in the elite women's race to lead an all-American podium that included a silver medal performance from Kelli Emmett (Colorado Springs, Colorado) and a bronze medal effort from Willow Koerber (Ashville, North Carolina). McConneloug clocked a time of one hour, 55 minutes over the 30km course to finish with a 51-second advantage over Emmett and a

Last week, I left you with a thought from Greg LeMond after Frenchman Laurent Fignon won the 1983 Tour de France: “We all thought it was kind of a fluke.” Had LeMond, then 22, started that Tour, he might well have won it. He was two months older than Fignon, who was his teammate, and LeMond would have gone into the race with much better results, including victories at the 1982 Tour de l’Avenir and 1983 Dauphiné Libéré. Backing up that theory was the manner in which LeMond continued the 1983 season, winning the world championship and then the Super Prestige Pernod title (see “Inside Cycling,”

Hushovd took a stage at the Vuelta this year, too.

Heras will be at the Giro next year

He may try again

Konecny

Luis León Sánchez

VeloNews Photo Contest: New winners and a new gallery

VeloNews Photo Contest: New winners and a new gallery