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Leipheimer says this Tour the hardest…Levi Leipheimer says this is the hardest Tour de France of the four in which he has competed. The American leader of the Gerolsteiner team says the aggressive racing has been great for spectators, but hard on the riders. “The speed has obviously been higher, the competition is thicker, and I think the transfers have made it really hard,” said Leipheimer at the start of Stage 15 in Mourenx. “We haven’t had all that many mountaintop finishes, but it seems like there’s been a lot of climbing, and the races have opened up farther from the finish than

Top Australian cyclist Amy Gillett was killed and five compatriots injured on Monday when a car plowed into them when they were training in eastern Germany. Gillett, 29, took up competitive cycling in 2000, having rowed for Australia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The rider from Ballarat, Victoria, was married to world champion oarsman Simon Gillett and was considered a medal favorite for next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Gillett won bronze in the 2005 Australian road time trial championship and had been racing at top level for five years. "Amy was a unique athlete who

For eight long years, Germans have hoped that Jan Ullrich would one again win the Tour de France. His 1997 Tour de France victory electrified the nation and made cycling enthusiasts of his countrymen. After last weekend, however, it is finally beginning to dawn on Germans that there may never be a second victory. The weekly newsmagazine Der Spiegel writes that Ullrich has spent his best years battling a better rider, a unique man: “For sure Ullrich will continue to hold on to his dream of winning the Tour again for another year. He has announced that he will continue to fight – as he has

Stage 16 - Mourenx to Pau >180.5km

Stage 16 - Mourenx to Pau >180.5km

Armstrong works his way through a crowd of reporters to attend a pre-Tour press conference in Challans on Thursday.

Armstrong and his Discovery Channel teammates reconnoiter Saturday's time trial course.

Pereiro would not be denied on Tuesday

Evans drives the break

In his 78th yellow jersey, Armstrong is now tied with Bernard Hinault for the number of days in the lead of the TdF

Evans goes on the attack

Horner was among the day's escapees, but was eventually reeled in by Armstrong and Co.

Do not fool with those people.

Leader of the demonstration is requested to move on.

Those great TV images come from moto bikes like this... once they get it fixed.

The OLN crew gets the same treatment at the barrier as the rest of the crowd.

Just happy to be there: A few of the junior riders honored Wednesday had a hard time keeping their focus. (Save this picture. One of these guys might win a Tour some day.)

The view from the top of the Col d' Aubisque.

Flecha attacks.

Pereiro pushes it on the descent.

Pereiro erases the memory of losing to Hincapie

Vino' (surprise, surprise) on the attack

Hincapie, back on the job

The Evans escape

Heras, with Vino', tried to salvage something from another disappointing Tour

Ullrich takes a licking, but keeps on ticking

Rasmussen is a lock for the polka-dot jersey, if he makes it to Paris

Evans and Mazzoleni

German cyclist Danilo Hondo has appealed a two-year doping suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. But both the UCI, which governs cycling, and the World Anti-Doping Agency have asked CAS to increase the penalty. Switzerland's sports disciplinary body, Swiss Olympic, banned Hondo for two years in June for testing positive twice for the stimulant carphedon during the Tour of Murcia in March, where he won two stages and wore the leader's yellow jersey. But Hondo can start racing again next year on probation. Hondo, who has denied knowingly

PRESS RELEASE: Lennard Zinn mountain bike clinic at SoCal REILennard Zinn, bicycle frame builder and technical guru, will host aclinic on mountain bike maintenance and repair at the Manhattan Beach REIon July 23 at 9:00 a.m.Since the first edition of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenancein 1996, thousands of mountain bikers have depended on this well-organizedand clearly illustrated reference guide. The newly-released fourth editionincludes the most recent technology from leading mountain bike manufacturers,along with even more tips and detailed illustrations to keep your bikeready

Hello,My goal today was to move firmly on to the podium of the Tour de France. I at least wanted to make good time. Unfortunately that didn’t quite work out that way. Oscar Sevilla - the Spaniard here riding with us on this Tour - was really the man we had designated for a stage win today. Oscar wanted to make this “his” stage. It’s no wonder that he made the jump into the day’s break. He did a spectacular job up there today and should be really proud. Oscar is a real asset to this team and it would have been nice to see him take this one, especially. One of the things I admire most about

Jan Ullrich has all but given up on his challenge to Lance Armstrong on this year's Tour de France and admitted he is now fighting Michael Rasmussen for a place on the podium. Germany's 1997 winner and five-time runner-up is nearly six minutes behind his Texan rival in the general classification ahead of next Sunday's race finale on the Champs Élysées - in Tour terms a mammoth deficit which is all but insurmountable. Ullrich, who has finished second to Armstrong three times during the American's six-year reign, admits he is now fighting to make sure he doesn't finish off

Basso to stay with CSC through 2009Team CSC announced Monday that CSC has extended its sponsorship agreement with Riis Cycling through 2009. That ensures that Ivan Basso of Italy, who is currently sitting in second in the general classification, will remain with the Denmark-based team. “We have come far in the last couple of seasons, and no one should have any doubts that our ambitions are sky high,” said CSC sport director Bjarne Riis. “Ivan has not only lived up to our expectations, he has impressed me time after time with his will to improve and take responsibility for himself and his

Lance Armstrong is trying to capture more than just a seventh straight Tour de France title. He wants to win over the French fans, too. So far, it's working. The American cyclist has regularly left the team bus during this year's Tour to greet hordes of people, who push and shove to get a glimpse of him. He recently stopped and rode over to a screaming fan who was calling for him. Armstrong chatted with her while her husband joined the conversation. “Lance, give us your cap,” the man said in broken English, laced with a heavy regional accent. Armstrong handed it over,

Rest day and I need it. Actually I could use another, if it were possible. I mentioned the other day that I’d been sick on the stage to Ax-3-Domaines. Finishing with the grupetto had been hard, just because I’d been throwing up for the first 100k. Yesterday, on the stage to Pla d'Adet, it was worse. My stomach had settled, but I’m still sick with something and it took everything I had just to beat the time cut. I was dropped early in the day, spending probably the last 100 or so kilometers riding on my own… well, I had another guy (Rafael Nuritdinov of, Domina Vacanze), but he was

Three Consecutive records close out a spectacular Alpenrose Velodrome Blazing sunny skies and blustery winds greeted the riders on Sunday for the final day of the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge in Portland, Oregon. The women’s competition kicked off with 200-meter time trials to begin the sprint tournament. U.S. Olympian Jennie Reed (Gregg’s-Trek-VW) was the top qualifier in 12.84, followed by Becky Quinn (Southbay Wheelmen) in 13.24 and Alpenrose local Heather VanValkenberg in 13.38. The men, meanwhile, began what would prove to be arguably the most spectacular event of the weekend, the

Ullrich wants to improve on his fourth place from '04

Bruyneel on Hincapie and life without Lance

Magnus Opus: With one eye on Paris...

Lance Armstrong didn’t take the stage win in the final summit finish of his celebrated Tour de France career, as many had predicted, but on Sunday in the Pyrénées of southern France he did get the next-best thing — a stage win for his close friend and Discovery Channel teammate George Hincapie. Hincapie, the only man to ride with Armstrong in all seven of his post-cancer Tours, took the win atop the Pla d’Adet ski resort out of a 14-man breakaway group that shattered on the Col de Peyresourde, the fourth of six categorized climbs, while Armstrong crossed the line five minutes later with

With dark clouds, cool temperatures, and the threat of rain looming, the men’s sprint qualifiers kicked off Saturday’s racing at the Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge in Portland, Oregon. Josiah Ng (Bike Central), the Malaysian Olympian and recent graduate of a Japanese keirin school, posted the fastest 200-meter time (11.44), just 0.1 second off Jeff LaBauve’s 2001 track record. Close behind was the ageless Stephen Alfred (Family Cycling Center), the AVC defending champion in the match sprint, with 11.46. Gideon Massie, the 2004 U.S. Olympian, was just behind in 11.57, and with nine more

Stage Results1. George Hincapie (USA), Discovery Channel, 6:06:382. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Sp), Phonak, 00:063. Pietro Caucchioli (I), Credit Agricole, 00:384. Michael Boogerd (Nl), Rabobank, 00:575. Laurent Brochard (F), Bouygues Telecom, 02:196. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 05:047. Lance Armstrong (USA), Discovery Channel, 05:048. Oscar Sevilla (Sp), T-Mobile, 06:289. Jan Ullrich (G), T-Mobile, 06:2810. Mickael Rasmussen (Dk), Rabobank, 06:32 11. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 06:3212. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz), T-Mobile, 07:3313. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Gerolsteiner, 07:5414. Christophe

Keeping ten-speed chains intactAll of the teams contesting the Tour de France this year are, of course,are using 10-speed chains on their 10-speed Shimano or Campagnolo groups. While you rarely see a broken chain in the professional peloton, youcertainly do see it among everyday enthusiasts nowadays with 10-speed chainsfar more frequently than you used to with 9-speed chains, and especiallymore so than in the old days when riders used 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-speed chains.Back then breakage on a road bike was practically unheard of. You knowthat if there is any time you would not want to break a

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, I was right up there, ready to fight out the sprint – admittedly, I wasn’t in the top three, but you get the point. I didn’t seem to have the legs to finish the job the boys did for me with the leadout, but I was still feeling pretty good. Today, on the stage from Agde to Ax-3-Domaines, I can only say it was… well, a bit rough. It was a really, really rough day on the bike today. I threw up four times in the first 100 kilometers. I couldn’t eat a thing all day and it was two or two-and-a-half hours before I could even drink a little bit. I don’t

In Pla d’Adet, France … Hincapie, team leader?Could George Hincapie lead Discovery Channel next year after Lance Armstrong retires at the end of the 2005 Tour de France? That might have seemed a crazy notion three weeks ago, but it’s gaining credibility as Hincapie continues to progress into a solid, all-round rider. Even Armstrong said it’s not such a far-fetched idea. “We always have these dreamers who say they’re going to win the Tour, so why couldn’t George Hincapie be in that position?” Armstrong said. “He’s a complete rider.” Armstrong said he’s already discussed the possibility

You never know what you're going to see on any given day in the Tour. Could be an oblivious fan getting a camera moto's tire tracks up his spinal column; could be a hairy-backed cross-dresser. Our man Casey Gibson didn't snap a shot of the former, but he did get the latter, along with some racing action, the late Fabio Casartelli's family at a memorial in his honor, and much, much more. Check it all out below.

George Hincapie has been a loyal, selfless and dedicated teammate during Lance Armstrong's six Tour de France titles. On Sunday, he picked the Tour's toughest stretch to make a statement of his own. Hincapie broke away early and held on to win the 15th stage through the Pyrenees, beating Phonak's Oscar Pereiro in a sprint to the line for his first stage win at cycling's premier event. “This ride is so hard. In training I almost didn't arrive at the top because I was so tired,” the 32-year-old Hincapie said. “It took us seven hours in training. I just can't

Before the NORBA National short-track contest at Idaho’s Schweitzer Mountain Resort on Sunday, Susan Haywood and Trek-VW team manager Jon Posner discussed race tactics based on conservative riding and proper pacing. “We talked about making the front group and then attacking with maybe three laps to go,” said Posner. So naturally, at the gun, Haywood tosses the playbook and leads the 33-woman field around the relatively flat, half-mile course, snagging the race’s only prime - $50 offered up by announcer Larry Longo – and quickly gapping the field. Haywood’s solo effort gave her a

Hincapie wins his first Tour stage

Armstrong and Basso put the screws to Ullrich

. . . this guy is clearly a professional

Don't try this at home, kids . . .

Alan Buttlar installs a new chain

Your I.D. sir?

The Good Lieutenant: Hincapie gets his stage win... and it's a doozie

.. the day's escape quickly built a nice lead.

Then there were six.

The day had a deceptively mellow start...

Armstrong and Ullrich were the only ones to stay with Basso.

Ullrich tried to stay aggressive.

The team rose to the occasion on Sunday.

The Casartelli monument

His family, just before the memorial ceremony

'Yo, 'scuse me, but I'm just gonna drop it down a couplea cogs and win the stage here'

Chris Horner is still having fun at the end of four Cat. 1 climbs and an HC grinder

Levi, on the other hand, looks a touch spent

The peloton in the Pyrenees

The fans find a cool spot along the climb

The Tour definitely needs bigger trash cans

Ullrich definitely knows how to suffer, even if it doesn't get him any closer to Armstrong

Never try to pick up a date at a race in the Pyrenees - especially if 'she' has a back that's hairier than yours

Course: This stage could be a killer. After riding for morethan four hours on mostly hilly back roads under a (probably) burning sun,the riders face two of the toughest climbs in the Pyrénées:the 15km, 8-percent Port de Pailhères (that’s finally been givenan hors-catégorie rating) and the 9km, 7.3-percent climb to theAx-3-Domaines summit finish. History: The Pailhères-Ax-3-Domaines combo has been usedonly once before, in 2003, when it saw a dehydrated Armstrong almost cedehis yellow jersey to Ullrich. CSC’s Carlos Sastre took that stage. Favorites: After a two-day “break,” the main

Under a glaring sun and searing summer heat the 92nd Tour de France entered the Pyrénées of southern France Saturday, and though the general classification didn’t quite blow apart, a handful of the race’s central characters certainly melted from the pressure. After the hors-catégorie ascent of the Port de Pailhères, the 220.5km stage ended atop the Cat. 1 climb to the ski resort at Ax-3 Domaines with six-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) holding an even firmer grip on the race leader’s jersey. He’s now 1:41 ahead of Dane Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank),while CSC’s Italian

Stage Results1. Georg Totschnig (A), Gerolsteiner, 5:43:43 at 38.491kmp2. Lance Armstrong (USA), Discovery Channel, 00:563. Ivan Basso (I), CSC, 00:584. Jan Ullrich (G), T-Mobile, 01:165. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Gerolsteiner, 01:316. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, 01:317. Francisco Mancebo (Sp), Illes Balears, 01:478. Mickael Rasmussen (Dk), Rabobank, 01:479. Andreas Kloden (G), T-Mobile, 02:0610. Haimar Zubeldia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 02:20 11. Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz), T-Mobile, 03:0612. Stefano Garzelli (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, 03:3513. Jorg Jaksche (G), Liberty Seguros, 04:0314. Cadel

Tool bag?Dear Lennard,The other day during stage 9 I noticed a small black box under the saddle on Jens Voigt's Cervelo. Obviously he wasn't carrying a tool kit like us mortals, so what was it? A radio?Brett Dear Brett,I am posting this since I continue to get this question every day, even though I answered it already. For the answer, check out this link. You really ought to check out the daily SRM telemetry, especially in the Pyrenees and the final time trial. There are a lot of riders hooked up with them. The display isonly live during the stage and there is no file to see

Here’s what the main players had to say at Ax-3 Domaines, France, following Saturday’s fireworks in the Pyrenees. Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel), yellow jersey (second at 52 seconds back, first overall) On comparing to his troubles two years ago: “Yeah, for sure, I kept trying to remember my training day here six weeks ago versus the 2003 Tour, because I felt better then. It’s a similar situation, again with Ivan and Jan, same as 2003. Similar also with the heat, it was incredibly hot.” On the difficulty of Sunday’s stage: “We’re going to have a hard time to recover from today’s

Moments after Sunday’s stage finish at the ski station of Ax-3-Domaines, Gerolsteiner’s Georg Totschnig lay collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted after a breakaway effort of more than 200 kilometers. The only thing the 34-year-old Austrian could do was weep for joy. He had just made a dream come true. “This is unbelievable,“ Totschnig said as he fought to catch his breath. "A few days ago, I didn’t think I would even make it to Paris.” It was not until Gerolsteiner soigneur Klaus Thünemann helped Totschnig to his feet that the man from the Zillertal valley in Tyrol began to grasp

Lance in pink?The image may never make OLN's coverage of the Tour de France, but there are a thousand print journalists who will vouch for it. Lance Armstrong gave his main rival a free plug in his press conference today, swapping his Discovery Channel baseball hat for a T-Mobile cap worn by one journalist. With tongue firmly in cheek (we think), Armstrong asked why the reporter was wearing it and instead of a Discovery Channel hat. Before everyone knew it, the pair had swapped hats and Big Tex was sporting the pink and white of T-Mobile. But not for long, and he did ask for his own hat

Course: On paper, this is the toughest stage of the Tour: six climbs (one Cat. 2, four Cat. 1s and the finish up the hors-cat Pla d’Adet). That’s just over 16,000 feet of climbing in 205.5km, and all ridden on less-than-perfect roads in summer heat or seasonal thundershowers. History: Pla d’Adet has seen the finish of eight Tour stages in the past 30 years, the most decisive being the Tour-winning solo attacks by Lucien Van Impe in 1976 and Armstrong in 2001. Favorites: This will be the final mountaintop finish in Armstrong’s storied career. The American would love to come up with another

Whew - it was another hot one in the hills on Saturday, and T-Mobile tried its best to make a Texas-style barbecue out of Discovery's Lance Armstrong. Alas, it was bratwurst, not brisket, that wound up sizzling on the grill, and our man Casey Gibson was there to savor the aroma.