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The second annual Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix in Ojai, California, got a little extra star power on Sunday courtesy of a visit by six-time Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong and his companion Sheryl Crow. According to the Ventura County Star, (requires registration) Armstrong glided up to the line shortly before the start of the 90-minute pro men’s criterium. He apparently heard about the race from an old buddy, Dave Lettieri, the former manager of the Chevrolet-L.A. Sheriff’s team, now owner of FasTrack Bicycles in nearby Santa Barbara. And while, like his Roubaix-bound teammate

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’s Mike Creed?Editor:What's up with Mike Creed? He hasn't started any races since Langkawi, and is not even on the roster for Georgia. Is he still with Discovery? Injured? Doghouse? He had some promising results last year, rode well in support at Georgia last year and

Well, we’re embarrassed. Many of you keeping track of Sunday’s live coverage of Paris-Roubaix were left without access to updates for what turned into an exciting finish. We apologize for those we left hanging. The dog didn’t eat our homework and our editorial crew didn’t step out for coffee… but we do have an explanation. Near the end of the race our servers crashed, rendering our coverage non-existent. Like you, we were frustrated, even angry at times, but we have since had a chance to trace the problem, address it and make certain that it doesn’t happen again. It was a software issue and

For every high in bike racing, like George Hincapie’s first podium at Paris-Roubaix, it seems there’s an equivalent low. Just ask Hincapie’s Discovery Channel teammate Mike Creed, who’s back in the States for a medical checkup after suffering through an extended bout of fatigue. After wrapping up the January 28-February 6 Tour of Langkawi in Malaysia, where he finished 37th overall, the young pro returned to his home in Girona, Spain, rested up for a couple of weeks and then resumed training. “Training was going good,” he said during a phone chat with VeloNews from his old hometown of

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) shot to the top of the ProTour standings following his dramatic victory in Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix. The 24-year-old Belgian slipped ahead of Milan-San Remo winner Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) with wins at Flanders and Roubaix. George Hincapie (Discovery Channel) moved into fourth with 75 points while Bobby Julich (CSC) sits in eighth with 50 points. Boonen was crowned king of the cobbles on Sunday and the feat made the covers of all the major Belgian dailies. Wednesday’s GP Scheldeprijs will be Boonen’s last race before he takes a “mini-vacation” before

Hundreds of collegiate cyclists from the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) convened on the Boston area for the 6th annual Boston Beanpot Classic. The three race event once again set a new record with over 470 collegiate racers from 60 colleges and universities across 11 states and two countries. The large turnout makes the 2006 Boston Beanpot Classic the largest collegiate race in U.S. history for the third straight year.

Boonen got the cobble and a new jersey on Sunday.

With baby daughter Julia Paris cradled in his arms, a physically and emotionally drained George Hincapie finally stood on the Paris-Roubaix podium he’s doggedly pursued for so many years. Standing one step higher was Tom Boonen, the Belgian bomber who swept to an emotional victory in a three-up sprint that also included Spanish charger Juan Antonio Flecha.

Cycling-mad Belgians appear more than ready to embrace yet another hero as 24-year-old Tom Boonen claimed victory in the grueling Paris-Roubaix one-day classic on Sunday, his second major win in a week. It was a race for which Boonen became the favorite after his stunning victory in the Tour of Flanders last Sunday, where he decided not to rely on his formidable sprint powers to put his rivals to the sword. And after claiming victory in the 259km seventh race of the ProTour series on Sunday, in which his illustrious predecessors Roger De Vlaeminck, Eddy Merckx and Johan Museeuw have shone

American George Hincapie took a couple of steps closer to realizing a career-long dream on Sunday but the Discovery Channel rider was pipped at the finish line of the grueling Paris-Roubaix one-day classic. Hincapie, who has been a teammate of Lance Armstrong's since the early days of U.S. Postal, has twice come close to winning the race known as the Hell of the North - and twice, in 1999 and 2000, he finished in fourth place. This year the 31-year-old New Yorker grabbed his chance at victory with both hands, getting into the decisive breakaway with all the top contenders with 80km of

The Cobbles of Paris-RoubaixSectionDifficulty (on a scale of 1-5)26. Troisvilles (km 97.5 - 2200 meters)***25. Viesly (km 103.8 - 1800 meters)***24. Quievy (km 106.4 - 3700 meters)****23. Quievy – Saint-Python (km 111.1 - 1500 meters)**22. Escarmain (km 122.7 - 1500 meters)*21. Vertain (km 126.9 - 1900 meters)***20. Du Buat (km 133.6 - 1700 meters)***20. Preseau (143.8 - 2000 meters)*19. Aulnoy-lez-Valenciennes (km 149.7 - 2600 meters)*****18. Famars (km 153 - 1200 meters)***17. Artres - Querenaing (km 155.8 - 1400 meters)***17. Querenaing - Maing (km 157 - 2500 meters)***16.

Dominican national road champion Wendy Cruz captured the inaugural edition of the Tour of Puerto Rico Sunday, finishing third in an 84km criterium through the streets of Hato Rey. Cruz took the race lead on Friday by finishing second in the 152km race from San Juan to Mayaguez. The following morning, he won a difficult 68km mountain stage by outsprinting American Jonathan Baker, who jumped from eighth to second overall. Cruz’s margin of victory was 1:29 over Baker and 1:46 over third-placed Dominican August Sanchez of the Dominican national team. Cruz, 28, also won the race’s points and

Boonen gets another of the greats

Hincapie wants that top step

The day's early escape

Hincapie and Boonen driving the day's winning break.

Boonen now also leads the ProTour

Van Petegem and others were caught up in this big tumble

Flecha sees the day's move is being made.

Tafi at the start.

Wesemann, Hulsmans and Van Bon in pursuit

Michaelsen drives the break.

Belgian star Tom Boonen will saddle up as a major favorite for Sunday’s 103rd edition of Paris-Roubaix, the rugged one-day classic that could put the charismatic Quick Step rider on the road to emulating former three-time winner Johan Museeuw. Despite his youthful features, Boonen proved in last week's daring win in the Tour of Flanders that he has no qualms about putting some of the world's toughest and more experienced one-day riders to the sword. And a victory in the Roubaix velodrome would send his growing army of fans into an even bigger frenzy. "We saw it last week - age is

The second annual Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix is scheduled Sunday in Ojai, California. This race, which honors the late Ojai resident and racer, who died in a collision with a car while participating in the 2003 Tucson Bicycle Classic, is part of USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar. Pro women race at 11:30 a.m. followed by the pro men’s at 12:35 p.m. After Lemire’s death, his friends and family created the Garrett Lemire Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization working in the local school system to educate students about cycling safety, fitness, bicycle maintenance and the

Harrisonburg, VA, March 29, 2005—Gripped Films is pleased to announce the world premiere of its feature-length documentary, "Off Road to Athens." The film will be shown during the Sea Otter Classic at 7 p.m. April 15 and 16 at the Golden State Theater in downtown Monterey, California. At Friday's showing, all eight athletes featured in the film will arrive via limo and will be taking photos with fans and signing movie posters. "Off Road to Athens" is a powerful documentary covering the tumultuous path taken by eight athletes hoping to make the U.S. mountain-biking team headed to the

LIQUIGAS - BIANCHI1 - BACKSTEDT Magnus SWE2 - ALBASINI Michael SUI3 - GEROSA Mauro ITA4 - LJUNGQVIST Marcus SWE5 - LODA Nicola ITA6 - RIGHETTO Marco ITA7 - SIRONI Gianluca ITA8 - ZANOTTI Marco ITAFASSA BORTOLO11 - CANCELLARA Fabian SUI12 - AUG Andrus EST13 - BALDATO Fabio ITA14 - CHICCHI Francesco ITA15 - CORIONI Claudio ITA16 - FLECHA Juan Antonio ESP17 - ONGARATO Alberto ITA18 - PETITO Roberto ITADAVITAMON - LOTTO21 - VAN PETEGEM Peter BEL22 - DE VOCHT Wim BEL23 - MATTAN Nico BEL24 - ROESEMS Bert BEL25 - STEELS Tom BEL26 - VAN BON Leon NED27 - VIERHOUTEN Aart NED28 - VOGELS Henk AUST-MOBILE

O'Bee scores in Hell of the North (Way North)Navigators Insurance's Kirk O'Bee scored the 2nd step of the podium today in the 43rd Ronde Van Drenthe, held in the far northeastern corner of Holland. The race, modeled after a similar event held in France, is known as much for its 12 sections of demanding pave, totaling 28Km, as for the 4 trips up the 23% Vamberg climb. On his way to 2nd place in the race, Kirk also took the KOM jersey for his display of power on the steep pitch of the "Vam." The race, officially titled: 43rd Internationale Albert Achterhes Profronde Ronde Van

Last week, I told the story of how Californian Audrey McElmury in 1969 became the first-ever American to win a world road race championship. Emphasizing the enormity of that rainbow victory is the fact that her feat has since been repeated by only one woman, Beth Heiden in 1980, and two pro men, Greg LeMond in 1983 and 1989, and Lance Armstrong in 1993. McElmury’s breakthrough was a giant step for American cycling, and was confirmation that California — where McElmury often raced with the men — was producing high-quality U.S. riders. We had already seen the limited success in Europe of men

Boonen's the favorite - but Paris-Roubaix has been tough on the big names

Tafi en route to victory in 1999

Paris-Roubaix race organizers, forced by a sinkhole to abandon the infamous cobbles of the Arenberg forest, have unearthed a series of tracks that they say will be just as intimidating in Sunday's Hell of the North. Roger de Vlaeminck who outrode Eddy Merckx in a series of mighty battles to chalk up record four wins in the 1970s has warned riders to be ready for a day of pain. “You need to be fairly agile to avoid the bumps and pitfalls but at the end of the day you've just got to accept you're going to take a fall, dust yourself down and get on with it," said the Belgian who

It had been a long hot day in the Auvergne region of central France. 237km in six hours – the longest stage of the 2004 Tour - and the July sun had baked the roads mercilessly. But the climate and the physical strains of the day were not the only reason why Erik Zabel was steaming. Clearly his temper had passed the boiling point: Having torn off his sweaty jersey, Zabel stood shirtless next to the team bus in a side street of the medieval town of Saint-Flour, screaming furiously at team director Mario Kummer until veins popped out of his neck. Only 10 feet away Andreas Klöden was calmly

Looking at the list of casualties from Ghent-Wevelgem, I couldn't help but shudder. Broken bones; people hitting poles, cars and other riders - I know the feeling. Even the slightest injury or smallest crash has consequences. And the older you get, the more the little things mean. The back gets tight, you pull a hamstring, and bang: You’ve triggered an old injury. Then you can't train properly, or race the next race that will help you achieve your top form when you need it, and you start to worry that you’ll never get back on track. When you’re young, climbing back on the bike is

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.Let’s hope the motos don’t affect Paris-RoubaixEditor:Looks like another race may have been decided by the motos (see “Mattan takes a messy Ghent-Wevelgem”). First Andreas Klier is taken out by a moto, and then apparently Nico Mattan got an assist from them while chasing down Juan

Di Luca seals VPV dealDanilo Di Luca started Friday’s 9.3km final time trial of the Vuelta a Pais Vasco with a 23-second head start on Bobby Julich. Making up that much time seemed unlikely on such a short course that favored the climbing legs of Di Luca, but with the way Julich’s been riding these days, you just never know. The Liquigas-Bianchi star only needed a quarter of that cushion to score the overall title in the hilly ProTour race in Spain’s Basque Country region. Di Luca finished a strong fourth at just four seconds slower than CSC’s Julich in a rainy, challenging time trial to

I’m gonna whittle you into kindlin’Black Crow 16 shells from a thirty-ought-six.–Tom Waits, “16 Shells from a .30-06” It had been a long Friday morning in the service of cycling journalism, or whatever the hell it is that I do here, and so when I saw a gap in the workload I decided to slip out for a ride. One glance at the sky and I grabbed a ’cross bike, thinking I’d do a few quick turns in the park before the clouds cut loose. The weather had that monster-movie look to it, and around here that can mean anything from electrical storms to blizzards to nothing at all. On the way to the park

The most demanding, exhausting one-day race of the professional road-racing calendar starts at 11 a.m. Sunday in Compiegne, France, just north of Paris. Indeed, more than 20 percent of the course used for the 103rd Paris-Roubaix hardly qualifies as a “road” at all, in modern terms. Nearly 55km of the 259km route consists of 26 sections of bone-rattling, sometimes dangerously slick cobblestones. Known variously as the “Hell of the North” and the “Queen of the Classics,” Paris-Roubaix is one of the most dramatic events in professional cycling. Partly cloudy skies are forecast for race day,

Augusto Sanchez outsprinted fellow Dominican Wendy Cruz to win the second stage of the inaugural Tour of Puerto Rico Friday in Mayaquez. The two were part of a breakaway of seven riders who escaped the field 60km into the 152km race, which traversed the northern coast of the island. The break had a gap of nearly two minutes before the challenging terrain and 90-degree heat clipped it down to 50 seconds and a long climb in the final 15km shattered it altogether. Then, when police could not clear traffic clogging the finish area, commissaire Pablo Antonio Fana Joaquin ordered that the race be

Favorite Tom Boonen (r) prepares for Sunday's run into the Hell of the North

Stuart O'Grady and the Cofidis crew try out the new stretch of pavé at the Hameau du Buat

Weather conditions are expected to get worse by Sunday

Zabel was particularly aggressive at this year's Flanders

Getting the bird once again

Discovery trains on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix

Dear Bob,I experienced what a lot of us fear and dread: UPS losing your faithfulsteed. I was traveling back from holiday in Utah and a close friend offeredto ship my custom team issued Cannondale Scalpel MTB back home. The bikenever made it. It was in a hard case along with tools, spare tires, pump,and other accessories, about a $6000 total loss. My friend did not knowhow much it was worth and only insured it for $700. My question is: canI recover from UPS Corporation? UPS said they only cover the first $100,than the remainder falls on the shipping location. The manager said thatI would not

PARIS (AP) — The French National Assembly passed a proposedanti-doping law Wednesday that would put France in line with internationalsports rules.The lower house voted 372-0 in favor of Sports Minister Jean-FrancoisLamour's proposal for creation of an independent French anti-doping agency.The legislation goes to the Senate for final approval at an undetermineddate.The World Anti-Doping Agency coordinates drug-testing in Olympic sports,and national governments are required to enact WADA's drug code beforethe Turin Olympics next February.Adoption of the French law would be a major boost

Mountain Bikers Lobby Today at IMBA's 24 Hours of D.C.--IMBA working to reverse Senate cuts to Recreational Trails Program.Mountain bikers converge in the U.S. capital today for the newest 24-hourevent: IMBA's 24 Hours of Washington, D.C.Attendees will spend the entire day on Capitol Hill, meeting with theirU.S. representatives, senators and staff to introduce IMBA and key mountainbiking issues. The goal is simple: raise awareness about trail access andrecreation issues and convince government officials that mountain bikingdeserves their support.The group's highest priority is to

On 24 March 2005, Nico Eeckhout of the Jacques T. Interim Team equipped with a Merckx frame and Campagnolo electronic drivetrain won the 60th edition of the Dwars Door Vlaanderen. The midweek race was held on Wednesday 23 March in the heart of Flanders. The 202 km course was chosen as the test ground to try out the latest evolutions of Campagnolo electronic components. "The Belgian tests always provide important data on the development and reliability of the products," the engineers of the Vicenza company declare. This is because the ubiquitous pavé and the generally rainy climate offer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lance Armstrong is considering retiring after he tries for a record seventh straight Tour de France victory this July. “It's a possibility,” Armstrong said Thursday at a Central Park appearance to support New York's 2012 Olympic bid. “I am still thinking about that.” Comments Armstrong, 33, made to Italian media last week that he missed his kids and the pressure was taking a toll on him fueled speculation that this year's Tour de France would be his last. “Four more months and it's over...,” he was quoted as saying in Gazzetta dello Sport. His new two-year

TOUR OF UTAH ANNOUNCES RACE ROUTE FOR 2005 STAGE RACELEHI, UT - The Tour of Utah has announced the race route forthe 2005 stage race, hosted by Thanksgiving Point.Scheduled for May 26 – 30, 2005, the Tour of Utah is a five-day, six-stageevent, taking professional and amateur cyclists along a course spanningthe Salt Lake and Utah Valleys.  While covering almost 500 kilometers,cyclists will be riding as far west as Tooele, Utah, as far south as Santaquin,Utah, and climbing to an altitude of nearly 9,000 feet.  Althoughthe first two stages are reserved only for professional categories,

San Juan, Puerto Rico – TIAA-CREF’s Tim Duggan put the chaos of a hectic morning behind him to win Thursday’s opening time trial stage of the inaugural Tour of Puerto Rico. Duggan awoke to the sounds of a howling wind and a torrential downpour, then coped with a series of logistical and mechanical problems before firing down the start ramp in front of the Olympic House in San Juan. The stage started nearly 20 minutes late and some team personnel found themselves stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic miles from the start/finish line. Duggan said TIAA-CREF was not without its problems, too. “We

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske: Bad Shipping News: Part 1

PRESS RELEASE - Campagnolo experimenting with electronic shifting

PRESS RELEASE - Campagnolo experimenting with electronic shifting

Armstrong in New York to support the city's Olympic bid

Depending on your perspective, Nico Mattan’s win at the 67th edition Ghent-Wevelgem on Wednesday was either one of the most heroic come-from-behind efforts of the season, or it was something that bordered on cheating.

Road size versus 'cross sizeDear Lennard,I'm in the process of purchasing a new cyclo-cross bike and a little confused about the sizing. I currently ride a Trek Madone (M) 56 with a top tube length of 56.2 and this fits me fine. I originally thought I would get a 56 XO1, but according to Trek's website, this is an XL but the top tube length is 55.5, a little less than my road bike, and the stand over height is 1.6 larger than the road bike. Should I be on a 54 (L) with a 54.0 top tube length?Any advice would be greatly appreciated.InsungDear Insung,There is no reason to go shorter

The Good, The Bad, and the UglyGent-Wevelgem (UCI Pro Tour)The 67th edition of the Belgian semi-classic, Gent-Wevelgem, had allof the ingredients of a Hollywood movie script today in western Flanders. For the Navigators Insurance Cycling Team, this was their first specialinvitation into a UCI Pro Tour event for the restructured 2005 season. Navigators Insurance was one of only five non-Pro Tour squads to take thestart today for the 208Km race.  As expected, the large crowds wereon hand to cheer the riders, and obviously the presence of the top-20 teamsin the world was viewed as a good

Mattan flew past a dejected Flecha in the closing meters

Cooke and Backstedt in the day's winning break.

Navigators' Walters on the Kemmelberg

British hope Roger Hammond crashes out

Hincapie eventually withdrew, saving himself for Sunday

Boonen missed the key move

The results stand

It's spring!

Last time I checked in I had just crossed back over the border from my Mexican adventure. The sunshine and warmth down south seem like a nostalgic memory. After coming home just long enough to catch a cold, I was off again, this time for the first NORBA National in Tapatio Springs, Texas. The NORBA National Mountain-Bike Series had never been to Tapatio Springs before this year and it was at a golf resort so how bad could it be? The weekend started off pretty well with some threatening sky’s but not much more. The TT and Short Track went off with out a hitch but then the rains came. It was

Nike: The 10//2 Lance Armstrong CollectionYou may have heard of 10//2.  What is 10//2?“October 2, 1996.  The day it all changed.  The dayI started never to take anything for granted.  The day I learned totake charge of my life.  It was the day I was diagnosed with cancer.”  -Lance ArmstrongOne day. Everyone has one. The day that changed their life. For Lance Armstrongthat one day was October 2nd - 10/2 – the day he was diagnosed with cancer.That day he became a patient and started becoming a survivor. For Lance,10/2 is carpe diem day, a day to overcome adversity and reaffirm life.Nike’s 10//2

Sandwiched in between last Sunday’s Tour of Flanders and this Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix is Wednesday’s Ghent-Wevelgem, a slightly shorter “semi-classic” which rejoins the sport’s highest classification on the UCI’s new ProTour. When the World Cup was created in 1989, Ghent-Wevelgem had to make due with hors categorie status, as only two events were allowed per country, and Belgium’s Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège occupied those precious spots. Unlike the hilly Flanders course and the heavily cobbled Roubaix, crosswinds often play a major factor at Ghent-Wevelgem, a 208km

Cofidis’s David Moncoutie won Tuesday's 166km second stage of the Tour of the Basque country between Zarauz and La Lejana on Tuesday. Aitor Osa (Illes Balears)took over the leader’s jersey, after finishing in second position, one second behind Moncoutie who timed 3:52:56. The stage was marked by an early break by Spanish rider Jon Bru who led from the front for 100km before the French rider made a late surge to achieve his first victory in the race through northern Spain. "I studied the route this morning and I realized that I had a good chance," said Moncoutie, who is in overall 23rd

Contrary to reports of its early demise, the UCI’s grand experiment, the new ProTour seems to be catching on. Despite the continuing howls of protest from Tour de France organizer ASO and the other grand tours, it seems everyone else in the cycling world is taking the ProTour format to heart. It’s still too early for a complete appraisal on the UCI’s re-jigging of the racing calendar, but the early verdict suggests the series has promise to live up to its billing. Look no further than Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, two early season races that typically were little more than race-speed

It was 1997; Andreas Klier was 21 years old and had just signed his first contract as a pro. One of his first races was Het Volk, the Belgian season opener, and the blond Bavarian from Munich was excited as all hell. This is what he had been dreaming of, ever since he had started racing bikes as a kid in his club in the Bavarian capital. He had never admired the Tour de France riders much – panting up the Alps in the July sun did not seem all that appealing. Spring classics, on the other hand, sparked his imagination: the tough conditions, the cobblestones, the fanatical Flemish supporters.

It’s midway through Sunday’s 142km Sunset Road Race –the final stage of the 2005 Redlands Bicycle Classic –and Jelly Belly’s star sprinter Alex Candelario is watching the line of racers stream by from his perch in the feed zone. There are plenty of other racers in the vicinity. Most of them are still clad in their team kits after abandoning the race, which today was set at a breakneck pace early on. Candelario wishes he could have the good fortune to abandon the race on his own terms, but, as the sling around his left arm shows, his premature abandonment came for other reasons. On lap

The Route

Moncoutie proved the stronger.

Today it's Moncoutie's turn to wear the txapela