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Giant’s Adam Craig said it was the soggy conditions that helped him win the 24-mile cross-country event at the season-opening NORBA national at Tapatio Springs Golf Resort in Texas on Sunday. Saturday’s pouring rains had transformed the course at Tapatio Springs Golf Resort into a sloppy quagmire, which Craig said suited him “just fine.” The 23-year old from Corinth, Maine, who is used to riding in the crud, spent much of the race chasing the wheel of Maxxis’s Geoff Kabush, the Canadian who ruled the roost in the American NORBA series of 2004. But this time, the young American was able to

Beautiful sunny weather and a near absence of wind opened the door for the sprinters as T-Mobile’s Ina Teutenberg and Juan Jose Haedo of Colavita scored wins in the McLane Pacific Foothills Road Race in California’s Central Valley on Sunday. The course, a 24-mile loop with a long flat stretch on the back side, was full of power hills that kept racers’ legs humming as the fields threw attacks and kept the pace high for the NRC’s season-opener. In the women’s race, active was the key word for the day as T-Mobile, Quark, and Webcor threw off a steady stream of attacks. Usually a windy race,

Voigt took a few risks to get the prologue win on Sunday

Fabian Cancellara takes second

Dekker finishes third

Vladimir Gusev in fourth

Sylvain Chavanel is the top French rider, finishing fifth

Zabriskie finishes as the day's top American

Julich finished 17th

Landis debuted in his new kit... and the largest TT helmet on the planet

...and finished ahead of his old boss

Voigt starts the week out in yellow.

Teutenberg is her old self again

Six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong opens his 2005 campaign in Paris-Nice on Sunday when professional cycling enters a new era – that of the 20-team, 27-race ProTour. This will be Armstrong's first start in Paris-Nice since 1999, when he used the race as a training run on the way to returning to Paris in July as winner of his first Tour. He finished second to Laurent Jalabert in 1996 when riding for Motorola and won a stage in 1995. Armstrong’s Discovery Channel line-up includes Viatcheslav Ekimov, Yaroslav Popovych and Paolo Savoldelli, the 2002 Giro d'Italia winner, who

Spaniard Pedro Arreitunandia (Barloworld) won the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Murcia on Saturday, outsprinting compatriot Koldo Gil (Liberty Seguros). Damiango Cunego (Lampre-Caffita) crossed third at 40 seconds back. In finishing second, Gil took the overall lead from Germany’s Danilo Hondo (Gerolsteiner), who slipped to ninth overall at more than two minutes back. “I attacked to win the stage, but I could not drop Arreitunandia in the finale,” said Gil. “He benefited from my effort, but I take the lead on general classification, and barring incident I should win this tour, which will be

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (T-Mobile) and Gord Fraser (Health Net-Maxxis) sprinted to victory on Saturday in the McLane Pacific Cycling Classic Downtown Grand Prix in Merced, California. The course, a flat, fast, 0.8-mile loop, had just enough turns to keep it interesting, and a slight southerly headwind on the one longer straightaway turned the end of most races into a field sprint. In the women’s pro/1-2 race, T-Mobile kept the pace high, launching attacks from the first lap and finishing with a clean set-up for their sprinter, Teutenberg. “It’s early in the season and it still hurts! It’s

Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) and three-time world champion Alison Sydor (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) continued to dominate the NORBA National opener on Saturday, winning the short-track race in Boerne, Texas. Sydor, who easily found victory in Friday’s time trial, proved she was not only the fittest woman in the pack, but also the best tactician. After American Olympian Mary McConneloug (Seven Cycles-Kenda) pushed the pace through the first three laps of the hilly course, an elite group of six riders formed, with Sydor, McConneloug, Katerina Hanusova (Luna), Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna), Willow

Arreitunandia outkicks Gil at the finish . . .

. . . but Gil gets the leader's jersey

Gerolsteiner rolls along with snow-capped peaks behind

What goes up, must come down

Cunego on the chase

Gil and Arreitunandia out front

A final day in the yellow jersey for Hondo

Burghardt leads

The women's podium

The men's podium

The opening stage of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen was called off Friday some 50km into the race due to heavy snow. Heavy snow started piling down and created dangerous race conditions, leaving organizers with the undesirable choice of canceling the 159km opening stage after it already started. It was a second bit of ill fortune for the Belgian race, which coincides with the ProTour debut of Paris-Nice on Sunday and Tirreno-Adriatico later next week. As a consequence, just five ProTour teams - among them Navigators and Discovery Channel - were among the squads taking today's

2005 Junior PCT Grand Prix AnnouncedEvent Features Riders 18 years and Under, Sunday June 5, 2005, AtWachovia USPRO ChampionshipThe Junior Pro Cycling Tour is inviting boys, ages 18 and under, totest their cycling skills at qualifying events for a chance to race inthe Junior PCT Grand Prix.  The event is an invitational points racefor 20 junior male cyclists scheduled to take place at the Wachovia USPROChampionship on June 5, 2005 in Philadelphia.The top 20 qualifiers will race for prizes valuing $1000 on June 5thin the Junior PCT Grand Prix on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway after

CATCH THE SPIRIT WITH THE FIVE BORO BIKE TOURLARGEST BIKE TOUR IN THE UNITED STATES RETURNS TO NYC ON MAY 1ST30,000 CYCLISTS GEAR UP FOR THE TOUR'S 28TH YEARBike New York, in association with the City of New York and the NewYork City Department of Transportation announced today that the Five BoroBike Tour will return to the city streets on Sunday, May 1, 2005.The Five Boro Bike Tour-presented by Con Edison-will be commemorating its28th year.The largest recreational cycling event in the United States, the FiveBoro Bike Tour began twenty-eight years ago with just 250 participantsand has now

My first live glimpse of the Tour de France came on June 26, 1963. I was sitting with my bike and a group of French picnickers on a grassy hillside in Picardy. They were big fans of the defending champion Jacques Anquetil, whose hometown of Rouen was the destination for that day’s fourth stage. As the peloton crested the hill and headed our way, the fans warmly applauded the riders, shouting out “Bravo, Jacques!” when they spotted Anquetil in the distinctive red-white-and-blue jersey of his St. Raphaël-Gitane team. Their hero was tucked in behind a teammate, who was wearing the yellow

Ah, March has finally arrived. That’s good news for so many reasons. March means spring is around the corner, and that means longer days, greener hills and girls in tank tops. It means that my birthday is coming up, followed by St. Patrick’s Day, one of the greatest non-reasons for getting drunk of all time. It means my income-tax refund is on the way, which should just about pay for the new mountain bike I ordered myself … for my birthday. But best of all, March means I don’t have to hear anyone else say, “It’s only February,” every time the pace heats up, the ride is longer than 35 miles

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 in the world is Chris Horner?Editor:Like many other American cycling fans I am eagerly awaiting the second coming of Chris Horner into the European cycling scene, but sadly I have yet to see a schedule or a race result during what is still very early in the cycling season. So what

Allan Davis ended Danilo Hondo’s winning streak at the Vuelta a Murcia on Friday, scoring his first win of the 2005 season in the 155km third stage from Mula to Fortuna. The Aussie sprinter shot past Hondo with 250 meters to go to win easily. Hondo finished second to retain his 21-second overall lead after winning Wednesday’s opening sprint and Thursday’s time trial. “I’m very happy to win,” Davis said on Spanish TV. “The team did great work today, so I really wanted to win for them. It was hard today, with a lot of wind and rain, but the team did a great job setting up the sprint, so I

Last month I mentioned I had the opportunity to drop in on SRAM’s 2006 OE product camp in Oracle, Arizona, for a sneak peek at what’s comin’ down the pipe from the Chicago folks for 2006. While I was able to post some details about SRAM’s new products, only now are we allowed to show you some of the tantalizing photos. Here’s a collection of what’s what from SRAM for next year.

It may be March, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s springtime. Just ask anyone who toed the start line for stage 1 of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen (3 Days of West Flanders) on Friday. The race was canceled about 50km from the start in Kortrijk after the snow started falling, rapidly coating the roads just outside of Roselare. This was the second event to be canceled this week (the first was (Memorial Samyn Fayt-le-Franc), after the riders endured a miserably cold two days of racing last weekend as the northern classics season kicked off with Het Volk and

Not even an unseasonably chilly Texas drizzle and soggy single-track could keep Canadian Geoff Kabush from taking top honors in Friday’s time trial at the Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association’s NORBA National race, the first NORBA race of the 2005 calendar. The lanky 27-year old, clad in his orange Maxxis team kit, was the final rider to start the 3-mile course at the Tapatio golf resort in Bourne, Texas, and posted the day’s best time, flying between bushes, up an asphalt climb, and over the aptly named “slime stone” single-track in 10:39.6. “My legs felt pretty good out there, but it’s

Never shy to attack, Elliott's main quality was working hard as a domestique

Davis wins

Scheuneman leads the break

Liberty keeps things under control

Gerolsteiner hoped to set up Hondo

Lopez tries a solo

Leipheimer enjoys a soggy day in the saddle

On the road

The 2006 X.0 rear derailleurs will feature full carbon fiber inner and outer jockey cages.

The carbon cages are backed and rimmed with a carbon alternative to protect the otherwise brittle carbon from chain rubbing and impact. It will be available in three variations: mini cage (gravity); mid-cage (XC/general riding) and long cage

The new X.O shifters share the same general shifting principles as the 2005 X.9 versions, but have been engineered from the ground-up for maximum efficiency and performance.

The shifter pod can be moved in or out from a rider's hand for perfect ergonomics. The the larger downshifting trigger can be rotated 360 degrees for trigger/finger alignment.

The X.0 triggers feature Zero Loss technology. Thanks to the trigger's high tolerances, four internal bearings and improved ratcheting system, when you press either trigger, a shift is instantaneously engaged.

The new levers feature real carbon fiber covers to provide improved clamshell structural integrity as well as help lighten the overall pods to an impressive 110-115 grams (over the current X.9's 130 grams)

Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Caffita) says he wants to win Saturday’s stage of the Vuelta a Murcia that finishes atop the Collado Bermejo and has been dedicated as the “Cima Pantani” in honor of fallen star Marco Pantani. The defending Giro d’Italia champion is making is season debut in Spain and said he wants to make an early season test of his form. He can’t think of a better way than atop the twisting climb in the mountains of southern Spain. “I know it won’t be easy, but I would dedicate this win to Marco, who was my idol as well as my friend,” Cunego told Spanish journalists before the start

It was no surprise Danilo Hondo (Gerolsteiner) won Wednesday’s opener in a bunch sprint at the Vuelta a Murcia in Spain, but no one expected him to beat the specialists in Thursday’s 22km individual time trial. But that’s just what happened as Hondo laid down the fastest time on the flat course of 25 minutes, 35 seconds. No one even came close, with Spanish national time trial champion Rubén Plaza stopping the clock in second some 19 seconds slower. “It’s a surprise for me,” Hondo admitted. “I knew all the split times and had information from my teammates who were among the favorites. I am

Cunego at Murcia

Hondo's win surprised even Hondo.

Plaza could only manage second.

Gutiérrez takes third

Leipheimer can take solace in that it's still early in the year...

... as can Damiano Cunego. Cunego is hoping for a win on Saturday.

Hondo is enjoying his time in the jersey.

American Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner), three-time Tour de France podium man Joseba Beloki (Liberty Seguros) and defending Giro d’Italia champion Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Caffita) headline Tuesday’s start of the five-day Vuelta a Murcia in Spain. Leipheimer is just getting his season started and will be looking to reach peak fitness in time for a top 5 at the 2005 Tour de France. Cunego, meanwhile, officially kicked off his season in Sunday’s Clasica de Almeria and will race Murcia to continue to build form to his title defense at the Giro in May. “I feel I have done a good job in the build

As you continue your basic training and prepare for the coming raceseason, you appreciate the importance of matching training with the properamounts of energy, carbohydrate, protein and fats (See "TheFeed Zone: February 16th"). During this training cycle, you canalso focus on types of food choices you consume to provide quality nutritionand variety to your daily and training diet.Daily DietThis is one of the best times of the year to experiment with new foodsand recipes. While you can still keep convenience and time in mind (what’sgood, quick, and easy?), don’t keep falling into the same old

Two-time cross-country world champion Roland Green announced Tuesdaythat he has been retroactively suspended for six months after testing positivefor a banned substance at the Houffalize, Belgium round of the World Cuplast May (see "Paulissen,Dahle rule Houffalize World Cup"). Green's suspension commenced July 4, 2004 and will conclude April 4th of this year. That is obviously longer than six months, but the suspension includes the UCI's pre-defined "inactivity period" for mountain bike racers, which runs from November through January. A hearing was recently conducted through the

Well, I am back home from Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun. I can’t believe that it has already been a week since we raced. Most of you have seen the results and it was an exciting start to the season for our team. We had first and second overall, and won every stage. I lost third on GC at the finish of the criterium. We had made Genevieve Jeanson work hard and she rode great. It was impressive and she moved into third overall. As I mentioned in my first journal, I had hoped that the training in Phoenix would help me on the Acacia Park group rides. It was a joke, but every joke has some

I’m back from camp and I have never been so happy to be home. Camp number three is in the bag. It was a long one and to make matters worse we rode the trainers inside for the last three days. You might well ask why on earth we would ride trainers in “sunny Tuscany.” Well, it wasn’t for our fitness or for our health and certainly not for our sanity. I’ll get back to that. We had a great start to the camp with the boys returning from the Tour of Med’ high on another win. We had a Champaign toast with the whole team and watched a few clips of the other half of our team putting it "into the

Former three-time world cyclo-cross champion Mario De Clercq has been banned from the sport for four years and cyclo-cross rider Ben Berden for 15 months, the Belgian cycling association (LRVB) announced Wednesday. De Clercq, who retired in November 2004, was involved in the so-called"Jose Landuyt affair," a scandal involving a veterinarian who admittedselling performance-enhancing drugs. Berden is banned until April 2006 after testing positive for the bloodbooster EPO (erythropoietin) in a cyclo-cross competition in Essen, Germanyin December. De Clercq's lawyer Peter Callebaut said

Sayers

The sponsorship of domestic cycling teams is a volatile venture. In the past few years, it seems that almost every brand-name team lost its marquee sponsor. Saturn and Mercury, for example, were dismantled and their riders, some of the most competent and successful racers in America, were scattered to the four winds. But turmoil, as tough as it can be, almost always leaves a vacuum. And a vacuum can be an opportunity in the right hands. One group of racers and their sponsors taking advantage of this vacuum is Health Net-Maxxis. Formed only three years ago on a shoestring budget and around

German sprint ace Danilo Hondo (Gerolsteiner) drew first blood at theVuelta a Murcia in Spain on Wednesday, scoring his first win of the 2005season.Cloudy skies gave way to afternoon sun, but cool temperatures and strongwinds reminded everyone of the cold front that swept through Spain overthe weekend leaving high mountain roads clogged with snow.Several riders tried in vain to slip away from the peloton, includingaging classics warrior Andrea Tafi (Saunier Duval) and Peter Wuyts (Mr.Bookmaker), who were away in a breakaway but reeled in with 15km to go.The pace was torrid for so early in the

Leipheimer's season is just starting

Green at Calgary

...more time on the trainer?!?!?!

De Clerq leads a Belgian sweep at world's in Zolder in 2002