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Bobby Julich says he wants his season to unfold just like last year when the veteran American rediscovered his winning touch. Julich returned to his best last year, winning a stage at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, finishing third overall at Paris-Nice and taking home an Olympic time trial bronze medal from Athens. This year, the 1998 Tour de France podium man will be roaring out of the gates with early season goals at the Tour de Mediterranean and Paris-Nice before preparing for the Tour de France. “I want to do exactly the same as last year. One the mistakes I made after a successful season in

The local weather forecast for this Sunday in St. Wendel, Germany, host of the 2005 UCI World Cyclo-cross Championships, calls for near-freezing temps and snow, which should appeal to pre-race favorite Sven Nijs (Rabobank). A slippery, muddy track plays right into the hands of the most dominant rider on the elite ‘cross circuit; then again, Nijs has shown he can win in any conditions in the 2004-05 campaign. Snow, rain, sand, mud, grass, pavement: Sven Nijs can win, and has won, on everything. Having won a total of 20 ‘cross races this season, including six World Cups and the Belgian

Tech Report: Especially Zippy wheels; Custom pedals; Small guys

Tech Report: Especially Zippy wheels; Custom pedals; Small guys

Tech Report: Especially Zippy wheels; Custom pedals; Small guys

Joe and Dirk answer questions on cross-country skiing for cross-training and shelving the competitiveness to get through base

Former world time-trial champion David Millar has asked the Court of Arbitration of Sport in Lausanne to redefine his two-year ban for doping in a manner that allow him to ride in the 2006 Tour de France. Millar, who admitted last June that he had taken EPO, is not appealing the penalty imposed on him, but rather asking that his two-year suspension be calculated from the point at which he made his confession, rather than from the date of his original hearing on the matter. Miller made the confession while in police custody on June 24, 2004. However, despite the fact that the one-time Tour

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.Matt's right, the team's off the markVeloNews,I will no longer consider purchasing any products from the sponsors of the Ofoto-Sierra Nevada Cycling Team as long as Matt DeCanio is treated as an outlaw for freely expressing himself in his public opposition to doping in the sport.

Italy’s jet-set cycling superstar Mario Cipollini made Milan a pit-stop Tuesday evening for his new team’s Liquigas-Bianchi official presentation en route from training in South Africa before flying off to Qatar to make his 2005 season debut. Super Mario looked ever the media maven decked out in the lime-green Liquigas-Bianchi kit as he was the star attraction during presentation of Italy’s newest super team that includes, among others, Stefano Garzelli, Danilo Di Luca, Dario Cioni and Paris-Roubaix champ Magnus Backstedt. “After two irregular seasons, I’m ready to get back to the top level

When Tom Danielson arrived on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi two years ago, he was a little-known American climbing specialist making his debut with the Saturn team. A little more than a week later the former collegiate mountain-bike racer had announced himself to the world, winning the 10-day stage race in decisive fashion. Danielson would go on to parlay his win in Southeast Asia into a contract with Italian Division I power squad Fassa Bortolo where he was supposed to begin his ascension of pro cycling’s elite ranks. But the 2004 campaign was mostly a dud for the 26 year old.

Garzelli, Cipollini and Di Luca are aiming for a big year

Magnus pines for the Arenberg

Danielson and Discovery will kick things off in Malaysia

Touching down on the island of Langkawi.

The Discovery Channel team loads up at the airport in Langkawi.

Danielson was the star of the Langkawi show in 2003.

In an attempt to revive its struggling World Cup mountain-bike property, the UCI is set to turn over day-to-day operations of the series to 23 Degrees Management and Gestev Inc. starting with the 2006 season. The deal, which has already been approved by the UCI mountain bike commission but is still pending approval from the UCI management committee, runs through 2010. According to a press release issued by the UCI, 23 Degrees president and former UCI mountain bike coordinator and technical director Martin Whiteley, and Gestev boss Patrice Drouin, will take over "full management, research

Shimano recalls road brake cablesShimano has recently become aware of a potential problem with RoadBrake Cables sold as after market product and is conducting a voluntaryrecall. Please read the following for details.Name of product: Brake Inner Cables for adult bikes with dropstyle handlebars (road racing bicycles) – Part#Y80098300/Z80098300, anddouble end brake cables Y80098110/Z80098110 and Y80098400/Z80098400 (10-pack).Potential Hazard: The road cable end could detach from the cableduring braking, possibly causing the rider to losecontrol and fall.Description: Part #Y80098400/Z80098400 is

Straight blades?Dear Lennard,Thanks for the discussion on rake and trail and various geometry issues in your December 21st column. I have a follow-up question: Since it appears you can achieve trail change via head tube angle and fork geometry, what are the implications of a straight fork like a Colnago Star, versus a fork that has blades that curve as they near the axle?Jeffrey Dear Jeffrey,I should have put something about this in the book, because it is such a common misperception. Straight forks do have rake (i.e., offset of the front hub from the steering axis)! Look at your

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Straight rake? Stuck on you

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn - Straight rake? Stuck on you

"Cycling in the News" is a regular service of VeloNews.com. Readers,reporters and friends are encouraged to send links to current stories aboutcompetitive cyclists and cycling that appear in the mainstream media. Ifyou come across a news item that you believe may be of interest to otherVeloNews readers, we would be grateful if you choose to send it to Rosters@InsideInc.com.i>New Straits Times - Malaysia - January 24, 2005LTdL: Champions check inby Arnaz M KhairulIGOR Astarloa arrives today with defending team champions Barloworld,as teams begin to flood Langkawi as the start of the 10th

American racer Matt DeCanio, who created waves throughout the cycling communitylast summer by admitting he had used EPO during the 2003 domestic racingseason, was released late last week by the California-based Ofoto-SierraNevada Professional Cycling Team without ever participating with the team. DeCanio, 27, who raced with the European Linda McCartney team as wellas Saturn and Prime Alliance domestically, sat out the 2004 season buthoped to return to racing in 2005 with Ofoto-Sierra Nevada. Though DeCaniohad admitted last June to EPO use during the 2003 Tour of Connecticut stagerace, he had

Whether or not Lance Armstrong races the Tour de France this year won’t change anything for two of Italy’s hottest stars, but they both hope the six-time Tour winner will be there. “I hope Lance races the Tour because I’d like to have a chance to race alongside him. He’s a great champion,” Giro d’Italia champion Damiano Cunego told VeloNews during Saturday’s Giro presentation. “I really want to race alongside Lance because I have a lot of respect for him as a rider and what he’s done. I hope he’s at the Tour this year.” Armstrong remains mum on his Tour plans, though he’s contractually

SAN MATEO, Calif. (January, 2005) - For the upcoming season, the Webcor Builders Women’s team will once again be headlined by reigning US National TT Champion and Olympian, Christine Thorburn. In addition to the strong support of returning riders: Felicia Greer, Stefanie Graeter, Cat Malone, Betina Hold, Yukie Nakamura and Kim Boester, the team has added Katheryn Curi and Erinne Willock, both previously with RONA. Also returning from 2004 is team director and former National Criterium Champion, Carmen D’Aluisio. “I don’t think a lot of people realize just how strong Katheryn and Erinne are

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.Agree with DeCanio? Then don't stay anonymousEditor:Thank you for printing this (see "Ofoto fires DeCanio over web sites"). I am a Matt DeCanio fan; I don't always agree with his communicative skills and tactics, but I am "on his side." I am disappointed to read that the racing contract

Proceeds Benefit the NorCal High School Mountain Bike LeagueJanuary 24th, 2005 (Berkeley, CA) - On Wednesday, January 26th, at 7:00PM there will be screenings of both Children of the Dirt & The Tour,Baby!Two cycling films with something for everyone.  The films willbe shown at the Berkeley High School Community Theater and the eveningwill include door prizes, a raffle, and special guests Marla Streb andKathy Pruitt.  All proceeds will benefit the NorCal High School MountainBike League.Children of the Dirt is a riveting thirty minute documentary followsa league of 180 high school athletes as

Wendy's International Cycling Classic now to be called the GlobalLiving Tour de GrandviewGradview Heights, Ohio - Due to significant interest on the partof racers and spectators alike, the community of Grandview Heights is onceagain returning its classic three-day cycling race to its rightful place. Today, that return was made possible with the help of a new title sponsor:Global Living, a home furnishing company headquartered in Grandview Heights.Mayor Ray DeGraw, members of the Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Area Chamberof Commerce, area residents, representatives from Global Living

German cycling ace Jan Ullrich is basing his entire season around trying to win a second Tour de France. As six-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong's participation remains up in the air, Ullrich on Monday made it clear he was hungrier than ever to add to his 1997 success. “The Tour is the race that I want to win," said the T-Mobile rider, who has finished runner-up five times but could only manage fourth last year. That, it should be noted, was his worst ever finish in seven Tour de France starts. "I'm in training to be the best in the world. I want to once again prove

Webcor Builders CEO Andy Ball gets a lift from sponsoring the Webcor Women

Cunego may be the star of the Giro, but he's got an eye on the Tour, too.

Robbie McEwen likened the roar of the crowd in the home straight to that of a football grand final after charging home to win the final stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under on Sunday. Like he has done so many times in a star-studded career, McEwen, 32, timed his run perfectly down the 500-meter finishing straight to get over the top of Italian Paride Grillo (Ceramiche Panaria-Navigare) and Queenslander Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros).

Osteopath Benoit Nave, who treats six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, said as part of a judicial investigation that he has never seen traces of injections or other doping practices on the American rider's body. The investigations come after Armstrong's former British masseusse Emma O'Reilly was interviewed by police. She was reported to have confirmed the allegations of the Texan using the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) she made in "L.A. Confidential - Les Secrets de Lance Armstrong" last year. Armstrong is suing the authors for defamation, claiming two million euros

Spanish rider Luis Sanchez may have remembered on Sunday - when he won the Tour Down Under - more than any other days the reason he first took up cycling. Sanchez's father, a policeman in Spain, was injured in a terrorist attack when Sanchez was just five years old and doctors told him cycling would aid his rehabilitation. The bikes he bought for his two sons at the same time gave Luis a taste for the sport, and before long he was hooked on the sport. Eventually, and despite angering his family, he ended his studies at 18 to follow his passion. He was discovered by former ONCE manager

Italian cyclist Damiano Cunego will call upon the spirit of dead rock star Jim Morrison to help him in his bid to defend his Giro d’Italia title later this year. The 23-year-old is a huge fan of Morrison's legendary 1960s rock band “The Doors” and believes the music of the American group can play a pivotal role when the 88th edition of the race gets underway on May 7. "I can only say that on paper I like this Giro, but I will need to go and have a look at it to get a better idea," said Cunego. "It seems to me like the tour will suit the climbers, but we'll see. As usual, there will be Jim

Rabobank’s Sven Nijs padded his lead in the UCI’s cyclo-cross World Cup in fine style Sunday, winning the penultimate event of the 11-race series he’s led for most of the season. Nijs beat fellow Belgians Davy Commeyne and Sven Vanthourenhout in the 10th and World Cup race at Hoogerheide in the Netherlands. The win was his 20th major victory of the season. Just a week before the world championships in Saint Wendel, Germany, Nijs confirmed that he is a clear favorite in next Sunday’s race for the rainbow jersey. Nijs, who has made a habit of staying with the lead group until the final laps

Robbie the Rocket scores again

Sanchez and Liberty cruised to the GC and team wins

Adelaide served as the hub of the week-long race

Leblanc was impressed with Oz

Liberty was dominant throughout the week

Sanchez: 'I'm no Indurain.'

Spaniard Alberto Contador celebrated his recovery from life-threatening brain surgery by winning the fifth stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under in Willunga Saturday. But his better-credentialed Liberty Seguros teammate Luis Sanchez will take an almost unassailable lead into Sunday’s final stage in Adelaide. And the best local hero Stuart O'Grady can finish is third, as he trails Sanchez by 47 seconds, while Queenslander Allan Davis splits them at 35 seconds off the pace. Saturday’s 147km stage, which included a torturous 3km climb to the top of Old Willunga Hill, was expected to blow

Organizers unveiled the route for the 88th edition of the Giro D'Italia in Milan on Saturday. The 3465.65km event, which consists of 20 stages, begins with the prologue down south in Reggio Calabria on May 7 and ends in the northern city of Milan on May 29. The Giro offers a diverse mix of conditions, including five mountain climbs and two individual time trials besides the opening-day prologue. On May 15, the race pays homage to the late Gino Bartali, one of the all-time greats of Italian cycling, who died on the eve of the 2000 Giro. A 41.5km time trial starting at Lamporecchio will

In Mazda Palace, Milan – The 2005 Giro d’Italia presentation Saturday eveningsaw typical Italian flare and style in what race officials are hopefulwill be one of the best battles in recent years. The prospect of a clash between Italy’s hottest young stars and increasedinternational participation thanks to the ProTour, the duel between DamianoCunego and Ivan Basso is sure to make the 88th Giro palpitating to watch. Some of Italy’s biggest stars were on hand for nearly two-hour presentation,including 2000 Giro winner Stefano Garzelli, 2002 winner Paolo Savoldelli(with his newly broken

Sanchez and Contador celebrate their successful teamwork

Contador and Sanchez work it

O'Grady leads Van Summeren by a single second

Sprint leader McEwen got into an early break

Damiano Cunego receives yet more accolades during the Giro's kitschy presentation ceremony in Milan on Saturday.

If 2000 Giro d'Italia champion Stefano Garzelli has his way, it will be him in the maglia rosa in May. Anything to trade out that green tie.

Nothing is ever under-stated in Italy. Nearly 1,000 people packed into the Mazda Palace on Saturday evening to watch the unveiling of the 88th Giro d'Italia.

Matthew White stepped out of the shadow of teammate Stuart O'Grady Friday with a hollow victory in the fourth stage of the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under. “I've waited six bloody years for this,” White said after he crossed the line a clear winner from fellow Australian Robbie McEwen, referring to his last major stage win in the Tour of Switzerland in 1999. Better known as a domestique on the world stage, White, 31, helped his Cofidis teammate O'Grady win last year's World Cup in Hamburg, and has carved out a profitable living for the past 10 years in that role. But Friday was his chance to

Armstrong reacts to doping probeLance Armstrong reacted strongly against a new doping investigation initiated this week in France, saying he’s “disappointed” yet insists he’ll be “vindicated.” On Thursday, French newspapers reported that Philippe Drouet, a prosecutor in Annecy, is starting a preliminary investigation into allegations against the six-time Tour de France champion in the controversial book “LA Confidentiel.” “I am disappointed by the judge’s decision to launch an inquiry without first hearing my side of the story,” Armstrong said in a press release issued by news agency PR

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.Thank NBC for covering RAAMEditor:This week is a great time to call NBC (number below) to thank them for putting cycling on their national network. I'm sure cyclists agree our sport does not get on the national networks nearly often enough. Well, on January 22, the Insight Race Across

Jill Janov’s January 17 article, “Why ride a bike? Ten reasons and counting,” must’ve struck a chord out there – we were deluged with e-mail from readers who eagerly provided their own rationales, which ranged from the spiritual to the technological to the Darwinian. A few samples follow. Enjoy the ride. – Editor My brother pointed me to your article about 10 reasons to ride a bike. He is a person who will take his 16-pound road bike on a 50-mile ride, just for run. I am still one of the unenlightened, in the "carrying potatoes" group. I commute to work on the average of 3.6 days per week,

When true road races were first held in Britain during World War II, Alf Buttler was one of the thousands of amateur cyclists who “did a bit of everything.” Like most riders, he came into the sport through a touring club, enjoying the weekend club runs and weeklong tours with his buddies to the hillier parts of the British Isles. Racing was a natural progression, first the “anonymous” road time trials, then track racing (usually on unbanked grass tracks), followed by the occasional hill climb, circuit race and, eventually, a full-blown stage race. Alf talked about the early days of modern

Since we’re hunkering down to produce the 2005 VeloNews Buyer’s Guide, I’m going to have to keep this week’s column a bit tighter (read: shorter) than usual. Excuses aside, I have to say that the most exciting part of producing this year’s BG has got to be the “Bikes of the ProTour” section. When the idea of rounding up every production ProTour replica bike was first pitched in November, I have to admit it seemed more than far-fetched to me. I mean, I was going to be the guy responsible for ordering 15 of the hardest-to-get road bikes of 2005 – a long shot in full production months of May

McEwen had no interest in chasing

The Nav's did, though

Sanchez is still in command

Sanchez is enjoying his time in the spotlight

'Pretty bloody happy,' White scores stage win in Oz

Alf Buttler and John Wilcockson in Wales

The RockShox Pike Air

Rumors are flying that Ag2r and Phonak will be the two wild-card teams selected for the 2005 Tour de France. The Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport tipped inside sources that these two teams will be selected for the Tour when the wild-card teams are announced Jan. 31. Under new ProTour rules, 19 top teams are already guaranteed places in the Tour, leaving race organizers just two cards to play in rounding out the team list. In the past, French teams have been favored by Tour officials when issuing wild-card invitations. Ag2r is the top French team overlooked in the ProTour selection

Spain's Luis Sanchez, touted as the next Miguel Indurain, is the new leader in the Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under after an enthralling third stage between Glenelg and Victor Harbor on Thursday. Sanchez, 21, from the Murcia region and riding for Liberty Seguros, outsprinted Belgian Johan Van Summeren to win the stage after both riders attacked a 26-man breakaway 20km from the finish. The win catapulted Sanchez into the leader's yellow jersey after he trailed Queensland's Robbie McEwen by 12 seconds overnight. McEwen, 32, winner of the opening two stages was the day’s biggest loser, missing

Dear Readers,Last week we got a note from C.A. in Connecticut, who asked: In general, what is the legality of a group ride? If I email my friends and say, “Let’s all meet at my place at 6 AM for a century ride, I’ll lead,” and someone joins me and gets hit by a car while on my ride, to what degree can I be held legally accountable? Second, what if my group includes a university cycling team with members under 18? In response to that question, we talked about the most simple case, that of co-participant liability in a sport—what happens if you misjudge that gap in the big sprint and

French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the doping allegations against six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong that were originally outlined in the book "L.A. Confidential - Les Secrets de Lance Armstrong." Officials were quoted in Thursday’s edition of Le Parisien that the investigation stems from a magistrate's interview with Armstrong's former Irish soigneur Emma O'Reilly, who was reported to have confirmed the allegations of the Texan using the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) she made in the book, written by Sunday Times of London sports journalist David

Ask TIAA-CREF team director Jonathan Vaughters how important the upcoming season is along the career path of his team’s new leader Will Frischkorn, and he’ll tell you that in a word, it’s crucial. After five years racing at the professional level the 23-year-old Frischkorn is, for the first time in his career, being given the opportunity to lead a team. “Will is 23, going to be 24 this year, and at that sort of the age, you really have three options,” Vaughters said. “Maybe not for somebody that starts racing at 22, but Will’s been at this for more than five years. At the point he’s at in

McEwen's hopes of an overall win evaporated Thursday

Sanchez joined Van Summeren in the winning move 20km from the finish

QuickStep drove the chase...

... but, as it turns out, the team would still have another 100km to ride Thursday