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Division 2 Spanish team Cafés Baqué faces an uncertain future after losing title sponsor Orbitel. The Colombian telecom company told team officials it would no longer underwrite the team for the 2005 season. Erkaitz Elcoroiribe, team manager of Cafés Baqué, said the team will search for a new co-sponsor to step up. “What’s really sad about this situation is the marvelous team of riders, mechanics, massage therapists and other who could lose their job,” Elcoroiribe told the Spanish daily MARCA. The team has brought several riders into the pro ranks and was headlined by Colombian climber

The Mail Bag 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.Florit says adios to team, racingEditor:I am writing this letter to thank all the sponsors of the RLX-Ralph Lauren team, who during the six years I have been with the team supported us with the same level of passion we had for racing. Racing for the RLX-Ralph Lauren mountain-bike team

Andy Ording

Generation 5

Dimpled Zipp rims began appearing on pro bikes first

Felix Cardenas's Vuelta stage win.

While a record number of you turned out to vote on Tuesday, it’s only the VeloNews editorial staff that for better or for worse has a say in our upcoming 2004 Awards issue. While the crew is hard at work arguing over who might be named the Masters Road Racer of the Year, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the award that matters most to me: the Technical Development of the Year. A number of candidates have crossed my mind, but unfortunately the one idea that sticks out most prominently is not a component, frame or wheelset. Instead, the most notable impact has been made by a technology

Tour wouldn’t mind if Armstrong stayed awayTour de France officials evidently aren’t losing any sleep over the prospect that six-time winner Lance Armstrong might not race in the 2005 edition. Just a week after the 92nd edition of the Tour was unveiled in Paris, race officials said in an interview in L’Equipe that they’re not concerned if Armstrong doesn’t race next year. “It wouldn’t surprise me if Armstrong races another grand tour next year and return in 2006 to try the Tour again,” said Christian Prudhomme, director general of the Amaury Sport Organisation which produces the Tour. “To

The Genius may need a genius lawyer to ride on U.S. trails

The Mail Bag 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.We need more than old guys on bikesDear Velo,In response to Kristen Kehl’s letter (see "It'sworth it" in Monday’s Mailbag). As one who has picked many a bone with the USCF/USAC over the past 25years, I have to agree with Kristen’s assessment of the fee situation.However, this is a

If proof were needed that the dollars you spend on racing sponsorship come right back to your bottom line, Trek Bicycle Corporation’s investment in the U.S. Postal Team and Lance Armstrong would be the only spreadsheet you’d need to see. Although the company’s longstanding domestic team programs made Trek a top brand among cycling fans many years ago, it was Postal power that put Trek on the map for a much wider base of casual riders. Today, Trek is a familiar name in millions of households worldwide, and the Trek brand has become the most valuable franchise in cycling. Of course, Lance

The Netherlands’ 1978 world cycling road race champion Gerrie Knetemann died of a heart attack on Tuesday aged 53, the Dutch Cycling Federation (KNWU) announced. According to the federation he died while out riding a bike with three friends at his birthplace of Bergen in the north west of the Netherlands. Knetemann's career spanned 15 years (1974-89) which saw him win 10 stages in the Tour de France and he was regarded as one of the finest classics riders in the world, winning the Amstel Gold Race twice and the Paris Nice once. Knetemann, who leaves a wife and two children, recorded 130

So if you’re reading this column, and you haven’t yet voted, please get out and do it now. It’s really not all that difficult, and, as we all know, this is poised to be one of the most tightly contested presidential elections in history. My bit of nonsensical ramblings will still be online tonight, (at least I hope it will), while your chance to exercise your democratic right won’t. Speaking of voting, our editorial staff is busily compiling votes of our own for the 17th annual VeloNews Awards Issue, due out at the end of the month. In it you’ll find all the usual awards, such as

Everything in the life of Gerrie Knetemann appeared to be going wonderfully. Just a month ago, he was coaching the Dutch national team at the world championships in Verona. The highlight for the 53-year-old cycling legend was the excellent performance of his teenage daughter, Roxanne Knetemann, who finished sixth in the junior women’s time trial and fifth in the road race (in which her teammates placed first and third) Then on Tuesday afternoon this week, just as Americans were going to the polls, Knetemann, a big man who always wore glasses, was out riding his mountain bike with three

If you’re awaiting word on the final outcome of the Tyler Hamilton doping case, better not hold your breath. It could be well into January of 2005 — or even later — before any kind of conclusion is reached, according to Hamilton’s attorney Howard Jacobs. Speaking by phone from his office in Southern California, Jacobs told VeloNews that he is still in the “document gathering process.” “We’re hoping to get started by January on the Vuelta tests,” he added, “but to get going before the end of the month isn’t likely.” Jacobs said that he has faced substantial resistance from the UCI and IOC

The 2005 Madone SSL

Another round of product testing

Nys is in top form

Wellens: The end of the rainbow... or just a slow start?

Knetemann in 1979

Knetemann at last year's world's in Hamilton

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood: The Winds of Change

Bontrager lets his helmet do the talking at the recent 24 Hours of Moab

The Mail Bag 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.What is going on at Phonak?VeloNews,Are my eyes deceiving me or have two riders from Phonak both testedpositive for blood irregularities? (see "Perezimplicated in blood doping, Spanish daily reports" and "Perezmaintains his innocence"). With this being the case, it makes youask two

Fort Lewis College dominated both the men’s and women’s downhill events at the Collegiate Nationals at Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, securing yet another team omnium title in the process. Tough conditionsAlthough the sun finally came through Sunday morning, the previous day’s rain left the twisty single-track course in rough shape. A peanut buttery mixture of mud covered the trail’s many rocks, roots, and stumps. The Women’s Division II title went to Fort Lewis College freshman Leana Gerrard. While many of her competitors ended up carrying their bikes down large stretches of the

The "Weekend 'Cross Wrap" is a service of VeloNews.com.Stories and results are provided by race promoters and are not producedby VeloNews or VeloNews.com. Promoters are welcome to submit race reportsthroughout the cyclo-cross season to Rosters@7Dogs.com.Reports may be edited for length and clarity.NEBRASKA: Wilhelm, Neville impressiveDespite a frightful beginning that included two spills in the opening lap, Tony Wilhelm (LBC-Highgear) continued to show impressive form with his third victory of the season and second in the Nebraska Cyclo-cross Series at Pioneers Park on Saturday. The

There’s still a long ways to go in mountain biking’s annual silly season, but the news of next year’s line-ups is slowly rolling in. Standing pat for 2005 will be the GT-Hyundai and Mongoose-Hyundai squads. GT will continue to feature cross-country Olympian Todd Wells and gated-racing specialist Brian Lopes, while reigning world 4X champ Eric Carter and Brian Schmith will be running the Mongoose colors. The one big change, according to team manager, Craig “Stikman” Glaspell is that Carter and Schmith will actually be “racing on genuine Mongoose bicycles” as apposed to the painted up

Frank N. Furter, a.k.a. Brian Matter

Vuelta a España runner-up Santiago Perez declared his innocenceof blood doping on Sunday, just weeks after his American Phonak teammateTyler Hamilton apparently failed a similar test. "The news I have been given is that they have detected irregularitiesin my blood as a consequence of a transfusion from another person," Perezsaid. "All I can say is that I have not undergone any type of blood transfusion. I am not sure what they are talking about. I am sure that the truth will come out very soon and it will show that none of what they are accusing me of is true." Perez's positive for blood

Ever since its days as a stop on the Super Cup circuit, the Gloucester, Massachusetts, cyclo-cross race has been lovingly referred to as “New England Nationals.” The implication, that every rider worth his or her salt makes an annual October pilgrimage to the seaside Gloucester course, seemed borne out by the inclusion of back-to-back Gloucester races in this year’s Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross.

Tom Vannoppen took Sunday’s round of the Superprestige cyclo-cross seriesin St-Michielsgestel, the Netherlands, out-sprinting Sven Nys in the closingmeters of the race. World champion Bart Wellens, while performing better than earlier thisseason, was still not able to stay with the two leaders at the decidingmoment of the race. Belgian Bart Aernouts began the day’s action with an early attack, ashe gained a few seconds on the field before Nys and Vannoppen charged afterhim and counterattacked. Dutchman Richard Groenendaal and Belgian SvenVanthourenhout gave chase, but the two leaders held

Perez was the big surprise of this year's Vuelta

The hard-working Trebon outlasted Kabush

Knapp had to work a little harder today, too

Nys just couldn't shake the guy

Jonathan Page

Jeremy Powers

Interbike may have ended for the rest of the bicycle industry three weeks ago, but for us here at VeloNews, the annual trade show wasn’t over until Tuesday, when we wrapped up 13 pages of coverage. We visited nearly a hundred companies at this year’s show, and it was very difficult to decide what to include in the magazine. Still, somehow, we managed. Even so, we had to trim a few items right at the very end, and so we’re telling you about them here. Don’t think of these reports from me, Lennard Zinn and Chris Milliman as “leftovers,” but rather as “first looks.” Gore Bike WearIt was 92

Santi Perez (Phonak), runner-up in the 2004 Vuelta a España, may have tested positive for blood doping, according to the Spanish daily MARCA. The daily suggests that the result may have come from the A sample in an out-of-competition test, adding that it is not yet certain whether the alleged blood doping involved the transfusion of Perez’ own blood or the blood of another. MARCA also suggested that there might have been a procedural problem with the examination of the B sample, saying that neither Perez nor a representative of his team was present. This might explain the delay in any

Davy Commeyne (MrBookmaker.com) soloed to victory in the Grand Prix de la Région Wallonne cyclo-cross on Saturday in Dottenijs, Belgium. Teammate Mario De Clercq won the sprint for second place over Sven Vanthourenhout (Quick Step-Davitamon) Commeyne escaped three laps before the finish, leaving behind a group of 10. De Clercq and Vanthourenhout kept Commeyne in sight, but could not keep up and wound up battling for the runner-up spot. Sven Nijs (Rabobank) had another spot of bad luck, taking a big fall in midrace. Luckily, he only suffered a few scrapes. Sunday brings the next round of

Fortunately for New England sports fans, they have last week’s Red Sox World Series win to look back on with a smile, because out-of-towners dominated today’s third round of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-cross in Gloucester, Massachusetts. In front of a huge, partisan New England crowd, Canadian Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) claimed his biggest ‘cross won to date, while Seattle’s Anna Knapp (Kona) took a win in one of the few ’cross events where victory had eluded her.

Josh Bezecny and Nick Ranno gave the University of Colorado a one-two finish in the Division I men’s cross country on Saturday at the National Collegiate Cycling Association’s Mountain Bike National Championships in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. Bezecny built a minute lead over Friday’s short-track winner, Matt Shriver (Fort Lewis College), on the technical 6.5-mile course and held on to take the win, with Ranno eventually overtaking Shriver for second. “I felt really comfortable on the first single-track section,” said Bezecny. “I got a gap and just kept going.” Meanwhile, Nina Baum

Gore's Tool jacket

Perez at the Vuelta

Commeyne went away three laps from the finish and soloed in for the win

Knapp was smooth through the sand

Kapow! Kabush

Cipollini riding for Liquigas in 2005 Italy's former world champion Mario Cipollini ended speculation that he is to retire on Friday by announcing that he would ride next season for the Liquigas Sport team. The 37-year-old sprinter, who holds the record for the most number of Giro d'Italia stage wins with 42, has been plagued by injury over the past two years. He pulled out of the Giro this year after crashing and then quit the Tour de France because of a thigh injury. However, the 2002 world road race champion said he would line up for the first World Cup race next year, Milan-San Remo.

The Mail Bag 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.Predicting a ‘craptacular 2005 Tour’Editor:May I be the first to write in and predict a craptacular 2005 Tour? Three mountain stages in as many weeks; who cares if Lance wins seven of the damn things? Whatever it is, it will be boring as hell and nobody’s going to want to watch. I

BOSTON – New England’s best cyclocross racers are expected to come loaded for bear as they play host to Rounds 3 and 4 of the Crank Brothers U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross this weekend at historic Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The two-day event on Oct. 30-31 will inevitably shake up the national standings and pay out more than $12,000 in prizes. With a tightly packed leader board in the elite men’s category, Marc Gullickson (Redline) will have to fend off strong challenges from Maine native Adam Craig (Maxxis Giant) and Massachusetts’ favorite son, Mark McCormack (Clif

Cane Creek has a long history in bicycle suspension, starting with its role in manufacturing the original Rock Shox forks. The company went on to develop some of the lightest air shocks available, perfecting a novel Delrin seal technology and speed-sensitive valving that lives on in CC’s current Cloud Nine and AD air-sprung and air-damped shocks. But the big news this year is Cane Creek’s partnership with Swedish suspension-maker Öhlins Racing AB, a company that dominates the field in high-end motorsports suspension. Starting with its first 250cc motocross victory in 1978, (only two years

I could tell you secrets like the government tells liesAh, but no one listens anymore.–Anaïs Mitchell, “Before the Eyes of the Storytelling Girls,"from "Hymns for the Exiled" “Keep the politics out of our bike racing!” the letter-writers screech, as if such a thing were possible. Anyone whose participation in the sport extends beyond pinning on a number knows all too well that bicycle racing is about as apolitical as the United Nations General Assembly on an August afternoon with the air conditioning on the fritz and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the agenda. My own cycling club, Dogs

Perhaps the race announcer put it best when he said, “All Colorado, all the time,” during the men’s Division I short-track race at the National Collegiate Cycling Association’s Mountain Bike National Championships in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. Fort Lewis College and the University of Colorado at Boulder took seven of the top 10 spots during a damp day at the popular East Coast ski resort, with Fort Lewis’s Matt Shriver surging to a commanding lead halfway through the half-minute race as his teammates controlled the chase. “We just wanted to swarm the front,” said Fort Lewis coach Dave

Cipo' had an undistinguished and painful '04

Tom Reeder (left) and Joe Ward, with the new Cane Creek Double Barrel shock, developed with Öhlins

Öhlins suspension on Eric Bostrom's Ducati Austin/Parts Unlimited Ducati 999. Note the enormous gas reservoirs to control damping. The blue rods measure performance characteristics for later analysis.

A close-up of the Öhlins shock on Bostrom's bike. The threaded gold rod in front of the shock is a ride-height adjuster, which can help shift more or less weight to the front wheel as conditions require.

Cane Creek's Double Barrel Coil/Oil shock

Cane Creek's Double Barrel shock's twin tube design has separate adjusters for compression and rebound damping

Another view of the Double Barrel

Whom would you rather have running your club?

Lance Armstrong's rivals have been given a glimmer of hope for victory after Tour de France organizers unveiled a slimmed-down race for 2005 here on Thursday. In a bid to open the race and widen the possibilities for other contenders, Tour chiefs have cut down on the mountain finishes and individual time trials for next year's race. Organizers have yet to decide whether the race should include 21 or 22 teams of nine riders each. This year Armstrong defied expectations of a slowdown by claiming five stage wins on the race before claiming a record sixth yellow jersey. However, there remains

Zabriskie leaving Postal for CSCSaying “it’s time for a change,” Dave Zabriskie will be leaving U.S. Postal Service-Berry Floor for a two-year deal with Team CSC-Riis Cycling. “I always hear that change is good and I know there is no better team for me,” said Zabriskie. “I like Riis' unique approach to the sport and the willingness of the guys on the team to race hard. I want to thank Johan and everyone that has helped me along over the years. I'm excited for the change, but will miss the Postal family.” Zabriskie’s 2004 palmares include the U.S. national time trial title, the 11th stage of

Today’s report will be a short one, describing a few final items from this year’s Interbike trade show that you might not hear about any other way. Spiuk-KuipsKuips is a Basque Country bicycle brand being imported into the USA by DPM Sports. Joanne Somarriba, multiple winner of the women’s Tour de France and the 2003 world time trial champion, races on Kuips road bikes; Spain’s professional cyclo-cross champ rides a Kuips, too. The pictured frame is the top cyclo-cross model. The company has a full line of accessories and clothing under the Spiuk name. Altogether, it is an extensive and

There’s no Mont Ventoux on the route of next year’s Tour de France so Lance Armstrong — who has often said that he wants to win on the Ventoux before he retires — perhaps will not defend his title in 2005 and wait for 2006. Then again, Armstrong’s spokesman at the official race presentation in Paris on Thursday, Discovery Channel team director Johan Bruyneel, said, “If he does a three-week race, it will be the Tour.” And one can’t see Armstrong being motivated by a season that comprises just one-day classics mixed in with a few one-week stage races. If the Texan does start the Tour next

Fewer time trials and summit finishes give Armstrong's rivals hope

Kuips' top-of-the-line cyclo-cross model

The nifty Dugast tubulars on Frischy's Athens bike

Getting a handle on suspension

Studly Nokian tires

Weighing in with a new scale is Feedback Sports

Ausbuher

If Armstrong does a three-week tour in 2005, says Johan Bruyneel, 'it will be the Tour.”

The Mail Bag 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.Why the 50 percent cutoff?Editor:I fail to understand why the UCI and other governing bodies chose an arbitrary hematocrit of 50 percent as the cutoff for male cyclists.All the research I have done seems to indicate a "normal" hematocrit range of around 45-62 percent. This "normal" range