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Italian police swooped down in the Giro d’Italia in an early morning raid Wednesday to search the rooms of seven racers as part of a nationwide investigation into sports fraud. Race leader Damiano Cunego’s Saeco teammates Eddy Mazzoleni and Alessandro Spezialetti were among seven riders questioned by police in the 4 a.m. raid. Other riders searched included Fabio Sacchi (Fassa Bortolo); Mario Scirea and Alessio Galletti (both Domina Vacanze); Giuseppe Muraglia (Pinzolo Fiave); and Ruggero Marzoli (Acqua & Sapone). Simultaneous searches were also conducted on the riders' homes. No charges

France’s Franck Perque won the men's points race over 40 kilometers on the opening night of the world cycling track championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Wednesday. Perque raised his arms in triumph in claiming France's first-ever points race gold medal at the world championships with a tally of 35 points. Uruguay's Milton Wynants, who fell in a collision with Australian Mark Renshaw and rejoined the race 16 laps from home, took the silver medal with 31 points from Argentina's Juan Esteban Curuchet third with 28 points. "It's great to be able to carry the French emblem but I don't feel

Dear Monique,I am aware that I need to consume a sports drink during training forboth fluid and fuel replacement. How do I know that I am meeting my fluidneeds? I have heard that significant weight loss after training means thatI am not keeping up with my sweat rate.Thanks,CBDear CB,Other than lab testing there is no exact way in which you can measuresweat losses, but you can make an educated estimation. In hot weather thesimplest calculation that you can make involves checking body weight changesbefore and after training, and correcting for fluid intake during training.Fluid loss from urine

Brad McGee (FDJeux.com) vowed to quit the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday if the race jury didn’t overturn a 20-second race penalty imposed on the Australian in Tuesday’s 16th stage. The race jury ruled the prologue winner took two illegal tows from the FDJeux.com team car at 152km and 154km while climbing up the Category 1 Passo Furcia. Each infraction included a 10-second penalty, a loss of 5 points in the points classification and a fine of 50 Swiss francs. Sport director Martial Gayant vehemently denied the penalty. “I absolutely did not tow Brad. Why would we do something so foolish? He

Canadian cyclist Geneviève Jeanson is facing a possible suspension after failing to turn up for an April 21 drug test after the finish of the women’s edition of Flèche Wallonne in Belgium. Jeanson has reportedly explained that she missed the test because of an oversight. Jeanson told the French language Canadian newspaper La Presse that she had a blood and urine test before the race. "I'm not saying that's the reason but subconsciously I no doubt told myself that I had already had all the necessary tests for the day," Jeanson was quoted in the paper's Wednesday edition. Jeanson risks a

The Mail Bag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com, appearing each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 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.Class divisions out of hand, but single-speeds deserve theirsEditor:I think that you make some good points about the validity of a separate class for single-speeds. However, I am going to take the side of the single-speeders on this matter, I

Laguna Beach, CA – With preparations already underway for this year’s OutDoor Demo - the cycling industry’s premier new product testing event - Interbike is pleased to announce the addition of several enhancements to the popular kick-off event. New for 2004, the OutDoor Demo will feature the Dirt Jump Demo sponsored by Kona Bicycles - with professional jumpers showcasing the excitement of this high-flying segment of the sport. Also in the plans for this year’s event is a specific cyclocross section for testing the latest in 'cross bikes and equipment. Held for two-days under the sun-filled

I came down to Trieste the afternoon prior to the Giro d’Italia stage13 time trial in Trieste last Saturday to watch a skeleton crew of mechanicssetting up bikes and equipment while their teams and other support staffwere out on the road racing to Treviso toward Alessandro Petacchi's sixth sprint victory. For me, it was a good time to talk to mechanics, as they were workingalone or in pairs, and were free from fulfilling the panicked requests ofriders, coaches and other mechanics. One mechanic working alone on his team’s time trial bikes was SaunierDuval’s David Fernandes. The truck that

Sarah Ulmer of New Zealand set a world record for the women's 3000-meter individual pursuit at the track cycling world championships Thursday in Melbourne, Australia. The 28-year-old set a time of three minutes, 30.604 seconds, during the first round of qualifying in Melbourne, just days after she narrowly missed the mark at a World Cup meet in Sydney. Ulmer's time sliced more than two-tenths of a second off the previous world record of 3:30.816, which Leontien Ziljaard-Van Moorsel of the Netherlands set on her way to winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "I am just elated. My

David Fernandes

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Giro Tech: Talkin' to the wrenches

Ulmer smiles after setting her world record

Showing class beyond his years, Damiano Cunego (Saeco) vaulted back into the overall lead of the 87th Giro d’Italia after taking a dramatic solo victory in Tuesday’s four-climb 16th stage. After losing the jersey in Saturday’s time trial, the 22-year-old erased a 1 minute, 48-second deficit to recapture the maglia rosa, and this time he might keep it for good. Cunego holds a 1:14 lead over Serhiy Honchar (De Nardi) after an electrifying display of confidence and strength as the Giro pushed into the first of four decisive stages high in the Dolomites. “I’m very content with how things

Lotto’s sprint ace, Robbie McEwen, pulled out of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday to safeguard his chances of reclaiming the sprinter's green jersey in the Tour de France. "I've already had a lot of racing this season and I've got to think of the Tour de France," said McEwen, second in Monday's 15th stage behind Fassa Bortolo’s Alessandro Petacchi, before he flew home to Belgium. It was the third year running he had pulled out of the Tour of Italy before the mountain stages. "There's no point in jeopardizing our chances in the Tour de France in the mountain stages here," said his Lotto team

I am going to try to make it to Milan. After talking with the team and knowing the importance of this race to us and to our sponsors, I am going to do my best to make it through the mountains these next few days and ride to Milan. Pulling out would not be too good for the team, so I need to do my best… I just need to save my legs as much as possible. That last stage into Milan is very important to the team and, at the same time, making it to Philadelphia for the USPRO is very important to me, so I need to balance that. As part of the discussion that we had on the subject this morning, I did

Back in the jersey

Cunego takes over with heroic effort

Cunego takes over with heroic effort

All alone up front.

Abersold

Popovych was overwhelmed by Saeco's effort

Brit' Charly Wegelius leads the escape

Simoni stayed with Popovych until the last climb

Contemplating the long climbs ahead

Fassa Bortolo's Alessandro Petacchi has established a new post-war record winning for the eighth time in this year's edition of the Giro d'Italia, emerging at the front of a mad charge to the line at the end of stage 15, a 243km race from Porec, Croatia to San Vendemiano. Landbouwkrediet’s Yaroslav Popovych retained the overall leader's jersey. Petacchi, who bettered the record of seven stage wins set by Belgians Roger De Vlaeminck (1975) and Freddy Maertens (1977) and Italian Beppe Saronni (1980), easily beat Lotto’s Robbie McEwen and Gerolsteiner’s Olaf Pollack for the stage victory. The

Following Friday’s rain soaked criterium championship in downtown Madison, Wisconsin the 2004 collegiate national championship continued Saturday when students from around the country participated in a brutal road race through the blossoming countryside of Black Earth, WI. In the first event of the day, the Division 1 women’s road race, a daring breakaway went clear of the main field on the first lap of the 60 mile, four lap race. At its peak, the break would enjoy a lead of almost two minutes, but the early success would not come without a price, as the course’s two brutal climbs would

Cyclists from 43 nations have arrived in Melbourne, Australia, to contest this week’s 2004 UCI Track Cycling World Championships at the Vodafone velodrome. More than 200 cyclists will contest 15 Championship events, six individual disciplines for men and women and three men’s team events, over the five days of racing as they battle for the honor of a gold medal and the right to wear the coveted rainbow jersey of World Champion. The Championships is also the last chance for nations to qualify places for the Athens Olympic Games and for the cyclists their opportunity to earn a place on their

Well, enough is enough. I finally decided to call it a day and I’m going back home tomorrow. I started this morning, even though I was feeling worse than I was yesterday. After about 50 kilometers, I realized that there was no getting past this chest cold and I decided to ride to the feedzone and pull out then. It’s been more difficult mentally than physically in some ways. I really don’t like racing when I can’t put 100 percent into it. It’s just not my style. I sure didn’t like just trying to hang on and barely making it to the finish line. The last couple of days, I’ve come to the

I have always liked Tour de L’Aude as it takes place in some beautiful countryside in the south of France. The race takes place mostly in the foothills of the Pyrenees. There are many small roads that run through the centers of ancient quaint towns or through vineyards or farmland. It is one of my favorite spots to ride a bike. The traffic is minimal, the people friendly, and the climate agreeable. I left Girona for the Tour without much idea of how my fitness would be. I had trained with Michael and his teammates and was feeling healthy, but I hadn’t raced since the classics in Belgium.

One of those days. It seems like every time there is a straightaway like today, it doesn’t seem to work out. It was long stage today, but maybe a touch too easy for my liking. Being totally flat, we were pretty much guaranteed that Fassa Bortolo was going to be in control at the front. I would sometimes prefer it if there were a few hills to break things up. But we started the day well. Everyone on the team was motivated and I felt good. I have good legs right now and the team has confidence in my ability as a sprinter. We took something of an all-or-nothing gamble today when the whole

Again and again and again and...

Today's stage was the longest of the Giro this year.

Petacchi is happy to give credit where credit is due.

Popovych: Well, he doesn't look worried.

Arrivederci Italia!

Kristin Armstrong and I make the podium after the first time trial

Kristin and I meet the organizers of the Tour de L’Aude

Ken Whelpdale, prepping our bikes for the TT

Steve manning the team truck

Kim Anderson and I ride to work

That's me with Kimberly and Kristin getting ready to head off for another stage

Fassa Bortolo’s Alessandro Petacchi equaled the Giro d’Italia’s post-war record of seven stage wins in a single edition of the race by claiming the 14th stage in the ancient Croatian coastal city of Pula on Sunday.The 30-year-old sprint ace timed 4:08:58 to come in ahead of American Fred Rodriguez. Petacchi’s teammate and lead-out man, Marco Velo, rounded out the top three. Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych of Landbouwkrediet finished in the main field and continues to hold the overall leader's jersey, the maglia rosa, which he earned after a strong time trial performance on Saturday. It was the

There’s a reason that Frazz, the songwriting janitor in the comic strip of the same name, spends a fair amount of his free time either running or riding a bicycle. His creator, cartoonist Jef Mallett, has raced the road and still competes in the occasional triathlon. We asked writer Marc Barringer to have a chat with Mallett, and a transcript of their conversation follows below. – EditorVeloNews: What? A lead character who is a cyclist? How did that happen? Jef Mallett: Pure self-centeredness. I modeled Frazz after myself - or, rather, I modeled Frazz after who I'd like to think I could be

Two weeks ago, Filip Meirhaeghe (Specialized) was demoralized after national rival Roel Paulissen (Siemens-Cannondale) drubbed him in a Belgian national series race. This time around, it was Meirhaeghe dusting the field, taking a dramatic victory in the opening round of the 2004 World Cup. The World Cup win the Meirhaeghe’s ninth of his career and puts the 33-year-old back on top in the international men’s cross-country field. “I had some real problems before this race in my head and to win today is a nice surprise,” said Meirhaeghe, who won in 2 hours, 24 minutes on the six-lap, 48km

Lance Armstrong won the final stage of Languedoc-Roussillon Sunday, picking up the pace in preparation for a July attempt at a sixth-straight Tour de France title. The Postal team leader finished in sixth place in the five-day event, finishing 1 minute, 44 seconds behind winner Christophe Moreau of France. "I've had some ups and downs this week," Armstrong said. "I felt good the first two days, the next two ... not so good. Even at the start of today, I didn't feel very well." Viatcheslav Ekimov, Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service teammate, was second overall, with Spain's Iker Flores

Paul Rowney finally broke through, while Shonny Vanlandingham made it two wins in two days, as each grabbed short track wins on the final day of NORBA National No. 3 in Big Bear Lake, California. In the opening race Vanlandingham (Luna) and teammate Katerina Hanusova broke away from a group of eight early in the 11-lap race, slowly expanding their advantage all the way to the finish. It wasn’t until the final lap that Vanlandingham attacked off the front, easily outpacing Hanusova for the victory. “There really wasn’t any plan as far as who we wanted to win or anything,” said Vanlandingham,

It was a good sprint. For the last few days I’ve been really frustrated by not being able to get into position to do my own sprint. Today, it was different. The team really rallied out there to get me up to the right spot going into the last few hundred meters and they did a great job. Our main focus was to stay together today, so that we could set up for the sprint as a team and we did it. And for a while there, we had good little train going toward the finish. We were lacking a little power toward the end, maybe, and we allowed Fassa Bortolo to take over the front of the peloton again,

Well, I made it another day. I’m still not feeling so great when it comes to my respiratory system. My legs feel fine, but sometimes, it’s like a car when it red-lines. I’m afraid the engine just cuts out at a certain point. I have good legs, but once I start pushing it hard, the lungs just can’t support the leg work that I am doing and I feel like I am going to blow. I did what I could for Angelo today. I sat back behind him a couple of spots and then as we were coming in toward the finish, I waited to see what I could do to move him up, maybe take him on my wheel and launch an attack. I

In a brilliant effort in tandem with Ofoto’s Dominique Perras, Chris Horner (Webcor Builders) won the Housatonic Valley Classic, the final stage of the Tour of Connecticut, on Sunday, while Mark McCormack (Colavita Olive Oil) held on to the overall leader’s yellow jersey. On the demanding, up-and-down course through the narrow, twisting, tree-lined roads of southwest Connecticut, Horner and Perras stayed away for close to the final 70 miles of the 100-mile road race, benefiting from Colavita’s tactics aimed largely at keeping McCormack in yellow. Perras and Horner escaped around the

For the second time in two days, American Eric Carter and Frenchwoman Sabrina Jonnier were the top gravity racers at NORBA National No. 3, after each scored wins in Sunday’s downhill mania race at Snow Summit Resort. Racing a format that hadn’t been used with any regularity since the mid-1990s, Carter was the fastest man down the hill in the four-up event that was part downhill, part mountain cross. Riders started the day running a solo qualifying run for bracket seeding, then went four-up with the top two riders advancing into each successive round. “It was pretty much a hole-shot race,”

The cartoonist at play

Popovych chats with Saeco's Damiano Cunego, who had the jersey before him

The Giro vistis Croatia for the first time.

Pula's massive coliseum rivals that of Rome.

Will he eventually run out of fingers?

Moreau holds on to the overall title

One early escape triggered...

... a hard chase from Postal

Armstrong on the attack

Moreau's best form in years

The wines of Languedoc

Horner and Peras

Horner continues a strong spring campaign

Navigators in pursuit

Vanlandingham made it two wins in two days

Rowney finally got to celebrate a win.

Take off: The opening straight at Big Bear.