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(A)nd I was, after all, a professional journalist; soI had an obligation to cover the story, for good or ill.Hunter S. Thompson"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" Okay I’m coming clean here. Brace yourself. I use performance-enhancingdrugs. I’m not particularly proud of this. Still, it’s something I have todo, a hard choice forced upon me by circumstances. Cycling commentary isa hard dollar indeed, and a guy has to do what he can to get an edge andkeep it. I mean, look at the season, for Christ’s sake. Lance and Tylermay think they’ve got a long shift and a short weekend, but the seasonnever

Thanks for the Redlands coverageVeloNews:Many thanks to Velonews.com for its coverage of the Redlands Classic. The very large field attests to the importance of this race for domestic cycling. Nowhere else can I find even any mention of this race. Chris Horner's performance both here and in San Francisco last September speak volumes as to the quality of the top domestic riders. Keep up the good work! Jonathan WrightToledo, Ohio(where we are still waiting for spring) Manzano's revelations show we've been suckeredVeloNews:Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano's recent revelations about drug use

Tour de France winner Stephen Roche has rejected suggestions by an Italian judge that he took performance-enhancing drugs during his career, according to the Irish Independent. "I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs, whether banned or unbanned, on or off the list, at any time,” said Roche. "In fact, I underwent hundreds of tests during my career and all were negative.” The issue of drug taking during Roche's career, during which he won the Tour, the Giro d’Italia and the world championship road race all in one season (1987), arose after the publication this week of an Italian

Organizers of the Tour de France on Friday ruled out the possibility of the scandalized Kelme team being handed a wild-card invitation to this year's race. The decision comes days after former Kelme professional Jesus Manzano blew the whistle on what he claims to be systematic doping within the Spanish team. Last month, Tour organizers announced the 21 teams for this year's race - at which American Lance Armstrong will be bidding for a record sixth victory - but left open the possibility of a 22nd team participating. Today, Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc said the option of having a 22nd

Spanish rider Joaquin Rodriguez (Saunier Duval) won the Setmana Catalana on Friday by just two seconds after finishing seventh on the 168km fifth and final stage, between Solsona and Parets del Valles. Angel Edo (Milaneza) won the stage ahead of Josep Jufre (Relax-Bodysol) and Martin Perdiguero (Saunier Duval), while Rodriguez finished with a bunch just behind, holding onto half of the four-second lead he gained after finishing second behind American Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank) on the race's hardest climbing stage on Thursday. Leipheimer wound up 14th overall. The start of Friday's final

Charlotte, N.C., March 25 - Gita Sporting Goods, Ltd. announced today that Giordana apparel has again been chosen as the official technical apparel sponsor of the 2004 Dodge Tour De Georgia. Giordana will manufacture the four awards jerseys, the Leader, King of the Mountains, Sprint Leader and Best Young Rider. All four will also be available through bike shops and onsite at the finish area of each stage of the race. Speaking for Gita, Sandy Nicholls, Marketing Director, said: “We are extremely excited to see the Dodge Tour De Georgia return and be able to continue our involvement with it. A

(3/26/04) With excitement building rapidly for the April launch of its new super-light Six13 road models, Cannondale has responded with a new area of its web site devoted exclusively to the innovative new design. The new microsite can be accessed through Cannondale’s home page, www.cannondale.com, or directly at either www.cannondalesix13.com or www.legalizemycannondale.com. The site has in-depth information on the Six13’s unique design and construction process, which mates carbon fiber top, down and seat tubes with welded aluminum joint clusters and a welded aluminum rear triangle. The

Levi Leipheimer is upbeat after winning his first bike race since he took the French stage race, the Route du Sud, in June 2002. He’s psyched because the race he won on Thursday was the toughest, and the only true mountain stage, of this week’s Setmana Catalana. The five-hour stage took in two climbs (including the one to the finish) to the remote ski station of the Port del Comte, a Cat. 1 ascent that peaks out at 5709 feet elevation, deep in the Spanish Pyrenees. The significance of his win was obvious, particularly in the context of this year’s upcoming Tour de France. To win the stage,

For Chris Horner, Friday’s Panorama Point circuit race was simply another day of defending his yellow leader’s jersey at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. For Lyne Bessette, however, Friday’s race finally saw her overtake Geneviève Jeanson (RONA) and move into the women’s overall race lead. Horner and Bessette now lead the race, while Ivan Dominguez (Colavita Olive Oil) and Kristin Armstrong (T-Mobile) took big stage wins for their teams. Despite winning the prologue and the stage 1 Crestline road race, Jeanson has shown weaknesses all week long, most notably on Thursday’s stage to Oak Glen,

Friday’s foaming rant: Bread, water and circuses

Kelme riders lead a protest before Friday's final stage

Rodriguez hoists his prize

Edo gets the stage

Levi Leipheimer's glad to join the Rabobank winner's club

T-Mobile's Armstrong savors a stage win

Bessette puts the hammer down

Racer leader Jeanson felt flat

Health Net took another run at Horner with Pate off the front

The day went to Dominguez, and Horner remained in control

Dear Bob,I have an idea about a new device to be used by competitive cyclists. Ireally think it is a good product and no one else has thought of it (asfar as I know). Should I try to get a patent before I talk to prospectiveinvestors?Anonymous Dear Anon,Before you contemplate seeking out investors it is in your best interestto know a little bit more about the process for obtaining a patent, thecosts involved and the potential for disappointment. This being said, apatent can richly reward you for your inventiveness by granting you a temporarymonopoly. Prior to speaking with investors, you

Former world Madison champion Robert Sassone, who is being investigated after drugs were found at his home, has admitted making a "mistake" which would ruin his life. Sassone, 26, who also tested positive for a steroid derivative last year, printed an open letter in the French-language New Caledonians newspaper on Thursday saying he was paying heavily for his actions. "I didn't kill anyone, but this mistake, which I will explain to the judge, I'm paying for heavily and in cash. It will ruin my life because I dreamt of a career in cycling," said Sassone, a member of the Cofidis team until

Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano on Thursday said that professional cycling is awash with growth hormones, the banned blood booster EPO and host of other products often not intended for human use. Manzano’s interviews are appearing in the Spanish newspaper AS in a bid to avenge his sacking by the Kelme team last year, said for many riders the practice was openly available. "It's like an open bar when it comes to growth hormones, and you get injected with EPO (Erythropoietin) almost every day," said the 25-year-old Spaniard in the second part of his interview with AS. Manzano backed up his

Rabobank’s Levi Leipheimer brushed off the effects of a crash earlier in the week to win the fourth stage of Setmana Catalana atop the Port del Compte on Thursday. Saunier Duval’s Joaquin Rodriguez, who finished alongside the American, took the overall lead after the 179.5km stage ride from Palau Solita I Plegamans which finished on the summit of the Category 1 Port del Compte. The stage started with attacks after the first kilometer. By the third kilometer, Gonzalo Bayarri (Phonak) tried his luck and managed to build a small gap on the field. He was soon joined by nine others, including

Saeco’s Mirko Celestino won the second stage of the five-stage Coppi-Bartali international as it finished in Faenza Thursday. Celestino, took a 12-man sprint at the end of the day’s 206km stage from Riccione in northern Italy. By beating Ruggero Marzoli and Giuliano Figueras to the line, Celestino also assumed the overall lead going into Friday’s 176km stage from Emilia to Scandiano. Astarloa injuredWorld road race champion Igor Astarloa (Cofidis) suffered head and neck injuries in an accident while out riding, according to Gazzetta dello sport. The 27-year-old Spaniard was training near

Unless you’ve been vacationing on the dark side of the moon for the past year, you’re probably aware the UCI has mandated the use of helmets for the pro peloton. While the majority of the 2003 pro road season saw riders with certified skid-lids worn during mass start stages and events, all bets were off for team and individual time trials. For the 2003 season the UCI simply let the time trialists slide when it came to wearing a protective helmet (the millimeter-thin aerodynamic fairings the riders wore don’t offer any protection). Welcome to 2004You may have noticed riders no longer

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Thursday that AdhamSbeih, a cyclist from Sacramento, Calif., was suspended for two years aftertesting positive for recombinant human Erythropoietin (rEPO).  Itis the first suspension of an athlete in the United States for an rEPOpositive.The suspension followed a hearing before a three-member panel of theAmerican Arbitration Association (AAA)/North American Court of Arbitrationfor Sport (CAS), which concluded in part that “The methodology utilizedby the UCLA Lab for testing rEPO is scientifically sound and the resultsproduced by the tests

Webcor. Jittery Joe’s. Jelly Belly. For the second day in a row, those were the three teams represented on the men’s podium at the Redlands Bicycle Classic, as Chris Horner won for the third day in a row and extended his overall race lead. Meanwhile, the women’s race tightened up, as Lyne Bessette took the stage victory on Oak Glen and cut deeply into Geneviève Jeanson’s race lead. For the second day, Horner’s Webcor squad held in check the efforts of the big-budget Health Net-Maxxis team to put the pressure on Horner. As they did on Wednesday’s Crestline stage, Health Net banked on the

Legally Speaking - with Bob Mionske: I have an idea. Now what?

Illegal speed: Giro's Rev IV is now a relic of the past

Postal's Floyd Landis has legal head gear

Bessette makes her move

Moninger and Pate

Horner and Grajales team up...

...and Horner wins on his own - again.

Thorburn and Bessette eventually left Jeanson on her own

Moninger and Pate

Horner and Grajales team up...

...and Horner wins on his own - again.

Thorburn and Bessette eventually left Jeanson on her own

Isaac Galvez handed his Illes Balears-Banesto team a welcome stage victory on the third day of Setmana Catalana in Montcada I Reixac on Wednesday, pipping T-Mobile's Erik Zabel on the finish line. After two days of Swiss domination, with wins going to Fabian Cancellara and Beat Zberg, Galvez finally handed Spain a victory following the 159.5km stage from Castello d'Empuries. Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero (Saunier Duval) took the overall race lead after finishing third. Galvez, meanwhile, had to wait for a photo finish decision before being told he had beat T-Mobile veteran Zabel, who

Former Kelme rider Jesus Manzano has charged that his former team has long conducted an organized doping program with little regard for riders’ health or safety. Manzano’s claims come a week after he promised to lift the lid on the Spanish team's unsavory doping practices, including blood transfusions and the use of experimental substances. The 25-year-old Spaniard, who was fired by Kelme after last year's Vuelta a España for allegedly having sex with a woman in his hotel room, openly admits he is seeking revenge because he is currently living a hand to mouth existence. The 25-year-old

Heading into this year’s U.S. road racing season, it was pretty clear that there were only one or two teams that could be called powerhouse squads. For the rest, the addition of some seasoned professionals gave them credibility, but they would have to step it up at the races to show that they belonged in the upper echelon of U.S. teams. The Webcor Builders team clearly fell in that second group, but at least on the first road stage of the Redlands Bicycle Classic in Southern California, they showed that they’re ready to make that step. Webcor successfully defended Chris Horner’s yellow race

Manzano and Virenque attack in Stage 7 of the 2003 Tour

Capelle on his way to Waregem

Horner

Webcor kept the gap small on a fast ride across the desert

Only Grajales could stay with Horner

Klasna and the rest of the original break were now in chase mode

Time to go...

Is repair an option?Dear Lennard,I have had trouble with my car rack not holding the fork properly.Recently, a bike with a Deda Black Magic fork was victimized by this lousypiece of gear. While the bike stayed on the rack, one of the fork tipswas twisted (the other came out of the mount). It was an easy matter tobend the tip back into shape. However, is it safe to ride the bike?JimDear Jim,No, it is not safe. You need to buy a new fork… and should considerbuying a new rack.LennardSlip-slidin' awayDear Lennard,I recently purchased a USE Alien carbon seatpost for my Look KG461(27.2 mm). It is a

Krebs, carbs and crampsDear Joe and Dirk,Am I misunderstanding the current hypothesis on how cyclists are ableto fuel sustained high output or is it possible that we need to revisitour assumptions about how long the body can maintain maximum output givenonly fat as an energy source? I have often read descriptions of human metabolism that would lead meto believe that it is not possible to sustain high energy output withouteither loading up on or consuming a ready source of carbohydrates to deliverATP as fuel. This does not match with my experience. I am a type II diabeticand in order to stay

Tuesday’s windy 160km second stage of Setmana Catalana came down to a fist-pumping affair. Beat Zberg (Gerolsteiner) was pumping his in the air in delight after snatching victory in the final 20 meters while Frank Vandenbroucke (Fassa Bortolo) was pounding his handlebars in frustration after just missing a win. Vandenbroucke attacked off the lead group of about 20 riders with just under 1km to go and turned onto the finishing stretch with just enough gap that it appeared the troubled Belgian would grab the win. But Zberg shot past in the final 20 meters to snag the win and move into the

Okay, now, watch the dancing lady...VeloNews,So, the sport of cycling has this allegedly rampant drug problem,and riders are getting sacked for getting a little in the sack? (See"Ex-Kelmerider promises doping revelations") There's nothing likea little sex scandal to get everyone to forget about life's realproblems, no?Neil HickeySeattle, WashingtonYoung guns!Editors,That is some awesome writing! (See "Youngguns: Playing poker with Team Money") I will definitely befollowing these guys.Tschuss!Steve O'DellGeorgiaHe an icon of what?VeloNews,Your characterization of Marco Pantani as an "icon" is

The 2004 Redlands Bicycle Classic kicked off on a typical hazy Southern California spring day on Tuesday, and it was business as usual for two riders who have dominated the event in recent years. Chris Horner (Webcor), who has won Redlands three of the past four years, and Geneviève Jeanson (RONA), who has won two of the last three Classics, put an early stamp on what should be a tough week of racing. Each scored a convincing win in the 3.2-mile prologue time trial to the top of Mount Rubidoux in the city of Riverside. Jeanson has had a slow start to the season, after having problems

Tuesday's mail bag: Drugs, sex, icons and Mullets

Susan Palmer-Komar

Zabriskie takes second

Postal's Jurgen Van Den Brouck

Fabian Cancellara (Fassa Bortolo), a young Swiss bull known more for his time trial than his sprint, surprised the favorites to claim the opening stage of the Setmana Catalana in Spain. A group of about 40 riders cleared the Category 1 Alt de Sant Grau about 35km to go in the 165km stage and charged into rainy Lloret de Mar for a mass gallop. Rafael Casero (Saunier Duval) was caught with 200 meters to go and Cancellara relegated Milan-San Remo runner-up Erik Zabel (T-Mobile) to second place. Spanish rider Javier Ramirez (Liberty Seguros) went on a long solo move starting at 65 kilometers

Brian Maxwell, founder of the multimillion-dollar PowerBar empire and a former world-class marathon runner, died in San Anselmo, California, of a heart attack at the age of 51 on Friday. According to friends, Maxwell collapsed at a post office near his home. Emergency personnel called to the scene were unable to resuscitate him and he was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Maxwell and his wife Jennifer, a nutritionist, co-founded the popular energy bar company in 1986 and began selling PowerBars out of their kitchen. Over the next decade, the Berkeley, California-based

Brian and Jennifer Maxwell

Give the boy some poker moneyEditor,Just writing to say that the Team Money essay/blurb/bit from Ang’ Sheldrakewas brilliant ( see "Youngguns: Playing poker with Team Money"). You should publish moreof him. Hell, are you paying these people? If not, you should even payhim.Thanks,Elliot Dickerson All I know is that I like what I likeEditors,I have no idea what I just read, but I liked it. Just thought I'd voicemy approval in case you get some differing opinions of this rather abstractpiece.Ryan RasmussenBozeman, Montanaand Calgary, Alberta What the....?!?!Sirs,Regarding Mr. Agnetti

The Primavera World Cup runs over the last 120 kilometers of the classic men’s Milan-San Remo World Cup course. It starts in the town of Varazze, just West of Genoa. I traveled to the start of the race two days early to meet up with my teammates and pre-ride the course. My teammates, Amber Neben, Kimberly Bruckner, Stacey Peters and Dotsie Cowden, had just arrived from the United States. We had only five riders to start in Primavera, as there are some very important races going on the U.S. that our sponsors want to make a solid presence in, like Redlands and Sea Otter. ReconnaissanceWe

Landbouwkrediet’s Bert De Waele won the 27th edition of the Cycliste Cholet-Pays de Loire on Sunday. The 202km race is the third round of the Coupe de France series, still led by Crédit Agricole’s Thor Hushovd. De Waele soloed in five seconds ahead of Brioches La Boulangere’s Didier Rous, Hushovd and Luxembourgian Frank Schleck (CSC). The day’s initial attack was launched by Belgian Frederik Willems (Vlaanderen - T-Interim - Eddy Merckx ). After a series of attacks, a group of four -- Patrice Halgand, Frederic Guesdon, Thomas Voeckler and the Jurgen Van de Walle -- bridged up to Willems at

Lyne Bessette (Quark) and Chris Horner (Webcor) won the overall titles at the season’s first major event, the Pomona Valley Stage Race in San Dimas, California, as Quark’s Sarah Uhl and Mariano Friedick (Jelly Belly) won the final stage on Sunday. Uhl was part of Quark’s successful effort to fend off any challenges to Bessette’s hold on the leaders jersey, chasing down a series of attacks from the Rona team. Uhl then nipped sprinter Tina Mayolo Pic (Genesis) at the line as the 55-minute event end in a field sprint. Horner began the 90-minute men’s race with a solid hold on the overall

Alison Dunlap (Luna Chix) won the Maxxis Cup International in Gouveia, Portugal, on Sunday, giving the 2001 world champion a boost in her efforts to secure the only American spot in the 2004 Olympic mountain-bike race.After winning the cross country event and placing second in the shorttrack at the 2004 NORBA National Mountain Bike Series opener in Waco, Texaslast weekend, Dunlap and her Luna Chix teammate, Shonny Vanlandingham madethe trip to Europe to compete in a series of UCI E1 classified events inan effort to earn UCI points. The U.S. has only been allotted a single spot in the women’s

Laurent was a pioneer?

Hushovd still leads the Coupe de France

Bessette was in control

Uhl's win was a bonus for Quark

Grajales fought hard to hold his place on GC

Postal's young gun Patrick McCarty made the break

Friedick's final push paid off

Erik Zabel’s world went from bright to very black in a split second on the Via Roma at the end of the 95th Milan-San Remo on Saturday. The German sprinter thought he’d come around Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) to win Milan-San Remo for the fifth time. But just as he was lifting his hands in celebration, Spanish sprinter Oscar Freire (Rabobank) shoved his bike across the line to snatch the win by inches.