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Don't hold backVeloNews,Regarding Bradley McGee's comments in Monday's EuroFile (see "McGeelashes out"), Now, c'mon Brad, tell us what you really think...Darryl HuculakVictoria, British Columbia, Canada Take down the wall of silenceDear editors,I read with interest the statement of Brad McGee as reported on yourweb site concerning his defense of the reputation of cyclists in the peloton. On a human level, I can well understand Brad McGee's feelings, assumingof course that he is clean. Sadly, this is the point: I think most cyclingfans, indeed the wider public, cannot be certain as to

CLIF BAR & VeloNews are excited to present: An evening all about bike racing, highlighting the '04 Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team as well as USPRO Champ Mark McCormack's impressive '03 season. First we'll tap a few kegs and fire up the pizza oven, then we'll sit back for an evening all about bike racing, highlighting the '04 Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team as well as USPRO Champ Mark McCormack's impressive '03 season. Please join us!Hang out with fellow cycling fans, chat it up with the folks from CLIF BAR, and meet the Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team riders - all while

News ReleaseFor Immediate ReleaseDahon and S.D.G. Join Forces On Saddle ProjectNew I-Beam Model to Incorporate Flex Feature Duarte, California, February 16, 2004 -- Dahon California, Inc.,the world leader in folding bicycles, and California-based bicycle seatdesigners S.D.G. (Speed Defies Gravity), have collaborated to make Dahon’s2004 premier bike models lighter and more versatile than ever. S.D.G.’sunique I-Beam system, which employs a single composite “rail” molded intothe base of the saddle, versus dual metal rails, saves significant weightand roughly triples the fore-aft adjustability

Former world four-cross champion Brian Lopes suffered a compound fracture of his left leg Sunday while riding a four-wheel ATV vehicle in Savannah, Georgia. According to a report on the Web site www.stiksandstones.com, the vehicle lost traction and rolled over, catching Lopes’s left leg between the vehicle’s roll cage and the ground, breaking his left tibia. Lopes is currently undergoing surgery at a Savannah hospital. Doctors expect him back on his feet in three months, the report added. This incident continues a brutal run of bad luck for Lopes, who missed most of the 2003 season after

After Canadian refused a race license in Quebec, Jeanson gets a USA Cycling license.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFEBRUARY 19, 2004Rock Out with Andy Hampsten and A President of the United Statesof America at the Seattle International Bicycle Expo 2004Seattle - To kick off the 2004 cycling season, Hampsten Cycles celebrates the introduction of their new time trial bike, the Vetriolo, with an appearance by Andy Hampsten at the Seattle International Bicycle Expo. In addition, the enigmatic and idiosyncratic Hampsten brothers have enlisted Seattle-based rock musician, Dave Dederer, singer/guitarist for The Presidents of the United States of America, to assist in the Hampstenbooth.Steve

Tuesday's mail bag: Right on Brad, shut up David, quit repeating yourself VN

Sassone at world's in 2001

Jeanson meets the press in 2003

A vehicle similar to this was involved in the accident.

Unipublic, the organizer of the Vuelta a España, on Monday releasedthe list of teams participating in this year’s event. The race is slated to start in Leon on September 4 and finish on September 26 in Madrid. Teams selected by world ranking1. Fassa Bortolo (I)2. Quick Step (B)3. T-Mobile (G)4. Saeco (I)5. Iles Balears-Banesto (Sp)6. Cofidis (F)7. Rabobank (Nl)8. Liberty Seguros (Sp)9. U.S. Postal Service (USA)10. CSC (Dk)11. Alessio-Bianchi (I)12. Euskaltel-Euskadi (Sp)13. AG2R Prevoyance (F)14. Phonak (Swi)Invited15. Brioches La Boulangere (F)16. Cafe Baque (Sp)17. Colchon (Sp)18. Kelme

While most of us are busy trying to catch-up with what’s going on with2004 suspension, most manufacturers have long been working on their 2005product lines. Fact is, says Manitou’s Joel Smith, that company is “pushinghard to put the finishing touches on 2005 and move ahead with our 2006product line.” How’s that for looking ahead? Manitou invited VeloNews to Phoenix, Arizona, last month to spenda weekend riding its new 2005 fork line. While the California-based suspensionmanufacturer will unveil new improvements throughout the full range ofits 2005 line (later this summer) Smith figured it

Dear Joe and Dirk,I am planning to work full time at a bicycle shop starting in Marchand am also working on upgrading to Category 2. Finding time to ride willnot be too much of an issue, but I am concerned about being on my feetfor seven to eight hours a day, four or five days a week. How much willthis affect my recovery and racing? Will it have a noticeable effect onmy peak fitness? Should I do harder workouts in the morning or after I have been standingall day? I look forward to hearing your input.CoreyNew Hampshire. Dear CoreyHaving a job in which you stand a great deal can be tough when

Seattle, WA. –  Component manufacturer Full Speed Ahead will increaseits presence in the European professional peleton by supporting no fewerthan 16 Division One and Two road teams during the 2004 season.In addition to supplying its new wheelsets, handlebars, stems, seatposts,headsets, bottom brackets and carbon cranksets, more top teams will nowuse the super aerodynamic VisionTech aerobars and brake levers.New teams added for the 2004 season include UCI #2 ranked Quickstepled by UCI #1 rider Paolo Bettini. Quickstep will use Full Speed Aheadcranksets and bottom brackets. Also added for 2004

Vicenza, February, 2004 – A few years ago, the Metal Series linewas the trailblazer for Campagnolo sportswear. We wanted the sportswearto be instilled with the same Campagnolo spirit as the components and thiswe achieved. Technology, attention to detail, elegance and class are thespecial features of this sportswear line. Clothes for people who like to dress elegantly every day and expectthe same quality and style when they engage in their favorite hobby: cycling. The Metal Full Zip jersey is in an extremely soft, light, tough HydroFit® fabric that breathes. The special treatment of the

Subaru of America, Inc. recently renewed its support of the acclaimed Subaru/IMBATrail Care Crew through 2006. Launched in 1997, the Subaru/IMBA Trail CareCrew program has led more than 1,000 trail projects, trained more than35,000 people in sustainable trailbuilding techniques and logged half amillion miles of coast-to-coast travel in its official Subaru vehicles.The award-winning program includes two full-time, professional teamsof trail experts who travel North America year-round, leading IMBA TrailbuildingSchools, meeting with government officials and land managers, and workingwith

CLIF BAR & VeloNews are excited to present: An evening all about bike racing, highlighting the '04 Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team as well as USPRO Champ Mark McCormack's impressive '03 season. First we'll tap a few kegs and fire up the pizza oven, then we'll sit back for an evening all about bike racing, highlighting the '04 Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team as well as USPRO Champ Mark McCormack's impressive '03 season. Please join us!Hang out with fellow cycling fans, chat it up with the folks from CLIF BAR, and meet the Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team riders - all while

If last weekend’s results from Cyprus are any indication, give Jeremiah Bishop and Mary McConneloug the early nod as favorites in the chase for spots on the U.S. Olympic mountain-bike team. Each grabbed victories at the Voroklini International, a UCI E1-rated race on the island nation that sits off Turkey’s south coast in the eastern Mediterranean. The win was McConneloug’s fourth straight. She also took victories in the final three races of the four-race E2 Cyprus Winter Cup series contested in February. According to the official event report, the men’s race saw a group of four riders —

John Tomac knows how to take full advantage of new technology

Tech Report: A look ahead with Manitou

Monday's EuroFile: Vuelta teams announced; Millar all wet; Ullrich relaxed; Sastre wants more; McGee not happy

Jeremiah Bishop

Canberra’s Oenone Wood, 23, (Australian Institute of Sport) has proved unstoppable yet again sprinting to her 12th and most impressive victory of the year so far when she outclassed an international field on Sunday to claim honors in the opening round of the UCI women’s road cycling World Cup Series in Geelong, Australia.“I’m ecstatic to win this round of the World Cup,” said Wood after her win. “I have pay tribute to my team because they’ve looked after me all season and I couldn’t have done it without them and there’s such a positive atmosphere in the Australian team at the moment.Wood was

Dutch rider Steven De Jongh (Rabobank) was fastest in an eight-up sprint to win Sunday’s cold and blustery Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne race in Belgian. De Jongh, winner of last year’s GP E3-Harelbeke, nipped Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) and Gerben Loewik (Chocolade Jacques) a day after snow forced the cancellation of Saturday’s Het Volk. Thirty-eight riders jumped off the front as the peloton split coming over the Old Kwaremont climb as U.S. Postal’s George Hincapie and Max Van Heeswijk set a blistering pace. Quick Step was well-placed and controlled the lead group coming into the final circuit

This past week in Australia we have felt as though we were stuck in a broken record. We have had one field sprint after another, starting in the Geelong Tour and ending in the Geelong World Cup today. Our team did not have a sprinter here with legs at the finish to contest the podium, and we knew this after day one in the tour. We tried our hardest to force a different outcome in each of the races, but we never had any luck forging a breakaway that would stick to the finish. Last year at the Geelong World Cup, a breakaway went almost at the beginning of the race. The wind was blowing, and

Team GT Africa won stage two of The Cape Epic mountain-bike race in South Africa on Sunday, as the South African duo of Jacques Rossouw and Shan Wilson outsprinted Team Focus-Rocky Mountain (Mannie Heymans of Namibia and Karl Platt of Germany) and overall leaders Team Fiat Rotwild (Andi Strobel of Germany and Silvio Wieltschnig of Austria). The 123km stage, which began in Saaslveld/George, crossed the famous Montague pass and the arid, extremely hot Klein Karoo desert before winding up at Calitzdorp Spa. U23 World Cup champion Liam Killeen of Great Britain pushed the big ring on Montague

De Jongh pips Bettini at the line

Snow and freezing conditions have forced the cancellation of the first of the 2004 "spring classics," the Omloop Het Volk. A wet cold front dropped snow over Belgium early Saturday, covering the route between Gent and Lokeren, creating dangerous conditions on some stretches of cobbles. Race officials waited for improvement, but finally opted to cancel the event for only the third time in its 59-year history. "We couldn't guarantee the safety of the riders," race director Wim Van Herreweghe said Saturday. Promoters remain confident that Het Volk's usual follow-up race,

USA Cycling has announced the formation of its U23 national mountain bike team. The program is an effort to develop top American espoir mountain bike athletes. The ultimate goal of the new U23 team is to generate gold medal finishes at world championships, the Pan American Games, and the Olympics. “By providing valuable coaching and preparation resources, and exposure to top domestic and international competition,” said team director Matt Cramer, “we hope to nurture the development of these athletes to help them become top international competitors.” Team members were selected through

Five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has hinted he could retire at the end of the season but admits he might find the prospect of losing this year's Tour de France too hard to swallow. The 32-year-old Texan is targeting a record sixth win in cycling's blue-ribbon event and admits retirement is a thought. But he told The Times newspaper in London on Saturday: "I can't imagine being retired 12 months from now. But I'm open to the possibility there will be a tap on the shoulder and someone says 'time's up'. "This could be my last year. If I lost I don't know if I would say, 'Okay,

Alexandre Usov (Phonak) muscled to a sprint victory in Saturday’s fifth and final stage of the Tour of Valencia while Alejandro Valverde (CV-Kelme) sewed up the overall title. Saturday’s 165km final stage hit a Category 2 climb early on, then rolled back into Valencia where the bunch came in for a mass gallop. Sunny skies returned after several days of rain, but heavy winds continue to wallop the peloton. It was an impressive week for the 23-year-old Valverde, who won two stages and otherwise controlled the race, held in the same region that is home to the team’s new sponsor, Communidad

Gordon McCauley (Monex) won the Tour de Temecula’s opening De Portola Time Trial on Friday. McCauley covered the 12-mile out and back course, with its short midpoint hill, in 24:48.9. Daniel Ramsey (Team Seasilver) took second in 24:54.6, followed by Thurlow Rogers (Jax Trek-VW) in 24:58.5. Jeannie Longo won the women’s TT in 27.25.1, ahead of Susan Cooper (Bicycle Johns) in 27:48.3 and Catherine Powers (Dasani La Grange) in 28:25.4. Today brings the Wine Country Road Race, held on an 8.5-mile circuit. Men will do 10 laps, women six. The tour concludes Sunday with the Temecula Grand Prix,

Team Adidas Fiat Rotwild was the first to cross the finish line on Saturday as The Cape Epic, an eight-stage mountain-bike stage race in South Africa, got under way. The 750km stage race, which began on the Garden Route in Knysna and ends March 6 at the Spier Wine Estate, just outside Cape Town, will send its 273 teams through the Western Cape and across some of the most magnificent mountain passes in South Africa. Each team consists of two riders, who must stay together throughout the race. The first stage, a 120km leg that gained 3050 meters of elevation as it crossed the Outeniqua

Italian Franco Pellizotti (Alessio-Bianchi) won the hilly, chilly GP di Chiasso on Saturday as the Swiss racing season opened in near-freezing temperatures with the remnants of a recent snowfall on the roadside. The 166km course began with seven circuits of 12km each, followed by five trips around a 16km loop that extended and enhanced the day’s climbing. A seven-man group escaped on the third lap and built a margin of 1:35 before Viktor Rapinski (Navigators) bridged up near the end of the fourth lap. The foursome stayed away until the first of the large circuits, where the field swept them

Icy conditions on some portions of the course forced cancellation

Chocolade Jacques' Chris Peers chats with reporters while awaiting the officials' decision.

There's not much to do on a day like this, except stand around and talk to the announcer

Peers warms up with a cup of java.

Mario Cipollini will make his long-awaited return to the Tour de France this year after organizers issued the seven remaining wildcard invitations for this year's race Friday.Fourteen first division teams have already qualified for the race in accordance with their UCI (International Cycling Union) rankings at the end of last season.Organizers have left open the possibility for a 22nd team to be added to the list at a later date.Cipollini has missed the world's biggest race for the past two years, with his non-inclusion last year during the race's centenary edition causing an uproar in

In the upcoming U.S. road season preview issue of VeloNews, we present “20 things to watch” in American racing in 2004. There are some obvious selections, such as how Chris Horner will fare with the Webcor team, and others not so obvious. And, of course, there are a few things that didn’t make the cut or got overlooked. So, in anticipation of that issue hitting the streets in two weeks, here’s the Notes list of five more things to watch. Charles Dionne. Less than two years ago, the Canadian sprinter was the up-and-coming star in North America after winning the San Francisco Grand Prix to

Italian Alessandro Bertolini (Alessio) claimed what will be a memorable overall victory on the final day of the Tour of Lucca in Altopascio, Italy, on Friday. The fourth and final stage of the Italian season-opener was won by Florent Brard (Chocolat Jacques), a victory made easier for the Frenchman by the absence of most of the peloton. On Thursday, organizers disqualified 120 riders – including Italian sprinters Mario Cipollini and Alessandro Petacchi – after they were deemed to be taking too long to finish the stage, a situation which had also been decided by the need for locals to regain

The Jittery Joe's jersey. It's, uh, colorful....

Bertolini takes the overall

The four-stage Geelong Tour began Sunday night with an eight-kilometer prologue time trial. T-Mobile is the only all-American team here, but there are a handful of Americans dispersed on different teams. Jessica Phillips is riding with the German Nuremberger team this season. She will be based in Liepzig, Germany and racing in Europe most of the year, but their team has started the season in Australia with the tour and a short training camp. Meredith Miller, who is based in Copenhagen, Denmark is riding with the Scandinavian SATS team. SATS is a chain of gyms that is prominent throughout

Dear Bob,Can I be ticketed for speeding on my bicycle?Tom SMilwaukee, WIDear Tom,It is a good question and the short answer is, yes.Since you signed off from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and traffic violationsare regulated by municipal law we’ll start off by looking at the Milwaukeecity ordinances. Chapter 102-1 says that the city of Milwaukee adoptsall Wisconsin statutes defining and describing regulations with respectto vehicles and traffic (Chapter 103-1 which regulates bicyclesalso adopts Wisconsin statutes).Since Milwaukee’s municipal code directs us to follow the Wisconsinstatutes, the next

There was no stopping Alejandro Valverde (CV-Kelme) as he shot to his second win a row and into the overall leader’s jersey as he won a wet and messy stage into Sagunto to claim the third stage of the Tour of Valencia. Valverde timed his move perfectly, came off the fifth wheel and sprung to his third victory of the season. With the 10-second time bonus, he nudged ahead of Toni Colom (Illes Balears) by one second to take the leader’s jersey. “I have good form now and I want to take advantage of it,” said Valverde, who came across ahead of sprint specialists Isaac Galvez (Illes Balears) and

Colom now trails by one second on GC

New Zealand Commonwealth champion, Sarah Ulmer, 27, sprinted home fora win in the final stage of the Geelong Tour on Wednesday but it was Canberra’sOenone Wood, 23, (Australian Institute of Sport) who celebrated overallTour victory.The 2004 dual Australian road champion, Wood, took over the lead onTuesday from Victorian Katie Mactier, 28, (Jayco) and went into the finalstage with a slender seven second lead. But the strong support of her teamin countering all threats saw her successfully defend the leader’s bluejersey. Mactier finished in second place six seconds behind while KatherineBates,

Alejandro Valverde (CV-Kelme) is proving he’s a “todo terreno,” an all-roundrider capable of winning in any conditions. The world champion runner-up shot ahead of veteran Rolf Aldag (T-Mobile)on a steep finishing approach to claim the rainy 148.5km second stage ofthe Vuelta a la Comunidad Valenciana on Tuesday for his second win of theseason. “For me, this win is an injection of moral because this season couldbe my confirmation,” Valverde told Spanish television. “I haven’t set specialgoals. Every race I start that I feel good I want to go for the podium.” Valverde, who lives in nearby

I just got back from a whirlwind trip out to Wisconsin where VeloNews's Nick Ramey and I were able to visit with both Trek and Pacific Cycle. With one long day slated for our Trek visit, we had high hopes of getting a look at what the venerable company is planning for coming years and, 12 hours later, we left very satisfied. Our main guide for the day was Fisher/LeMond/Klein/Bontrager brand coordinator Ryan Atkinson. Our stops included visits to the massive 182,000-square-foot Whitewater production facility where 240 employees assemble many of the Trek, Fisher, Klein and LeMond models. While

When we got to Trek's main headquarters in Waterloo, WI we were greeted by our new media contact, the venerable Zapata Espinoza

On our tour we saw many Trek Madone 5.9 frames undergoing Trek's Project One custom graphics treatment

One of the finished $7000 (complete bike) Limited Edition Madone 5.9 framesets (only 500 will be produced and all are already spoken for)

Think disc brakes don't belong on road bikes? Trek engineers might disagree, as evidenced by this prototype Lemond Ti road frame

Our day-long tour guide snuck us into Trek's Advanced Concepts Group where we saw many prototypes and one-off team bikes including Wade Bootes's own mountain-cross specific Fuel

Stickering your Trek bike is a surprisingly difficult process, as it is done almost entirely by hand and eye

In the time it will take your to read this column, the Bontrager wheel manufacturing station (including lacing and truing) will have completed one wheel

All Bontrager wheels are produced in Wisconsin, from its entry level mountain bike wheelsets to its high-end carbon tubulars

Valverde grabs the win

Colom still in yellow

Vande Velde's new kit

There’s perhaps not a racer competing in the North American peloton that’s as universally acknowledged as the “consummate professional” as is Sierra Nevada’s hard-working Eric Wohlberg. Entering his 13th year of racing, Wohlberg, 39, shows no signs of slowing down, evidenced by his recent time trial win at the Tour de Langkawi. Then again, winning time trials is nothing new for Wohlberg, as he is an eight-time Canadian national time trial champion. That’s right, eight. He also took 20th at the Sydney Olympic Games time trial. Maybe it’s those 500 sit-ups he’s rumored to do every morning.

Australian road champion Oenone Wood, 23, (AIS) took over the leadfrom Katie Mactier, 28, (Jayco) in the Geelong Tour on Tuesday, as PetraRossner (Team Nurnberger) scored a solid sprint win to take stage threeof the four-day Australian stage race.Wood was aggressive throughout the 77.5km stage which offered bonusseconds in three intermediate sprints and at the finish. Wood claimed themaximum three second bonus on the first two sprints to overtake Mactier’slead and also picked up two seconds on the third sprint. Mactier couldn’tcounter her rival’s attack.“I knew Katie (Mactier) would be trying

Spanish rider Toni Colom took another win for the new Illes Balears team Tuesday after out-sprinting David Blanco (Valencia-Kelme) in Tuesday’s opening stage of the Tour of Valencia. Colom, who won the Ruta del Sol race in 2002 while riding for Fuenlabrada, delivered the overall but unofficial title at the Mallorca Challenge earlier this month to open the Spanish racing calendar. “It’s nice to actually win the stage instead of just take the leader’s jersey like I did at Mallorca,” Colom said. “It was very rainy at the start of the stage but we’re going to keep fighting. I’m maybe not quite

Dear readers,I have gotten so much mail on the chain wear and replacement issue, thatI decided to clarify my perspective on the cost/benefit equation and postthe best samples of the mail I have recently received opposing as wellas supporting my position. I just completed writing a new book that I turned in to VeloPress lastThursday, two hours before flying off for my annual appointment to competein (or suffer through) the American Birkebeiner, the great 51km cross-countryski race in Wisconsin. The book, which is sort of my "Top 50" list of things you can do tobe faster, more efficient, more

The mad dash for UCI points officially got underway in mid-February, as a small group of American cross-country pros made the long trek to Cyprus to contest the first UCI-sanctioned races of the year. UCI ranking (based on UCI points) will determine who represents the U.S. at the Olympic Games this summer in Athens. The first rider to get on the board was Mary McConneloug, who touched down on the island nation set in the far eastern reaches of the Mediterranean Sea two weeks ahead of her peers, then took victories in the second and third races of the four-race E2 Winter Cup series. The Seven

Winning at Langkawi

'It’s nice to actually win...,' said Colom

Telekom's Cadel Evans finishes in 67th, 2:30 back

McConneloug gets the top step

Belgians Meirhaeghe and Paulissen dominated the men's race

Dual Australian road champion, Oenone Wood, 23, (AIS) put in a strongfinal burst on Monday to take the second stage of the Geelong Tour, a 35 kilometer criterium raced in Geelong’s Eastern Park.The Canberra rider, wearing the green and gold national champion’s jersey,pipped Sydney’s Katherine Bates, 21, (NSWIS) on the line with RochelleGilmore (AUS - Team SATS third.“We were trying to get working and attacking to get a break away butthe course proved difficult to do that on,” said Wood of the 2.2km circuiton which the riders completed 16 laps. “The course wasn’t technical, exceptfor one

The team has started the season better than it ever has with five wins to date. Last year we didn’t have five before the Tour and only 12 in the entire year. The teams in both Ruta del Sol and Algarve were strong and successful. The nice thing is that we hadn’t really planned on being in flying form for these races; they were simply build-up for the main objectives, so it is definitely a confidence boost and a nice bonus to have the victories under the belt. Going into Algarve we knew the last two days were to be key. The time trial was a long one, 24 km, with many false flat sections and

Floyd Landis won Sunday’s final stage and the overall at the Tour ofthe Algarve in Portugal to mark the best start to the season ever for U.S.Postal Service. The team also won two stages at the Ruta del Sol last week.Five-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong started the stagewearing the yellow jersey, but told Landis to ride for the victory. Armstrongwon Saturday’s time trial and finished fifth overall.“Lance is generous, so he said I could go for the win if I was feelingwell. Everybody worked together,” Landis told the AP. “It's good for theteam to start the year with a win, so

How is easier better?Dear Joe and Dirk,I have to confess that I don't really believe what I've been readingabout base-building.As I understand it, if I have two hours to ride on a given day, basetraining says I will achieve better conditioning if I ride at 6 percentof my maximum heart rate than I would were I to ride at 75 percent.Is that true, and if so, why? It seems counter-intuitive.Jack RawlinsDear Jack,The answer to your question really depends upon where your currentfitness levels are. Simply riding for two hours in a relatively easy state(heart rate zones 1-2) will not improve fitness