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Julich

Warmup

Michigan got a good taste of international cyclo-cross racing on Saturday with the Michael R. Rabe Midwest Cyclo-Cross Championships. Promoted by Robert Linden of Tailwind Enterprises, the first-time UCI event saw racers come from Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Massachusetts. To make it a true international event, riders even came from as far as Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The junior men's event saw a tightly fought battle among the top three. Konrad Lebas (Richard Sachs) had to take a change early on due to a problem with his rear wheel,

The 12-man Spanish national team left for Hamilton with high hopes ofdelivering Oscar Freire into his third world championships in five years. “We are going with the intention of winning. We know it’s not easy,but we have a team that can do it and we’re going to fight for the gold,”said Spanish national team coach Paco Antequera in the Spanish dailyAS. “If we get another medal, we’ll welcome it.” Freire, without a doubt, will be the Iberians leader. Since the Rabobankrider won his first world title in Verona in 1999, he’s won a second in Lisbon (2001) and took bronze at Plouay (2000). Last

The 2003 world road championships opened Tuesday morning with three first-time medalists in the junior women's time trial. Racing in only her "fourth or fifth" time trial, German Bianca Knöpfle, 18, finished the 15.4km course in 22:17.08 to take gold, while a pair of Dutch riders - Loes Markerink and Iris Slappendel - finished second and third respectively. "I can't even imagine I've won this medal," said Knöpfle after taking the win on the hilly course in Hamilton. "It's incredible, I don't know what to say." With a time that was more than 16 seconds faster than Markerink's, Knöpfle was

Germany finished the first day of the world road championships undefeatedas 22-year-old Marcus Fothen won the men’s under-23 time trial on a breezyTuesday afternoon in Hamilton, Ontario. Fothen beat Niels Scheuneman ofthe Netherlands by the comfortable margin of 18.99 seconds to score a secondgold medal of the day for Germany, after Bianca Knöpfle’s win in the junior women’s time trial. Fothen, who finished fifth in the U23 time trial at last year’s worldchampionships, was confident before the 30.3km race. In addition to beingthe 2003 German U23 time trial champion, he had won the time trial

Ever since the individual time trial was introduced to world championshipracing at Palermo, Italy, in 1994, a list of familiar names have won thewomen’s event. French perennial Jeannie Longo has won the TT title fourtimes, Dutch world hour record holder Leontien Van Moorsel has two goldmedals and, last year, 1996 Olympic champion Zulfia Zabirova of Russiacame out on top. Perhaps that was the last big result for the old guardof women’s cycling.Knocking on the door with two silver medals at the past two world’shas been Switzerland’s Nicole Brändli, who’s now 24. Her compatriotKarin Thürig, a

Call them the first fallen dominos in what will surely include many more. On Monday, mountain-biking’s “silly” season officially kicked off with the announcement that Rocky Mountain-Crystal Decisions had signed longtime mountain-biking star Alison Sydor to a multi-year deal. The agreement ends Sydor’s two-year relationship with the Trek-Volkswagen team. Prior to that the three-time world cross-country champion rode for Volvo-Cannondale. Elsewhere, former world junior cross-country champion Walker Ferguson has decided to forsake fat-tire racing for at least a year, inking a deal with the

Here in Colorado, the leaves are certainly turning but there sure isn’t a crisp in the air-at least not yet. Take, for example, this past weekend. Sunday was the official ‘cross season kick-off here in Boulder. Held at the local reservoir, it somehow felt a bit odd hoofin’ about while jet skiers slalomed past and Eliminator jet boats shot up mile-high rooster tails under a relentless 80-degree sun. Somehow racing seems so much easier when you’re not forced to watch attractive women sipping lemonade and laying out on the very beach you’re running across. While not in the hunt for the lead

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is noticeably absent from the worldchampionships in Hamilton as the Union Cycliste Internationale followedthrough on its threat to ban the world agency from cycling events followingthe recent leaking of a confidential document on this year's Tour de France(see "UCInow seeks to ban WADA" - September 23, 2003).A sport regularly tainted by doping scandals, the UCI's decision notto invite an independent WADA observer could cast a shadow of suspicionon results.WADA president Dick Pound told Reuters he has scheduled a meeting with the UCI in Hamilton on Friday to

Freire in Zolder in 2002

Marcus Fothen

Michael Creed

Bianca Knöpfle

Alexandr Bespalov

A bit of a breeze and lots of sunshine

The Moose from Belarus

Jan Ullrich says there is only one reason for his move back to the Telekomcycling team -- to beat Lance Armstrong in next year's Tour de France. "I just want to beat Lance and to do that I need a strong team," saidthe 29-year-old German. Of course, the financial side of the deal probably helped his decisionto return to the team with which he spent the bulk of his professionalcareer. German media reports say Ullrich will earn 2.5 million Euros ($2.9million) a year with Telekom. Ullrich, who won the 1997 Tour as a Telekom rider, will be bringingwith him his teammates from the Italian Bianchi

What's good for the Goose...Editor;Funny how los ditto heads want to slag all over Bryan Jew fordoing in a cycling forum (see "TheMail bag: Of Rush, Wheat Thins, lawyers, world's and flat repairs")exactly what Limbaugh did in a football forum (see "Notesfrom the road: From foolishness to food"). I guess opinions aregreat until someone shouts theirs a little louder, huh? I'm sure when BryanJew oversteps the bounds of decency as determined by VeloNews, he'llfind the exit, too.Until then, shut up and ride.Jose Martinez,Boston.That dreaded liberal cycling mediaMr. Jew;Having read the bashing that

Two young Americans, Larssyn Staley from Beaverton, Oregon and MichaelCreed from Colorado Springs, have a great chance of giving the U.S. teama winning start to the 2003 world road championships when the first timetrials are held in Hamilton, Ontario, on Tuesday.Staley, 18, is the top favorite in the junior women’s 15.3km time trialover one lap of Hamilton’s demanding course. She has already won a worldtitle this year, the points race at the world junior track championshipsin Moscow, and her Polish coach Merik Mazur (who lives in Hamilton) believesshe will be ready for the road time trial. On

An arbitration panel with the Court of Arbitration for Sport has recommendeda six-month suspension for T-Mobile's Amber Neben after she tested positivefor nandrolone metabolites following the UCI World Cup race in Montrealon May 31.Neben accepted a provisional suspension on July 13, when she was informedof the positive test, which is now regarded as the starting point of hersix-month penalty.The United States Anti-Doping Agency announced interim decision by thethree-member panel of the American Arbitration Association (AAA)/NorthAmerican Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday.Neben

The World Cup stop long hyped as a sprinter’s race finally delivered on its promise after successful breakaways have ruled the undulating Paris-Tours course since 1996. The sprinter teams led by Fassa Bortolo, Telekom and Saeco worked in harmony to keep an eight-man break that included the indefatigable Jacky Durand (Fdjeux.com) at arm’s length until 13km to go when the real fireworks started. Despite two attacks in the final 8km by World Cup leader Paolo Bettini (Quick Step), the 97th running of Paris-Tours came down to a mass gallop on Tours´ wide Avenue de Gammont. Bettini's 11th place,

Unhappy ditto headTo Bryan Jew:While you are entitled to your opinion, I really don't want to knowwhat your political views via your Rush Limbaugh commentary (See "Notesfrom the road: From foolishness to food") This is not why I reada cycling magazine. So stay with your core competency which is cyclingand leave the adult stuff like politics to us adult, common working stiffs. Thinking your opinion is uninformed,MSRush likes Lance, so we should like RushEditors;Brian should stick to cycling commentary.  If he had ever listenedto Rush Limbaugh, he would know that Rush has praised Lance for what

Zabel celelbrates, Petacchi still looked surprised

Escape

A windy day on the way to Tours

One-time Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich is set to return to his old Telekom squad, the team confirmed on Saturday. Negotiations broke down earlier this week after Telekom director Walter Godefroot had refused to accept the return of his former deputy, Rudy Pevenage. But that problem was solved after Ullrich agreed to employ Pevenage directly. "Telekom and Ullrich have reached agreement on a long-term contract," the team, which will call itself T-Mobile in 2004, announced. The German daily Bild suggested Ullrich's annual salary would be in the region of 2.5 million euros (2.9 million

World champion Mario Cipollini won't defend his title next weekend in Canada, he told reporters Friday in a press conference in Milan. "The course is very difficult for my characteristics," Cipollini told reporters. "I don't want to divert interest from my teammates who prepared for the Canadian race." Cipollini, 36, has hardly raced since crashing out of the Giro d'Italia in May. The popular Italian sprinter was forced into starting last month's Vuelta a España, but was clearly not in shape. His team was forced to wait for him during the opening team time trial and Cipollini didn't start

So, Rush Limbaugh resigned from ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown just four weeks into the NFL season. If you ask me, he was overrated from the start, and ESPN was just desirous for a slow, fat, white, conservative pundit to have success … In the days following his racially tinged comments regarding Eagles’ QB Donovan McNabb being overrated, Limbaugh declined interview requests, including a request to appear on ESPN’s SportsCenter. All these years, and we’ve only now found a way to get him to clam up? * * * Turns out Lance is overrated, too. Those five Tour wins were just the U.S. media hyping

The parent company of Cannondale Corporation has sacked three vice presidents, including the son of the company’s founder, according to the trade journal Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. Those dismissed Wednesday by majority stockholder Pegasus Capital Advisers include Scott Montgomery, vice president of marketing and son of Cannondale founder Joe Montgomery; Dan Alloway, vice president of sales and a 15-year Cannondale employee; and Len Konecny, vice president of purchasing, according to the trade journal. Attempts to contact Scott Montgomery were unsuccessful. Cannondale's Tom Armstrong

No Zolder repeat for Mario

With the mountain biking season all but done and the “silly” season yetto fully ramp up, things are pretty quiet in the fat-tire world. Of coursethere was last weekend’s Tour de Dewey here in Boulder, Colorado, but forthe most part I’ve been sworn to secrecy on that one, except to say thatwhen they put their minds to it, some of America’s top cross-country proscan sure throw down the beers. Things will get rolling again in earnest in two weeks when the cyclingworld descends on Las Vegas for the Interbike Trade Show. Expect lots ofteam/rider news and look for the unveiling of the 2003 NORBA

Former Tour de France winner Marco Pantani has been cleared of sporting fraud for a case of doping during the 1999 Giro d’Italia, by a court in Trentino on Thursday. Pantani was charged after high hematocrit levels were found in his blood on the penultimate day of the 1999 Giro d’Italia. The hematocrit limit was imposed in 1997 as an indicator that a rider might be using the endurance-enhancing drug EPO. The Italian, winner of both the Giro and Tour de France in 1998, had already served a six-month ban for his failed drugs test but faced prosecution charges as doping in Italy is a criminal

Dear Bob,My local cycling club posted a notice on its website that a chain ofradio stations was instructing their disc jockeys to tell listeners tothreaten cyclists or do violence against them. Do you know anything aboutthis, and can anyone do anything to stop them?R.B.,Texas Dear R.B.On September 22 and 23, two DJs on a morning show on radio stationWDCG ("G105") inRaleigh, North Carolina, held a listener call-in where listeners were encouraged to relate violent activities they participated in against cyclists, including running them off the road, hitting them with cars or throwing objects

Former Tour de France winner Marco Pantani has been cleared of sporting fraud for a case of doping during the 1999 Giro d’Italia, by a court in Trentino on Thursday. Pantani was charged after high hematocrit levels were found in his blood on the penultimate day of the 1999 Giro d’Italia. The hematocrit limit was imposed in 1997 as an indicator that a rider might be using the endurance-enhancing drug EPO. The Italian, winner of both the Giro and Tour de France in 1998, had already served a six-month ban for his failed drugs test but faced prosecution charges as doping in Italy is a criminal

MTB News and Notes: Bon Jovi in, Green out

Pantani cleared of criminal charge

The collision of two mega-events is quickly approaching. No need to uncoverthe ol’ bomb shelter in the backyard, just be on the lookout for the avalancheof cycling news about to come hurtling your way. Yep, early October is approaching and both the 2003 World Road Championships(“world’s” for those of you about to jump all over my inclusion of anapostrophe in the title) in Hamilton, Ontario, and Las Vegas's 2003Interbike trade show are coming up on the same weekend. If you’re not ableto attend either, your best bet to get the latest news is right here atVeloNews.com (as well as the print

Thanks, thanks, yes, it’s good to be back. You may have noticed — or not, as the case may be — that the “Neighborhood’ has been on hold for the past few weeks while I took an almost perfect vacation in my previous hometowns of San Francisco and Santa Cruz following the T-Mobile International, September 14. The week after the race was spent in a flurry of cab rides, cocktail napkins and late breakfasts, as any good city vacation should — the kind you enjoy but afterwards wonder how you could ever possibly maintain. All that came to a screeching halt last Tuesday when I returned to an

Dear Monique;I wanted to learn more about how quickly I can rehydrate once I'vebecome dehydrated. I'm more concerned with how long before a workout orrace, I need to start to get my cells fully replenished. An example mightinclude a scenario where an athlete had some wine with dinner the nightbefore and coffee in the morning. At what rate does the body absorb waterand re-hydrate and replace the water used and lost from processing thealcohol and caffeine?Thanks for your helpJCDear JC;That's an interesting question. In matters of dehydration, it is bestnot to fall too far behind, as there is

Just where Jan Ullrich will ride next season is still unknown, but his chances of returning to Telekom took a blow this week when peace-making efforts between Rudy Pevenage and Walter Godefroot fell a bit short of the mark. Godefroot has refused to allow Pevenage to return with Ullrich to Telekom (next year to be called T-Mobile), but Ullrich’s manager said Wednesday the door remains open. “Ullrich’s return remains an option,” said Wolfgang Strohband, Ullrich’s manager who’s leading the negotiations. “Maybe we have to find another solution for Pevenage. What that could exactly be, we don’t

Olympic and world champion Leontien Zijlaard-Van Moorsel established a new world women's hour record at the Olympic velodrome in Mexico City on Wednesday, covering 46.065km in an hour, surpassing the earlier record of 45.094km set by Jeannie Longo on the same track in December of 2000. Cycling's world governing body, the UCI, originally credited Zijlaard-Van Moorsel with a distance of 46.397km but officials later said that there had been a measurement error. The 33-year-old Dutchwoman, who is fresh from defending her individual pursuit title at the world track championships in Stuttgart in

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That's a lotta racks...

With three power settings and built-in fuel gauge, the FlameThower might be the most technical bike light ever produced

Endless Summer: Do you think the Aussie locals are going to let this guy drop in on them?

Ullrich: Where to now?

Celebrating the new mark

Now, that, my friend, is style: JHK and Heather Irminger

Mr. Rogers' neighborhood: It's Good to be Here

Berlinger (left) and Clinton earning their pay

Vinokourov: 'There are hills in this race?'

Shoot, this California native could probably run for Governor

More than 3000 people turned out in Béjar, Spain, to give Roberto Heras a hero’s welcome Tuesday after he returned to his hometown following his dramatic victory in the 58th Vuelta a España. The city’s fathers are considering naming a city street after the two-time Vuelta champion. His mother, wife and daughter joined Heras as he toasted his fans from the city hall balcony. He dedicated his victory to his father, who died in May from cancer. The U.S. Postal Service celebrated Heras’s victory with a team dinner at a popular restaurant in Madrid on Sunday night. Five-time Tour de France

The United States Anti-Doping Agency has announced the suspensions of two cyclists this week, a track racer who tested for an elevated testosterone-epitestosterone ratio and a former world masters downhill champion who tested positive for the presence of THC. USADA announced Tuesday that Chesen Frey, 29, accepted a two-year suspension after tests conducted at the American Velodrome Challenge in his home town of Colorado Springs in June showed an elevated T/E ratio. USADA and other proponents of the test say the result is an indication of the use of exogenous testosterone, a practice banned

Heras in Madrid

Gimondi at last October's Tour de France route announcement

U.S. Postal's Roberto Heras has dropped in the world cycling rankings released Monday despite clinching his second Vuelta a España title this past weekend. Heras, who also won the 2000 Vuelta, dropped from 19th to 25th spot because the world rankings take into account the number of days spent leading the event. As a result, Heras earned fewer UCI points than he did last year when he finished runner-up because he held the leader’s jersey for less time. By contrast, Spain's Isidro Nozal (ONCE), who finished second this year despite leading until the final day, jumped from 303rd to 19th

After three weeks of racing, thousands of kilometers, climbs and time trials Roberto came out on top and won in the final hours. In an uphill time trial of 11 kilometers, he achieved what most thought was impossible: overcoming what was nearly a two-minute deficit. Hoping against hopeGoing into Saturday’s time trial we thought he had a slim chance of beating Nozal. For Roberto to win the Vuelta, Nozal would have to have a bad day and he would need a great day. All of us on the team were dreaming that it would happen but nobody would say they thought it was possible for the fear they would

Last week, you saw some of the new things from the Milan bike show, whichis primarily a fantastic display of road bikes, surrounded by a massivemotorcycle show. While most of the two-wheeled enthusiasts attending theshow are there to ogle bikes with motors, there is still plentyof passion in Italy for the human-powered bikes side as well. The movement toward making more and more elements of the high-end bicycleout of carbon continues unabated. Now, however, you see an increasing useof highly reflective white carbon (it actually looks more silver than white)and systems for damping the

We were all hoping, but no one wanted to say it was possible.

Manolo Saiz

Dede and me in Madrid

It's not all motors in Milan

More goodies from Milan

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