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Rafael Casero´s been on podiums before during his three-year pro career, but he´s never been on the podium wearing a race leader’s jersey or as a stage-winner. Typically, Casero will get the day’s best points jersey or best climber’s jersey after a long break that falls short. In Wednesday’s difficult three-climb 159km second stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a Communidad Valencia, however, he had the top spot. In fact, he pretty much hogged the podium celebration. Not only did he win the stage and take the race lead by 4 seconds over Dario Frigo, the Fassa Bortolo rider who won Tuesday’s

Despite losing its corporate backing following the 2002 season, the Global Racing mountain bike team will continue to exist, though in a significantly trimmed down version. After two years as one of the fat-tire circuit’s biggest teams, the downhill/four-cross squad will carry only four riders: Spain’s Cesar Rojo, Finnish rider Matti Lehikoinen, South African Andrew Neethling, and Australia’s Lindsay Klein. With sponsorship money harder to come by than ever, team director Martin Whiteley has been forced to fund much of the team’s expenses out of his own pocket. “I’ve decided that in the

Funny how you go through life redefining your personal high-water marks. Your longest ride, the toughest climb, your best placing – all of these achievements are subject to improvement. On a purely personal note, I'm proud to announce a double whammy of sorts, having surpassed two new personal highs (or, in this case, I should say lows) in one fell swoop. You see, I just returned from a quick little jaunt over to our Midwestern friends in Minnesota and Wisconsin to visit with a few cycling-related manufacturers. It was on this trip that I achieved my new marks–the first being coldest

For the second year in a row, Oregon’s Tour of Willamette, regarded as one of the premier stage races in the U.S., has been canceled. According to race director Larry Smith, the lack of a title sponsor, combined with overwhelming costs for police escorts, killed the race. “We’d been holding our breath, hoping to secure a title sponsor,” Smith told VeloNews. “But it just didn’t go fast enough. The economy is just soft right now. Everyone is holding on to their money." Without a title sponsor, Smith could not cover the cost of police escorts, which he has deemed crucial to running a safe

Casero takes over

Cuenca and Casero

Matti Lehikoinen

Lindsay Klein

Cesar Rojo

Andrew Neethling

Frigo (followed by DiLuca) began his chase a little too late

The Midwest never tasted so good

The Project One division has its own production area

Normally this place is Off Limits

Roland Green's OCLV Fuel awaiting assembly before being shipped to team camp

A prototype LeMond Tete de Course undergoing its final round of testing

Dario Frigo is back with Fassa Bortolo and he’s back to his winning ways, taking Tuesday’s opening time trial of the Vuelta Ciclista a Communidad Valencia. Two years ago, Frigo was fired by Fassa Bortolo after he admitted he had in his possession banned doping products during the “San Remo blitz” of the 2001 Giro d’Italia. Last year he returned to racing with Tacconi Sport and won stages in Paris-Nice and the Tour de France as well as taking overall victory in the Tour of Romandie. This year, Frigo is back in the white and blue jerseys of Fassa Bortolo and easily won the flat, 9.7km

Can you direct me to a source for a 10 speed shifter cam so that Ican convert my 9 speed record shifter?--GaryDear Gary;Any bike shop can order the 10-speed right index gear. Many distributorscarry the parts.--LennardA matter of wheel choiceDear Lennard;What is more important and under what circumstances i.e. terrain, ridertype, etc., light wheels regarding weight or heavier wheels for momentum?This has come up for our team regarding light and aero wheels i.e. HedAlps or Zipp 404 vs. Mavic Carbones and the like. Your comments would bevery interesting to us. --ChrisDear Chris;There is never a

Three-time national champion Kimberly Bruckner is such a genuinely nice,friendly person, that in order to get some real dirt on her, it becomesnecessary to dice it up a bit. Catching up between the Cooma Snowy Classicand the Geelong Women's Tour in Australia, she found time to answer a fewmore “scandalous” questions thrown her wayWhen was the last time you…Felt embarrassed? Finishing fourth out of a four-woman break at the road race in Cooma. Some things never change.Ate something raw? Raw fruits and vegetables are about as faras I go. No sushi for me...I find it disgusting.  It's

Editor:Contrary to the opinion of Robert Schuchert, I believe that the explosionof Division 3 teams in the United States can only help U.S. racing.While the majority of members of these teams may not be much betterthan the top amateur racers in each region, each team surely fields sometop-notch talent. And Mr. Schuchert (see "D3'pros' make designation meaningless"), fails to understand that most NRC eventshave always had a substantial number of amateur racers filling out theirfields anyway. What's the difference if these racers are amateurs or D3pros?If being a "pro" team brings

Casagrande: out for now

Tuesday's Euro-File: Frigo marks strong return to Fassa; an American in Cuba

Mr. Rogers' neighborhood: Rapping with Lil’ Kim

Mr. Rogers' neighborhood: Rapping with Lil’ Kim

Frigo's back

Zülle

February is winding down after what’s been exciting start to the European racing season with only a few surprises. Some familiar names have already made a mark in the 2003 season, with Jaan Kirsipuu (AG2R) winning three races already, Rabobank’s Oscar Freire two and Saeco’s Danilo Di Luca taking Giro dello Liguria and Quick Step’s Paolo Bettini the Tour Mediterranean. Two-time U.S. champion Fred Rodriguez started off his season for Sidermec on a good note after taking the second stage of the Tour of Rhodes in Greece last Tuesday. His win is the first by a North American in Europe this year.

National criterium champion Kevin Monahan (7UP) kicked off the season by taking the National Racing Calendar opener, the two-day Florida Cycling Grand Prix, in Gainesville over the weekend. Monahan won the opening race of the criterium stage race on the Gainesville Raceway Saturday, and finished well enough in Sunday’s race, won by Jason Snow, to take the overall. A scheduled third event on Saturday evening was cancelled due to hurricane warnings. On Saturday, Monahan and teammate John Lieswyn finished one-two ahead of Keith Norris, and that would be the final order of the overall in the

Editor:The term “professional” no longer has the slightest meaning in regardsto road racing in the United States, because now everyone is a pro - evenif they don't earn enough to pay for a bag of groceries and are workinga full-time job.We're looking at as many as 16 U.S.-based Division 3 pro teams in 2003- more than Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain combined.That's good, right? Wrong.The Division 3 Trade Team designation was created by the UCI as a developmentaltool, to allow younger racers the opportunity to compete in the pro ranks,albeit in lower-category

A last day at training camp in Italy should include the following: a relaxed 60km ride, a cappuccino in a cobbled Etruscan hill town, a hot shower, bruschetta, pizza, pasta, wine, veal, and a succinct post-dinner team meeting. The Navigators covered all these bases, if slightly stretching the definition of the word "succinct.” After sleeping in, they left for their ride at 11 a.m. It was the first day since their arrival that they wound slowly through the vineyards and hillsides, always at a tempo that encouraged conversation. Most of the guys stopped in the town of Cassale Marittimo to join

Italian Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) had an easy time winning the would-be Spanish classic Trofeo Luis Puig on Sunday in Valencia. Petacchi easily handled Kelme’s Isaac Galvez to win the 178km race, which fell flat in its hyped showdown among the stars of sprinting, many of whom were MIA. Rabobank’s Oscar Freire, fresh off two wins at Ruta del Sol last week, fell ill to stomach flu and didn’t start. World champion Mario Cipollini was dropped on the opening climb to make a rather disappointing start to his 2003 season. And Telekom’s Erik Zabel finished more than two minutes off and

Cipo' - Not a brilliant debut

Rising French star Sylvain Chavanel (Brioches La Boulangère) delivered the goods in Saturday's 180km Tour du Haut Var, nipping Spanish rider Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) to grab the victory. A 10-rider rider break went away at the Cote de Tuilieres with about 20km to go. With 2km to go, Chavanel, Sanchez, Cofidis' Andrei Kivilev and Stephane Goubert attacked off the group and came in for the sprint. Chavanel nipped Sanchez and Kivilev took third. "There were a lot of breaks in the last 10km, but nobody wanted to arrive at a final sprint with me," said Quick Step's Paolo Bettini,

Last week’s column on prize-winning candy wrappers and Internet self-help got the wheels turning, and I think I finally came up with a way to combine a get-rich-quick scheme with my current job. Coming soon to a Web column near you: cyberbegging. If all goes well, I’ll raise enough to put my kid through college, and it all goes really well, the readers could essentially buy me out of this Friday slot.While we’re working out the legal and ethical details, in order to make my life a little easier, I’m encouraging your mail. E-mail your questions or comments, and hopefully I’ll be able to do a

American Fred Rodriguez (Sidermec), won the second stage of Greece’s Tourde Rhodes on Friday.Rodriguez beat Holland’s Rudi Kemna and Czech rider Jan Svorada to thefinish at the end of the 120km stage, a large loop that left Rhodes traveledthrough Apollona and finished again in Rhodes.Rodriguez’s shot at a win was uncertain until the final kilometer ofthe race as a three-man breakaway headed by Vlaanderen-T Interim’s RudolfWentzel lasted from the day’s first sprint at 20km until the very lastkilometer.Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner), holds on to the overall lead, thoughhe he is now tied with

“Terrorism forces us to make a choice. We can be afraid. Or we can be ready.” – Tom Ridge, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security“Be afraid. Be very afraid.” – Veronica Quaife in “The Fly”A lot of people were making fun of Tom Ridge the other day, and I’d love to be able to say I wasn’t one of them. But having been raised amid the duck-and-cover slapstick of the Cold War, when a grade-school desk on an Air Force base was my best defense against a Soviet SS-7 ICBM, the notion of swaddling my World War II-era house in plastic and duct tape was a real blast (you should pardon the

Be prepared

Alessio’s Ruslan Ivanov was simply stronger than four others in the breakaway that closed out the fifth and final stage Thursday in the 49th Ruta del Sol in southern Spain while Kelme’s Juan Pascual Llorente held on for final victory. Ivanov dropped Inigo Chaurreau (AG2R) and Gustavo Toledo (Paternina) on a Category 2 climb just 5km from the finish and unleashed a stage-winning attack on the flats with 1km to go. Jose Luis Martinez (Paternina) and Santi Blanco (Relax-Fuenlabrada) tried to hang on, but the veteran Alessio rider simply out-muscled the Spanish riders in the Ruta’s final

My boyfriend is considering getting his pro card either this year or next. What are the tax implications of this move? What if he still has a regular job? What if he does not? What specific of expenses can he write off, and does he have to somehow change his legal working status to reflect this? How about claiming either payment or product from sponsors Thanks so much,B.E. Dear B.E.,I am not a tax attorney and a good accountant will have more to say on the subject than I- so you should consult with one before making any decisions. However, I address some of the applicable issues below. By

He’s not ready to broach retirement talk just yet, but Marc Gullickson is smart enough to see the writing on the wall. While most of the high-profile mountain-bike teams have finalized their rosters for 2003, the 35-year-old finds himself without a contract very late in the off-season-signing game. “I’m still holding out hope, but it’s not looking great,” says the 10-year pro who spent the last three seasons with the Mongoose-Hyundai squad before being let go after the 2002 campaign. “They lost a couple co-sponsors, so now it’s just down to Todd [Wells] and Eric [Carter].” Gully, as he’s

MTB News and Notes: Gully, Green and the Olympics

Gully is a regular presence at 'cross world's

It's all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Juan Pascual Llorente takes the Ruta

Ivanov was the strongest in the break.

In weather that’s more reminiscent of his home back in Holland than sunny Andalucia, Dutch rider Remmert Wielinga endured a long day in the saddle through cold, wind and rain to deliver Rabobank its third stage victory in the 49th Ruta del Sol. Wielinga – winner of a stage at the Mallorca Challenge earlier this month – outmuscled Kelme’s Ivan Parra and ONCE’s Joaquin Rodriguez to win Wednesday’s difficult stage, which featured no less than four category-two climbs. The trio peeled away from Quick Step’s Patrik Sinkewitz and Euskaltel’s Unai Extebarria on the final climb of the day. Parra

Dear Monique: I am a 53-year-old triathlete who has been competing for more than 20 years. Recently I have been having difficulty in keeping my weight up. Genetically I am lean. I do my best to consume calories before, during, and after workouts and throughout the day. My training involves weight lifting and stretching, as well as the three disciplines. I have read that HMB will prevent protein catabolism and may increase weight gain. It is also said to promote recovery. I would appreciate your opinion of this supplement and any guidance on maintaining my body weight. -- ST Dear Monique:

Rodriguez

The weather returned to normal in Andalucia

Javier Pascual Llorente

2002 Giro d’Italia champion Paolo Savoldelli’s injuries caused by a training fall last weekend in Spain are not as bad as originally thought, reports his Telekom team. In an interview posted on the team’s web page, Savoldelli said he didn’t break his jaw as originally feared and he expects to miss just two weeks of training after crashing in Tenerife on Saturday. “My guardian angel must have been with me,” said Savoldelli, recounting the accident. “We were riding and came upon some motorcycles and we each turned the same way. I slammed my face against his helmet. Luckily, I only broke my

There was a change in the weather in Spain’s Andalucia on Tuesday and a leadership change in the Ruta del Sol. The sun was nowhere to be seen as fog, cold and rain welcomed the peloton for the first stage in what’s called the “race of the sun.” Kelme’s Javier Pascual Llorente got out of the cold first, winning the Ruta’s 166-km third stage and catapulted into the overall lead. The stage from Sevilla was dead flat until it reached the short, but steep category-one climb to the Sanctuario de Nuestra Senora de Araceli high in the rugged mountains in southern Spain. The lead peloton split

Riders returning to the Navigators team from last year's squad unanimously mention Henk Vogels and Chris Wherry when discussing their excitement about the coming season. Bringing them on board is a big deal for everyone - including Vogels and Wherry themselves. "I'd been talking to Ed Beamon since about July of last season, but I was talking to other team directors as well," Vogels tells me. "And the main reason I decided to go with the Navigators is because of the European program." Vogels decided three years ago to race primarily in the States. However, he still has the goal of winning

The Federation of Independent Associations for Cycling (FIAC) says it’sfinally ready for prime time with its inaugural National Points Series.FIAC, an alternative to USA Cycling that comprises four breakaway associations- American Bicycle Racing, the American Cycling Association, CaliforniaBicycle Racing and the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association – plans an eight-raceseries, according to spokesman Les Earnest:• May 11: Monsters of the Midway Criterium, Chicago, Illinois• May 29-June 1: Mount Hood Cycling Classic Stage Race, HoodRiver, Oregon• June 20-22: Elkhorn Classic Stage Race, Baker,

I have a new pair of Sidi shoes and am considering going from Lookpedals to either Campy Record Pro-Fit Plus or Shimano DuraAce SPD-SL's.Which, if either, will work better with the Sidi sole and plate? Will I need to get longer cleat bolts for either system?  Will I needto use the Sidi plate with either system?How about Sidi with Ritchey Road pedals?  (I understand the Ritcheycleat is a 2-hole SPD style.) --PhilDear Phil;For the Campy or new Shimano SPD-SL pedals, you will use the sameSidi plate you did with the Looks, and both pedals will work identicallywith that shoe as the Looks did. The

New to the neighborhood this week - a quick rundown on the good, the bad, and the ugly in the pro peloton.The Good:A lot of reader feedback came in over the holiday weekend regarding last week’s piece, “Riding the 'Net: Top riders' Web sites.” We asked our readers to let us know of their favorite rider’s Web site, and the majority of e-mails we received read something like this: “How in the $*(#@$(#@ could you not include Tyler Hamilton in the first group of Web sites?” Rest assured, readers, Mr. Hamilton’s Web site was not overlooked, nor was it forgotten. The initial list was in

BLACK OUT -vi- 1: to become enveloped in darkness; specif: black out date: A set date at which exclusive press release information can be released to the public;specif: utilized to protect current inventory from abandonment in premature anticipation of the next model year;see also: screwing the manufacturer over and killing bike shop sales. While not one to complain about the goings-on at other cycling publications, I'm about to (briefly). Two weeks ago Manitou presented the media with a sneak-peek at its 2004 product line which we lightly reported on, but I adhered to the requested black

Paolo Savoldelli at the '02 Giro

Wind blown: Tuesday's weather was a factor

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood: The good, the bad and the ugly

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood: The good, the bad and the ugly

Marco sporting a trim even Michael Jackson hasn't asked for yet... we think

Manitou 2004 World Exclusive!--Almost

Minute

Vogels (c) is the new guy, but with lots of experience.

The Navigators in Tuscany - Part IV

Juan Fernandez, the sport director of Team Coast, is optimistic that Jan Ullrich will be able to come back to challenge Lance Armstrong in the 2003 Tour de France. Speaking to journalists during the Ruta del Sol, Fernandez says Ullrich is eyeing to come back to competition in late March, when his current suspension is set to expire. "I believe that he will comeback to be one of the strongest in the peloton," Fernandez said. "He's overcome his problems from last year and he has the motivation to be back on top." Fernandez, of course, is putting the best face forward for the team's

With team photos out of the way, and after quite a few long days on the bike, the guys got up this morning to put in another day at the office. "I think it's going to be a hard ride today," Ed Beamon tells me over breakfast. "Cool," I reply. "I was thinking of sitting this one out anyway." Yesterday I had trouble sitting on the back even while they were going intentionally slow to allow the photographer to take action shots from the follow car. So instead I stopped by the room of Glen Mitchell, Burke Swindlehurst, and Mark Walters, all returning team members from last year, to talk about

If Oscar Freire was happy after winning Sunday’s opening stage of the 49th Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucia – the Ruta del Sol – he was downright ecstatic Monday when he roared to his second straight stage-win. Freire put down a blistering sprint with 350 meters to go, easily holding off nemesis Erik Zabel who couldn’t come around him in the finale of the rolling 165-km stage between Sevilla and Huelva in Spain’s sunny Andalucia region. AG2R’s Jaan Kirsipuu – winner of two races already this month -- nearly picked Freire’s pocket with a late charge on the left side of the finishing

Ullrich and his Coast teammates training in Spain last month

This ain't training camp in Phoenix

Freire in leader's jersey celebrates No. 2

The Ruta del Sol lives up to its name.