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The longest stage of the 57th Vuelta a España came down to a bike-length despite an 18-man breakaway which held the lead for most of the day in a cloudy, rolling 210-km stage from Segovia to Burgos. Fassa Bortolo’s Alessandro Petacchi won a bunch sprint marked by the absence of Mario Cipollini, who packed his bags for Italy last weekend after winning three stages. Without Super Mario, the Vuelta’s other top sprinters fought for left-overs and Petacchi edged Telekom’s Erik Zabel to be king for the day. “The team worked very hard for me and I made a good sprint. I startedwith 250 meters to go

Vogels was always there.

Will sprint for food (and a healthy salary)

Hello, I really must be going.

Zabel could only look on as Petacchi sprinted for the line.

18 riders made an early escape.

Still in the lead -- with that comfortable 1-second margin.

Six of the escapees finally decided to venture out on their own.

Fassa and Telekom drove the chase

Good morning. Welcome to VeloNews.com’s live coverage of the 166.1km 11th stage of the 2002 Vuelta a España. After yesterday’s transfer, the Vuelta is moving to the Madrid mountain range. This stage will offer a lot of character. Halfway through today’s stage, the peloton passes through the city of Madrid is one of the cities halfway through the race and the followers will be able to see the riders full of energy and enthusiasm along these mountains. This could be a complicated stage as the first kilometers will cover the road that crosses the Manzanares nature reserve and therefore Hoyo

The 11th stage of the Vuelta a España from Alcobendas toCollado Villalba on Wednesday saw a little bit of everything; rain, sun,wind, escapes, attacks and heartache. Telekom’s Alexandre Vinokourov, suffering from a cold that derailedhis chances in Monday’s individual time trial, did not start after coldrain welcomed the peloton for the start following Tuesday’s rest day. The rain let up, but the attacks didn’t in the 166-km stage up fourrated climbs, including the day’s main obstacle, the category-one Puertode Navacerrada some 24 km from the finish in Collado Villalba. The punishing pace

Lastras caught a fading Zubeldia just before the line

Di Luca

Sevilla defends his jersey

Sevilla defends his jersey

It was the wind that defined the character of the early part of the stage.

Kelme management says there is no war on the team

The team is completely behind its leader, says Belda. For now, that's Sevilla

The remaining racers in the 57th Vuelta a Espana traveled by high-speedtrain to Madrid following Monday's time trial stage at Cordoba. All of Spainis being hit by a major rainstorm and forecasters are calling for more showerswhen the second half of the Vuelta kicks off Wednesday with the 11th stage,166 kilometers from Alcobendas to Collado Villalba. Kelme's Oscar Sevilla retained the overall lead by just one second over Kelme teammate Aitor Gonzalez after putting down the time trial of his life. Sevilla, 25, confirmed he's up to the task of winning the Vuelta a year after he lost the 2001

Yesterday was the individual time trial. Iit was going to be an easy day for most of the guys on the team. It was raining and I'm glad I didn't have to go hard because I couldn't see much of the road during the race. I've never done a TT easy before, I got a little angry when I got caught by three guys, but there is stillone TT left and if I have the energy I might try and give it a go and see what happens. Matt White and I went off pretty early and wanted to kill some time while waiting for Roberto to start and finish. So we went to a few shops across the street rather than sit in the

Gonzalez after his first of two stage wins in this Vuelta

Good morning to our North American audience and welcome to VeloNews.com’s Live coverage of the tenth stage of the Vuelta a España. Today’s 36.5km individual time trial around Cordoba will contested under rainy skies. There is rain in Cordoba -- wet but no rain on outer edges of course. This course loops out and back, with rolling hills early on, flatter into the finish. There are no rated climbs on this course, but there are still challenging rises on course. Juan Carlos Dominguez, a Spanish rider on Phonak, just put down the fastest time so far at 47 minutes, 28 seconds. He punctured in

Aitor Gonzalez delivered the stage-win but Oscar Sevilla delivered the time trial of his life to retain the jersey oro by less than one second in Monday’s stage of the 57th Vuelta Espana. Nearly a year after he lost the Vuelta in a final-day time trial to Angel Casero, Sevilla ripped the 36.5-km course on a rainy Monday afternoon to conserve the race leader’s jersey by less than 1 second. “I’m very content. I went as hard as I could,” said Sevilla, who conceded 40 seconds to Kelme teammate Gonzalez in finishing second. “To keep the lead by one second after so many kilometers, it’s a great

While those racers who own "tradtional" cross country forks will be able to benefit from Mavic's new hyperlight 2003 CrossMax SL Disc wheelset, Cannondale Lefty owners have been left out in the cold. That is, until now. Mavic just announced development of a Lefty-specific 750 gram CrossMax SL Disc front wheel. According to Mavic, "The Crossmax SL Disc is a concentrate of Mavic know-how and features technology such as the Fore concept, which provides a sealed rim and added strength, ISM (inter-spoke milling) which reduces inertia and rim weight (30-40g), a Maxtal rim for strength and

After two years directing the men's Saturn Cycling Team, Jim Copeland has decided to resign from the job. Copeland said he expects to shift his focus from cycling and on to other aspects of his life. "I have been involved in the cycling industry for the better part of the last 20 years, both as an athlete and manager," he said in a release issued Monday, "and I, along with my wife, Alisa, have decided that it's time to reduce the travel schedule and come home and stay for a while." While directing the Saturn Cycling Team, Copeland led the team to wins at the Redlands Cycling

Sevilla has improved as a time trialist over the past year

Millar set an early standard

Gonzalez

CVV had a great TT

The CrossMax SL Disc for Lefty will be based on the regular CrossMax SL Disc (shown)

Good morning to our American audience. Welcome to VeloNews.com’s live coverage of the 2002 Vuelta a Espana. Today’s ninth stage, from Ubrique to Cordoba, is a 130 km ride that begins rolling terrain for the first 100 km until the course hits the main obstacle of the day, the category-two Alto de San Jeronimo at 113 km. It's all downhill to Cordoba and the final three km are flat with a slight downhill for a fast finish. We would like to apologize for yesterday's lapse. We were experiencing server problems while trying to do live updates during the stage. We believe we have solved these

Good morning. Welcome to VeloNews’s live coverage of the 2nd annual SanFrancisco Grand Prix. VeloNews’s John Wilcockson and Bryan Jew are on site and will be sending in updates throughout today’s 109-mile race. We are starting undertypical Bay Area conditions: foggy, cool temperatures and cloudy skies, causing many riders to wear leg- and arm-warmers. 8:45 a.m. --  And they're off! Man, the crowd is huge here in San Francisco. We are doing a quick paradelap and then will be hitting the hilly streets of San Francisco, but nobody is waiting for the hills. The early attacks have already

Now everyone knows who can win this Vuelta a España. Sunday’s fast and furious 130-km ninth stage on a circuit course around Cordoba brought the real challengers to the fore and swept aside the pretenders to the throne. The peloton was split early on in the windy, fast course and less than 40 riders made with the first group over the category-two Alto de San Jeronimo with 17 km to go and into the finish in Cordoba, one of Spain’s jewels. iBanesto.com’s Pablo Lastras attacked without fear on the tricky descent off San Jeronimo to hold off Coast’s Luis Perez and Milaneza’s Fabian Jeker to

Saturn’s Petra Rossner left no doubt about who was the world’s strongest woman during the 2002 World Cup finale September 15, scoring a come-from-behind victory at the Rotterdam Tour and claiming the series title. Rossner and Mirjam Melchers (Farm Frites Hartol) were separated by just 13 points going into the ninth and final round, held on a windswept, 141km course. An early break of 10 riders with four Farm Frites riders and three Saturns was reeled by Team Nurnberger, and Saturn spent the next few kilometers chasing down a flurry of attacks. At 50km, a pileup split the bunch, and Rossner

In just two years, the San Francisco Grand Prix has established itself as the biggest race in America. It may not have the biggest prize list – that belongs to the USPRO Championships in Philadelphia – but San Francisco draws the biggest crowds and the biggest stars. But amidst the huge fanfare, it was the littlest team in the field that came away with the day’s win. 7UP-Nutra Fig may have brought only six riders to San Francisco, but they came out on top, as Charles Dionne sprinted away from a group that included U.S. Postal’s Lance Armstrong and Viatcheslav Ekimov to take the $10,000 first

Today was a short day, but we knew it would not be easy. Erik Zabel wanted the win today and Team Telekom started drilling it from the gun with Kelme to keep all the attacks from going too far. It was a wicked cross-wind and there was complete carnage in the back of the field. Fortunately, I was up front with the rest of the team helping to keep Roberto out of trouble. It was very intense but we made it and Roberto didn't lose any time to his danger guys on the stage. Before the race I was giving a private concert in the bus, sometimes I like to take the mic and bust out a few tunes to

Barry - in Stage 8

Live Updates: San Francisco Grand Prix

Lastras attacked on the downhill and stayed away

Eat, drink and get ready for that TT tomorrow.

no, don't Relax - The wind and the speed split the field apart.

After the split -- ONCE set out to maximize the gap.

Happy Man -- Dionne played this one to perfection

Hincapie left with 29 miles to go

The Filmore climb

When Kelme's Aitor Gonzalez crossed the finish line of Saturday’s difficult eighth stage of the Vuelta a España, he didn't look particularly excited. The reason why? He hadn't realized he'd won. Gonzalez chased hard in the very technical finishing 20 km into Ubrique, a white-washed Andalusian village surrounded by rugged mountains, and was so exhausted that he thought someone had slipped past him in frantic charge to the line. "At first I didn't know I had won, because I thought riders had come around me. Well, it's a nice surprise," Gonzalez said after reeling Team Coast's Luis Perez with

Lotto’s Robbie McEwen won the 82nd edition of the Paris-Brussels classic on Saturday, winning a sprint finish to see off German Olaf Pollack and Dutch racer Jans Koerts after a grueling 270km ride. McEwen's patience paid off handsomely as he warmed up for the world championships at Zolder, Belgium, in a month's time. Frenchman Jacky Durand set off on an early solo attack and spent 180 kilometers out in front on his own but the peloton reined him in and McEwen seized the moment and the race after brief attacks from Italian pair Daniele Nardello and Michele Bartoli. Over the final 10

America's latest road world championships team member doesn't speak a word of English, but that's not slowing him down. Guido Trenti, 29, will be racing in his first world championships, but his selection to the US road worlds team has created a firestorm back in the States because he was picked instead of another American. Trenti's name has popped up in Euro-side results sheet for years, always listed as an American rider even though he was born and raised in Italy. His stage victory in last year's Vuelta is recorded as the only American stage-win in the Spanish

On a sunny day in the shadow of Mission San Rafael, the men’s professional road teams warmed up for Sunday’s San Francisco Grand Prix, but for the women, it was an important showdown in the Pro Cycling Tour at the San Rafael Cycling Classic. Overcoming full teams from Saturn and Diet Rite, Laura Van Gilder (Trek Plus) pulled off a convincing win and moved into the overall lead of the PCT. In the men’s race, Mercury launched Gord Fraser past the Prime Alliance leadout train and delivered the Canadian to the win. In the absence of Tour leader Petra Rossner (Saturn), Van Gilder was poised to

Who me? Gonzalez thought he finished second.

Now he gets to celebrate.

Sevilla and Heras

Trenti wouldn't mind repeating this pose in Zolder.

In the shadow of the Mission

Van Gilder made the final turn first

Fraser

It was a repeat performance for the Lion King on Friday as Mario Cipollinitook his third stage win at the 2002 Vuelta a España taking a furiousfield sprint into the coastal city of Málaga.Cipollini and his Acqua e Sapone team held back until the final two kilometersbefore launching a text-book lead-out for their super sprinter. On the wheelof his reliable lead-out man Giovanni Lombardi, Cipollini easily beat theVuelta's points leader Erik Zabel (Telekom). Kelme's Oscar Sevilla finishedwith the main field and retains the overall lead in the Vuelta.Check back soon for complete results, a stage

VeloNews.com welcomes your letters. If you run across something in the pages of VeloNews magazine or see something on VeloNews.com that causes you to wantto write us, drop us a line.Please include your full name and home town. By submitting mail to this address, you are consenting to the publication of your letter.Short and to the pointRe: Chris Doig's letter. (see"But does he know the words?" in " Thursday's Mail bag ").You turd. How you can mention 9/11 and bicycle racing in the same sentence bewilders me.Ed BeaudetAustin, Texas Guido is not taking a roster spotChris Doig (USCF

Acqua & Sapone put down a text-book sprint Friday to deliver Mario Cipollini his third stage-win in the 2002 Vuelta a España that was executed so well it should be taught in Cycling 101. Cipo's boys in zebra stripes were flawless. They helped reel in a breakaway, hammered at the front leading into Malaga and then the Lion King rode the rails to victory in the 196-km seventh stage from Jaen to Malaga. With speeds topping 65kph, Mario Scirea pulled until 2 km to go, then Italian-American Guido Trenti took over until 1 km to go, followed by final set-up man Giovanni Lombardi pulled to 400

After repeatedly hinting at it during the world championships and World Cup finals, Nicolas Vouilloz made it official Friday, announcing his retirement from professional downhilling. In a news release posted on his Web site, www.NicolasVouilloz.com, the 26-year-old Frenchman said he wanted to focus more attention on product development, rally car racing, and possibly starting a family with his longtime girlfriend Sandrine. Vouilloz also said that he plans on competing in downhill marathon events like those of the Megavalanche series, where runs typically exceed an hour in length. Vouilloz

For the second year, big-time road racing hits the streets of San Francisco for Sunday’s San Francisco Grand Prix. Last year, with the presence of Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to bolster interest, the inaugural event was a huge success, with people lining the streets of the 10-mile course, including crowds four and five deep on the two major climbs on the course, on Fillmore and Taylor Streets. This year, the hype machine has been turned up another notch. Not only will defending champion George Hincapie and U.S. Postal teammate Armstrong be on hand, but the event will feature

Three's a charm - Head-to-head against Zabel, Cipo' left no doubts.

Sevilla in Gold -- Friday was a day to relax.

Sevilla

The day was marked by another early escape.

Live updates from Stage 6 Good morning to our U.S. audience. Welcome to Thrsday’s live coverage ofthe sixth stage of the 2002 Vuelta a España. Stage six is a 153kmrace from Granada to Sierra de la Pandera. This is a difficult rolling stage leading to a "special category" summitfinish at La Pandera at 1840 meters. There are three point sprints en routeand the category-three Alto de la Encebras at 46 km, the category-two Puertode los Villares at 140 km and the eight-km climbing finish to La Pandera.The short, but steep climb features ramps as steep as 15 percent with anaverage grade of 6.4

Roberto Heras and Oscar Sevilla put the fiesta back into the Vuelta a Españain Thursday’s difficult 153-km climbing stage to La Pandera. The duel between U.S. Postal Service’s Heras and Kelme’s Sevilla isshaping up as the story of the 57th Vuelta. Heras attacked with 5 km togo up the “category especial” climb to La Pandera to win while Sevillafinished third at 18 seconds back to move into the “jersey oro” race leader’sjersey. Heras’ victory is the first stage-win by an American-sponsored teamat the Vuelta a España and his first Vuelta stage since 2000, whenhe won two stages and the overall

VeloNews.com welcomes your letters. If you run across something in thepages of VeloNews magazine or see something on VeloNews.com that causesyou to want to write us, drop us a line.Please include your full name and home town. By submitting mail to thisaddress, you are consenting to the publication of your letter.Trenti not unusualEditor:People are complaining about the Guido Trenti situation, but let usnot forget this is hardly an unprecedented situation. Max Sciandri is adual citizen of England and Italy. I remember him saying he took out aBritish license because he knew he would not get

Small amounts of human growth hormone and testosterone were among the bannedproducts seized by French customs officials from the car of Edita Rumsas,wife of Lithuania's Tour de France third-placed finisher Raimondas, theFrench newspaper L'Equipe reported Thursday. Edita Rumsas has been held in prison since being picked-up on July28 - the day of the final stage of the Tour de France - while her husbandhas refused to return to France to answer questions over the affair inwhich he claimed the products were for his mother-in-law. However L'Equipe now reports that Rumsas' wife

Jonathan Boyer, the first American to participate in the Tour de France, appeared in a Salinas, California, courtroom Thursday and entered guilty pleas to 10 felony counts of child molestation. During a scheduled arraignment, the 46-year-old Boyer pleaded guilty to seven counts of lewd acts with a child and three counts of penetration by foreign object in a case involving a single unnamed girl. Seaside police arrested Boyer on May 16 after the now-16-year-old girl told them Boyer had sexually molested her beginning when she was 11. At the time, Boyer posted $300,000 cash bail and was

Heras timed his move to perfection.

Heras was alone for the last 3km.

Sevilla didn't win this battle, but so far, he's winning the war

Simoni animated the stage.

Working man -- Vande Velde has been there when it counts

Heras timed his move perfectly

Today's Live UpdatesGood morning to our U.S. audience. Welcome to VeloNews.com’s live coverageof the fifth stage of the 2002 Vuelta a España, 198km between El Ejido and Sierra Nevada. Today’s stage includes two climbs of intermediate difficulty – the Category 2 climb of Bérchules at 62km and the Cat. 3 at Lanzarón at kilometer 117 – before the long “Special Category” climb to Sierra Nevada at the finish.That final climb will be the first real opportunity for those hoping to challenge Joseba Beloki for the overall lead in the Vuelta to mount a serious attack.The slopes on the way to Sierra

VeloNews.com welcomes your letters. If you run across something in thepages of VeloNews magazine or see something on VeloNews.com that causesyou to want to write us, drop usa line.Please include your full name and home town. By submitting mail to thisaddress, you are consenting to the publication of your letter.Why Guido?Hello:Just read that U.S. Cycling has appointed an Italian to the U.S. squadfor the world's just because he happens to have a U.S. license. (see"U.S. names world'sroad squad"). No wonder U.S. Cycling is in such ill repute. Theycan't even find U.S. citizens to put