Mario Aerts (B)Serge Baguet (B)Jeroen Blijlevens (Nl)Fabien De Waele (B)Guennadi Mikhailov (Rus)Kurt Van de Wouwer (B)Paul Van Hyfte (B)Rik Verbrugghe (B)Stive Vermaut (B) Reserves: Koos Moerenhout (Nl), Robbie McEwen (Aus), Steve De Wolf (B) Country: BelgiumIn the peloton since: 1984Sponsors: Lotto: National lottery; Adecco: temp agencyBudget: $3.2 millionManager: Christophe SercuDirecteurs sportifs: Jos Braeckvelt, Claude Criquélion and Walter Planckaert
David Etxebarria (Sp)Unai Etxebarria (Ven)Roberto Laiseka (Sp)Alberto Lopez de Munain (Sp)Haimar Zubeldia (Sp)Iñigo Chaurreau (Sp)Angel Castresana (Sp)Txema Del Olmo (Sp)Iker Flores (Sp) In the peloton since: 1994Sponsors: Euskaltel: telecommunications company; Euskadi: government of the Basque CountryBudget: $2.6 millionManager: Miguel MadariagaDirecteur sportif: Julian GorospeAssistant: Ruben Gorospe
Laurent Jalabert (F)Michael Blaudzun (Dk)Francisco Cerezo (Sp)Marcelino Garcia (Sp)Nicolas Jalabert (F)Jakob Piil (Dk)Nicki Sörensen (Dk)Rolf Sörensen (Dk)Plus: Nicolai Bo Larsen (Dk) or Martin Rittsel (S) Country: DenmarkIn the peloton since: 1998Sponsor: Computer systems companyBudget: $5.5 millionManager: Bjarne RiisDirecteur sportif: Alex PedersenAssistant: Johnny Weltz
Enrico Cassani (I)Servais Knaven (Nl)Axel Merckx (B)Marco Milesi (I)Johan Museeuw (B)Fred Rodriguez (USA)Romans Vainsteins (Lat)Max Van Heeswijk (Nl)Piotr Wadecki (Pl) Reserves: Koos Moerenhout (Nl), Robbie McEwen (Aus), Steve De Wolf (B) Country: BelgiumIn the peloton since: 1986Sponsors: Domo: carpet and vinyl flooring; Farm Frites: producer of French friesBudget: $6 millionManager: Patrick LefévèreDirecteurs sportifs: Hendrik Redant, Marc Sergeant and Fons De Wolf
Michele Bartoli (I)Paolo Bettini (I)Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun)David Cañada (Sp)Stefano Garzelli (I)Daniele Nardello (I)Tom Steels (B)Bart Leysen (B)Stefano Zanini (I) Country: ItalyIn the peloton since: 1993Sponsors: Mapei: Chemical building products; Quick Step: Parquet flooringBudget: $7 millionManager: Alavaro CrespiDirecteurs sportifs: Roberto Damiani, Fabrizio Fabbri, Serge Parsani, Eric Vanderaerden, Jesus Suarez Cueva and Matxin Fernandez Rodriguez
Oscar Sevilla (Sp)Santiago Botero (Col)Felix Cardenas (Col)Laurent Desbiens (F)Aitor Gonzales (Sp)José Gutierrez (Sp)Javier Pascual Llorente (Sp)Antonio Tauler (Sp)José Vidal (Sp) Country: SpainIn the peloton since: 1980Sponsors: Kelme: sports clothes and shoes; Costa Blanca: Valenciaregion of SpainBudget: $3.5 millionManager: Vicente BeldaDirecteurs sportifs: José Ignacio Labarta and José Luis Laguia
Daniel Atienza (Sp)Iñigo Cuesta (Sp)Andrei Kivilev (Kaz)Massimiliano Lelli (I)Guido Trentin (I)Nico Mattan (B)David Millar (GB)David Moncoutié (F)Christophe Rinero (F) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 1997Sponsor: Telephone credit bankerBudget: $4.8 millionManager: Alain BondueDirecteur sportif: Bernard QuilfenAssistants: Alain Deleoeil and Francis Van LonderseleConsultant: Tony Rominger
Stéphane Heulot (F)Xavier Jan (F)Guillaume Auger (F)Ludovic Auger (F)Thierry Gouvenou (F)Christophe Capelle (F)Sébastien Talabardon (F)Loïc Lamouller (F)Alexeï Sivakov (Rus). Country FranceIn the peloton since: 1994Budget: $2.6 millionSponsors: BigMat: chain of building materials stores; Auber 93: City and general council of Seine Saint-Denis.Manager and directeur sportif: Stéphane JavaletAssistants: Thierry Bourguignon, Jean-Jacques Henry
Didier Rous (F)Walter Bénéteau (F)Sylvain Chavanel (F)Jean-Cyril Robin (F)François Simon (F)Franck Renier (F)Damien Nazon (F)Franck Bouyer (F)Olivier Perraudeau (F) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 2000Sponsor: Chain of free newspapersBudget: $3.4 millionManager: Philippe RaimbaudDirecteur sportif: Jean-René BernaudeauAssistants: Thierry Bricaud, Christian Guiberteau and Christophe Faudot
Laurent Brochard (F)Patrice Halgand (F)Olivier Trastour (F)Laurent Roux (F)Gilles Bouvard (F)Eddy Seigneur (F)Christophe Oriol (F)Jérôme Bernard (F)Stéphane Goubert (F) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 2000Sponsor: chain of jewelry storesBudget: $2 millionManager: Serge BarleDirecteur sportif: Michel GrosAssistant: Jean-Luc Jonrond
Ludovic Capelle (B)Sébastien Demarbaix (B)Jaan Kirsipuu (Est)Alexander Botcharov (Rus)Christophe Agnolutto (F)Benoît Salmon (F)Ludovic Turpin (F)Stéphane Bergès (F)Gilles Maignan (F) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 1996Sponsors: AG2R: Provident insurance company; Décathlon: chain of bicycle and athletic clothing storesBudget: $3 millionManager: Vincent LavenuDirecteurs sportifs: Laurent Biondi and Gilles Mas
Sven Montgomery (Swi)Daniel Schnider (Swi)Bradley McGee (Aus)Jimmy Casper (F)Frédéric Guesdon (F)Christophe Mengin (F)Jacky Durand (F)Nicolas Vogondy (F) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 1997Sponsor: National lotteryBudget: $3.5 millionManager and directeur sportif: Marc MadiotAssistants: Yvon Madiot, Martial Gayant and Franck Pineau
Bobby Julich (USA)Jonathan Vaughters (USA)Stuart O'Grady (Aus)Thor Hushovd (N) Jens Voigt (G)Anthony Morin (F)Sébastien Hinault (F)Frédéric Bessy (F)Christopher Jenner (NZ) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 1998Sponsor: French bankBudget: $4 millionManager and directeur sportif: Roger LegeayDirecteur sportif: Serge BeucherieAssistant: Michel LaurentTrainer: Denis Roux
Santiago Blanco (Sp)Vicente Garcia-Acosta (Sp)Eladio JimZénez (Sp)Francisco Mancebo (Sp)Jon Odriozola (Sp)Javier Pascual Rodriguez (Sp)Leonardo Piepoli (I)Denis Menchov (Rus)Tomasz Brozyna (Pl) Country: SpainIn the peloton since: 1990Sponsor: Spanish banking corporationBudget: $4.5 millionGeneral manager: José Miguel EchavarriDirecteurs sportifs: Eusebio Unzue and José Luis Jaimerena
'That's what I'm talkin' about.' Giove said she likes the harsh downhill courses of the West.
Rock star Steve Peat meets the press.
U.S. Postal Service (U.S.)
Lampre-Daikin (Italy)
Lotto-Adecco (Belgium)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (Spain)
CSC-Tiscali (Denmark)
Domo -Farm Frites (Belgium)
Mapei-Quick Step (Italy)
Kelme-Costa Blanca (Spain)
Cofidis (France)
BigMat-Auber 93 (France)
Bonjour (France)
Jean Delatour (France)
AG2R (France)
La Française des Jeux
Crédit Agricole (France)
iBanesto.com (Spain)
Friday’s stage 2 of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, saw no change in the overall standings, as Mercury’s Baden Cooke won the men’s 77.5-mile circuit race and Genevieve Jeanson of RONA won the women’s 40.3-mile race. Jeanson beat out Bessette in a big group finish, with Verizon’s Laura Van Gilder third, but the RONA rider could only pick up a few seconds on the day thanks to time bonuses. Jeanson now trails Bessette by 47 seconds In the men’s race, team Saturn was able to hold the race together for race leader Eric Wohlberg, and the race ended with Mercury’s Cooke
Olympic gold medalist Marty Nothstein continues to show his versatility this season, with his latest showing coming at the World Track Cup in Pordenone, Italy, where he scored the silver medal in the kilometer. Nothstein clocked a time of 1:05.890, to finish second behind German Soren Lausberg. In other action on Friday, German Thomas Liese won the gold in the individual pursuit.
The only thing swirling faster than the dust at Deer Valley Saturday afternoon were the short-track racers careening around the base area of the Park City ski resort. The crash-filled men’s race resembled a roller derby, and the women’s race produced a first win for a consistent podium finisher. In the end, Subaru-Gary Fisher’s confident 21-year-old Ryder Hesjedal capped off a stellar weekend with the win, and Jimena Florit (RLX Polo Sport) finally scored what she’s been chasing since short track was invented. In an explosive men’s race, Hesjedal, who also won Friday’s cross-country, dodged
The Saturday night dual slalom is always a show at the Chevy Trucks National Championship Series, and this Saturday’s showdown at Deer Valley lived up to its billing. The red-hot Leigh Donovan (Schwinn) remained undefeated in 2001 with her third straight win, and the men’s race — which featured such compelling battles as Brian Lopes versus Nicolas Vouilloz — was won by another legend, Eric Carter (Mongoose-Hyundai). And if all that weren’t enough, Shaun Palmer was there. To watch. For an example of what the hillside crowd was treated to at the end of a hot day at Deer Valley, consider the
The Saturday night dual slalom is always a show at the Chevy Trucks National Championship Series, and this Saturday’s showdown at Deer Valley lived up to its billing. The red-hot Leigh Donovan (Schwinn) remained undefeated in 2001 with her third straight win, and the men’s race — which featured such compelling battles as Brian Lopes versus Nicolas Vouilloz — was won by another legend, Eric Carter (Mongoose-Hyundai). And if all that weren’t enough, Shaun Palmer was there. To watch. For an example of what the hillside crowd was treated to at the end of a hot day at Deer Valley, consider the
Christophe Moreau (F)Florent Brard (F)Pascal Chanteur (F)Pascal Lino (F)Angel Casero (Sp)Felix Garcia-Casas (Sp)Luis Perez (Sp)Arnaud Pretot (F)Sven Teutenberg (G) Reserve: Carlos Da Cruz (F) Country: FranceIn the peloton since: 1989Sponsor: Manufacturer of watches and chronometersBudget: $3.5 millionEquipment: Specialized bicycles, Campagnolo componentsManager and team director: Juan FernandezDirecteurs sportifs: Yvon Sanquer and Gérard RuéAssistant: Roberto Torres
Florit lived up to her No. 1 plate with her first short-track win.
Florit's win put her in the driver's seat for a repeat series title.
'I'm fast as hell, man.' Carter explains his skills.
'I'm fast as hell, man.' Carter explains his skills.
Festina (France)
When the sun set on the towering ski jumps and half-finished condominiums in Park City, Utah, Thursday evening, the ever-present Olympic anticipation had been replaced, temporarily, by a more immediate buzz. The Chevy Trucks National Championship Series is in town, and the hot topic in the pits is the upcoming battle between Steve Peat and Nicolas Vouilloz, the world’s No. 1- and No. 2-ranked downhillers. GT’s Peat recently took something from Vouilloz, something the Frenchman feels is his: the UCI No. 1. Vouilloz, who owned the top ranking for nearly two years straight, is out to get it
The traditional four-day start-of-summer/Fourth of July stage race in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, got underway on Thursday, with team Saturn taking the top spots in both the men’s and women’s stage 1 time trial. Eric Wohlberg took the men’s race while Lyne Bessette won the women’s opener at the Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic. Bessette’s win marked the start of a four-day showdown with Canadian teenage sensation Genevieve Jeanson (RONA). Jeanson, who has been virtually unbeatable in her carefully selected season schedule, began the time trial one minute ahead of Bessette, the recent winner of the HP
British cross-country champion Caroline Alexander has recovered quite nicely from the tough HP Women's Challenge road race in Idaho that she finished last Sunday. Alexander won the Chevy Trucks NORBA cross-country race at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, Friday. To earn her first NORBA win, the Specialized rider had to stop the winning machine that is Mary Grigson. The Australian Gary Fisher-Subaru rider had won five in a row, a streak dating back to last season, and was attempting to tie the record of six set by Juli Furtado in 1993. "I'm really, really surprised," said Alexander
With 1998 winner Marco Pantani uninvited, this 88th Tour de France has the look of a two-horse race, at best. Other than '97 winner and three-time runner-up Jan Ullrich, the rest of defending champion Lance Armstrong's potential rivals look to be too inexperienced, too old - or they're on Armstrong's team! Upsets do happen. But not this year. So here is our assessment of each contender's strengths and weaknesses: 1. Lance Armstrong (USA), 29, U.S. Postal Service plus: The two-time defending champion says: Catch me if you can! His team is stronger than last year, particularly in the
A couple of years ago Ryder Hesjedal was a surprising young talent, a quiet kid from Canada with the physique of a high school basketball player, not a professional mountain biker. When interviewed, he didn’t say much. Now Hesjedal’s 21, and he’s won some big races. When he speaks, as he did after winning his first NORBA cross-country race at Deer Valley, Utah, Friday afternoon, you can’t believe the bravado. Even more surprising, however, is the aggression with which Hesjedal rides. Sometimes that has hurt the 21-year-old Subaru-Gary Fisher rider, but sometimes it can be crushing to the
Alexander wins Deer Valley cross-country
Hesjedal used the big ring where others couldn't.
Hesjedal attacked early and never looked back.
Alexander said she only went 80 percent in her winning effort.
First rider starts at 4 p.m.; then riders go at one-minute intervals.
Start time: 12:40 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 12:55 p.m. on N. 43.
12:10 p.m.; rolling start at approx.12:15 p.m., Avenue de Saint-Exupéry
12:05 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 12:30 p.m.on N.116
Leave start at 11:50 a.m.; rolling start at approx. 11:55 a.m. on the Chaussée de Dinan
First team starts: 2:10 p.m., then every 5 minutes.
Leave start at 12:10 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 12:14 p.m. on D.964.
Leave start at 12:50 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 1:05 p.m. on the Route de Schirmeck.
Leave start at 11:40 a.m.; rolling start at approx. 11:47 a.m. on D.13
Leave start at 12:40 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 12:44 p.m., on the Avenue de l’Armée de l’Est.
Stage 10Leave start at 10:30 a.m., rolling start at approx. 10:40 on the Avenue de Saint-Simond
Stage 11First rider starts 12 p.m., then every two minutes
Stage 12Leave start at 11:55 a.m.; rolling start on N9 at approx. 12:03 p.m.
Leave start at 10:20 a.m.; rolling start on D.117 at 10:22 a.m.
Leave start at 12:50 p.m.; rolling start on D.935 at 12:56 p.m.
Leave start at 11a.m.; rolling start on D.943 at 11:15 a.m.
Stage 16Leave start at 11:25 a.m.; rolling start on D.45 at 11:32 a.m.
Leave start at 12:30 p.m.; rolling start at 12:40 p.m. on D.44
First rider starts at approx. 10:45 a.m., with riders going at two-minute intervals; final 20 riders at three minute intervals. Last rider starts at 4 p.m.
Leave start at 1:40 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 1:44 p.m. on D.97
Leave start at 1 p.m.; rolling start at approx. 1:10 p.m. on Boulevard John Kennedy
Lance Armstrong became only the second American to win the Tour of Switzerland, 14 years after Andy Hampsten took the second of his consecutive victories. In Thursday's final stage, Armstrong finished safely in the main pack, some three minutes behind a five-man break that resulted in a stage win for Oskar Camenzind of Lampre-Daikin. Camenzind was defending champion of the Swiss tour, but this year played a support role to teammate Gillberto Simoni, who finshed second overall, 1:02 behind Armstrong. To win the 176km stage 10, out and back from Lausanne, Camenzind escaped with Frenchmen
While Lance Armstrong rode in for the final victory at the Tour of Switzerland on Thursday, one of his possible Tour de France rivals won the Tour of Catalonia in Spain on the final day of the race. ONCE’s Joseba Beloki, third in last year’s Tour de France, won the last-stage time trial to capture the Catalonia title in Alt de la Rabassa, Spain, on Thursday, beating out teammate Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano and Coast’s Fernando Escartin for the overall victory. Beloki was the only rider to crack the 34 minute barrier on the 13.9km uphill time trial on the Col de Rabassa, with a time of 33:47,
Results from urine and blood samples provided by Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and the rest of his US Postal team at last year's Tour de France will not be released for "at least another month", prosecutors in Paris announced Thursday. The decision means that any remaining suspicion surrounding the American team will have to be allayed until after this year's 88th Tour de France which starts in Dunkirk on July 7 and ends in Paris on July 29. "The results from tests made on the urine and blood samples provided by the US Postal team in last year's Tour de France are not