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BANYOLES, Spain (VN) – Gatis Smukulis slipped back into the peloton in Wednesday’s big climbing stage at the Volta a Catalunya, but a big stage win and two days in the leader’s jersey put the relatively unknown Latvian firmly in the spotlight.

With his sporting career in the hands of lawyers and bureaucrats, Alberto Contador did the only thing that he could do: attack with his legs.

"After a hard turn on the front Nibali drifted back and took a slow calculated look at me as if to say, “is something the matter?” Yes! This is the sixth day over 100 miles, and you’re killing me!"

h2>Stage 3

• 1. Guillaume BLOT, (FRA) Bretagne-Schuller, at 1:43:17
• 2. Jonas VANGENECHTEN, (BEL), at s.t.
• 3. Luke ROWE, (GBR), at s.t.
• 4. Timothy DUPONT, (BEL) Jong Vlaanderen-Bauknecht, at s.t.
• 5. Maxime LE MONTAGNER, (FRA), at s.t.

GC

• 1. Luke ROWE, (GBR), at 6:53:37
• 2. Thomas Vedel KVIST, (DEN) Glud & Marstrand Horsens, at 2
• 3. Alexander WETTERHALL, (SWE) Endura Racing, at 3
• 4. Johan LE BON, (FRA) Bretagne-Schuller, at 4
• 5. Jack BAUER, (NZL) Endura Racing, at 4

Stage 4

• 1. Floris GOESINNEN, (NED) Drapac Porsche Cycling, in 4:35:30
• 2. Kam-Po WONG, (HKG), at 42
• 3. Takeaki AYABE, (JPN), at 42
• 4. Markus EIBEGGER, (AUT) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 42
• 5. Adam SEMPLE, (AUS) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 42

GC

• 1. Markus EIBEGGER, (AUT) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 11:32:00
• 2. Mehdi SOHRABI, (IRI) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 9
• 3. David MCCANN, (IRL), at 19
• 4. Floris GOESINNEN, (NED) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 45
• 5. Rhys POLLOCK, (AUS) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:07

Dario Cioni has a front-row seat to how decisions are made on such topics as the controversial ruling to phase out race radio.

A stacked, new-look Tibco-To The Top squad is set to kick off the team’s season at the San Dimas Stage Race this week.

Johan Bruyneel gives an interesting interview with the Belgian daily Het Laastse Nieuws

App lets smart phone to act as a live viewfinder for ContourGPS video camera

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Running legend Alberto Salazar has cleared up the question of whether or not Lance Armstrong will be returning to the sport of triathlon. In a recent interview on Competitor Radio, Salazar commented that Armstrong is not only aiming to make a comeback in the sport of triathlon, but he’s looking to do it in a big way.

USA Cycling on Tuesday reversed course and announced it would ban race radios at national level events, including National Racing Calendar and national championship events.

The devil is in the details: Nick Legan tries Arundel's bottle cages and seat bag

UCI president Pat McQuaid cried foul over USA Cycling’s recent decision to allow race radios in its sanctioned events this season and said the federation has been “hijacked” by special interests.

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ROME (AFP) Italian Emanuele Sella of the Androni team is the leader of the Settimana Coppi e Bartali following the first two stages in Riccione on Tuesday.

For some, a trip across the Atlantic to ride the most hallowed roads of professional racing is a far-off fantasy. For others it’s a reality — a dream that has either been actualized or is in the works. As with many things, the difference between fantasy and reality is simply making it happen. Subscribe today!

GC after stage 1b

• 1. Sella Emanuele, Androni Giocattoli, in 2:16:07
• 2. Rodriguez Jackson, Androni Giocattoli, in s.t.
• 3. Jose Rodolfo Serpa Perez, Androni Giocattoli, in s.t.
• 4. Angel Vicioso Arcos, Androni Giocattoli, in s.t.
• 5. José Rujano Guillen, Androni Giocattoli, in s.t.

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard) said Wednesday's five-climb stage into Andorra at the Volta a Catalunya isn't hard enough to completely break open the race.

BANYOLES, Spain (VN) – Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) kicked to a morale-boosting victory in Tuesday’s 168km second stage at the Volta a Catalunya (Tour of Catalunya) for his first win of the 2011 season.

Stage 2

• 1. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, in 4:11:08
• 2. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (ESP) Movistar, at 0
• 3. Manuel Antonio Leal CARDOSO, (POR) Team RadioShack, at 0
• 4. Nicolas EDET, (FRA) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 0
• 5. Aitor GALDOS ALONSO, (ESP) Caja Rural, at 0

GC

• 1. Gatis SMUKULIS, (Latvia) HTC-Highroad, in 8:19:56
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (Italy) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 28
• 3. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (Spain) Movistar, at 28
• 4. Jan BAKELANDTS, (Belgium) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 28
• 5. Thomas PETERSON, (United States) Garmin-Cervelo, at 28

Stage 1a

• 1. Manuel BELLETTI, (ITA) Colnago-CSF, in 1:57:35
• 2. Andrea GRENDENE, (ITA) Team Type 1, at 0
• 3. Volodymyr BILEKA, (UKR) Amore & Vita-Mcdonald's, at 0
• 4. Ariel Maximiliano RICHEZE, (ARG), at 0
• 5. Michele MERLO, (ITA), at 0

h2>Stage

• 1. Markus EIBEGGER, (AUT) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 2:40:06
• 2. Rhys POLLOCK, (AUS) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 21
• 3. Mart OJAVEE, (EST), at 44
• 4. Boris SHPILEVSKY, (RUS) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 1:21
• 5. Adam Phelan, (AUS) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:21

GC

• 1. Markus EIBEGGER, (Austria) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 6:55:48
• 2. Mehdi SOHRABI, (Iran) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, at 12
• 3. David MCCANN, (Ireland), at 19
• 4. Rhys POLLOCK, (Australia) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:07
• 5. Mart OJAVEE, (Estonia), at 1:19

A glimpse of the XC course at the 2011 World Cup season opener in in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

PARIS (AFP) - Britain, France and Australia will be among the nations expected to give an early glimpse of their Olympic potential for London 2012 at the track cycling world championships this week.

Stage 2

• 1. Thomas Vedel KVIST, (DEN) Glud & Marstrand Horsens, at 5:04:06
• 2. Tom DUMOULIN, (NED), at 0
• 3. Alexander WETTERHALL, (SWE) Endura Racing, at 0
• 4. Benjamin VERRAES, (BEL) Jong Vlaanderen-Bauknecht, at 11
• 5. Guillaume BLOT, (FRA) Bretagne-Schuller, at 11

BANYOLES, Spain (VN) — It’s coming down to the wire on whether or not the UCI will decide to appeal the Spanish federation’s decision to clear Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard) on doping charges in his long-running clenbuterol case.

Sonntag&Sager to report from South Africa along with Singletrack.com/Justin's Nut Butter riders Thomas Dooley and Mike Hogan

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The Tour of the Moon will not rise again, at least not in the Quiznos Pro Challenge. The U.S. Parks Service on Monday denied a request to hold a stage in the Colorado National Monument, near Grand Junction.

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is in Italy this week preparing for the Settimana di Coppi e Bartali, March 22 - 26. The event will be the team's sixth race of the year and first since the Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia. The race features six stages over five days.

It was with grit, great class and perfect timing that Matt Goss won Milan-San Remo on Saturday. He wasn’t meant to win though.

LLORET DE MAR, Spain (VN) – Taylor Phinney (BMC) made it through his European season debut in a tough stage at the Volta a Catalunya (Tour of Catalonia) that saw him dropped on the second of two first-category climbs.

MADRID (AFP) - Latvia's Gatis Smukulis of HTC-Highroad won the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia, a 166.9-kilometre (103.5-mile) ride that started and ended in Lloret de Mar on Monday.

Stage 1

• 1. Gatis SMUKULIS, (LAT) HTC-Highroad, in 4:08:48
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 28
• 3. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (ESP) Movistar, at 28
• 4. Rigoberto URAN URAN, (COL) Team Sky, at 28
• 5. Jan BAKELANDTS, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 28

GC

• 1. Gatis SMUKULIS, (LAT) HTC-Highroad, in 4:08:48
• 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini, at 28
• 3. Jose Joaquin ROJAS GIL, (ESP) Movistar, at 28
• 4. Rigoberto URAN URAN, (COL) Team Sky, at 28
• 5. Jan BAKELANDTS, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 28

France's FMB makes, by hand, the tires prized by the cobbled classics stars.

Tom Boonen will lead Quick Step at Wednesday's 203km semi-classic Dwars door Vlaanderen, the first Belgian cobblestoned race of the season.

• 1. Tobias LUDVIGSSON, (SWE), in 6:05
• 2. Luke ROWE, (GBR), at 0
• 3. Mark CHRISTIAN, (GBR), at 2
• 4. Sander OOSTLANDER, (NED), at 3
• 5. Johan LE BON, (FRA) Bretagne-Schuller, at 3

Stage 2:

• 1. Mehdi SOHRABI, (IRI) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 2:50:15
• 2. David MCCANN, (IRL) , at 3
• 3. Shinri SUZUKI, (JPN) Shimano Racing Team, at 1:08
• 4. Jumpei MURAKAMI, (JPN) Shimano Racing Team, at 1:08
• 5. Adam Phelan, (AUS) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:08

• 1. Mehdi SOHRABI, (Iran) Petrochemical Tabriz Cycling Team, in 4:14:33
• 2. David MCCANN, (Ireland) , at 7
• 3. Adam Phelan, (Australia) Drapac Porsche Cycling, at 1:12
• 4. Shinri SUZUKI, (Japan) Shimano Racing Team, at 1:15
• 5. Junya SANO, (Japan) , at 1:17

A Japanese flag signed by all the riders at the start of Saturday's Milan-San Remo is being auctioned to benefit victims of last week's earthquake in Japan.

Matthew Goss (HTC-Highroad) leads the UCI WorldTour rankings following his win Saturday at Milan-San Remo.

Jay Petervary blew up the record at the recent Iditarod Trail Invitational

• 1. Harley Goss Matthew, HTC-Highroad , with 203 points
• 2. Michele Scarponi, Lampre - Isd , with 118 points
• 3. Cadel Evans, Bmc Racing Team , with 108 points
• 4. Tony Martin, Htc-Highroad , with 108 points
• 5. Cameron Meyer, Team Garmin-Cervelo , with 106 points

Caley Fretz snaps the action in Boulder and Laramie as the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference gets its 2011 season under way.

The Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference starts its season with criteriums in Colorado and Wyoming.

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• 1. David VEILLEUX , (CAN) Europcar , in 4:14:20
• 2. Anthony DELAPLACE , (FRA) Saur-Sojasun , at 0
• 3. Sébastien CHAVANEL , (FRA) Europcar , at 5
• 4. Rony MARTIAS , (FRA) Saur-Sojasun , at 5
• 5. Sebastien FOUCHER , (FRA) , at 5

Thomas Voeckler wins the 34th edition of Cholet-Pays de Loire, round two of the Coupe de France.

Cholet-Pays de Loire

• 1. Thomas Voeckler, Team Europcar, 04:49:36
• 2. Tony Gallopin, Cofidis Le Crédit En Ligne, same time
• 3. Benjamin Giraud, Velo Club La Pomme-Marseille, s.t.
• 4. Mathieu Drujon, Big Mat-Auber 93, s.t.
• 5. Stéphane Poulhies, Saur-Sojasun, s.t.

Korea’s Park Sung Baek sprints to victory in the Taipei City Criterium, stage one of the Tour de Taiwan.

Stage 1

• 1. Sung Baek Park (Kor), Korea, 1:21:39
• 2. Bernardo Riccio (Ita), d'Angelo & Antenucci-Nippo, s.t.
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), Rapha Condor-Sharp, s.t.
• 4. Dean Windsor (Aus), Rapha Condor-Sharp, s.t.
• 5. Chan Jae Jang (Kor), Korea, s.t.

Overall standings

• 1. Adam Phelan (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling, 1:24:22
• 2. Mart Ojavee (Est), Champion System, s.t.
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), Rapha Condor-Sharp, at 0:02
• 4. Michael Friedman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies, at 0:02
• 5. Dene Rogers (Nzl), Giant-Kenda, at 0:02

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Check out CyclingTips's author page.

Adam Phelan wins the prologue in the Tour de Taiwan and dons the leader’s yellow jersey.

Solo breakaways find it tough going in Milan-San Remo, the sprinters' classic.

Prologue

• 1. Adam Phelan (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling , 2km in 2:43
• 2. Mart Ojavee (Est), same time
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), at 0:02
• 4. Michael Friedman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies , at 0:02
• 5. Dene Rogers (Nzl), at 0:02

Overall standings

• 1. Adam Phelan (Aus), Drapac Porsche Cycling , 2:43
• 2. Mart Ojavee (Est), same time
• 3. Dean Downing (Gbr), at 0:02
• 4. Michael Friedman (USA), Kelly Benefit Strategies , at 0:02
• 5. Dene Rogers (Nzl), at 0:02

Alberto Contador says he's motivated for the weeklong Tour of Catalunya, but he doesn't expect to have it easy in Spain's oldest stage race.

Classic Loire-Atlantique

• 1. Lieuwe Westra (Ned), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:4:31:45
• 2. Bert Scheirlinckx (Bel), Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 0:2
• 3. Yohan Cauquil (Fra), Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille, at 0:9
• 4. Toms Skujinš (Lat), Velo-Club La Pomme Marseille, at 0:16
• 5. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:22

Lieuwe Westra wins the Classic Loire-Atlantique.

Milan-San Remo

• 1. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus), HTC-Highroad, 6:51:10
• 2. Fabian Cancellara (Sui), Leopard-Trek, s.t.
• 3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel), Omega Pharma-Lotto, s.t.
• 4. Alessandro Ballan (Ita), BMC Racing Team, s.t.
• 5. Filippo Pozzato (Ita), Team Katusha, s.t.

Graham Watson captures the action at the 2011 Milan-San Remo.

Matt Goss (HTC-Highroad) seems to be suddenly making headlines and is poised for yet bigger and better things following his dramatic victory in Tuesday’s sprint at Paris-Nice.

Matthew Goss outkicks Fabian Cancellara and Phillipe Gilbert to win Milan-San Remo in a thrilling eight-up sprint.

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• 1. Steve SCHETS, (BEL) Qin Cycling Team, in 4:48:12
• 2. Kenny Robert VAN HUMMEL, (NED) Skil-Shimano, at 0
• 3. Niko EECKHOUT, (BEL) AN Post-Sean Kelly Team, at 0
• 4. André SCHULZE, (GER) CCC Polsat Polkowice, at 0
• 5. Aidis KRUOPIS, (LTU) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, at 0

Catching up with the man behind the National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Series

MILAN (VN) — Mark Cavendish was focused Friday afternoon when he met the press ahead of Saturday’s Milan-San Remo. The 2009 winner of the season’s first one-day monument will share leadership duties for HTC-Highroad with the up-and-coming Matt Goss.

Race radio is not the problem, but rather the loose headset at UCI HQ, says foaming rantist Patrick O'Grady.

MILAN (VN) — Fans may notice a piece of white tape on the arms of riders at Milan-San Remo Saturday. In a release distributed Friday, the Association of Professional Cyclists said that riders would carry the tape as a symbol of unity over the anti-doping proposals made in the last week by the groups representing teams (AIGCP), doctors (AIMEC) and riders (CPA).

MILAN (AFP) — As the UCI dug in its heels Friday over the radio ban, it was revealed that the peloton aims to defy UCI orders by wearing the radio-earpieces during the Harelbeke GP E3 on March 26, the Coppi-Bartali international cycling week on March 22-26 and the Criterium International on March 26-27.

With just days to go before the UCI must decide whether or not it will appeal the Spanish cycling federation's ruling to clear Alberto Contador, UCI president Pat McQuaid says that the three-time Tour de France champion is not receiving preferential treatment.

Pat McQuaid issues an open letter to riders regarding the radio ban

UCI president Pat McQuaid is digging in his heels over the race radio issue and promises there will be no moving backward.