pligg - Top Stories

Manolo Saiz kicked off Cycling tour

johnwright — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 14:24:37 -0800

The ProTour licence of Spaniard Manolo Saiz's Active Bay company has been withdrawn

Fuji Bicycles to Sponsor Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team

cleez — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:18:54 -0800

The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team and United Bicycles, LLC, have entered into an exclusive sponsorship and licensing agreement with Fuji Bicycles/Advanced Sports Inc., (ASI) manufacturer and distributor of Fuji Bicycles. As part of the multi-year agreement, the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team will be racing on Fuji carbon frames with graphics and design featuring Toyota-United colors. The deal marks Fuji's first sponsorship of a top U.S. men's professional cycling team since 2002.

USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships begin Friday

cleez — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:41:45 -0800

The 2006 USA Cycling Cyclo-cross National Championships will kick off this weekend with a record-breaking 1,940 entrants. Riders will converge on Providence, Rhode Island for the second year in a row to fight for 28 national titles in this unique discipline of cycling that can best be described as one-third mountain bike, one-third road cycling and one-third steeplechase. The nearly 2,000 riders expected to make their way to Providence's Roger Williams Park represent a 14-percent increase over the 2005 edition which saw 1,700 entrants and a 41-percent growth compared to 2004.

Daunting opening for 2007 Vuelta

cleez — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:41:42 -0800

Tour of Spain officials have announced that the ascent to the Lagos de Covadonga will return to the schedule for the 2007 race.

Why is stomach-stapling sexier than cycling?

cleez — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:41:38 -0800

The full press release is given below. Cycling is mentioned many times throughout the release. It isn't until half way down page two of the release that bariatric surgery gets a brief mention. But the mass media is having none of this nonsense about cycling and walking, by and large most of the headlines are about stomach stapling for kids.

Nothing to See Here...cycling gear found

cleez — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:22:26 -0800

The New Zealand track cycling team's missing $20,000 bag has finally turned up, but not where they wanted it to be. The squad is preparing for this weekend's World Cup round in Moscow without some of its high tech gear that went missing en route. Coach Terry Gyde says they have discovered the bag never got off the ground. He says they backtracked the bag all the way, and it was sitting at Auckland airport and had not been tagged. Gyde says they will not bother sending it now as they have a good relationship with the Australian team who have offered to lend any equipment they need. Marc Ryan is first in action for the New Zealanders in the individual pursuit on Friday night.

Running vs. Cycling... Which Burns More Calories?

cleez — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:19:26 -0800

The standard comparison is that one mile of running equals four miles of cycling, but that's lousy science. Although running requires the same amount of energy per mile at any speed (110 calories per mile), riding is affected by wind resistance so the faster you ride, the more energy you use. So you have to compare running and cycling at different cycling speeds.

MMG Worldwide Signs As Tour of Missouri Sponsor

cleez — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:06:53 -0800

Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder announced at the recent Missouri Tourism Commission meeting that MMG Worldwide, a marketing communications agency specializing in the travel industry, would become one of the first sponsors of the inaugural 2007 Tour of Missouri professional cycling race. Kansas City, Mo. - infoZine - MMG has pledged to the race a donation of $25,000 as well as $25,000 in in-kind services, which include creative development and counsel. In addition, MMG will donate its sponsor benefits - including hospitality/VIP benefits and day-of-race marketing - back to the communities through which the race will travel.

Lost luggage haunts track team

cleez — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:06:51 -0800

he lost luggage curse has struck New Zealand's World Cup track cycling team again. The young team has arrived in Moscow to prepare for the event starting on Friday. Coach Terry Gyde says the bikes of Jesse Sargent and Westley Gough arrived a day late, and a collection of expensive power cranks, pumps and other spare parts are all missing. Gyde said they came to Moscow last year and lost all 56 pieces of luggage. He says they are used to it now, but arrived early to make sure they could deal with such issues and they are working with the airlines to recover the missing gear.

Cycling Yoga?

cleez — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 20:06:50 -0800

Cy-Yo, or cycling yoga, was developed by fitness expert Curt Dalton as an evolutionary step in bringing the mind, body, and spirit together in a new fitness workout. A new holistic cardio workout that takes aim at the energy centers in our bodies.

Phinny Blows His Lid In Coors Classic

cleez — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:54:50 -0800

Och lets the air out of Phinney's tire in the Tivoli Crit. Phinney goes ape shit about it and then wins the race.

Landis� status up in air

cleez — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 08:39:54 -0800

Floyd Landis used his victory in the inaugural Amgen Tour of California as a springboard to claiming the Tour de France crown in July. But Wednesday, as organizers of the California cycling event released the details of the 2007 course, the reigning champion finds himself months - and perhaps years - away from returning to professional racing. Landis, 31, is currently recovering from hip replacement surgery and also faces doping allegations that have left him without a team and put his Tour de France title and future in the sport in question.

Navigators with strong Australian flavour

cleez — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 08:39:51 -0800

The Navigators Insurance team will return to Adelaide in 2007 with four Australians in the starting eight. Commonwealth Games road time trial silver medallist and Jayco Herald Sun Tour stage winner, Ben Day, joins the team which also boasts sprinter Hilton Clarke. Clarke this year enjoyed great success in America, including victory in the USPro Criterium Championship, while back in Australia he successfully defended his sprinter's crown in the Jayco Herald Sun Tour. Ben Brooks and Glen Chadwick are the other two Australians in the line up. Also on the Navigators roster is three time Olympian and former Ukrainian road champion Valeriy Kobzarenko who this year won overall honours in the Tour de Beauce. 2003 U23 World Road Champion and six time Uzbekistan champion, Sergey Lagutin, will also travel to Adelaide.

Former junior champion back on his bike after dark period

cleez — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 08:39:48 -0800

Cyclist A.J. Smith is returning to the sport for the same reason he walked away from it six years ago. At 18, the 1999 Western High graduate was racing in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials for sprint cycling. A few months later he quit because of the sport's rampant drug use. LocalLinks After returning last year, he won this year's Race2Replace in August at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was called "the next Lance Armstrong." The former three-time junior national sprint champion now says he has no interest in racing for the Discovery Channel pro cycling team, because it recently signed Italian rider Ivan Basso.

Swiss Cycling Federation Sees Ullrich Ruling In January

cleez — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:30:09 -0800

The Swiss cycling federation is likely to reach a decision in January on possible disciplinary action against former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich who has been implicated in a doping probe. Bernhard Welten, the commission's legal expert, said Friday he was working on the Ullrich dossier in a disciplinary investigation. "I will give my recommendations in the case - either a lifetime ban or acquittal - to our disciplinary chamber which will pass a ruling. That will be hopefully in January 2007," he said. Welten said he was waiting for information from German state prosecutors and on a doping investigation being carried out by Spanish authorities. Ullrich was barred from competing in this year's Tour de France after being implicated in the Spanish police investigation centring on doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. Ullrich, who will be 33 on Saturday, has denied doping allegations. The German rider, resident in Switzerland, held a Swiss cycling licence which he has since returned.

If I'm So Fit... then Why Am I Sick?

cleez — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:29:34 -0800

You're probably into cycling/triathlons because you enjoy being fit and healthy. So why is it that you're always sniffling around with a cold bumming a Kleenex off your friends and doing a "Godfather" impersonation with a raspy sore throat? Sport science guru Dr. Stephen Cheung gives us the cold facts on fitness and immunity and what we can do to stay out of sick bay and on the bike� How tough is racing in Nova Scotia? Well, the winters are so severe that our traditional first race of the season was April 27, the same day as L-B-L, the last big spring classic in Europe! And to give us the full Euro experience, it was about 5oC, windy, and pounding rain the entire 85 km race. Thanks to my research background in extreme temperatures, I was smart enough to dress up like Bib the Michelin Man (longsleeve polypro, thermal jersey, two shortsleeve jerseys, plus a winter jacket!) and ended up a big soggy sponge but at least not cold.

Stuff You Gotta Have for Xmas!

cleez — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:29:30 -0800

If you're like us, the Xmas shopping rush is still 19 days away� but it's never too early to stick that Wish List on your fridge to remind Santa exactly how to light up your tree (and allow time for shipping!) Here's a few ideas�

Armstrong entering the ultra part of career

bsshu — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 16:51:48 -0800

Is this why Sheryl Crow left him? Was the thought of supporting Lance at altitude too much? Read on to find out.

Nicole Cooke British Sportsman of the Year

cleez — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:10:07 -0800

Nicole Cooke has had the most amazing year. She has dominated the world of female cycling and is by far the most successful British sportsperson of this year. She has become the first British cyclist (male or female) to be ranked world number 1 (no other British cyclist has ever made the top 20 in the rankings). During this year she was won the year long Women's World Cup (cycling's equivalent of formula 1 championship), the Women's version of the Tour de France (including a win atop Mont Ventoux, something Lance Armstrong never achieved). Her team have also dominated the year with her at its helm. At the age of 23 she has the potential for so much more success. You may think, she only got bronze at the world championships, but for a British cyclist to even get a medal is a great success, especially with the lack of support she got from her team. She had to chase down every other possible winner and was still the only attacking force during the last 20kms and even then had the power left in her legs to get the bronze medal.

How to give up cycling

cleez — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:10:04 -0800

Following the shocking revelation that heat generated by vigorous exercise is a major contributor to global warming, we are all having to reassess our own activities. It comes as a major surprise to many of us that storing energy in human fat is actually a valuable way of reducing our impact on the environment. Government may be introducing plans to extract this fat by large-scale liposuction programmes and storing it underground, but we all have a responsibility to reduce our participation in ecologically hazardous physical activity.

Rapp snubs Basso and Ullrich

cleez — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:10:04 -0800

Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso will not take part in next year's Tour of Germany if the race director, Kai Rapp, has anything to do with it. Rapp has insisted he will do his utmost to stage the tour without the pair, who were both implicated in the latest doping scandal to rock the sport, Operation Puerto. "It is our duty to make sure they do not take part in our race in 2007," Rapp said.

Surviving to win the Furnace Creek 508

cdakiahonda — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 08:25:47 -0800

Dried blood caked Emde's right side and he could no longer feel his feet. Twenty eight hours, twenty three minutes and thirty one seconds after he crossed the start line in Santa Clarita California Michael Emde had to be helped off his bicycle. The Men's solo division winner of the 2006 Furnace Creek Ultra Endurance race couldn't lift his leg over the saddle. Every ounce of physical energy he had possessed was spread across the 508.5 mile course.

DIY: Bicycle - Steady Cam - mount

cleez — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 18:59:42 -0800

I wanted to shoot some video while riding my road bike, but didn't want to deal with a helmet mounted camera and of course I didn't want to hold the camera in my hand. An initial attempt at mounting the DV camera was totally unsatisfactory, so my next step was to build my own "steadicam" camera mount that would absorb some of the shock, providing a better quality video. I just posted a mix of some shots taken with my version 3.0 of the Steady cam mount.

Tinkoff cycling team admit defeat in pursuit of Ullrich

cleez — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:38:32 -0800

Italian-Russian outfit Tinkoff have virtually given up their bid to sign controversial German cyclist Jan Ullrich for next season, the team's manager Omar Piscina has revealed. . Tinkoff, backed by Russian millionaire Oleg Tinkoff, reportedly offered Ullrich an annual salary of 3.8 million euros to ride for them next season. . However the 1997 Tour de France winner has shown little interest of joining the second division outfit, which has recently signed disgraced American rider Tyler Hamilton and German Danilo Hondo. . "Our main sponsor Oleg Tinkoff is a huge fan of Jan and that is why he wants to sign him but I don't think he (Ullrich) is interested," Piscina said. . "It has been more than a month since we spoke."

Tour of California Announces First Three Teams

cleez — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:48:20 -0800

Three of the world's top professional road cycling teams will compete in the 2007 Amgen Tour of California scheduled for February 18-25, 2007, it was announced by Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports, promoter and operator of the 650-mile, eight-stage cycling race modeled after the Tour de France. The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, Team CSC and Predictor-Lotto are the first of the expected 16 professional cycling teams to be announced for the second annual race, which was attended by more that 1.3 million spectators in 2006. "The level of competition returning for the second annual Amgen Tour of California rivals any race in the world and proves that cyclists and fans alike are hungry for this caliber of racing in America," said Shawn Hunter, president of AEG Sports. "We are excited to welcome many of the best teams in cycling back to California to compete on another world-class course."

Canadian cyclist questions doping deal

cleez — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:44:36 -0800

Veteran Canadian cyclist Anne Samplonius of Brampton is upset about the deal Genevieve Jeanson cut with the United States Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday to avoid a lifetime suspension for a positive doping test. The Montreal cyclist tested positive on July 25, 2005, for the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO). She was originally given a lifetime ban from the USADA, but she argued that she never took the banned substance and disputed the ruling. The new settlement reduces her suspension to two years, beginning from her positive test and ending July 25, 2007. Jeanson, who trains in Arizona, got licensed in the U.S. after the Quebec Cycling Federation refused to grant her one. The Quebec group wanted more medical information after she was pulled from the road race at the 2003 world championships in Hamilton when her hematocrit level (raition of red blood cells to total volume of blood) tested too high. Tuesday's agreement was struck with both sides looking to avoid a hearing with a dispute resolution service like the American Arbitration Association and the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The agreement states that neither side will change their position in the initial dispute, so the settlement is not an admission of guilt for Jeanson.

Vaughters asks all for a change in mentality

cleez — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:31:04 -0800

TIAA-CREF manager Jonathan Vaughters, a former team-mate of Lance Armstrong on the US Postal Service team, says everyone involved in cycling is partly to blame for the situation as it stands now. "Managers, fans, press, everyone needs to look at what they ask of riders. Think about it," he asks. "You loved Tyler Hamilton getting fourth in the Tour and winning a stage with a broken collarbone. Think about that. What message does that send? He got the job done. He didn't let anyone down." In an interview with Cyclingnews' Gerard Knapp, Vaughters says the mentality of team managers asking to "get the job done" - in part brought on by sponsors, team-mates, fans and the media - is what he believes has led to a spate of doping abuse in recent years. He says a cyclist's behaviour needs to change, and by allowing "some humanity" back into cycling, as Vaughters puts it, this will allow for an outcome of 'we did our best' to be considered acceptable.

Tour of Shenandoah has a Makeover!

cleez — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:31:01 -0800

The six-day tour, set to run from April 24-29, will branch out of the Valley into two new cities, Lynchburg and Charlottesville, and into the Allegheny Highlands. It also has been added to the USA's Cycling's National Racing Calendar. What this all means is more teams, more crowds, more media coverage, more sponsors and more money for the five-year-old race, according to Matthew Butterman, the tour's executive director. "It's a bit of a leap forward," Butterman said. "It was a bit of expanding to new markets, but also realizing that the scope of the event, in a way, transcended the Shenandoah Valley." The tour will, however, still have a strong presence here. Harrisonburg and most other towns that took part in last year's tour will be included again in 2007, Butterman said. The one exception may be Dayton, he said.

Photos Of The Premiere Cobbles Baby.

cleez — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 08:30:57 -0800

Northern Cali. Decent weather. Veloswap and four sold out theaters. . . .I bring you the photo montage of my recent trip. MasiGuy . . there's something in there for you . . . . Find BK wearing a yellow jersey signed by Floyd. THE Floyd. Click on the photo below to see all the entire menagerie of good times.

NY Times CycloCross Article

JDawg — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 15:02:30 -0800

cyclocross is big time now, check out this nytimes.com article outlining the last US Gran Prix races in the North West!

Tour de Georgia returning to Atlanta

cleez — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:29:15 -0800

2007 TOUR DE GEORGIA ROUTE AND HOST VENUES Stage 1: Monday, April 16 � Peachtree City, Ga. to Macon, Ga. Stage 2: Tuesday, April 17 � Thomaston, Ga. to Rome, Ga. Stage 3: Wednesday, April 18 � Rome, Ga. to Chattanooga, Tenn. Stage 4: Thursday, April 19 � Chickamauga/Walker Co., Ga. to Lookout Mountain, Ga. (Time Trial) Stage 5: Friday, April 20 � Dalton, Ga. to Brasstown Bald Mountain/Towns Co., Ga. Stage 6: Saturday, April 21 � Lake Lanier Islands/ Hall Co., Ga. to Stone Mountain Park/Dekalb Co., Ga. Stage 7: Sunday, April 22 � Atlanta, Ga. (circuit race)

Helmets For Fashion Impaired

cleez — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:29:14 -0800

Really, what was this guy thinking. "Yes, I was surprised by how much attention the helmets got, and I'm not sorry, just the opposite. I think it was very positive. I'm from a smaller town myself and I've known the 'radiovka' since childhood, from those surroundings. It was typical for seniors when I was a kid, although I guess by now that may have changed." you got to see this...click on the blue link above

Lance underlines Discovery stance

cleez — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:29:09 -0800

Lance Armstrong has reiterated that the Discovery Channel team have a zero tolerance policy against drugs. The seven-times Tour de France champion is still involved in cycling as part-owner of the team which he led and recently announced the signing of former Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso, recently cleared by his federation and Olympic committee of doping suspicions tied to a probe by Spanish authorities. "We have a zero tolerance policy," he said when asked about any cloud over Basso. "If someone either admits doping or is caught doping or prosecuted for doping then they're out."

Geoff Kabush Joins Symmetrics in 2007

cleez — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 07:44:08 -0800

Kabush, a multiple National champion in Mountain Bike and Cyclo-Cross, placed 9th at the 2000 Olympic Games and won the World Mountain Bike Relay Championships in 2004. Kabush will ride for the team in select road events that complement his mountain bike schedule with the MAXXIS squad. As part of Kabush's arrival, the team is also proud to announce that Maxxis will be the official tire for 2007. Geoff Kabush, a Victoria, B.C. native is thrilled to be riding on a Canadian team. "I've watched Symmetrics grow over the past couple years and I have really been impressed," he explained. "The Cunninghams have created an incredible team filled with great riders and, more importantly, great people. I am really excited that I am able to fit in some road racing next year and there is no other team I would rather join up with."

Spectator Landis receives cheers

cleez — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 07:17:29 -0800

El Tour de Tucson founder Richard DeBernardis invited Floyd Landis, the disputed 2006 Tour de France champion, to Saturday's El Tour because he wanted him to be surrounded by people who support him. That seemed to be the case when Landis attended Saturday's events. Thousands of cyclists and spectators cheered when he was introduced at the 109-mile race's starting line shortly before 7 a.m. Landis, who is recuperating from Sept. 27 hip surgery, did not race. Dressed in street clothes, he watched the start from atop a scaffold. "I gave him the option to ride, come with me, do whatever he wants," DeBernardis said. "I'm just happy he was in town and at the start line." About a dozen fans circled Landis, and he signed autographs and posed for photos.

It Is El Tour Time!

cleez — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:18:25 -0800

Every November, an estimated 30,000 Tucsonans scatter along El Tour de Tucson's 109-mile route looking for someone they know. And, invariably, 9,000 men, women and children outfitted in Lance Armstrong-like cycling paraphernalia roll down the street virtually unrecognizable. "Wasn't that � ?" " � Was he in yellow or did he say orange?" "Didn't you see � ?" " � Was that her on the bike behind those two tandems?" Last year, had you been at the right place at the right time, you would have seen ex-Arizona All-Pac-10 center Sean Rooks whiz by - a mere 6 hours 6 minutes and 41 seconds from start to finish. If you had known what to look for, you would have seen globally prominent Tucson heart surgeon Jack Copeland cover 66 miles in 3:33.35. Jeff Kiewel, a Sabino High School grad who became a standout lineman for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, wore racing bib No. 2171. He was on his bike for 6:55.52. Floyd Landis, disputed winner of the 2006 Tour de France, finished fifth in last year's El Tour de Tucson. Who knew

Iron Horse Taps Cycling Vets

cleez — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 10:18:22 -0800

Participants in the 36th annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic next Memorial Day will have one of their own running the show. Gaige Sippy, a veteran of dozens of cycling events as a racer, has been chosen to replace Kendra Holmes, who left the organization to help run a family business. Sippy had been identified as a potential successor to Holmes as race director, Iron Horse founder Ed Zink said Wednesday. "Then he came to us with a proposal that was too good to be true," Zink said. "He had a well-rounded vision of what the Iron Horse should be and a strong commitment to the event. It was more than 'I need a job.'" In a telephone interview Wednesday, Sippy discussed some of his ideas.

Landis deserves a better reputation

cleez — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 13:23:21 -0800

Floyd Landis insisted Sunday he was drug-free when he won the Tour de France, and said that a French laboratory "made some mistakes" when its results showed he had elevated levels of testosterone. The American's positive doping test came less than a week after he won cycling's biggest race on July 23. Although the Chatenay-Malabry lab is accredited by the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency, Landis believes it got his test results wrong. "Even the best people make mistakes," Landis said in an interview for French television. "I can't say that the lab is always a bad lab, but I can say that in this case it made some mistakes ... I did not take testosterone."

The French Admits Their Wrong!!! WOW, That's A First.

cleez — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 13:23:20 -0800

The French newspaper Le Monde has reported the laboratory that tested American cyclist Floyd Landis's urine samples during the Tour de France has admitted to making an administrative error on his back-up "B" sample. In its Wednesday edition, the newspaper said the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside of Paris mislabeled Landis's second sample, putting an incorrect number on it. Tests on the rider's two samples showed elevated levels of testosterone when he won cycling's premier race in July. Landis's attorney, Howard Jacobs, has already alleged that the French lab made repeated errors analyzing the samples, including mismatched sample code numbers. On Sunday, Landis again denied taking testosterone and said the lab made crucial errors in his tests. Race organizers no longer consider Landis the 2006 Tour champion. But the admission of the error is expected to boost Landis's appeal against the positive result at his arbitration hearing Friday in the United States. If found guilty of doping, Landis will be formally stripped of the title and banned for two years.

How To: Start Your Own Team

cleez — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 13:23:19 -0800

The big biz of pro cycling is ruled by a few teams with budgets in the millions � it's a world most of us know little about. But even the Discovery Channels and CSC's had to start somewhere. Here's how a couple of local team mates decided to do it themselves, and took the biggest step to getting their future UCI Trade Team off the ground� introducing Team BH/Integrale. For many of us, time spent on the bike can be as refreshing and creative as it is exhilarating and painful. How many of us have had a �big idea' while on a ride � show of hands out there� yup, just what I thought. So no surprise that club team mates John Restermeyer and Kevin Rutherford of Vancouver, Canada cooked up their own �big idea' to start a pro team while out riding.