A Conversation with Bob Stapleton.

Like many other sports governing bodies, USA Cycling (and its former incarnations, the U.S. Cycling Federation and Amateur Bicycle League of America) is often the scapegoat for anything that goes wrong with the sport in this country. Right now, the Feds are still reeling from the October 2012 revelations of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s “Reasoned Decision” that chronicled the doping violations perpetuated by Lance Armstrong and his U.S. Postal Service teammates in the late-1990s and early-2000s.

In the fallout from that investigation, and because of other internal developments, many of the long-term USAC staff has moved on in the past year, while their president, Steve Johnson, will leave the Colorado Springs HQ in nine months’ time after staging the 2015 UCI World Road Championships in Richmond, Virginia. Responsibility for selecting a new president and staff members will partly fall on one of professional cycling’s most influential, the recently elected USAC chairman Bob Stapleton.

Caleb Ewan takes stage 2 of Bay Crits.

Caleb Ewan has had the perfect start to his first professional season taking out the second stage at the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic this afternoon.

Unlike yesterday’s victory, which came from a two-man breakaway, Ewan sat back until the final moments to take the sprint victory courtesy of his team’s lead-out.

Sheltered from the hot and strong winds by his teammates all day, the 20-year-old said his job was easy in the finish after a strong Orica-GreenEdge controlled much of the day’s action.

Gracie Elvin wins stage 2 of the Bay Crits in solo move.

On the eve of her national title defense, Australian road race champion Gracie Elvin has put on a dominant display to take out the second stage of the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic in Geelong’s Eastern Park this afternoon.

Hot and extremely windy conditions made it a challenging day of racing but Elvin made it look easy, escaping from the peloton after 20 minutes of racing and holding on to win by one minute 31 seconds.

“[It was] a bit stupid at first,” Elvin said of her solo move.

Kessiakoff: I was under pressure from Astana.

Fredrik Kessiakoff has lost the desire to ride and has finished his career. Now he criticizes his former Astana team heavily in an interview with Radisporten.se.

"A big reason why I felt so bad was that I was under pressure from the team. I got a letter home from the management saying that I was not good enough at the races, that I was not giving everything and that I was a bad teammate," the Swede says.

After a long career, Kessiakoff has decided to retire.

"It has been building over the last few years. I was banging my head against the wall but I came nowhere."

"It was no fun. The goal was to become better and maybe even the best. But when you are on a plateau at a poor level and far away from the targets, you feel that you don't have the energy that is required to continue.

Cyclocross Pit Etiquette: The Big Do-and-Don’ts From the Pros.

"As we approach the week of Cyclocross National Championships, we know that some of you will be making the trip for the first time, or perhaps this will be the first year you convinced your spouse/buddy to come with you and act as your pit crew. We spoke with some of the best respected mechanics and team captains in American cyclocross to give their list of the biggest Do-and-Don’ts in the pits.

Want to make sure you’re no committing a serious faux paux on race day, or want take your game to the next level? Check out their tips."

Greipel, Gallopin will race Volta ao Algarve.

Lotto Soudal's André Greipel will compete at the Volta ao Algarve in February as part of his buildup for the 2015 Spring Classics, according to a statement released this week by the UCI 2.1 race in Portugal.

Tour de France stage winner Tony Gallopin will join Greipel, Jurgen Roelandts, Sean de Bie, Stig Broeckx, Marcel Sieberg and Vegard Breen in the five-day race that takes place February 18-22.

News shorts: Cavendish excited for San Luis return.

Tribute to Burry Stander, Bardiani CSF new jersey.

Lezyne Road Drive - Small.

road.cc verdict: 1 out of 5 stars. "Very expensive; slow to get tires up to barely-adequate pressure; virtually impossible to reach high pressures

.It doesn't matter how nicely it's designed, made and detailed if it costs too much and doesn't work very well."

2014-15 Races & Results.

Santos Tour Down Under 2015 - Jan 18-25 (Stages),

Dubai Tour 2015 - Feb 4-7 (Stages),

Giro d'Italia 2015 - May 9-31 (Stages),

Tour de France 2015 - July 4-26 (Stages),

UCI Road World Championship 2014 - Sept 20-27 (Results),

Vuelta a España 2014 - Aug 23-Sept 14 (Results),

Tour de France 2014  - July 5-27 (Results),

Giro d'Italia 2014 - May 9 - June 1 (Results),

More ...

 (cyclingnews.com)

Van der Haar wins home race in Surhuisterveen.

Ewan quick off the mark at Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic.

Riis likely to learn fate soon in relation to Anti Doping Denmark’s investigation.

A long-awaited doping report which will determine whether or not Bjarne Riis can continue his work in cycling finally appears close to being released, with the director of Anti Doping Denmark indicating that the outcome could be announced soon.

Lone Hansen told the Jyllands-Posten publication that the current inquiry by the Cycling Independent Reform Commission [CIRC] into doping in the sport is of interest in ADD’s work.

“We don’t have to wait until the CIRC is finished, but we have had great interest in continuing our investigation, as long as there are others working with things that may be of relevance to us,” she said.

2014 Domestic Breakthrough Rider of the Year: Joey Rosskopf.

After narrowly missing out on the biggest win of his young career on stage 2 of the Tour of Utah, Joey Rosskopf thought he had missed a chance to reroute the trajectory of his career. He was caught a mere three kilometers from the line, after battling with Michael Schär in a daylong breakaway, and absorbed into the bunch by the finish.

“[Winning] would have been career changing. I think second on the stage would have been career changing,” he told Velo just after the stage.

Instead of sulking, Rosskopf, 25, set out to find more success. He did, but with it came a bit more heartbreak. He rode into another daylong break on stage 6, the queen stage, which included nearly 13,000 feet of climbing, but again came up short, this time finishing second to former Tour de France and world champion Cadel Evans.

Velo List: Top 10 climbers of all time.

"Through a series of votes set around our sometimes contentious, often loud editorial table, we narrowed the first of these lists down to Velo's Top 10 Climbers of All Time."

There are certainly deserving riders left off the final list — just as there are riders included here that some may question. No best-of list comes without some level of controversy. Far be it from us, however, to shy away from a little controversy. The greatest of all time? Fausto Coppi would probably tell you so. Even his greatest rival, Gino Bartali, couldn’t help but shower Coppi with praise: “On a bike, Fausto was like a god. When we got off he was a mortal, but when he pedaled he was supernatural. His suppleness, his form, this plasticity in motion constituted a complete spectacle. It’s easy to understand the enthusiasm of so many to see him in action.”

Helen Wyman: Pressing the equality button.

"Sometimes you tweet and nobody cares but sometimes you catch the imagination of others and everything takes off. Yesterday’s conversation about equality in cyclo-cross was one of those days. I'm in a position to try to influence the future shape of women's cyclo-cross with my place on the UCI cross commission. This role is very much about the evolution of the sport, and there is certainly no revolution plan in place to just press the equality button.

The slow political change is frustrating, for everyone, not just me. Even changes we agree take some time to come into effect. Yesterday’s messages came following some points I confirmed. There has already been progress for women's cross, and there is more agreed that will come into effect next season. However I'm keen for there to be more, including equal prize money at all levels of cross."

Van Hummel looks back at successful career.

He would have like to ride for another year. But when at the end of October he was told that his contract with Androni would not be renewed, it was time to reflect for Kenny van Hummel. "I am actually looking forward to seeing another side of life. I have had to sacrifice so much for my cycling career," he tells NOS in an interview.

In the last few months, his manager was lookig for a new team. "I've had conversations, but I've always said I don't want to ride at all levels."

The Danish Cult Energy was still interested and there was contact with the new Dutch Team Roompot. Then he had an offer from a small continental team but for various reasons it came to nothing. "It's good. For me this is an appropriate time to stop. Kenny van Hummel 2.0 has started."

2014 International Cyclocross Man of the Year: Sven Nys.

He’s like clockwork.

Another season of cyclocross, another season in which Sven Nys flaunted the skills that make him the greatest cyclocrosser alive.

The Belgian has a finely tuned motor and impeccable skills. He has patience, power, and tactical brilliance. He is the undisputed King of ’Cross.

In his 2013-2014 campaign, he continued with his consistent style, focusing on series titles rather than attempting to peak for significant, individual races. He took an incredible 13th Superprestige title (and, after four wins, now claims 60 race wins within the series), a ninth bPost Bank Trophy series title (taking five wins), and won Belgian worlds — also known as the Belgian national championship — for a ninth time. He had a number of other wins at individual races, including an early season victory in the desert heat at CrossVegas.

Canyon Ultimate AL SLX 9.0.

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "Not for the first time, Canyon offers an awful lot of performance for your money.

Canyon's problem – if you can call it a problem – is that it makes other makers look bad by offering more value for money than seems reasonable, possible, or fair. At a price point where most manufacturers don't even give you a full Shimano 105 groupset, the Ultimate AL SLX 9.0 comes with full Ultegra, not even skimping on the cassette."

Madiot says there was no room to keep Bouhanni and Démare on same team.

PEZ: Daily Distractions.

(pezcyclingnews.com)

Pro Womens Cycling: Bay Crits 2015 – videos for Stages 1 & 2.

Cycling in the EPO era: 65 per cent ‘juiced’ … and probably more.

When Lance Armstrong was banned for life in August 2012 for doping to win his seven Tours de France between 1999 and 2005, most casual observers would have assumed cycling’s well-documented doping problems were, if not solved, then at least cleared up somewhat. But that sordid story did not start with Armstrong nor did it end with him.Cycle-Of-Suspicion-A3

A change in leadership of the world governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI) in autumn 2013 brought a new president, Brian Cookson, and an apparently fresh desire to investigate those figures – Armstrong and others – who contributed to cycling’s dark and hidden past. The investigatory body is the CIRC, or Cycling Independent Reform Commission, a three-man group that has the potential to produce one of the most seismic sporting stories of 2015 – or one of its most expensive flops.

Some of cycling’s biggest and longest-suspected names could finally walk out of the shadows and confess. The slate may finally be wiped clean. Painful though it may be, a catharsis could usher in a new era of transparency and accountability, directed by a global governing body. In sport, that would be nothing short of astonishing – and something from which FIFA, the IAAF and others might well learn.

Mosquera's doping ban overturned.

Former Spanish rider Ezequiel Mosquera has had his two-year doping ban overturned by the Spanish authorities, according to reports in the Spanish media.

Mosquera was handed a two-year ban in 2011 after testing positive for hydroxyethyl during the 2010 Vuelta a España, where he finished as runner-up to Vincenzo Nibali. He also won a stage to Bola del Mundo in the race and signed a deal with Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team for 2011 on the back of his results. However he was fired by the Dutch team once his ban was made public.

"I'm tired, tired and fed up with a process that, with the law in hand, should never have happened,” Mosquera is reported to have said in June when the case was ongoing.

Frustrated Boogerd without license for 2015.

Michael Boogerd plans to be an important part of the management team of the new Roompot team that was presented yesterday. However, the Dutchman still has no license as he is awaiting the verdict in his doping case.

Boogerd presented his new employer, the Roompot team, with mixed emotions. "I am happy but there is still this small issue with the license," the Dutchman told Wielerflits. "I am still not completely free to feel very happy but I am pleased that the team is ready."

Rewind: Jens Voigt The Last Attack.

"It’s interesting to look back at our interview from this time last year when we sat down with Jensie at the Trek pre-season training camp in Spain:"

At 42 Jens Voigt is heading into his last season as a professional cyclist. Throughout his career he has been one of the ‘strongmen’ of the peloton, chasing breaks, fetching water bottles and every now and again; winning a race. A nice guy with a punishing nature; no more “shut up legs” from Jensie.

"We managed to catch up with the ‘Old Man’ of the peloton, Jens Voigt at the Trek Factory Team’s December training camp based in Albir, on the east coast of Spain. The 2014 season will (probably) be his last and for those who are not happy with his attacking style, the news will come as a relief. So we settled down to find out how he thinks his final attack will pan-out."

Best read articles of 2014.

"Each year at this time I take stock of which articles were most read. There used to be when I could never predict what would be well read and what would be a flop, but now I have a pretty good idea. I don’t use the traffic numbers as guidance to what we should and shouldn’t write, because numbers alone don’t tell the full story. There are certainly patterns here, and the most difficult part of looking at the numbers is disregarding the patterns.

Here is the list of our top 50 articles (categorized by theme, not traffic)."

Phil Gaimon: Time to get back on the bike.

"Winter for pro cyclists means base training. As they do in running, most coaches prescribe LSD (that's long, slow distance; what did you think it stood for?). I've been doing some of that, but I'm also devoting a few weeks to gym work.

Road cycling is low impact (if you're lucky), so bone density can suffer if you're not careful, and there have been a few cases of pros getting osteoporosis in their 20s. I cracked a rib this year in a low-speed crash, which got me a little worried about the old skeleton. Do you know what they tell you when you break a rib during a five-day stage race?

Keep racing. It just hurts horribly for a few weeks when you cough, laugh or breathe, but it won't slow you down."

News Shorts: Colombia-Coldeportes will start season in San Luis.

Astana women training in Turkey, Colavita-Bianchi women's team 2015 roster.

Video: Q&A with Steve Cummings.