CyclingFans: Tuesday's Paris-Nice Stage 3 departs Vierzon at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Le Lac de Vassivière at around 4:22pm CET (10:22am U.S. Eastern).  Paris-Nice live streaming video should get underway at around 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

InnerRing: Everyone knew crosswinds could blow the peloton to pieces. But when it happened most could only watch as the others rode away.

VeloNation: Bradley Wiggins into yellow as rain and crosswinds hit the peloton.

Today's Quote

“The white jersey is always a cool little prize; it’s never the goal, it’s always something nice." -  Tejay van Garderen  VeloNews

Vows that team ambition is still Tony Martin for the GC.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Le Tour de Langkawi (Stages & results),
Merco Cycling Classic (Stages & results),
Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen (Stages & results),
Tirreno-Adriatico (Stages ),
Le Samyn (Results),
Le Samyn des Dames (Results),
Strade Bianche (Results),
Paris - Nice (Stages ),
Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne (Results),
Amgen Tour of California (Stages ),
More...

PodiumCafe: In the mood for some stage racing, Italian style? You're in luck, because the start of Tirreno-Adriatico on Wednesday, March 7, is proprio dietro l'angolo (just around the corner). Aside from its obvious Italianness, what makes this year's edition of the "Race of the Two Seas" so awesome?

CyclingNews: On a long stage packed full of aggressive racing, Bissell's Patrick Bevin held onto the Merco Cycling Classic's yellow jersey to take home yet another overall victory for his team here.

CyclingNews: Nick Nuyens (Saxo Bank) suffered a setback to his Classics preparations today, crashing in the opening stage of Paris-Nice.

MurrietaPatch: Friday will bring the return of the popular IE Bikes time trial. Unlike any other time trial in Southern California, its European style terrain consisting primarily of paved roadway and a 1.2-mile portion of unpaved/hard compact dirt.

VeloNews: Tejay van Garderen is getting some quality podium time at Paris-Nice thanks to leading the young rider’s white jersey competition. Now in his third season as a professional, van Garderen is no longer content with the novelty of the white jersey. He wants the real deal and enters 2012 with ambitions to claim yellow at several big events this season.

CyclingNews: Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) lost over a minute in the opening time trial of Paris-Nice, but the Luxembourg rider claimed that the 9.4km test was too short and too early in the season to offer a reliable indicator of his progress against the watch.

Mike Broderick and Mary McConneloug: Holding our early season training camp in the South American summer seemed as enticing as ever. Mary and I were happy to embark on a month long journey that would trade up the short NorCal days for a latitude offering a bit more in the way of T-shirt and shorts wearing and help to motivate us for some serious outdoor adventures and training.

VeloNation: Saxo Bank rider had said race was crucial to his buildup for Cassic defence.

Mavic Plasma SLR helmet BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.
"Excellent fit, air flow and finish, but expensive and not the lightest."

CXMagazine: After an intense cyclocross season lasting almost six months, one can only guess how the people of Belgium celebrate its conclusion – with yet another bike race. But this celebratory race is like no other!

VeloNation: Arnaud Démare takes win number three of first pro season as yellow jersey passes from one Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider to another.

VeloNation: Malaysian race concludes in front of huge crowds in Kuala Terengganu.

The Daily Distraction.

CyclingNews: One of Spanish biggest banking groups has stepped in to secure the immediate future of two of the country’s leading races thanks to an eleventh-hour deal. The Basque-based Sababell Guipuzcoano bank has agreed to back the Tour of the Basque Country and the San Sebastián Classic for the next two seasons, staving off the threatened suspension of both events.

InnerRing: Like all images it captures a moment on camera but it was only one instant in the day and there’s a whole story behind the picture. And video footage too.

CyclingNews: The AIGCP (Association International des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels) held its annual spring meeting in Paris on Friday, voting on a number of key issues within the sport but in a damning indictment for the UCI, it was unanimously agreed that its members have no confidence in the current leadership of cycling's governing body.

This is all about doing time on the OUTSIDE. The front graphic displays images of tire tracks as prison bars and also features the Prisoner number over the pocket.
There are three ways you can spend time behind bars:
1. Rob a bank unsuccessfully;
2. Learn how to mix martinis; and
3. Spend thousands of hours powering your beloved bike all over the place.

road.cc: Minimalist pack for carrying the bare ride essentials in rattle-free security.

Cannondale Trail SL3 29er BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.
"Naturally rapid and engaging, but remarkably smooth, the Trail SL 3 is serious fast trail fun for the money."

BikeRumor: The CX331 and CX331W (women specific) boast internal carbon fiber heel counters that mold the shoe to your foot after heating it. A Boa closure system holds you tight with a minimalist side-mount design. As for material, they kick it with a Kangaroo leather/mesh upper and an all-carbon 3 hole or speedplay specific sole. Outlast Smart Fabric, a material that counterbalances changing body temperature, lines the heel and tongue.

Cyclismas: The Schleck Line is an expression in pro cycling, deriving from the name of pro cyclist Andy Schleck whose lifetime time trial performance is taken to define the threshold of incompetent cycling.