CyclingNews: Billed as the world’s richest criterium, The Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium returns to downtown Charlotte, North Carolina on April 14th. The elite men are battling for a $50,000 cash prize list while the elite women vie for $25,000 on the 1.3 mile circuit. In addition to the prize list, there is almost a constant bell ringing for cash prime laps in both elite races. The elite men will be racing for 50 miles and the elite women for 25.

VeloNation: Snow in the mountains for hilly Spanish race as a late breakaway gets a long way clear.

CyclingNews: After attempts at the Route Adélie (3rd) and Paris-Camembert (16th), Julien Simon (Saur-Sojasun) finally gave local fans confirmation of his exploits at the Volta Catalunya in March. On Saturday the Breton rider claimed the first win of his career on French soil as he outsprinted the whole bunch at the Tour du Finistère, the the same place where Thor Hushovd won stage 8 of the 2004 Tour de France in Quimper.

Amstel Gold Race - April 15 (Start list),
Tour of the Battenkill - April 15 (Start list),
De Brabantse Pijl - April 11 (Results),
Vuelta a Castilla y Leon - April 13-15 (Stages),
MTB World Cup Cross Country #2 April 13-15 (Races),
Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de France - June 30 - July 22 (Stages),
2012 Olympic Games - July 28 - August 12 (Races),
Vuelta a España - August 18 - September 9 (Stages),
More...

CyclingWeekly: The Australian kick started GreenEdge's debut season by winning the Tour Down Under overall. He is also responsible for the team's biggest one-day win, Milan-San Remo.

road.cc: Great documentary from Omega Pharma - Quick Step on their Paris-Roubaix operation.

VeloNation: Acqua & Sapone has a lot to prove after Giro non-invitation; Utensilnord-Named motivated after Pais Vasco.

BikeRadar verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars. "It might feel slow at first, but this high traction, high control stealth weapon soon shows it's fast and fun."

VeloNews: Clarke will again look to stamp out his rivals’ hopes Saturday night at the third stop of the USACrits Series, the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Steephill: Stage 2 start time: Saturday 10:26 CET (1:26 AM PDT); Approximate finish: 14:30 CET (5:30 AM PDT).

CyclingFans: Sunday's Amstel Gold Race departs Maastricht at 10:21am CET (4:21am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Valkenburg at around 4:45pm CET (10:45am U.S. Eastern).  Amstel Gold Race live streaming video should get underway at around 2:00pm CET (8:00am U.S. Eastern).

TwistedSpoke: Chris Horner (RadioShack Nissan-Trek) has experienced just about everything in his career, good and bad. In his time, he’s won every race in the United States including last year’s Tour of California. Now perennial Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck will be riding of Horner. How wild is that?

VeloNation: America's Queen of the Classics set for Sunday.

“It is good that I landed on my left side and not face-first. Probably I have had so many crashes as a pro that I automatically curled up and prepared myself for the crash in less than a second.”  - Tony Martin CyclingNews

PEZ: With the cobbles rapidly fading into memory, the hills of the Ardennes rise into view. VeloClassic's Peter Easton takes a closer look at Sunday's opening festivities in Holland's Limburg region and the country's biggest one day classic, the Amstel Gold Race.

CyclingIQ: In what must have been a dream start for the local organizer, Filipino cyclist Oscar Rendole (Mail and More) became the first rider from the Philippines to win a stage in a UCI-sanctioned professional road cycling race; but only after almost four hours of fractured and attacking racing, averaging a touch under 42km/h.

CyclingNews: Nick Nuyens has had to postpone his comeback to the peloton. The Saxo Bank rider had hoped to return to racing at the Tour of Turkey next week, but is now looking to the Four Days of Dunkirk in May.

VeloNews: Cadel Evans has eyes for another Tour de France victory, not a win in the Ardennes classics, which start Sunday with the Amstel Gold Race. Instead, Evans said Friday that he is placing his allegiance with BMC Racing teammates Philippe Gilbert and Greg Van Avermaet.

Lee Waldman: It’s a very long time from Nationals in January to the first ’cross race in the fall. A long time without that adrenaline rush we’re so desperately addicted to. To feed that addiction, I used to believe that racing on the road was necessary to keep myself ready for ’cross. But as I got older, and arguably a bit smarter, I came to the realization that I couldn’t maintain a full season on the road and then immediately switch over to ’cross.

BikeHugger: Taking photos atop a big wheel.

RBAction: More Dutch racing in store for the American team.

RedKitePrayer: "I figured Charles would have some idea about the best way ordinary lazy citizens like you ‘n’ me could do a bit of cycling advocacy that might result in a law all cyclists would dig."

Video: Belgian Waffle Ride.

Clara Hughes: The Teutenberg name is famous in the world of cycling for more reasons than the twenty-five plus wins Ina garners year after year.  Ina’s the runt of the litter.  She spent her growing-up years chasing older brothers Lars and Sven around on two wheels.  Not to mention the coaching her father has done for decades and his involvement with SRM and helping many pro riders find their ideal aerodynamic position  on the steep bankings of the Buttgen velodromein Germany.

InnerRing: The Amstel Gold race is on tomorrow but this is a busy weekend with some excellent alternative races. Sometimes a big race can overshadow the others, for example two weeks ago the Flèche d’Emeraude was on at the same time as the Tour of Flanders but I doubt many noticed the clash.

CyclingNews: Tony Martin's multiple fractures do not require surgery, and so the world time trial champion has gone home to recover. The Omega Pharma-QuickStep rider was hit by a car while training last week, suffering fractures of the eye socket, cheekbone, jaw, shoulder blade and upper arm.

VeloNation: Canadian’s near-miss on title in worlds sharpens resolve for 2012 Games.

CyclingNews: This day last year, Philippe Gilbert was, by his own admission, “almost certain” that he would win Amstel Gold Race. Twelve months and one high-profile transfer to BMC later, however, and Gilbert enters the third week in April scrambling for form after an underwhelming start to the campaign.

road.cc: Garmin delays, Kickstarting folded bikes, lots of clever clobber, shiny pumps, Fondriest & lots more.

CyclingNews: It's been nearly eight months since Daniele Callegarin (Team Type 1-Sanofi) suffered a serious crash during stage 2 at the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge, but his recovery is finally complete and the 29-year-old Italian will return to competition at Sunday's Giro dell'Appennino.

Pedal: Pinfold, 33, who retired from professional cycling in 2011, is a four time member of the Canadian National team and has raced around the world with professional cycling teams including Symmetrics, OUCH Pro Cycling and UnitedHealthcare. Known for his sprinting ability, “Pinner” was also renowned as a selfless racer who worked hard to ensure the teams overall success in races.