Amber Neben: Complete world domination. Well, not really. It was only a bike race, but Specialized-lululemon did have an excellent week of racing at the Exergy Tour. We had a motivated group of fit and prepared riders, we rode tactically well, and we stayed safe. Add that all up, and we were able to finish with top three in GC with two stage wins, the QOM jersey, the sprint jersey, and some miscellaneous other items.

VeloNation: Star-studded field for non-UCI race includes Tom Boonen and Philippe Gilbert.

Andy Schleck awarded yellow jersey for 2010 Tour de France.

VeloNation: Luxembourg rider officially replaces Alberto Contador as race winner.

USA Road Championships - May 26-28 (Races & results),
Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
The Exergy Tour - May 24-28 (Stages & results),
An Post Ras - May 20-27 (Stages & results),
Bayern-Rundfahrt - May 23-27 (Stages & results),
Tour of Belgium - May 23-27 (Stages & results),
Tour of Japan - May 20-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages & Results),
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...

Pedal: Cycling fans across Canada were glued to television screens and computers on Sunday morning as Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) did what no other Canadian has done before. He won a Grand Tour claiming the maglia rosa at the Giro d’Italia, the second most prestigious cycling race in the world next to the Tour de France.

CyclingNews: After Sunday's stage 1 time trial that put returning champion Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing) just over one minute ahead of Barry Wicks (Kona Bikes) in overall GC, all eyes were on the two World Cup veterans to see who would emerge victorious in the treacherous 38-mile second stage of the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic, a stage considered by most to be the hardest and most challenging.

CompetitiveCyclist: "So far this has been my Year of Strava because of how it turns every climb and every interesting stretch of road into a race. Rest days are now an impossibility. I'm better off just staying off the bike. Another casualty has been mid-ride conversation. It's curious that the competitive pressure created by a social network is making riding anti-social."

BikeRumor: While pedaling along with the Ride 2 Recovery Memorial Challenge ride, Shimano brake engineer Wayne Stetina paid a visit to Jason at Freshbikes and let him snap us a few pics of what’s likely to be the forthcoming 2013 Dura-Ace component group.

BikeEurope: The recall involves all 4ZA 31.8 threadless bicycle handlebar stems sold as individual aftermarket components. The stems are black and have the words “4ZA Cycling Performance” painted on the carbon extension between the steerer clamp and handlebar clamp. The recalled stems range in extension lengths from 90mm to 130mm.

BikeRadar: Ritchey has unveiled their 2013 ‘Trail’ range of mountain bike components, including WCS stem and seatpost and both flat and low-rise bars.

VeloNation: No Olympic games for US cyclocross champion as she focuses solely on the winter.

CyclingWeekly: Bradley Wiggins is primed and ready to defend his Criterium du Dauphine title. The British Tour de France hope won the prestigious French stage race last year and will start this year's edition on Sunday, June 3, in the hope of once again finishing in the yellow jersey.

Charly Wegelius: "We have only gone and won the Giro! Who would have predicted that one month ago?  I heard some rampant speculation over the final days as to how much time Ryder could put into 'Purito' in the final TT, but it was actually extremely close, as you all know by now.  Hats off to Rodriguez for pulling off an amazing final stage."

CyclingNews: By all accounts, the inaugural Exergy Tour last week in Idaho exceeded the already high standard set by its predecessor, the Women's Challenge that ran through Boise from 1984 to 2002. Race spokesperson Heather Hill was confident the UCI 2.1 event will return again next year.

RedKitePrayer: Somewhere in the smell of the early morning dew on grass, tar on lumber, the croak of nearby frogs there’s a sense that home is at hand, that the past is around the corner, that long-closed haunts may still be mopping up last night’s spilled beer and cigarette butts. But you know that can’t be the case. In your absence time has allowed a city to grow, prosper, improve and fail, one address at a time.

road.cc: Light, aerodynamic wheels that take over from the RZR 46s as the fastest we've ever used.

Bicycling: New Campagnolo EPS aero shifters, brake lever, and aero crank electrify TT and triathlon bikes.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Versatile knicker-style baggy that performs on the bike and looks good off it too."

BikeRadar: Cero is an in-house wheel brand from UK retailer Cycle Division, and the AR30 Superlight alloy clincher is the debut model in the range. Cycle Division have been developing Cero hoops for the last 18 months, with deep-section carbon wheels among the new items being readied for launch this summer.

VeloNation: Three-time Tour of Belgium stage winner continues his build up for the Tour de France.

VeloNews: As Timmy Duggan took the top step of the podium at the USA Cycling Professional National Championship road race Monday, his Liquigas-Cannondale teammate Ted King stood to the side of the stage, fighting back tears. Not only have the two formed a close bond as the lone American members of the Italian ProTeam, their championship weekend in Greenville, South Carolina, was a real do-it-yourself affair.

TwistedSpoke: Consider this irony: we are a month away from the Tour de France and two of the most famous team managers in modern pro cycling are disappointed with their squads and unsure which — if any — rider will lead in France.

CyclingNews: Mauricio Soler has returned to Europe, and made a point of visiting the Hospital Sankt Gallen, where he lay in the intensive care unit for 20 days after a crash in the Tour de Suisse. The Colombian is continuing his rehabilitation in Pamplona, Spain, and cheered on his former teammates and countrymen in the Giro d'Italia.

EuroSport: With the dust beginning to settle on Ryder Hesjedal's wonderful victory in the 2012 Giro d'Italia, Saddles takes a look back at the 95th edition of the race and divvies out his retrospective awards.

CyclingWeekly: It's only been six months since Campagnolo launched its electronic ESP system and less than a year since the last time trial components, but Campag is now launching time trial-specific ESP bar-end shifters and brake controls. So shifting gears is as easy as pushing a button - anything that helps conserving energy while on the rivet is always a good thing.

StickyBottle: "I just completed the Valkenberg Hills Classic race in Holland – and wow was it a scorcher. The weather was fabulous – which made for a nice change. All the races I’ve done so far this season have been wet, overcast and generally miserable."

Off The Beaten Path: What size handlebar bag is best for you and your bike? Basically, the bag should fill the space between the front rack and the stem. To optimize the bike’s handling, the bag should be as low as possible, and well-supported on a rack just above the front wheel/fender.

CyclingNews: USA Cycling's junior development program has begun to bear fruit, with the team scoring its second overall stage race victory of the year in the Tour du Pays de Vaud. T. J. Eisenhart of Utah claimed the win and the mountains classification in addition to two stage victories in the four-day, five-stage French race.