Friday's Stage 13 start time: 14:25 CET (5:25 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:13 CET (8:13 AM PDT).

road.cc: There's mountains, but it's a shorts stage - one for the sprinters says Team Sky's Geraint Thomas.

road.cc: Breakaway carries the day as race heads through spectacular scenery above the Cinque Terre.

VeloNews: The Giro d’Italia celebrates its pink, blue and red jerseys daily, but little attention is given to the other classifications. Categories like the fuga, the super team and the time gaps rankings go unnoticed, only spotted in the daily hand-outs to the journalists in the press room.

CyclingNews: After more than six weeks on the sidelines with a serious knee injury, Vacansoleil-DCM's Bjorn Leukemans made his competitive return to cycling yesterday at the Circuit de Lorraine in France. The 34-year-old Belgian was satisfied with his 15th place in the opening stage of the French race from Rombas to Neuves-Maisons.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (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...

Bicycling: 25 solutions to vexing problems.

road.cc: A tough day and one for the break says Geraint Thomas… but there's a nice tight turn at the finish if ends in a sprint.

CyclingNews: Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giacattoli-Venezuela) who caused the major crash on stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia, won the sprint stage 11. Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) was second, with Thomas Vaitkus (GreenEdge) third. Top favourite Mark Cavendish, who lost his teammates to a crash in the final turn, was unable to move up to the front and was fourth.

Fridays's Giro d'Italia Stage 13 departs Seravezza at 1:05pm CET (7:05am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Sestri Levante at around 5:09pm CET (11:09am U.S. Eastern).  Giro d'Italia live streaming video should get underway at around 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern).

VeloNation: Jens Voigt takes unexpected runner-up slot behind USA TT champ.

PodiumInsight: Defending Champion, Kristin Armstrong (Exergy TWENTY12), dominated the Bakersfield time trial course finishing in under 40 minutes. She easily won the Second Annual Amgen Tour of California Women’s Time Trial Invitational. The women’s field raced the same course as the men’s Stage 5 time trial, 29.7 km with an 8% climb at the end on the China Grade Loop.

PodiumInsight: The race of truth today at the Amgen Tour of California – the time trial. One rider, one bike and a clock. That’s it. And the 18.4-mile (29.7 km) course is definitely for the specialists.

VeloNation: Slovakian plays down time trial chances.

CyclingNews: If the Amgen Tour of California had a jersey for the most popular rider, it would likely go to RadioShack-Nissan's Jens Voigt. The affable German was in a good mood as usual in Sonora yesterday as he prepared for the longest day of the week.

Bicycling: A look at cycling’s rising star, and the winner of four out of four stages at this year’s Tour of California.

PodiumInsight: On stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California, Alex Candelario (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) finished a very close fourth in a bunch sprint behind three very fast men, all on ProTeams. But before tangling at the front for the win, the sprinter had to make his way over three climbs as the pack raced 115.3 miles (185.5 km) from San Jose to Livermore.

CyclingNews: The Bontrager-Livestrong development team has made the most so far of its invitation to the Amgen Tour of California, scoring multiple top-10 stage results and placing New Zealander Josh Atkins, who currently sits 10th overall, in the Best Young Rider's jersey.

BikeRumor: ENVE Composites is considered one of (if not the) premier carbon fiber tube and component manufacturers, and we were given a chance to peek behind the curtain at their operation. Well, most of it anyway. There are a few things we couldn’t photograph or mention, but for the most part they opened their doors wide and gave us surprising amount of access.

Thursday's Tour of California Stage 5, a 29.7km Individual Time Trial at Bakersfield gets underway with the departure of the first rider at 1:00pm PDT (10:00pm CET). Tour of California live streaming video should get underway at around 1:45pm PDT (10:45pm CET).

SBS: World road race champion Mark Cavendish (Sky) has openly criticized key leadout man Geraint Thomas at the finish of Stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia in Montecatini overnight, after a mistake from the Welshman ruined his chances of what would have been his third stage win.

PodiumInsight: AEG and SRAM will present the Second Annual Amgen Tour of California Women’s Time Trial Invitational. Ten elite women time trial riders have been invited to race concurrently with the men’s time trial stage in Bakersfield. The women’s course will be the same course as the men’s race, 29.7 km with an 8% climb at the end on the China Grade Loop. Kristin Armstrong (Exergy Twenty12), last year’s winner, is aiming to repeat.

VeloNation: Briton pleased with progress, but doesn’t want to make presumptions.

Off The Beaten Path: Whether it’s wide tires at lower pressures or front-end geometries, some of what we find to work best is not currently used by professional racers. Don’t professional teams do a lot of testing and development of their equipment? Isn’t it safe to assume that their equipment is optimized for the job at hand? I believe the answer is: “Not always.”

road.cc: RadioShack Nissan's two fortysomethings relive the past - and Jens has another story saved up for the grandkids.

BikeHugger: Spotted this LED turn signal prototype on a bike in a rack yesterday. It’s for bicycle running and turn signals.

RedKitePrayer: "So last week I laid my hands on a SRAM 2012 Red group. To use a more colloquial phrasing, you might say that my stock has risen enough with the folks in Chicago that they were willing to provide me with a group for review."

CyclingNews: Following his interview with Men's Journal, Lance Armstrong will also appear on a US talk show, hosted by the California lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom, saying he's "done" answering questions regarding his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.

RedKitePrayer: "Given the opportunity to talk about ourselves, we make bold statements like, “I am a cyclist” or “I am a writer,” as if those temporary actions derive from some deeper sense of purpose or intention. The bicycle is always a bicycle, unless it is destroyed, but is the cyclist still a cyclist when he stops cycling?"

Thursday's Stage 12 start time: 13:05 CET (4:05 AM PDT); 
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:09 CET (8:09 AM PDT); 

road.cc: A tough day and one for the break says Geraint Thomas… but there's a nice tight turn at the finish if ends in a sprint.

CyclingNews: Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giacattoli-Venezuela) who caused the major crash on stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia, won the sprint stage 11. Francesco Chicchi (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) was second, with Thomas Vaitkus (GreenEdge) third. Top favourite Mark Cavendish, who lost his teammates to a crash in the final turn, was unable to move up to the front and was fourth.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (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...

VeloNews: Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) believes his surge into the maglia rosa is more than just confirmation that he is king of the hilltop finales.

VeloNews: Monday passed at the Giro d’Italia with Mark Cavendish (Sky) blocked and unable to unleash his sprint yet again, but the world champion should have another chance on Wednesday in Montecatini.

road.cc: Team Sky star's wife Cath reveals news of break-in on Twitter.

CyclingNews: Apart from the expected final effort of stage winner and new race leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) on the uphill finish to Assisi, the man who impressed in stage 10 of the Giro d'Italia was Tom Jelte Slagter (Rabobank). His effort at the front on the final climb was the sort of effort often put forth by Rodriguez.

BikeRadar: Best helmets for road cycling winner - LAS Victory Limited.

BikeRadar verdict: 3 out of 5 stars. "Light and comfy, but the cheaper Pro version is better value."

Wednesday's Giro d'Italia Stage 11 departs Assisi at 10:55am CET (4:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Montecatini Terme at around 5:17pm CET (11:17am U.S. Eastern).  Giro d'Italia live streaming video should get underway at around 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern).

PEZ: "Mavic = Wheels. That’s it, right? I mean why even think about big yellow for anything but round stuff… At least that was the thought process when I looked at the size of the box sent from Mavic’s Media mogul (an ex Tech-geek, so he’s OK) Zack V. “What kinda wheel fits in something that small?!” was the thought."

Wednesday's Tour of California Stage 4 departs Sonora at 10:35am PDT (7:35pm CET) and is expected at the finish at Clovis at around 4:04pm PDT (01:04am CET).  Tour of California live streaming video should get underway at around 2:00pm PDT (11:00pm CET).

CyclingNews: The Amgen Tour of California has so far been a stalemate between the top contenders, but that should change on Thursday when the race hits Bakersfield for the 29.7km time trial on stage 5. The stage will finally shake out the general classification, where all the names are clustered at 40 seconds from race leader and winner of all four previous stages, Peter Sagan.

SBS: A last gasp attack by chrono-specialist Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Barracuda) would not deny a rampant Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), who took his fourth straight victory at the Amgen Tour of California, in Clovis.

VeloNews: With Thursday’s stage 5 time trial looming on the horizon, followed by stage 6 into Big Bear and the stage 7 summit finish on Mount Baldy, RadioShack-Nissan is preparing for a GC battle at the Amgen Tour of California in defense of Chris Horner’s 2011 title.

VeloNews: The Amgen Tour of California has yet to take shape in the general classification, but one team has begun to assert itself over the peloton, firing the opening salvos in a GC fight that will go all the way to the summit of Mount Baldy on Saturday.

TwistedSpoke: Besides all the racing at the Tour of California, there’s the con jobs, possum playing and sand bagging. It appears that the Spanish lady who broke Levi Leipheimer’s leg is just a pawn in an incredible game of high stakes California poker. It’s a race, it’s Greek drama.

Bicycling: For some, the race has a repetitious feel, despite the difficult climbs that have dotted the profiles of each stage. The opening day alone, around Santa Rosa, included four categorized climbs.

Clara Hughes: This is the seventh time I’ve lived the reality of trying to qualify for an Olympics.  The in-between Games I’ve not been part of were spent either glued to the internet (we don’t have television in either of our home bases) or working for CBC at the Games.  Yes, I am a unabashed Olympic junkie and can’t get enough of sport when it comes time every two years for the build to and then finally, the Olympics themselves.

Cyclelicious: The Colombian team are - Jhon Atapuma, Fabio Andres Duarte, Arevalo Javier Gonzalez Barrera, Victor Hugo!Pena Grisales, Carlos Julian Quintero, Michael Rodriguez, Wilson Marentes Torres, Juan Pablo Suarez.

Cyclismas: The UCI has announced that they will not carry out any equipment or position checks at this year’s edition of the Amgen Tour of California.

CyclingNews: Following his interview with Men's Journal, Lance Armstrong will also appear on a US talk show, hosted by the California lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom, saying he's "done" answering questions regarding his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.

RedKitePrayer: "Given the opportunity to talk about ourselves, we make bold statements like, “I am a cyclist” or “I am a writer,” as if those temporary actions derive from some deeper sense of purpose or intention. The bicycle is always a bicycle, unless it is destroyed, but is the cyclist still a cyclist when he stops cycling?"

InnerRing: Say “Rapha” and many cyclists will associate this with a London-based company producing semi-retro styled cycle clothing. But this business has appropriated a slice of history as it tries to evoke tales of epic rides and hardened riders for its brand.

CyclingNews: Sebastien Turgot is apparently the next French rider to run afoul of the whereabouts requirements for doping controls. The French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported that the Europcar rider has missed three doping controls within 18 months, and faces up to a two-year ban.

Cyclismas: Amidst the glitz and glamor of the Amgen Tour of California, concern for the whereabouts of Johan Bruyneel began to mount today, as his larger-than-life persona has been absent from the race declared by the organizers as “The greatest stage race in all of the Americas.”

VeloNation: Liquigas Cannondale rider doesn’t rule out trying for overall classification in California.

RedKitePrayer: Over recent years, scientific training methods have brought a sort of parity to pro cycling that allows more and more riders to finish races together, even tough ones. As a result, to avoid too many mass finishes, organizers are making race finales ever more difficult. Just look at the two major stage races taking place this week and the number of riders finishing together at the end of difficult days in the saddle.

Marco Pinotti: "We’ve passed three days of medium mountains since my last blog. This is how the geography of Italy makes the Giro a hard race no matter what. Even without looking for the big climbs and even though the competitiveness of those stages is limited to the last hour of racing, it’s very demanding. We’ve done six hours daily on the bike. Our legs can feel the fatigue of a grand tour."

Rambling Man: Like it or not, cycling is sometimes a contact sport. It’s simple physics—when a hundred bikes careen through a space the size of a sofa, things are bound to get ugly. Elbows flare, profanities fly, and the game of chicken is on.

Peloton: The battle for your bottle is well and truly underway. We have the original players, from Gatorade to GU. This group consists of the brands that really paved the way in the hydration field - the Acccelerades, Hammers, Cytomaxs, to name but a few…

BikeRadar: Campagnolo has announced several additions to their 2013 drivetrains (available now) to cater for riders who want a wider range of gears.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Wonderfully controllable and supremely powerful brake performance from a truly trick machine."

Wednesday's Stage 11 start time:10:55 CET (1:55 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:17 CET (8:17 AM PDT).

road.cc: Geraint Thomas and Simon MacMichael get some extra video input from Dan Lloyd and Dario Cioni as they assess whether it'll be a day for the sprinters or the break.

VeloNation: In the most widely predicted stage finish in the race so far, Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) outsprinted the rest of the peloton at the top of the climb to the Piazza del Comune in the centre of the Mediaeval city of Assisi. The Catalan winner of April’s Flèche Wallonne was led into the final half kilometre by Katusha teammate Dani Moreno, and managed to overcome counterattacks from a number of other riders to take his first victory in the race.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (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...

CyclingNews: Whatever happens in the second and third weeks of the Giro d’Italia, Taylor Phinney will remain one of the main stars of the corsa rosa. The winner of the opening time trial has been thrust into the limelight. He’s been such a great talker on Italian TV with the local language he speaks very well – and also the dialect of Veneto where he lived as a teenager – that the tifosi look for him at starts and finishes as much as they do for the Italian stars.

CyclingNews: Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) continued his unbeaten streak at the Amgen Tour of California with his third stage victory in as many days in Livermore. The Slovak champion and Tour of California leader once again turned on the afterburners to win a field sprint finale, with Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Barracuda) garnering his own second place result for the third straight stage. Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) rounded out the top three.

BikeRadar: Gary Erickson is an admirable man. He remains at the helm of CLIF Bar a company he founded 20 years ago, when he could have retired ten times over.

TwistedSpoke: "We caught up with BMC Racing’s Tejay Van Garderen moments before the start of stage two in the Tour of California."

VeloNation: Matthews’ fall foils Rabobank game plan.

VeloNews: Cracked seat tube sleeve.

CycleSport: One small rider. One big climb. Why Domenico Pozzovivo is attracting attention at the Giro d’Italia.

Saddle Americana:  My original ride across the United States in 2006 furnished me with most of my fondest memories and experiences so it’s truly hard to pick just one to relate here. Instead I think I’ll highlight some of my favorite experiences with a list for potential trans-continental cyclists, in the form of some advice as to what to expect (and what not to).

VeloNews: BMC Racing’s Tejay van Garderen used Friday’s pre-race press conference at the Amgen Tour of California to address a serious topic — and to ask for help.

CompetitiveCyclist: In the shadow of Mother's Day, it's proper to acknowledge that, indeed, it's the woman who pays. It's the mothers and wives who tolerate our absence from home, nevertheless sow the seeds of joy, and then welcome us back as if we haven't just spent the morning doing very bad things. The risk is all theirs because they're the ones who'll be left putting the pieces back together if, some day, our rage causes things to go tragic.

InnerRing: You might have heard of Piaggio, the Italian scooter manufacturer and its “Vespa” model. Two wheeled transport is very popular in Italy, especially with smaller 50 and 125cc engines. The countryside is often hilly, towns and villages are never far away, and frequent good weather all combine to make this mode of transport very practical and suitable.

InnerRing: The victory salute is universal. The rider crosses the line and lifts their arms in triumph. But what lies behind this movement, is it something we do in imitation of others or is it a primal form of expression? Why punch the air or wave your hands?

road.cc: A climby but sprinty stage… possibly not one for the pure sprinters though reckons Geraint Thomas.

CyclingNews: Whatever happens in the second and third weeks of the Giro d’Italia, Taylor Phinney will remain one of the main stars of the corsa rosa. The winner of the opening time trial has been thrust into the limelight. He’s been such a great talker on Italian TV with the local language he speaks very well – and also the dialect of Veneto where he lived as a teenager – that the tifosi look for him at starts and finishes as much as they do for the Italian stars.

VeloNation: Katusha rider makes intentions clear in advance of tomorrow’s lumpy stage.

road.cc: Points jersey leader and world champion both miss out on sprint as they come down on final corner.

CyclingWeekly:  "As I am sure you can guess, the Giro d'Italia is going rather nicely for Garmin-Barracuda so far. Unfortunately my colleagues at the Giro cannot just bask in the glory."

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (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...

CyclingNews: For the second day in a row, the Giro d’Italia has a Canadian in the lead. That had never happened in the previous 102-year history of the corsa rosa. Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) has given the Italian grand tour an international impact.

VeloNation: Canadian welcomes likelihood of easier day today.

SBS: South African Robbie Hunter is set to take over as Garmin-Barracuda’s lead sprinter at the Giro d’Italia with teammate Tyler Farrar now out of the race.

Reto Hollenstein: "On Wednesday we set out for the Giro d'Italia. On the day we arrived there wasn't really a Giro feeling – everyone was really relaxed and laid back. But on Thursday we did a casual training session and saw the pink signs and posters everywhere – that's when things really got started!"

CyclingNews: Argos-Shimano sprinter prevails on final stage to seal victory.

Monday's Stage 9 start time: 13:20 CET (4:20 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:17 CET (8:17 AM PDT);

BikeRadar: Although the expense of carbon molds have made custom geometry cost-prohibitive for some companies, Cannondale have created a “54x58” mold for former Liquigas rider Daniele Bennati. Now used by Sagan, the frame size features a 54 cm seat tube with a relatively long 58cm top tube.

Monday's Tour of California Stage 2 departs San Francisco at 11:05am PDT (8:05pm CET) and is expected at the finish at Santa Cruz County at around 4:04pm PDT (01:04am CET).  Tour of California live streaming video should get underway at around 2:00pm PDT (11:00pm CET).

TwistedSpoke: "We caught up with BMC Racing’s Tejay Van Garderen moments before the start of stage two in the Tour of California."

VeloNews: Prior to the race’s start, defending champion Chris Horner (RadioShack-Nissan) told NBC Sports Network that he wasn’t convinced that Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), who broke his leg on April 1, was incapable of mounting a GC battle, saying, “We all know Levi’s been playing a bit of possum. You don’t show up looking that lean and fit by laying around on the couch.”

VeloNation: Matthews’ fall foils Rabobank game plan.

In an odd way races seem to have their symbolic riders, don't they? Ronde van Vlaanderen... Briek Schotte. Paris-Roubaix... Jean Stablinski. Not sure who you could pick for any of the grand tours (TdF... Hinault?), but it's pretty easy to figure out who the face of the Amgen Tour of California is. He's the most decorated winner. Local guy. Headliner at press conferences, even when he might not be riding. Hell, this year, they even included a chunk of Levi's Gran Fondo in stage 1. In these still somewhat formative years of the ATOC, there is no separating out Levi Leipheimer from the festivities.

CyclingNews: It's been a hard year for Ben Jacques-Maynes of Bissell, but one year on from a crash at the Amgen Tour of California that left him with a simple broken collarbone that turned into a month ordeal, he was back in the race and on the attack, claiming the most aggressive rider's jersey at the end of the opening stage in Santa Rosa.

Cyclismas: After an mildly uneventful first day of the Amgen Tour of California which saw Liquigas-Cannondale rider Peter Sagan backstroke to his stage one victory, the race organizer was forced to act quickly to prevent the arrest of the entire peloton.

Cyclelicious: The proposed plan: Shoot photos at Bonny Doon at 2 PM, then race by bike to the finish line and hope to beat the pros there for another set of photos at about 4 PM. Who thinks I can make it?

BikeRadar: Whether you're in the comfort of a workshop or exposed out on the trails, having the right skills and tools to fix and maintain your bike are an essential part of any mountain biker's armory.

road.cc: In an attempt on the prestigious record for the world's longest saddle name, the leathermeisters at Brooks have introduced a special edition of the classic B17, called (deep breath) Brooks B17 Select World Traveller 2012 Limited Edition Saddle. Phew.

Off The Beaten Path: At Compass Bicycles, we tend to be a bit obsessive when it comes to our bicycles. “Good enough” usually is not good enough when we’re out on our bikes, and we apply the same exacting thoroughness to the components we sell. Take the Honjo fenders as an example.

Jonathan Vaughters: "On Stage 1 of the Tour of California the gap got out to 11 minutes at one point, and it got kind of interesting. The big thing is that for a while there were only two or three people working to bring the break back—we had one rider, Liquigas had one, and RadioShack-Nissan had one."

Saddle Americana:  My original ride across the United States in 2006 furnished me with most of my fondest memories and experiences so it’s truly hard to pick just one to relate here. Instead I think I’ll highlight some of my favorite experiences with a list for potential trans-continental cyclists, in the form of some advice as to what to expect (and what not to).

VeloNews: BMC Racing’s Tejay van Garderen used Friday’s pre-race press conference at the Amgen Tour of California to address a serious topic — and to ask for help.

CompetitiveCyclist: In the shadow of Mother's Day, it's proper to acknowledge that, indeed, it's the woman who pays. It's the mothers and wives who tolerate our absence from home, nevertheless sow the seeds of joy, and then welcome us back as if we haven't just spent the morning doing very bad things. The risk is all theirs because they're the ones who'll be left putting the pieces back together if, some day, our rage causes things to go tragic.

InnerRing: You might have heard of Piaggio, the Italian scooter manufacturer and its “Vespa” model. Two wheeled transport is very popular in Italy, especially with smaller 50 and 125cc engines. The countryside is often hilly, towns and villages are never far away, and frequent good weather all combine to make this mode of transport very practical and suitable.

InnerRing: The victory salute is universal. The rider crosses the line and lifts their arms in triumph. But what lies behind this movement, is it something we do in imitation of others or is it a primal form of expression? Why punch the air or wave your hands?

road.cc: Longer video with soundtrack shows incident in a rather different light.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "A smooth and fast ride for long days in the saddle."

road.cc: Ex ONCE, Astana and Liberty-Seguros Directeur Sportif looking to offload 57 pro peoloton classics.

BikeRadar: Knowing how to repair a puncture is an essential skill that every cyclist needs to master. It can be daunting for the inexperienced but only takes a few minutes once you know what you're doing.

CyclingNews: Swiss star earns mountain bike World Cup win on his birthday.

BikeHugger: This video is from the British Film Council and shows the Raleigh Bicycle factory in 1945. Of course, they don’t make bikes like that anymore and few in the UK. While in the UK a few years ago, we toured the Moulton factory, where they still make bikes and 14 Bike Co.

Monday's Stage 9 start time: 13:20 CET (4:20 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:17 CET (8:17 AM PDT);

road.cc: Time to get some sprinters back in your Fantasy team reckons Geraint Thomas.

CyclingNews: Diminutive Domenico Pozzovivo finally delivered on his huge climbing ability as he claimed the biggest victory of his career at Lago Laceno.

VeloNation: Giro del Trentino winner breaks away on final climb and solos to victory; Hesjedal keeps pink.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (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...

Enrico Battaglin: "After a full week of racing, I get to feel the difference between a normal bike race and the Giro d'Italia. Tiredness is there but I'm getting accustomed to it. During stage 5 to Fano, I noticed a general slowdown in the bunch. I thought it might have been caused by a crash but it wasn't. A pastry chef had prepared some cakes for us. Many riders stopped for a tasting session. Unfortunately, I was on the wrong side of the road and I missed this extra feed zone! It was a nice touch by the tifosi though."

RBAction: Although not a single one of the Pro teams competing at Amgen Tour of California are using the yet-to-be-released, 2013 Shimano Dura-Ace (mechanical) group, we did manage to find one bike in Santa Rosa that had a selection of the new, highly anticipated Dura-Ace bits mounted. Better yet, I got the chance to give the bike a short spin as well.

PodiumInsight: Day two of the Missouri Professional Cycling Series saw top class fields contest the most recent round of the USA Crits on the streets of the Grove neighborhood in St. Louis, MO. With 150 riders in the men’s race and over 50 racers in the women’s field, all the top NRC teams were represented as perfect weather greeted the fields for an afternoon of full tilt crit racing.

TwistedSpoke: If you’re a underdog with awesome form, that’s how you want to slide into the Tour of California. Just off the list of potential contenders, a media afterthought, mentioned but not really feared.

VeloNation: Joaquim Rodríguez and Beñat Inxausti leading the Armada on the climb to Lago Laceno.

PodiumInsight: Starting in Cazadero, the road goes up to the top of Fort Ross Road and then a quick descent down Meyers Grade Road with breathtaking views of the coast line. A left onto Highway 1 will take the racers south 12 miles to the quintessential northern California climb of Coleman Valley Road, which is long, twisty and steep. Then, it’s a fast 16 miles back to Santa Rosa.

CyclingNews: With a US base in Northern California, the BMC Racing Team and its director Mike Sayers of Sacramento have a distinct advantage of having intimate first-hand knowledge of the Amgen Tour of California's opening stages. Giving his analysis of this year's course, Sayers said the results on the key stage to Mt. Baldy at the end of the race will be affected by the surprisingly difficult opening four days in addition to the time trial and Big Bear stage which precedes it.

VeloNation: American sprinter takes biggest career win in sprinter’s race in China.

CyclingIQ: After a difficult start to her 2012 season, Shelley Olds has turned her fortunes around in the space of 500 metres. The 31-year-old Boston-raised American came to China with doubts about her form, having broken her wrist at the Trofeo Alfredo Binda World Cup race in Italy only six weeks prior.

road.cc: Phinney's ankle, Garmin's speed and the battle for the Maglia Rosa at the Verona Team Time Trail.

BikeRadar: Chris Horner has never been overly concerned with what professionals are “supposed to do”. And at age 40, the RadioShack-Nissan-Trek rider who started the 2012 Amgen Tour of California Sunday as the defending champion isn’t about to change his style.

BikeHugger: There’s been some head scratching on the configuration of the new Dura Ace 9000 brake caliper. Velonews speculated that there are 3 pivots hidden in the caliper above. What’s kind of weird is the spy photo from Japan (about a month old) seems to show a full production model, while the shots of Team Sky Pinarellos at the Giro this week have logo-free examples, as if they were prototypes.

Cyclocosm: The Tour of California has an image problem. Mercifully, it’s nothing to with jersey zips—it’s more that the race’s marketing material is absolutely incomprehensible.

BikeRadar: It started as a simple idea — to celebrate and empower women with the bicycle. Today, May 13th, thousands of women and men around the globe are participating in one of the more than 160 CycloFemme rides.

BikeRadar: Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) gave himself the perfect 26th birthday present on Sunday when he won the elite men's cross country World Cup in Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech.

CyclingNews: We’re a few days into the Giro now, but it’s still too early to say which riders are going to emerge as the likely contenders. I know Joaquim Rodríguez is in a good position after Katusha did so well to finish just behind Garmin in the team time trial, but the key to victory in this race is not what happens now but what happens in the final week in the Dolomites. I’ve got no doubt that a lot of riders are holding themselves back until the final week.

road.cc: A good assembly of cleaners and brushes in a handy box, but a chain cleaning device would be a good addition.

road.cc: A tidy-looking bike, that rides fine, let down by poor tires and brakes - and you should get more for this kind of money.

VeloNation: Comment sought from RadioShack Nissan team.

CyclingNews: Ciao from Pesaro on the East coast, watching the Adriatic Sea from the hotel room I share with my team-mate Mathias Frank. Let’s talk about another team-mate of mine: Taylor Phinney. In the past five days, the world has discovered a phenomenal person. He’s the kind of champion that cycling needs. Without the most damaging of his three crashes, he would still be in the maglia rosa now.

VeloNews: Here at the Giro, the 23c is in decline, replaced by its slightly fatter cousin, the 25c. Many of the teams already recognized for more progressive technological mindsets have begun using fatter 25c tires for regular road stages – no cobbles or gravel in sight, just smooth(ish) Italian tarmac.

Sunday's Stage 8 start time: 11:00 CET (2:00 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:11 CET (8:11 AM PDT); 

road.cc: The most southerly point of this year's race and a day for a break says Geraint Thomas.

PodiumInsight: Day two of the Missouri Professional Cycling Series saw top class fields contest the most recent round of the USA Crits on the streets of the Grove neighborhood in St. Louis, MO. With 150 riders in the men’s race and over 50 racers in the women’s field, all the top NRC teams were represented as perfect weather greeted the fields for an afternoon of full tilt crit racing.

CyclingNews: Paolo Tiralongo added to Team Astana's list of successes in 2012 by conquering the steep, twisting climb up to Rocca di Cambio to win the seventh stage of the Giro d'Italia. He had taken off with 500 meters to go with 2011 Giro winner Michele Scarponi, who took second place. Fränk Schleck of RadioShack-Nissan finished third, only three seconds later.

CyclingNews: Michele Scarponi gave a clear answer to those who doubted his state of form on stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia to Rocca di Cambio by finishing second behind Paolo Tiralongo (Astana). The Lampre-ISD team has lost the lead as Adriano Malori was unable to hold the speed on the final climb, but they have gained serenity with Scarponi showing that he’s the most incisive of the favorites in an uphill finish. The official defending champion has also justified his leadership over Damiano Cunego.

TwistedSpoke: If you’re a underdog with awesome form, that’s how you want to slide into the Tour of California. Just off the list of potential contenders, a media afterthought, mentioned but not really feared.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour de Picardie - May 11-13 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (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...

VeloNation: French sprinter adjudged to have impeded rivals in Villers-Bocage finish.

Reto Hollenstein: "On Wednesday we set out for the Giro d'Italia. On the day we arrived there wasn't really a Giro feeling – everyone was really relaxed and laid back. But on Thursday we did a casual training session and saw the pink signs and posters everywhere – that's when things really got started!"

road.cc: Grippy, durable and fairly light, a very good all-round performance training tire.

Chris Horner: “Hey, your boys writing the articles for Cali do remember that I was 4th last year, I’m the highest-ranked U.S. rider in the world, and am going to drop all your favorites.”

VeloNation: Ryder Hesjedal becomes the first Canadian in pink after the race’s first mountain finish.

VeloNews: Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) made history Saturday by becoming the first Canadian to wear the pink jersey. But like most things in modern-day cycling, it didn’t happen by accident. Behind Hesjedal’s journey to the top of the Giro leaderboard is months of planning and hard work.

VeloNation: RadioShack Nissan rider to the fore in Giro d’Italia.

InnerRing: There’s been a big focus on the Giro this week and no wonder given it’s the second biggest race on the calendar, with an open list of contenders, some good scenery and a variety of chances. But there’s been plenty more happening during the past week and more to come in the days ahead.

TwistedSpoke: Post TOC press conference we’re feeling all rhetorical. For instance, has Horner already won the Cali race without turning a pedal in anger or disinterest? We’re dealing with a Levi Void.

road.cc: The first summit finish of this year's race… and Geraint Thomas gives us a name.

PodiumInsight: As the cycling world looks to Italy and California over the coming days and weeks, a fast growing series of criteriums in St. Louis, MO is quietly attracting top teams from the around the country with a variety of quality courses and NRC points. With deep neighborhood support and a growing list of sponsors, the Missouri Professional Cycling Series, also know as MoPro, is working its way into the upper echelons of domestic criterium racing.

BikeHugger: There’s been some head scratching on the configuration of the new Dura Ace 9000 brake caliper. Velonews speculated that there are 3 pivots hidden in the caliper above. What’s kind of weird is the spy photo from Japan (about a month old) seems to show a full production model, while the shots of Team Sky Pinarellos at the Giro this week have logo-free examples, as if they were prototypes.

VeloNation: Comment sought from RadioShack Nissan team.

CyclingNews: Ciao from Pesaro on the East coast, watching the Adriatic Sea from the hotel room I share with my team-mate Mathias Frank. Let’s talk about another team-mate of mine: Taylor Phinney. In the past five days, the world has discovered a phenomenal person. He’s the kind of champion that cycling needs. Without the most damaging of his three crashes, he would still be in the maglia rosa now.

VeloNation: Garmin-Barracuda rider becomes the first Canadian in pink after letting it slip the day before.

New team-mate says Italian is extremely focussed

Peloton: Three-time Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer of the United States plans to start this year's edition of the top US stage race Sunday despite breaking a leg last month.

PodiumInsight: One year ago, a then retired Fast Freddie Rodriguez was riding a fund-raiser with the Specialized Junior team when he “got the bug back”. Climbing on Sierra Road with the riders he was mentoring, his interest to return to professional cycling was re-kindled. A few months later, he was racing with his new squad, Team Exergy in Philly.

VeloNews: Here at the Giro, the 23c is in decline, replaced by its slightly fatter cousin, the 25c. Many of the teams already recognized for more progressive technological mindsets have begun using fatter 25c tires for regular road stages – no cobbles or gravel in sight, just smooth(ish) Italian tarmac.

Lee Waldman: What do you do when you have that really bad race? It’s that day when you just can’t get out of your own way. Absolutely nothing works. Everything just feels off kilter. Like the Universe has shifted slightly overnight.

road.cc: Shiny shoes, new jerseys, helpful videos, beautiful saddles and more...

Lee Rodgers: “Come race UCI Asia Tour,” they said. “New cultures, amazing vistas, exotic wildlife,” they said.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, it actually is kind of true (if any truth can be “kind of”), but they forgot to mention one critical factor that will transform even the most transcendentally beautiful locale from Nirvana to Hell in one fell swoop: The Heat.

Saturday's Stage 7 start time: 11:45 CET (2:45 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:17 CET (8:17 AM PDT).

VeloNation: Adriano Malori rides himself into pink as Ramunas Navardauskas cracks on tough, hilly course.

VeloNation: German sprinter carries Dunkerque form into the next French stage race.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (Stages & results),
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...

VeloNation: Time bonuses see Australian seize final yellow from Italian Monia Baccaille.

CyclingNews: Spanish timeshare group Anfi is set to become the co-sponsor of Bjarne Riis’s Saxo Bank team later this year. In an interview with Danish business daily Borsen, Anfi CEO José Luis Trujillo said the goal of his company is to have a more visible presence in Scandinavia, and particularly in Denmark. Consequently, Anfi is set to boost the small deal it already has with the team.

VeloNation: ‘In 2013 I want to be an even better rider.’

BikeRadar verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. "Light, secure and well priced too."

road.cc: The first summit finish of this year's race… and Geraint Thomas gives us a name.

VeloNation: Crash ends campaign of Garmin Barracuda sprinter.

VeloNation: Norwegian lacking form, affected by fatigue.

CyclingNews: Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda) says he is expecting a difficult day’s racing as stage six of the 2012 Giro d'Italia delves deep into the Apennines, with the infamously steep Montelupone climb - 53 kilometres from the finish - the potential flashpoint.

Horner is all-in for Mount Baldy at the Amgen Tour of California.

VeloNews: “Basically, I’ve got one chance to win the Tour of California, and that’s Mount Baldy,” Horner said. “I need a Sierra [Road] climb, I need the Baldy climb,” he said of the steep ramps he used in 2011 to attack the favorites into submission. “Motivation is good — the form is almost where it was last year.”

PodiumCafe: America's Biggest and Best Stage Race* kicks off edition #7 this coming Sunday, with a rolling and rocking course up and down the Golden State's rugged landscape, enough to make the pack sprinter in each of us bleed from the ears.

VeloNation: Swiss rider speaks about return, team manager says he deserves second chance.

CyclingNews: In five days at the Giro d'Italia, Taylor Phinney (BMC) has had incidents in every road stage and the team time trial stage. Only during the inaugural individual time trial did he get through without touching the ground.

CyclingNews: Three-time Amgen Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer will be joining his Omega Pharma-Quickstep team on the start line of the race which begins in his adopted hometown of Santa Rosa on Sunday, but has counted himself out of the fight for the overall classification.

VeloNation: ‘It doesn’t matter any more’; Texan accepts he could lose Tour titles.

CyclingNews: Jan Ullrich has taken another step back into public life, after years of “doubt, depression and physical problems.” The retired rider is currently serving a two-year ban stemming from his invovlement in the Operacion Puerto blood-doping scheme. Ullrich, 38, will write a weekly column for EurosportYahoo.

Peloton: What looks most likely to happen at this weekend’s two summit finishes in the south of Italy is for the race leadership to move from the broad shoulders of Lampre-ISD’s Adriano Malori to the much slimmer body of Katusha Team’s Spanish climber Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez.

Marijn de Vries: "My feet are standing on the tiles of platform 4a. My bum rests on the bar alongside the glass wall surrounding the stairs leading to the platform. When I stood up a short while ago I noticed that my buttocks left quite a large amount of mud behind."

RedKitePrayer: "I don’t know why I drift away from cycling periodically. I love riding, and I love the bike as a tool and as an object. I love what it does for me, and I believe in it as a lifestyle. I’m just easily distracted."

BikeRadar: If climbing is daunting to a beginner, descending is at least its equal. The fifth video in our series on improving your road cycling technique looks at how you should position yourself on the bike when the road plummets.

Friday's Stage 6 start time: 11:40 CET (2:40 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:11 CET (8:11 AM PDT).

road.cc: In to the mountains… the medium mountains Simon MacMichael and Geraint Thomas give you the heads up.

VeloNation: World champion sprints to victory on the Adriatic after the coast road sees many of his rivals dropped.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (Stages & results),
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...

CyclingNews: Italy's Monia Baccaille (MCipollini Giambenini) raced to victory at stage two of the 2012 Tour of Chongming Island, edging out Australia's stage one winner Melissa Hoskins (Orica-GreenEdge) and taking overall control of the general classification.

VeloNation: RadioShack Nissan and BMC Racing Team reveal lineup.

Bicycling: The 23-year-old American contemplates becoming the superstar everyone thinks he’s going to be without losing sight of who he is.

BikeRumor: Between the ever-larger frame tubes (on road and off) and the proliferation of dropper posts (for the latter), it sometimes seems as though the humble 27.2mm seatpost is headed for extinction.  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing- larger diameter tubes are less likely to bend and require less clamping force to stay put.  They’re also… stiffer.

PodiumCafe: While the Tour of California regularly does not greatly excite me, while checking the Cali startlist my heart went a little bit a flutter. There, in very final position of the cyclingfever startlist for the Bontrager Livestrong team: Jasper Stuyven. Also known as the next next big thing.

CyclingNews: In five days at the Giro d'Italia, Taylor Phinney (BMC) has had incidents in every road stage and the team time trial stage. Only during the inaugural individual time trial did he get through without touching the ground.

VeloNews: Ramunas Navardauskas was out for an easy spin in Valencia, Spain, five days before the Giro d’Italia. He had no plan to race and, for sure, he had no plan to wear the pink jersey.

VeloNation: Navardauskas’ Maglia Rosa comes after late call up to replace Thomas Dekker.

CycleSport: Just how important is the team time trial to the ambitions of the overall contenders? Less so than you might think.

CycleBoredom: It looks real good like. Like a true step above, top of the line helmet, the Lazer Helium ($230USD) consists of everything the Genesis is with all the necessary PRO improvements. It simply looks tighter than the Genesis.

BikeRadar: The fourth in our series which aims to improve your road cycling technique looks at perhaps the most daunting aspect of riding for beginners - climbing.

PodiumInsight: For the second year in a row, the young riders of the Bontrager-Livestrong team (Trek-Livestrong in 2011) left their mark on the SRAM Tour of the Gila. The under-23 squad’s final tally is one stage win, two second-places, the best young rider jersey, third overall on GC and the team classification.

SingleTrack: Willow Rockwell is in transition from professional cycling. Her training advice will appear regularly on Singletrack.com.

It's more of the same Boulting delivered in How I Won The Yellow Jumper.

Cyclismas: "I’ve got the pleasure of the company of Dani King for the next couple of weeks in Belgium, and she is one of the most grounded World Champions you could ever wish to meet.  She ‘didn’t make it’ onto the British Academy system and came to my team, pulled her socks up, rolled up her sleeves, and progressed to the point that she’s made it back in the BC structure and is a double World Champion."

InnerRing: "Now I enjoy pro cycling and like to follow the news but I’ve had to research the extra prizes and ceremonies on offer because they’re not obvious. But if you want to know your team classification from your Superteam or your Fuga from your Fairplay, read on."

VeloNation: German wants to move on after CAS ruling and ‘years of despair and depression.

VeloNews: Shimano is keeping hush on this prototype 11-speed road group, but it appears to be quite close to a final version. A complete redesign is evident, from a brand new, four-arm crank to updated lever ergonomics to an ultra tall front derailleur parallelogram. And, of course, it has 11 cogs.

Luke Durbridge: "It's been a while since I've thrown one of these together – but there's been a lot happening. I've just got back from the Tour of Romandie which was my first mountainous race for the year – that was pretty tough."

road.cc: Handmade carbon sportive bike that's available as a full-custom option.

road.cc: Lightweight, practical and extremely loud horn but can also provoke driver aggression.

BikeRumor: "When it comes to gram shaving, I spend far too much time and energy sweating the small stuff. But when it comes to pouring sealant into my tires, the concerns are limited to whatever we’re reviewing at the moment (or what’s within reach). At this moment, the stars have aligned. We just got a couple bottles of Orange Seal Cycling’s tubeless sealant, which claims to be the 'world’s lightest sealant.'"

Thursday's Wednesday's Giro d'Italia Stage 5 start time: 12:30 CET (3:30 AM PDT); Earliest live video: 14:35 CET (5:35 AM PDT); Live/delayed coverage options Approximate finish: 17:15 CET (8:15 AM PDT) .

CyclingNews: Navardauskas takes over pink jersey from Phinney.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
Tour of Chongming Island - May 9-11 (Stages & results),
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...

CyclingIQ: Melissa Hoskins (GreenEDGE-AIS) claimed her first professional road cycling victory in Asia today, after decisively winning the 73.4km opening stage of the three-day UCI Tour of Chongming Island stage race in China.

CyclingNews: Twenty riders were tested for corticoids at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque on Monday in additional controls organised by the French Cycling Federation in conjunction with the Movement for Professional Cycling and France’s Ligue Nationale de Cyclisme.

Lisa Brennauer: "I’ve been in China twice already so I knew, that you never know exactly what to expect of a country so far away from home, with such a different culture and lifestyle. My first impression was: grey sky as always, but if you come to Chongming Island you have to admit that even if the sun doesn’t often come through the dusty sky lots of forests, rivers and little townhouses give a beautiful natural contrast to the big city of Shanghai not far away."

BikeRadar: Bringing together three trends in cycling – power meters, ovalized chainrings and twin-ring mountain bike cranksets – Rotor and SRM will begin selling their 3D+ Mountain Bike Double* in June.

“In the midst of competition, Hinault attempted to snatch victory like a furious, clawing rodent… he acted not only for himself but for a nation horrified that its great race might be hijacked by an American outlaw.” Rolling Stone, 1986.

CyclingNews: Taylor Phinney (BMC) made the most of his Giro d’Italia rest day by recuperating after his stage 3 crash. The American maglia rosa hit the tarmac inside the finale and was swiftly taken to the hospital after the podium celebrations. Scans revealed no broken bones, but treatment required several stitches to his badly swollen ankle.

InnerRing: "Ramūnas Navardauskas is not yet a familiar name in the sport but I suspect he’ll become a lot more recognisable now he’s taken the lead in the Giro. He’s 24 years old and rides for Garmin-Barracuda and if you haven’t spotted his name in the results so far, that’s because he’s been an invaluable helper for others on his team."

CyclingNews: Taylor Phinney looked disappointed after losing the Giro d'Italia leader's jersey to Garmin-Barracuda's Ramunas Navardauskas in circumstances in which he normally would have performed, but he wasn't able to ride at his normal level during the stage 4 team time trial.

Taylor Phinney: This is what my foot looks like this morning.

road.cc: It's a day for the spinters… Simon MacMichael sets the scene and Geraint Thomas gives his tips.

InnerRing: Today sees a 33.2km team time trial in and around Verona. The city was used for the finish of the 2010 Giro d’Italia and now it hosts the restart of the race in Italy. But it could finish off the hopes of a few candidates for the overall as the distance is significant. Weak teams can pay a heavy price and the slight mountain climbers will struggle to hold the wheels.

CycleSport: On stage three of the Giro d’Italia at Horsens, a piece of spectacularly bad riding by Roberto Ferrari saw six riders hit the deck including the reigning world champion and the maglia rosa. There can’t have been too many times in history where two such prestigious jerseys have simultaneously hit the deck, so hard, so fast and for so little reason.

CyclingNews: RadioShack-Nissan announced today its line-up for the Amgen Tour of California and as expected it's a team built around defending champion Chris Horner.

Modena – Fano: Thursday’s Stage 5 should be noted for a couple of good reasons – 1. The flat finish could give Mark Cavendish some sweet revenge after being taken out in stage 3’s finale, and - 2. Fano is the home town of our own Ale Federico, who’s ready to welcome PEZ-fans with open arms…

NYVeloCity: Doping, dopers, cheaters, EPO, transfusions, recuperation, blood levels, hematocrit, electronic assist, Floyd, Lance, tainted meat, fairness, sport. Cycling has a long list of dirty words.

CyclingNews: Race leader Taylor Phinney and his BMC squad will be the final starters in Verona on Wednesday as the Giro d’Italia gets back into action after the rest day with the stage 4 team time trial.

PodiumCafe: In April after a close-fought duel with Marianne Vos on the Mur de Huy, Stevens won Flèche Wallonne, her first ever World Cup victory.

VeloNation: American rider undergoing therapy to try to recover in time.

CyclingNews: The last few months have been very hard for Bjarne Riis, first losing his top star Alberto Contador to a doping suspension and then facing the potential loss of Team Saxo Bank's WorldTour status. He has been let down by the UCI, he said.

TwistedSpoke: “Come on, really, day by day? I’d say something lame like that? No, I was being ironic, trying to be funny,” said Phinney. “I made the joke and then said I was taking the race day by other day. I said it in Italian and English."

Enrico Battaglin: "Ciao a tutti. I’m back in Italy but I can’t forget this trip to Denmark for my first start at the Giro d’Italia. When I was on the start ramp for the opening time trial in Herning, I thought: “well… I’ve seen this race on TV for many years, now here I am!” But once in action, it’s just another bike race, except that this one is so much more important than the others."

PodiumCafe: Getting a book-length account of a single season for a single rider is rare. Most of the time the true gems here aren't from the races themselves but the little things in between that add up to a more complete picture of a modern Belgian hero.

BicycleRetailer: Riders on Team Vacansoleil-DMC and Team Androni-Giocattoli will use the Vision Metron Groupset, which includes front and rear derailleurs, a cassette, a crank and a shifter for use on aero bars.Team Lampre also will be using a new Vision aerobar.

Off The Beaten Path: There are some components where you cannot save weight without undue compromises, and rims are a very good example. A well-designed clincher rim weighs about 450-500 g (650B) and 480-530 g (700C). To reduce this weight further, you only can remove material in four ways.

NYVeloCity: As a friend said to me the other day, you know you’re dominating your market when other people start making accessories for your product. And a quick glance around my weekend start line indicates that Garmin is becoming the computer of choice for racers.

CyclingNews: Taylor Phinney (BMC) made the most of his Giro d’Italia rest day by recuperating after his stage 3 crash. The American maglia rosa hit the tarmac inside the finale and was swiftly taken to the hospital after the podium celebrations. Scans revealed no broken bones, but treatment required several stitches to his badly swollen ankle.

CyclingWeekly: He first made his mark on the international cycling scene when he won the junior world time trial title in 2007. The following year, he won the junior world title in the individual pursuit on the track and took a win in the pursuit at the Track World Cup in Los Angeles.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
4 Jours de Dunkerque - May 4-8 (Stages & results),
SRAM Tour of the Gila - May 2-6 (Stages & results),
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...

CyclingNews: Engoulvent seals overall win

CyclingNews: FDJ-Big Mat and Farnese Vini riders also hurt.

BikeRumor: Inspired by founder Gary Erickson’s early Italian rides and adventures, Clif Bar’s new Panforte flavor celebrates the brand’s 20th anniversary.

While their professional team was in the midst of a Tour de France winning performance last year, BMC and its small cadre of engineers were more than 6 months into the development of their next platform, the GF01 Gran Fondo bike. Part endurance bike, part cobbled classic killer.

VeloNation: BMC Racing Team rider able to continue despite finishing in ambulance.

EuroSport: Australia's Matthew Goss gave Orica GreenEdge their first win in a Grand Tour with victory in stage three of the Giro d'Italia in the Danish town of Horsens.

Monday's Giro d'Italia Stage 3 departs Horsens at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Horsens at around 4:00pm CET (10:00am U.S. Eastern).  Giro d'Italia live streaming video should get underway at around 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern). 

CyclingNews: Race leader Taylor Phinney and his BMC squad will be the final starters in Verona on Wednesday as the Giro d’Italia gets back into action after the rest day with the stage 4 team time trial.

VeloNation: American rider rests, then loosens up prior to race restart.

VeloNation: Irishman names his favorites, is surprised weather wasn’t a factor in breaking things up.

What really riled Cavendish — bar seeing his thigh and shoulder completely cheesegrated by Danish course-grained concrete — was Ferrari's lack of contrition for his part in causing the horror smash.

Androni Giocattoli – Venezuela team aiming for podium in Giro.

VeloNews: "Saddle height, and saddle setback behind the BB are two very important measurements to me."

road.cc: Carbon monocoque bar will feature in the team time trial.

InnerRing: Today’s Giro Stage 3 was a bunch sprint and the story of the day is that Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocatelli) switched across the road and taking out Mark Cavendish and Taylor Phinney among others.

VeloNation: “I don’t care what goes on behind me,” says wayward Italian sprinter.

VeloNation: Italian sprinter accepts culpability after seeing TV images.

PEZ: While pointing and sign language are acceptable ways to communicate with accommodating Italians, throwing around a few choice words garners appreciation, throwing around cycling ones earns you Serious Bonus Points.

A study by Yale researchers found spending time on a poorly fit bicycle seat — in which fit refers to position or how the seat’s design ‘fits’ a rider’s anatomy — could be as hazardous to women's sexual health, as a man’s.

VeloNation: Tips on boosting form behind an engine.

BikeRadar: Following on from our how to corner tutorial, the second video shows how to deal with hazards when you're riding in a group.

InnerRing: With the Giro taking a rest today and 2011 cyclo-cross world champion Zdeněk Štybar winning Stage 4 of the Four Days of Dunkirk yesterday, it’s almost as if road cycling is on hold for a moment. The ideal time to look at a book on cyclo-cross.

RoadBikeAction: When we were seated and rolling along at a good clip, the difference we noticed in shock absorption was dramatic, so much so that we had to see if our rear tire was going flat—it wasn’t. When jumping out of the saddle to accelerate up a climb, the lateral and torsional stiffness the Evo exhibited made it feel like every bit of the top-tier race bike it was designed to be.

InnerRing: French squad Ag2r La Mondiale now surpass the second longest losing streak set by Euskaltel-Euskadi in 2005, when they didn’t win a race until 8 May.

CyclingNews: Alberto Contador has stated that he considers the 2011 Giro d'Italia victory as still belonging to him, although he was officially stripped of the title by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) following a doping suspension related to the 2010 Tour de France. Moreover, the Spaniard was asked by Eurosport to rate this year's Giro d'Italia contenders, and the former Saxo Bank rider placed Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) - the official 2011 winner - as his favourite for the overall victory.

IrishPeloton: The young American looked to have seriously hurt his ankle in the fall and actually didn’t cross the line with his bike to finish the stage.

VeloNation: BMC Racing Team rider able to continue despite finishing in ambulance.

EuroSport: Australia's Matthew Goss gave Orica GreenEdge their first win in a Grand Tour with victory in stage three of the Giro d'Italia in the Danish town of Horsens.

VeloNation: Tributes paid one year on to Leopard Trek rider.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
4 Jours de Dunkerque - May 4-8 (Stages & results),
SRAM Tour of the Gila - May 2-6 (Stages & results),
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...

RedKitePrayer: "When I first pulled the Giro Apeckx shoes out of the box, my reaction was lackluster. The problem wasn’t with the shoe, it was with me. It just took me a month to figure that out. What I didn’t appreciate when I first looked at them or when I first wore them or even when I got back from my first three-hour ride in them was what a value they are. Without really thinking, I had assumed these were the next step down the Giro line from the Factor. I was wrong."

Pedal: Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager-Livestrong Team scored the victory, finishing together with teammate Ian Boswell (USA) Bontrager-Livestrong Team.  In the overall GC competition, Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare came out on top, winning by a 15s margin over Chad Beyer (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team.

Bicycling: Entering an endurance race or heading out on an all-day ride? Follow this advice from the “Queen of Pain” Rebecca Rusch.

Monday's Giro d'Italia Stage 3 departs Horsens at 11:35am CET (5:35am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Horsens at around 4:00pm CET (10:00am U.S. Eastern).  Giro d'Italia live streaming video should get underway at around 2:30pm CET (8:30am U.S. Eastern). 

InnerRing: Today’s Giro Stage 3 was a bunch sprint and the story of the day is that Roberto Ferrari (Androni Giocatelli) switched across the road and taking out Mark Cavendish and Taylor Phinney among others.

VeloNation: “I don’t care what goes on behind me,” says wayward Italian sprinter.

road.cc: It's the Team Time Trial after the rest day… Simon MacMichael & Geraint Thomas give you some pointers.

VeloNation: Two-time cyclocross World champion jumps onto podium on aggressive penultimate day.

VeloNation: Yesterday’s stage winner downplays chances of holding pink jersey.

CyclingNews: Despite comments made yesterday by Liquigas-Cannondale team manager Roberto Amadio that the outfit is resigned to Vincenzo Nibali leaving at the end of the year, the team has now released a statement that no official discussions between the parties have in fact taken place.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Used properly, this workstand is a solid and durable bit of kit."

CyclingNews: The Giro d’Italia moves out of Denmark tonight for what could be its longest ever transfer - and what is very probably one of the longest of any Grand Tour: around 1,600 kilometres. Not even the Vuelta, when it shifted from Liège in Belgium to Reus in Spain during the 2010 race, has matched this figure.

€2.5 million offer from Astana and BMC?.

CyclingNews: Saur - Sojasun takes over race lead.

CyclingFans: Monday's 4 Days of Dunkirk Stage 4 departs Gravelines/Petit-Fort Philippe at 12:15pm CET (6:15am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Cassel at around 5:05pm CET (11:05am U.S. Eastern).  Four Days of Dunkirk live video streaming should get underway at around 3:45pm CET (9:45am U.S. Eastern).

CyclingNews: Alberto Contador has stated that he considers the 2011 Giro d'Italia victory as still belonging to him, although he was officially stripped of the title by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) following a doping suspension related to the 2010 Tour de France. Moreover, the Spaniard was asked by Eurosport to rate this year's Giro d'Italia contenders, and the former Saxo Bank rider placed Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) - the official 2011 winner - as his favourite for the overall victory.

VeloNews: Italy’s most promising grand tour rider, Vincenzo Nibali may leave Liquigas-Cannondale at the end of this season after failing to sign a contract extension this week. Nibali’s contract expires in December and other teams, reportedly BMC Racing ad Astana, are knocking on his door.

CyclingNews: The Rabobank team has reacted to allegations that systematic doping occurred on the team up until 2007 by saying that they now have a zero tolerance stance towards doping.

VeloNation: Garmin Barracuda rider represents best North American hope in battle for Maglia Rosa.

SRAM integrated a chain watcher — they call it a ‘Chain Spotter’ — into their new Red group, and it’s now ready for sale separate from the group.

BikeRadar Winner: Shimano Deore XT M785. Shimano lagged behind rivals SRAM when it came to introducing 2x10 chainsets but they appear to have made up for that by improving on last generation XT with super-stiff big-profile arms, a new spider design and meticulously profiled rings that remain slick, quiet and accurate even when shifting under extreme pedal pressure. Weight is impressive for such a stiff crankset, too.

Jamis-Sutter Home showed downtown Silver City how to accomplish a perfect leadout today with Alejandro first The Gila Pro Women’s criterium saw Loren Rowney (FCS/Rouse Racing) outsprint Optum duo Carmen Small and Christina Gokey Smith.

CXMagazine: "I admit, working with a coach has been an adjustment for me. As I progressed from casual rider to enthusiast to budding racer, my training techniques didn’t really change – still just get on bike and ride as long and as fast as I can."

Stage 3 start time: Monday 11:35 CET (2:30 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:00 CET (5:00 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 16:00 CET (7:00:00 AM PDT).

VeloNews: Taylor Phinney survives a late scare to hold onto pink after a long, flat day in Denmark.

VeloNews Video: Hesjedal says winning TTT is ‘our style.'

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
4 Jours de Dunkerque - May 4-8 (Stages & results),
SRAM Tour of the Gila - May 2-6 (Stages & results),
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...

VeloNews: Taylor Phinney’s (BMC Racing) dream come true of wearing the pink jersey at the Giro d’Italia turned into a nightmare with just over 8km to go in Sunday’s second stage.

BrowneEye: "Americans love winners. It’s a cliché, but true. Taylor Phinney’s win in stage 1 of the Giro d’ Italia won’t project him onto the front page of newspaper’s here in the States as that’s reserved for the one bike race Americans know – the Tour de France. However, I’m hoping Phinney’s victory in Henning helps save cycling in the U.S."

CyclingNews: When Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barracuda) saw that Taylor Phinney (BMC) had won yesterday’s stage of the 2012 Giro d’Italia,  he said he could not avoid a flicker of patriotic pride at seeing the 21-year-old become the next American after himself to wear the pink leader’s jersey.

€2.5 million offer from Astana and BMC?.

CyclingNews: Saur - Sojasun takes over race lead.

Ochowicz excited by Phinney's Giro d'Italia performance...

A deeply impressed Marco Pinotti says that he is convinced that BMC teammate, Giro d’Italia leader and fellow time trial star Taylor Phinney could become the successor of modern cycling’s greatest ever racer against the clock. “He has it in him to become the next Fabian Cancellara,” Pinotti told Cyclingnews at the Herning start of stage two of the 2012 Giro d'Italia.

CyclingWeekly: Max Sciandri switched from training the British Cycling Academy riders to training American cyclist and current Giro d'Italia leader, Taylor Phinney. Phinney won the opening time trial stage yesterday in Herning, Denmark; Sciandri, as BMC Racing sports director, was in the car behind.

Pedal: David Williams (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team) took the win at the 50-lap Electric City Circuit, the sixth round of the 2012 USA CRITS Speed Week. Tibco’s Kendall Ryan won the women’s 40-lap race.

CyclingFans: Monday's 4 Days of Dunkirk Stage 4 departs Gravelines/Petit-Fort Philippe at 12:15pm CET (6:15am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Cassel at around 5:05pm CET (11:05am U.S. Eastern).  Four Days of Dunkirk live video streaming should get underway at around 3:45pm CET (9:45am U.S. Eastern).

road.cc: Simon MacMichael and Geraint Thomas take a look at Stage 3 another day for the sprinters.

Jamis-Sutter Home showed downtown Silver City how to accomplish a perfect leadout today with Alejandro first The Gila Pro Women’s criterium saw Loren Rowney (FCS/Rouse Racing) outsprint Optum duo Carmen Small and Christina Gokey Smith.

CXMagazine: "I admit, working with a coach has been an adjustment for me. As I progressed from casual rider to enthusiast to budding racer, my training techniques didn’t really change – still just get on bike and ride as long and as fast as I can."

CyclingTips: The Foil is Scott’s dedicated race chassis that continues the company’s reputation for producing lightweight frames however the new model also promises the benefits of aerodynamic tubing.

road.cc: Fast, mid-section wheels that offer good control in a wide variety of conditions.

Top American sprinter Ken Hanson ready for Tour of California.

CyclingNews: What American racer has already racked up six UCI wins this season? Levi Leipheimer has two stage wins and the overall general classification from the Tour de San Luis. However, it’s not that Californian – it’s Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits rider Ken Hanson.

Stage 2 start time: Sunday 12:25 CET (3:25 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 14:00 CET (5:00 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 17:12 CET (8:12 AM PDT).

CyclingNews: Taylor Phinney powered his way to the first maglia rosa of the 2012 Giro d'Italia, blowing away the rest of the field in the opening time trial. He covered the 8.7km course in only 10:26. Second place went to Geraint Thomas (Sky) at 10:35, with Danish rider Alex Rasmussen of Garmin-Barracuda third at 10:39.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages & results),
4 Jours de Dunkerque - May 4-8 (Stages & results),
SRAM Tour of the Gila - May 2-6 (Stages & results),
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...

VeloNation: Corsa Rosa defence gets off to a disappointing start as Lampre-ISD suffers in the Danish wind.

VeloNation: Belgian rider talks about missing his childhood friend ahead of the first anniversary of his death.

BikeRadar: Component giants SRAM are generally characterized as an American company based in Chicago, Illinois and rightfully so – that's their main base of operations, after all. However, they've diversified into a decidedly global entity. These days, nearly all of their drivetrain development is done in a lesser known – but arguably more significant – facility in the German industrial city of Schweinfurt, about two hours outside of Frankfurt.

BikeRadar verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars. "Super-light, brilliant-handling race rig hampered by disappointing suspension."

CyclingFans: Sunday's 4 Days of Dunkirk Stage 3 departs Poperinge centre at 12:45pm CET (6:45am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Poperinge Reningelst at around 5:15pm CET (11:15am U.S. Eastern).  Four Days of Dunkirk live video streaming should get underway at around 3:45pm CET (9:45am U.S. Eastern).

Phenomenal Phinney...!

CyclingNews: Taylor Phinney (BMC) is only 21 and in his second year as a pro, but the talented young American's road career took a huge leap forward today with victory in the opening short time trial that was stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia.

CyclingNews: Argos Shimano rider extends GC lead in France.

PEZ: The Giro, Liquigas, space age buses, gorgeous PR girls, Ivan Basso, Vincenzo Nibali, bikes into five figure values . . . But there’s another side to Italian Cycling – Continental teams, getting by, low budgets, no stars, no PR and riders making do as they fight to get to Liquigas Nirvana. Take the Italo/Croatian Meridiana Kamen team, and 28 year-old Englishman David McLean, for example.

CyclingWeekly: Geraint Thomas and Taylor Phinney head the list of favorites for today's Giro d'Italia opener, an 8.7-kilometre time trial through Herning's streets.

InnerRing: Stage 1 is better depicted by the aerial map of the course, especially since the course is quite flat. Riders start at the green point on the map above. The route looks like the path out of a maze.

Top American sprinter Ken Hanson ready for Tour of California.

CyclingNews: What American racer has already racked up six UCI wins this season? Levi Leipheimer has two stage wins and the overall general classification from the Tour de San Luis. However, it’s not that Californian – it’s Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits rider Ken Hanson.

Enrico Battaglin: "My name is Enrico Battaglin, I'm 22 years old. As a neo pro with the Colnago-CSF team, I have the privilege of starting my dream race in my first season at the highest level of cycling."

Team Rabobank tolerated the use of doping up until at least 2007, according to a Dutch newspaper. The riders could select their own products, but the team medical staff made sure that they did not hurt their health, the Volkskrant newspaper claimed. At least three former riders, including Michael Boogerd, were also said to have been involved in the HumanPlasma blood doping ring, as well.

VeloNews: Really, the only way they could improve it would be to make it somewhat closer to an airport, or at least an interstate, and heck, maybe throw in a little oxygen or at least moisture in the air? Is that so much to ask?

TwistedSpoke: While the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has banned Riccardo Ricco for doping for 12 years, the Italian climber announced today that he has signed with Androni-Giocattoli for the 2024 season.

Stage 1 start time: Saturday 15:40 CET (6:40 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 15:30 CET (6:30 AM PDT);
Approximate finish: 19:30 CET (10:30:00 AM PDT).

Friday Shorts: ‘USA Pro Challenge,’ SRAM Tour of the Gila, Revenue Sharing.

Boulder Report: Last year the USA Pro Challenge* skipped Boulder entirely, which surprised many people who assumed that a city so closely associated with cycling would be a shoo-in for a host city slot. Not only did Boulder get a stage finish but it might be one of the most memorable events in competitive cycling in the U.S. in decades. If it happens...

VeloNews: Race leader Rory Sutherland finished second, keeping the jersey another day.

VeloNation: German fastman cruises to the first pink jersey of the race after ten riders get clear in the closing kilometres.

SRAM Tour of the Gila - May 2-6 (Stages & results),
Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour of Turkey - April 22-29 (Stages & results),
Tour de Romandie - April 24-29 (Stages & results),
Joe Martin Stage Race - April 26-29 (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...

VeloNation: Cleared by CAS, Classic specialist will return to racing this month with Katusha.

DrunkCyclist: "I first heard of Frank Vandenbroucke in a magazine called Cycle Sport. This young man they called VDB was setting the world in fire. He took the 1998 Paris–Nice in fine form, while riding for Mapei-GB. Which was, of course, about the coolest god damn bike team on the planet at the time. It was fantastic. You couldn’t look more pro than VDB."

BikeRadar: Budget Bike Tech returns with a quick, simple and yet thorough way to prevent rain and road (or trail) spray from seeping into your frame. Total cost for this project is less than $5 and the total time expenditure is just a few minutes.

John McKee: Santa Clarita Velo has developed a reputation for producing good cycling races. On Saturday they always bring us the tough Devils Punchbowl out in hell and gone. On Sunday they produce the Chuck Pontius Criterium in Santa Clarita/Valencia.

InnerRing: Stage 1 is better depicted by the aerial map of the course, especially since the course is quite flat. Riders start at the green point on the map above. The route looks like the path out of a maze.

InnerRing: It’s hard to pick a clear favourite for the Giro d’Italia. There’s no obvious star name. Instead there are several contenders on a similar level and then a collection of outsiders, mainly mountain specialists who could also shine. To make forecasting even harder many of those taking part have not had the best run of results recently which makes it tougher to judge their form.

VeloNews: Roman Kreuziger (Astana), Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) spearhead a foreign legion hoping to end Italian hopes of scoring another home win in the Giro d’Italia, which begins Saturday in Herning, Denmark.

Marco Pinotti: "Hello from Denmark. I always enjoy the start of the Giro abroad like in Amsterdam two years ago. It's more interesting. The first part in a different country is like another race in itself."

CyclingWeekly: Frank Schleck was selected to take part in the 2012 Giro d'Italia at the last minute to replace injured RadioShack-Nissan team-mate Jakob Fuglsang. The team called him up while he was enjoying time off with his daughter in the park.

PEZ: It's an early start as we hit the Herning Motorvej for our trip to Silkeborg. But it's worth the alarm call. The world champion is looking effortlessly cool in his gleaming rainbow bands, striding purposefully down the drive from the Scandic Silkeborg, and spirits seem high in the Team Sky camp.

RedKitePrayer: An ex-girlfriend taught me about fit models and how all clothing begins with pieces of fabric cut to fit some individual that I began to appreciate why some things fit and others didn’t. Understanding that actually made shopping easier; it eliminated whole product lines because I knew they weren’t cut for me.

road.cc: Unnamed athlete was tested as part of UKAD's pre-Olympic Games testing program.

TwistedSpoke: While the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has banned Riccardo Ricco for doping for 12 years, the Italian climber announced today that he has signed with Androni-Giocattoli for the 2024 season.

VeloNation: “I’m very lucky.’

In 1930, a non-appearance fee was paid by the Giro organisers. Alfredo Binda had by then established a stranglehold on the corsa rosa, winning in 1925, 1927, 1928 and 1929, in all of them riding for Legnano. It wasn’t just that Binda kept winning, it was the manner of his victories. In 1927 he had won twelve of the fifteen stages, in 1928 seven of twelve and 1929 nine of fourteen. In all, that’s thirty-three out of forty-one stages in three years. Giro boss Emilio Colombo was getting more than a little bit bored by il campionissimo. More to the point, La Gazzetta dello Sport‘s readers were getting bored by il campionissimo: circulation was down.

TwistedSpoke: In all the opening analysis of the implications of a new model in revenue sharing, there’s been little discussion of the domino effect. It is huge because once the first one falls, the momentum and force will quickly knock down the other dominoes.

BikeRumor: Bianchi’s Oltre road bike is their top of the line Grand Tour racing road bike, and our test model is spec’d out with the new Campagnolo EPS electronic group. It’s a no-expense-spared racer, complete with logo color matched FSA carbon stem and handlebar, Campy Eurus 2-Way Fit wheels and Fizik saddle that comes in at a whopping $12,900 MSRP. Frameset only (EPS/Di2 version) is $4,999.

CyclingIQ: After 34 years of publication in German, the respected road cycling publication ‘Tour das Radmagazin’ (TOUR magazine) sought to broaden its reach with an English-language iPad application, called TOUR Quarterly, in late 2011. Two editions later, it appears the plug has been pulled.

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "Dependable lightweight quality at a reasonable price."

VeloNation: RadioShack Nissan rider moves to next stage of recovery.

CyclingNews: Fränk Schleck has admitted that he was surprised at his late call-up to lead the RadioShack-Nissan team at the Giro d’Italia, but he has insisted that he will do all he can to finish in the top 5 in Milan. Schleck was only informed of his selection on Saturday afternoon, after previously designated leader Jakob Fuglsang was forced to give best to a knee injury.

SRAM Tour of the Gila - May 2-6 (Stages & results),
Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour of Turkey - April 22-29 (Stages & results),
Tour de Romandie - April 24-29 (Stages & results),
Joe Martin Stage Race - April 26-29 (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...

The 29-year-old expressed to Eurosport his doubts over Cavendish winning the points classification in an exclusive interview, feeling the Manx rider’s focus on the Tour de France and London 2012 will put him at a disadvantage in a very strong field.

PodiumInsight: At the end of the women’s 73.1 miles (117.6km) stage 1 of the SRAM Tour of the Gila, there really wasn’t any question as to who was the strongest rider in the field. It was Kristin Armstrong (Exergy Twenty12). Armstrong and her teammate Jackie Crowell drove a break for most of the race, and then Armstrong powered away on the final tough climb to cross the finish line with over two minutes on her closest competitor.

Tour of the Gila – cheat sheet.....

CyclingNews: The SRAM Tour of the Gila kicks off on Wednesday, and the edition marks the first time that the event has designated as a UCI 2.2 stage race. Consequently, the grueling five-day stage race has attracted professional racers from Pro Continental teams UnitedHealthcare, Team Type 1 and Champion System - a Hong-Kong based sports apparel company. This team of eight adds to the already strong field of international participants from Belgium, Spain, Columbia, and Mexico.

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "A no-fuss value winner."

BikeRadar verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. "Great for small frames where a bottle cage can be a tight fit."

BikeRumor: As the major pro road races get closer, 3T announced the entire thing has been designed around Garmin’s cycling computers. To prove it, they’re sticking it on the Team Garmin-Barracuda bikes claiming it’s one of (if not the) first time an entire Pro Tour team has used carbon fiber stems during the race. We’ve seen recent third party mounting options from Bar Fly and Quarq, but 3T’s is the first we’ve seen that actually integrates the mount into the stem.

Bicycling: Bicycle racing is one of the most beautiful sports in the world, and there’s no better way to experience it than in person. There are things you just don’t get from watching it on TV—the wind on your face as the riders speed by you, that autograph from a favorite rider, and the energy that spreads through the crowd as the first vehicles in the caravan come into sight.

CyclingNews: USA Cycling announced today that after seven years in Greenville, South Carolina, the USA Cycling Professional Road and Time Trial National Championships will move to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 2013, as part of a new four-year partnership with Volkswagen of America. In addition to venue change, the championship event will at long last bring the professional women's national title race into the fold beginning next year.

VeloNation: American rider still dealing with effects of fracture.

VeloNews: Saturday marks the start of the Giro d’Italia with the opening prologue taking place in Herning, Denmark, and U.S. hopes for a maglia rosa in 2012 fall on just four American riders for the second year in a row. The biggest hope for the red-white-and-blue to turn pink comes on day 1 of the race with a 21-year-old time trial phenom.

SBS: In his second full year with Slipstream Sports' UCI ProTeam, Garmin-Barracuda, Andrew Talansky is already starting to reach the exciting potential that Jonathan Vaughters and Chann McRae had spotted at an early age.

Mark Renshaw: "The Tour of Turkey was a last-minute change to the program but it worked out quite well. Originally I had planned to ride Romandie but there were no stages for the sprinters. Turkey was a really good preparation race for the Giro – eight days of reasonably flat roads, good hotels and nice weather. To win a stage there, and a hard stage at that, was a big boost to the confidence."

CXMagazine: Zabel shared stories from his many years in pro cycling, including how he got his start in East Germany, and where he was when the Berlin Wall came down.

CyclingNews: While the external expectations will be higher following his fourth place finish last year, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) insisted that he is not obsessed by the Tour de France and that he will approach the race in the same frame of mind as always this July.

PEZ: Some great gear on display at the 2012 Sea Otter Classic... Steel and Carbon bikes, new wheels, cranks, upgrades, power meters, things to stuff in your ears and make you happy between your legs!

CyclingTips: For training for an Everest trip try doing ‘Everest’ in Melbourne by climbing Donna Buang 8 times in one day on a bike, (that would mean 8800 m of vertical height) roughly the same as Everest. After a years worth of attempts, George Mallory eventually managed 10 laps in a day!

Off The Beaten Path: Everybody knows that riding behind another cyclist decreases your wind resistance, but we also found that the front rider benefits from the draft, receiving a push from the rear rider.

VeloNews: When the news broke Tuesday that Giro d’Italia promoter RCS Sport was on the verge of reaching a revenue sharing agreement with cycling’s top teams, the revelation caught stakeholders on all sides of the table by surprise. Reactions ranged from cryptic allusions toward future announcements to direct calls for a new professional league.

InnerRing: You’re probably male and aged between 25 and 45. No, this blog doesn’t have some high-tech way to monitor readership, it’s more that men in this age group are the biggest followers of cycling in the US, UK and Australia and other English speaking countries so there’s a good chance you fit into this category as you’re reading an English-language niche cycling blog.

CycleBoredom: While it very well may be on his mind, Stephen Roche (and cycling’s governing body) clearly has decided micromanaging riders is infinitely more important than dealing with what the non-cycling public and press think about cycling.

Cyclismas: Cycling was Strada’s escape from a peasant’s existence. While many of her male contemporaries appreciated and applauded her, cycling was then very much a male-dominated sport. It still is, I suppose, but more and more people are beginning to wake up to the existence of the distaff peloton and who knows, maybe within our own lifetime the publicity scales may even balance out and it will receive the media attention it deserves.

RedKitePrayer: Every company has a story to tell. Glossy ads, marketing copy, websites, blogs, Twitter feeds, all of it aimed at creating a very specific impression of the brand. Paradoxically, ours is an industry that chases technology at the same time it basks in its sepia-toned heritage. A bike, component, or apparel maker who can bridge the gap between the two is destined for success.

CyclingIQ: Though the UCI, or rather its President, is a constant target of often-justifiable criticism, it cannot be denied that cycling’s governing body has made positive contributions to the sport through its development programs. Cycling iQ looks at a relatively recent coaching initiative and speaks to a self-described UCI critic who is participating in the program.

CyclingTips: Ardennes Classics consists of Brabantse Pijl, Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège Bastogne Liège and is the third and final act of the Spring Classics.

VeloNation: Jeremy Hunt gets late call-up to race.

InnerRing: The Giro d’Italia guide is now online. There’s a concise preview of every stage as well as information on the jerseys, the start list, TV viewing and more.

VeloNews: “The motor pilot for a camera bike job is pretty much the top of the heap as far as skill level and expertise goes. Many of the drivers have been doing the job for 20+ years – as is evidenced by their skill level. There is a mix of folks involved, but you tend to see teams who work well together."

SBS: Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) has left no doubts over his readiness for the upcoming Amgen Tour of California, his major goal of the season, by winning the tough opening stage of the SRAM Tour of the Gila at Mogollon, New Mexico.

CyclingNews: Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche may be part of the guiding body which helps to set the sport's rules, but his recent suggestions for "upgrading the image of cycling" were met with firm disagreement from the boss of his nephew Dan Martin, Garmin-Barracuda manager Jonathan Vaughters.

CyclingNews: It's almost 25 years since Ireland's Stephen Roche raced to glory in the 1987 Tour de France, part of a memorable Triple Crown year that also took in the Giro d'Italia and the UCI Road World Championships. Retirement came six years later and after initially filling his time with various projects, he is now helping to shape professional cycling's future as the UCI representative on the board of the Professional Cycling Council (CCP).

Cyclismas: The UCI trundled out Professional Cycling Commission member Stephen Roche to discuss their latest developments to benefit the sport of cycling for the sponsors, and to address the safety concerns of the peloton.

VeloNation: Grand Boucle champion disappointed with Tour de Romandie performance but feels all’s well in preparation for July.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour of Turkey - April 22-29 (Stages & results),
Tour de Romandie - April 24-29 (Stages & results),
Joe Martin Stage Race - April 26-29 (Stages & results),
Liège - Bastogne - Liège - April 22 (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...

CyclingNews: Pulling on the Giro d'Italia's maglia rosa is a prestigious moment in any rider's career and Taylor Phinney believes that if he succeeds in wining the race's opening time trial on Saturday, his life will change forever.

InnerRing: The Giro d’Italia guide is now online. There’s a concise preview of every stage as well as information on the jerseys, the start list, TV viewing and more.

Tour of the Gila – cheat sheet...

CyclingNews: The SRAM Tour of the Gila kicks off on Wednesday, and the edition marks the first time that the event has designated as a UCI 2.2 stage race. Consequently, the grueling five-day stage race has attracted professional racers from Pro Continental teams UnitedHealthcare, Team Type 1 and Champion System - a Hong-Kong based sports apparel company. This team of eight adds to the already strong field of international participants from Belgium, Spain, Columbia, and Mexico.

VeloNation: Briton feeling confident after dominant performance in Romandie.

InnerRing: The news that pro cycling teams could get a share of the TV rights money paid by broadcasters would mark a significant change to the way business is done today. Here is a look at some of the issues surrounding revenue sharing.

CyclingNews: Sharing television rights between race organisers and cycling’s elite teams could be within touching distance. Cyclingnews understands that a deal between Italy’s RCS and the sport’s major teams is close to agreement.

CyclingNews: Tyler Farrar and Ryder Hesjedal will lead the Garmin-Barracuda team in this month’s Giro d’Italia. The American squad will be aiming for stage wins and a high overall placing through Hesjedal, who finished in the top 10 at the Tour de France in 2010.

Marijn de Vries: The woman in the breakaway has the most important task of the day: riding her ass off because the group must stay away, no matter what. If the breakaway is caught just before the finish, we still have the problem of the bonus seconds on the line.

Off The Beaten Path: Everybody knows that riding behind another cyclist decreases your wind resistance, but we also found that the front rider benefits from the draft, receiving a push from the rear rider.

VeloNews: Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Barracuda) is hoping his breakthrough second place at the Tour de Romandie kicks him to a higher level in the European peloton. The performance is validation for the rider whom many believe could be the next American to have success in grand tours.

PEZ: "The big news in group sets right now is SRAM’s all new 2012 RED gruppo – every piece has been redesigned, it’s even lighter than before, and works better than ever. I rode it at the Tour of Flanders cyclosportif in late March and after 6 hours 36 minutes, here’s what I can tell you… "

road.cc: A clutch purse for your bike. Nice, not essential.

PodiumCafe: Because every once and a while we all feel the need to get dirty I bring you WOR. The pro race is 50 miles mixed pavement, single track and fire road. Starting grid is seeded with a crit run Friday evening. What's the catch you ask?

Cyclismas: In the 1920s, cycling had but two Grand Tours. The Spanish were only slowing getting into gear, in 1924 launching a tour of the Basque Country. A Tour of Spain itself was still a long, long way off. For the two Grand Tours that did exist, the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, a comfortable formula had established itself: racing days alternating with rest days.

road.cc: Four others seriously injured in incident in southeast of country yesterday morning.

CyclingNews: As he serves out the remainder of his suspension for clenbuterol use, Spanish rider Alberto Contador has revealed that he is desperately missing the thrill of competition and the edge that it provides, but is training harder than ever and has been keeping a close eye on the 2012 season from the comfort of his living room.

SBS: It was exactly 116 days into the calendar year before Mark Renshaw, the world’s best lead-out man turned lead man at Rabobank, finally got his just desserts in the form of a Turkish delight.

BikeRadar: From the latest product news to details of routes and events, our news round-up is a collection of short snippets of information in one handy article.

Pedal: "The way this Crit Series goes is a bit strange. They have the biggest race on day one – the Athens Twilight isn’t just big, it’s huge. This four corner crit attracts huge crowds and the atmosphere is like no other race around. Being on the front line was incredible. Even though I got to enjoy it last year as well I just don’t see it ever getting old. The truth is, the staging of the race is half the show."

road.cc: Team Sky star unfazed both on and off the bike as he heads to Tour de France as one of the favorites.

BikeRadar: The Sea Otter Classic may no longer be the first event on the international mountain bike race calendar but it's still the earliest opportunity for many manufacturers to show off their latest wares to the press and public, and this year's outing didn't disappoint.

Saddle Americana: The troubling question we are now forced to confront is: are there really no donut shops in Boulder? Sometimes, a hungry cyclist craves the donut, and we’ve got to have somebody somewhere who can help in these situations!

PodiumCafe: Makes for a great reference work, having something to say about every Giro between 1971 and 2011. The McGanns are also good at trying to place the race within the wider context of Italian history and shining some light on the evolving business side of the Giro.

RedKitePrayer: “Not since Simpson died in 1967 has Britain produced a young rider with the potential of Wiggins. … This soft-spoken Englishman has had a start to his career that’s as every bit as precocious as Simpson’s. And besides following a similar path to the former world road champion, Wiggins even looks and races like him.”

CyclingNews: It's almost 25 years since Ireland's Stephen Roche raced to glory in the 1987 Tour de France, part of a memorable Triple Crown year that also took in the Giro d'Italia and the UCI Road World Championships. Retirement came six years later and after initially filling his time with various projects, he is now helping to shape professional cycling's future as the UCI representative on the board of the Professional Cycling Council (CCP).

VeloNation: Prodigious Italian neo-pro uses Liquigas-Cannondale’s numerical advantage after Tony Martin tries to go solo.

Giro d'Italia - May 5-27 (Stages),
Amgen Tour of California - May 13-20 (Stages),
Tour of Turkey - April 22-29 (Stages & results),
Tour de Romandie - April 24-29 (Stages & results),
Joe Martin Stage Race - April 26-29 (Stages & results),
Liège - Bastogne - Liège - April 22 (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...

PodiumInsight: Lost in the mayhem that is the Sea Otter Classic was the announcement that two-time US National cyclocross champion Ryan Trebon had joined the Cannondale presented by Cyclocrossworld.com team for the 2012/2013 season.

InnerRing: The Giro d’Italia guide is now online. There’s a concise preview of every stage as well as information on the jerseys, the start list, TV viewing and more.

Lee Rodgers: The Tour de Korea was an odd race, what with the cancellation of stage 4 and the disastrous stage 5. Korea itself proved quite beautiful with some good roads and fantastic scenery, very much like rural Japan in places.

VeloNation: Former top Italian climber readies for start with Androni team.

road.cc: A beautifully-engineered and highly-efficient mini-pump, with some clever features and a fair price tag.

CyclingNews: Sharing television rights between race organisers and cycling’s elite teams could be within touching distance. Cyclingnews understands that a deal between Italy’s RCS and the sport’s major teams is close to agreement.

I hit a moment last week when I panicked. I fired off emails and asked a hundred questions. I re-analyzed my Training Peaks account. Later that day after five hours in 85 degree heat, I cracked. I went to the fountain here in Lecchi, poured water over my head and sat in a daze. Then I lost a pair of important glasses that did not belong to me. I did things that were out of character.

CyclingNews: French woman Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabobank-Giant) turned some heads with her fourth place finish at the Houffalize World Cup last month. Finishing as the second French woman after runner-up Julie Bresset, Ferrand Prevot put in a performance that was a huge first step toward qualification for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

VeloNation: Three year deal agreed to back WorldTour squad.

"I think we can safely say we will all leave Gracia-Orlova on a high. Not only because of the bike race results but Ally may have even referred to the trip as “summer camp”, with our Sanatorium accommodation and our karaoke bus journeys to and from the race every day."

PEZ: Thomson Bike Tours is firmly established as a leading provider of Performance cycling tours to the mountains of Europe. Peter Thomson, co-founder of Thomson Bike Tours, has been riding Europe’s most spectacular and daunting mountain passes for over 25 years.

road.cc: Airy summer gloves that are well made with effective gel padding.

BikeRumor: This diagram specifically calls out Shimano, which means it’ll fit SRAM, too. Top half is the new 11-speed, bottom half shows current 10-speed for their 240 rear hub.

SteveTilford: Enough of this Rest.

PodiumCafe: Makes for a great reference work, having something to say about every Giro between 1971 and 2011. The McGanns are also good at trying to place the race within the wider context of Italian history and shining some light on the evolving business side of the Giro.

Cyclismas: The reason Emilio Colombo and Armando Cougnet invited Alfonsina Strada to ride the 1924 Giro d’Italia was simple: the big teams were pressing the Giro organisers to pay appearance fees simply for starting the race. The Giro was refusing their request. So the big teams were threatening to boycott the Giro.

road.cc: Man's two best friends work in harmony... while man pops to the shops.

VeloNews: Two of the largest tire manufacturers in the world have poured technology into bringing faster tires to the market: Michelin took its well-known Pro3 Service Course clincher and reshaped it to create the Pro4 Service Course. Meanwhile, Kenda went to the drawing board after getting feedback from its Kenda-5 Hour Energy pro team and created the Kountach.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Brilliant shoes with an adjustable, tuneable fit."

RBAction: Q&A with a TdF yellow jersey & yes, even more Turkey tech coverage.

Bicycling: With cases of melanoma on the rise, here's how to lower your risk.

BikeRumor: Introducing the Radarlock. Oakley’s latest addition to their growing Switchlock line up joins the likes of the Jawbone, Split Jacket and Fast Jacket.