The 2011 Six Days of Zurich ("Sixday-Nights" track cycling) are being held November 30 to December 3. Live streaming video: 6:30pm CET (12:30pm U.S. Eastern).

After a big weekend on the north coast of Belgium, the Cyclocross World Cup Series heads south to Igorre, Spain for stop number four. This year marks the 35th edition of the race and will bring the biggest names in Cyclocross to the Basque Country of northern Spain on Sunday, December 4.

Superprestige Gieten (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gieten (Elite women results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite men results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite women results),
Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 6),
More...

"Here we are, three months deep into the cylocross season. It’s a bit of a midseason lull for many, with a couple quieter weekends following a big USGP weekend in Louisville. That said, there’s been plenty of action so let’s take a look at what’s shaking and who’s winning."

Only a few more UCI races remain in the USA leading into the USA Cyclocross National Championships in early January, and the hunt  is on to get as many UCI points as possible, not only to get good starting position in Madison, but for some, to get selected for Team USA for the Cyclocross World Championships in Koksijde, Belgium on January 28-29, 2012.

Team Katusha will unveil their new star signing, Oscar Freire, at the Santos Tour Down Under in January, with the race organisation including the Spaniard in the team's list for the opening WorldTour event.

"These are the finest wheels I’ve ever ridden in my life."

Three of Britain’s star cyclists hoping to get among the medals at London 2012 – Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Mark Cavendish – have been signed up as brand ambassadors by Olympic sponsor and consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G).

Once you’re clicked in and calibrated, all of your data (and the data of everyone else in the class) is instantly projected up on the big screen for everyone to see.

USA Cycling will announce the full women’s road long team Thursday.

Before there was the Foreign Legion there was the era of the Pioneers. Years when individual riders left the comfort and familiarity of their own worlds and tried to make it in a European peloton that shied away from outsiders. This is a story about one of them.

No determination of doping made; technicality causes first of two appeals to be ruled invalid.

InnerRing: Where are the characters and personalities?

Read up on the history of the sport and larger than life characters appear. You don’t just have names, you have nicknames. The “Cannibal”, the “Eagle of Toledo”, the “Butcher of Sens“. Bernard Hinault scared, Mario Cipollini wowed. Nowadays pro cycling just doesn’t seem to have these references and personalities.

TwistedSpoke: Evans to ride two more tours. Did he ask Hincapie first?

2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans says he wants to ride the Grand Boucle at least two more times before considering retirement.

It’s hard to get too excited about a miniature ratchet wrench, isn’t it? After all, if tools are cool, than big tools must be cooler. And Prestacycle’s Prestaratchet isn’t big- it’s tiny. Sometimes, of course, smaller is better.

BikeRadar verdict: 3 out of 5 stars. "Stiff frame and a stylish image. The wheels are heavy, though."

The story of the young Americans, the next generation of US cyclists, men and women. Not so much the story of who they are, more of how they're transitioning from riding domestic US races to picking up the culture of the European cycling scene.

This weekend, world class cyclocross racing returns to Los Angeles, California for the CXLA race weekend. The organizers were forced to change location at the last minute to Los Angeles State Historic Park.

FDJ rider states he had no information of use to investigators.

Today's Quote

"I have been experiencing a lot more injuries, and a lot more injuries due to wear and tear. You can't turn back the hands of time, it just naturally happens. I do this because I love training and when you can't train the way you want to because your body says no, it's very frustrating. I don't see myself having the ability to manage that frustration for much longer." - Victoria Pendleton BikeRadar

Joan Hanscom, event director of the USGP series and a key part of the team bringing both Masters (2012 and 13) and Elite Worlds to the United Stated for the first time.

Bikerumor Pic Of The Day: Evening stroll, Cayucos Beach.

Photo submitted by Chris Webster.

2011 was a year of highs and lows for Dutch rider Johnny Hoogerland. A breakthrough at the Tour de France, where he wore the mountain jersey for several stages, was overshadowed by a horror crash that could have killed him and ended his progress. And though he didn't grab any big victories he was pleased with his performances overall.

SRAM officially presented its new e-Bike powered drivetrain system at Taichung Bike Week.

"The next kilometer is at least two kilometers long. It’s twice as steep as it was last time I was there, and I will surely blow up as soon as I get to it. There are monsters around every bend."

Crew neck semi-fitted T with contrast colored stitching detail. Finely printed T shirt, front, rear & sleeve, "10 commandments of spin" badge and "Live to Ride" badge. Cotton elastane single jersey, enzyme-washed for that super-soft, worn feel.

Once you’re clicked in and calibrated, all of your data (and the data of everyone else in the class) is instantly projected up on the big screen for everyone to see.

Artist John Morse wrote the haikus and designed the signs. More than 200 will be installed.

Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) moved up three spots to 11th with 924 points, buoyed by his two C1 wins these past weeks. Ryan Trebon (LTS/Felt) moved up to 17th and propelled by his first C1 win, Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) is in 23rd, up six positions since the last ranking. Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) dropped to 27th.

PodiumCafe: The Happiness Of Pursuit, by Davis Phinney.

So there's this guy, right. Successful bike rider. Great wife. Cool kids. Probably has a wonderful house and all those other things in the Talking Heads song too. And he's making the break into the world of TV. Then. one day when he's doing a rider interview, everyone starts noticing that his hand, holding the microphone, is shaking.

Superprestige Gieten (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gieten (Elite women results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite men results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite women results),
Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 6),
More...

Traditionally, it doesn't get any better than the Gent Six. The racing, the atmosphere, the fans, the music, the history - all of these elements combine to make what's simply the King of Sixes.

There's been plenty of rumours flying around about where Shimano will be going with their groupsets, only last month we were talking about 11-speed Di2 and hydraulic brifters* and today a parts list has surfaced on twitter via @mvogt46 and The Inner Ring that appears to show a full spec for a new 11-speed system, Dura Ace 9000.

It had been 377 days for Tim Johnson (Cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com) to go winless at a UCI cross race before he raised his arms in victory this Sunday at JingleCross, and 73 days since his first race this year at CrossVegas.

Photo submitted by Bertocq, “Crossing the Cantabrian Mountains from Huergas de Babia to Pola de Somiedo, with AsturconBTT. (Spain).”

"The BOA has resorted to demagoguery and, while blaming everyone else for the effects of its own legal errors, has attempted to wrap itself in a cloak of righteousness, a self-declared David, bravely alone in the face of Goliath."

The former team doctor for BigMat-Auber 93, Dr. Philippe Bedoucha, has been taken into custody by the French Central Office against Environmental Damage and Public Health (OCLAESP) following a hearing on possible trafficking of doping substances, in Créteil, near Paris, L'Equipe reported today.

It was widely reported last week that the Garmin women's team was facing a budget shortfall. The lack of available funds in the team's budget is so severe that the team may be forced to shut down altogether.

Why not consider the following offer: let’s go another mile per, with a lower heart rate under ideal circumstances. What’s the catch? Simple, all you have to do is learn to pray.

Founded in 1933, the Italian bicycle-components maker Campagnolo has produced some of the most beautiful parts to ever grace a bike frame. Here are seven stunning pieces that vintage bike collectors can't get enough of.

BikeRumor: Specialized McLaren Venge Road Bike Shipping – Eyes On & Weight.

A while back we got a close up look at the Specialized Venge S-Works frameset before our Specialized PR guy even knew they were shipping (granted, that’s not his job), and now we’ve got what’s claiming to be the first McLaren version to ship to the States.

Suggests that a frank discussion about his past could be on the cards.

The 28-year-old Contador, whose hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport ended last week, was in the Danish capital for Team Saxo Bank's presentation of 29 riders for next season before heading to a training camp in Israel.

The track World Cup meet in Cali, Colombia, is not going well for the German team, and the meet itself hasn't even started. A training crash took out three of the team's riders, while two team officials were victims of an armed robbery.

"Cycling shoes are a vital contact point between rider and machine, one that can easily make or break a ride. Comfort is mandatory and efficiency highly valued. Most cheap shoes simply don’t make the cut. Scott’s Road Team shoes do, but only just."

"The next kilometer is at least two kilometers long. It’s twice as steep as it was last time I was there, and I will surely blow up as soon as I get to it. There are monsters around every bend."

“The Competition Bicycle, a photographic history” is the full title of Jan Heine’s book and this is what the book is all about. It features 34 bikes from the earliest race bikes to modern era machines and there are extensive studio photographs of each machine.

Today's Quote

"I have been experiencing a lot more injuries, and a lot more injuries due to wear and tear. You can't turn back the hands of time, it just naturally happens. I do this because I love training and when you can't train the way you want to because your body says no, it's very frustrating. I don't see myself having the ability to manage that frustration for much longer." - Victoria Pendleton BikeRadar

"Women really aren't very well served by bike shops."

“I believe that at my age you can race the Giro and Tour in the same year,” Basso said. “I believe that I can be strong in both, but I don’t think it’s possible to win both.”

French wheel specialists Mavic have already branched out into shoes and riding gear so this summer's launch of their debut helmet range could be seen as the logical next move.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Direct handling, fast, and beautiful. It's not a comfort-focused frame, though."

Superb aftermarket jockey wheels for top-flight rear mechs.

Crew neck semi-fitted T with contrast colored stitching detail. Finely printed T shirt, front, rear & sleeve, "10 commandments of spin" badge and "Live to Ride" badge. Cotton elastane single jersey, enzyme-washed for that super-soft, worn feel.

The Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) confirmed today that Miguel Agreda, who already confessed to taking the banned blood booster EPO, tested positive for the substance at the Québec Provincial Road Race Championships. He was given a two-year ban and is cut off from any future funding by Sport Canada.

Jamey Driscoll fired the first shot at Rock 1, kicking off the three-day Jingle Cross Rock races by pulling in a Cannondale Cyclocrossworld victory for a squad that has underperformed in the Wins department. It was a commanding victory – Driscoll finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of Chris Jones and almost a minute ahead of Driscoll’s teammate Tim Johnson.

Sunday’s big race at JingleCross, the all important C1 race, became a race of who would make the less mistakes on the muddy and course especially after everyone already had two days of tough racing in their legs.

Saturday’s World Cup race in Koksijde, Belgium came down to a race between Sven Nys, a veteran who’s maintained his winning ways throughout an unusually long and successful career, and Kevin Pauwels, a younger rider in the midst of a dominant season that is the fulfillment of several years of potential and increasing abilities.

Multiple world champion and current world number one Marianne Vos has given a thumbs up to the UCI’s new athletes' commission, believing that it will help improve things for riders in the sport.

2008 Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton has reiterated her intention to retire after next summer's London 2012 Olympics but has admitted that she is "terrified" of having to forge a new career away from the velodrome.

In July of 2010, Niki Dallaire was run over by a car while riding her bike. On November 21 of 2011, Dallaire clinched her second consecutive Elite Women’s Championship in the Zipp OVCX Tour presented by Papa John’s.

UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite men results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite women results),
Superprestige Gieten (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gieten (Elite women results),
Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 6),
More...

"I came by a book the other day called The Jersey Project which immediately captivated me. At one glance of the cover I knew exactly what it was all about. I absolutely had to have it..."

The shortlist of ten athletes from whom the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year will be chosen has been unveiled, and bookmakers’ favourite, Mark Cavendish, is of course on it. Controversially, not one woman features among the ten names announced this evening.

Joop Zoetemelk given career honor.

France is a nation of 60 million people, Europe’s second largest economy and home to the Tour de France and an extensive calendar of other races. How come the domestic teams have such modest budgets? What is their place in the sport?

Who is this? He is famous for much more than riding on Molteni with Eddy Merckx. He won the 1964 Tour of Lombardy, the 1966 Giro d'Italia, and the 1967 Tour de Suisse.

The Tour of Rwanda's overall winner, US pro rider Kiel Reijnen (Team Type 1-Sanofi) has an unusual restaurant of choice: his hotel room. And an unusual chef: himself. Cyclingnews went to see him at dinner time Wednesday, in Huye (former Butare town), the day before he took back the yellow jersey from his team-mate Joey Rosskopf's shoulders.

Will’s training and racing in early 2011 was focused on one goal: bring home gold from the UCI Track World Paracyling Championships in Montechiari, Italy. In four camps spanning two months and twenty-eight days his training regimen required two-a-days at the Home Depot Center Velodrome.

AG2R, Cofidis and Europcar bosses discuss how globalisation and wealth have left French teams fighting for scraps.

What's better than new shoes at your door step? That's easy... Two pair.

PodiumCafe: Save It For a Snowy Day?

Is the Cross season down to a two-man race? Niels Albert hopes is stuck on the trainer while his wrist heals, and Zdenek Stybar is disembarking for Mallorca in order to refresh his legs after maybe overtraining this summer. Seems like another day, another Pauwels-Nys sprint.

The UCI have confirmed that biological passport cases could be opened within the next few weeks after their President, Pat McQuaid, told Cyclingnews that the governing body were analysing several suspect passport readings.

VeloCast: Is Wiggins Really A Tour Contender?

Today's Quote

"I have been experiencing a lot more injuries, and a lot more injuries due to wear and tear. You can't turn back the hands of time, it just naturally happens. I do this because I love training and when you can't train the way you want to because your body says no, it's very frustrating. I don't see myself having the ability to manage that frustration for much longer." - Victoria Pendleton BikeRadar

When the course turns to muck which sticks to your bike making it heavier and heavier, getting a clean bike become of prime importance and the work of the mechanics during the race comes to the forefront.

Fenders, racks and other attachments can remain maintenance-free for 10,000+ miles, yet other bikes require tightening bolts on a regular basis. Why do some bolts stay tight, while others loosen quickly?

Clever idea; careful how you wipe your nose, though...

BikeRadar verdict: "Super-light, super-stiff, and impressively streamlined race-oriented mountain bike shoe."

Australians Glenn O’Shea and Luke Roberts finished eighth overall at the Gent Six Day this week with Robert Bartko and Kenny De Ketele taking out the title.

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

Canadian remaining in cycling in rider development.

Flying under the radar on pro triathlete Cyril Viennot’s Scott Plasma 3 at Ironman World Championships in Kona last month was a “new” Mavic Cosmic Carbone 60 front wheel.

Superprestige third place hopes that performance will earn him a spot in Igorre World Cup.

UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite men results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite women results),
Superprestige Gieten (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gieten (Elite women results),
Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 6),
More...

Mister Superprestige goes straight down the middle this time to take his 55th career race in the series.

World champion turns the tables on Daphny van den Brand as the Dutch dominate in their home race.

Surprised by how different track racing is.

YMX Long Sleeve Jersey.

There’s a place where cross is soaked deep into the mud like nowhere else, and that’s Belgium. And since I’m living in Belgium for a few months, let’s join the craziness shall we?

Remove the reflectors and don’t install the cheap flat pedals that come with it and you’ll get a weight of 22.66lbs (approximately 10.28kg or 22lbs 10.6oz, size Large).

Organizers announced the return of two mountain bike stages races in 2012: one in Guatamala and one in South Wales in the United Kingdom.

World champ warns rivals that being a dad will make him hungrier than ever for success.

In Contador Case, Cycling's Integrity Is on the Line.

Teal Stetson-Lee (California Giant-Specialized) and U.S. national champion Todd Wells (Specialized) won round two of the three-race Jingle Cross Rock weekend on Saturday in Iowa.

Japan enjoyed its second straight weekend of UCI cyclocross racing, with cyclocross racers from throughout the country and more than a handful of Americans converging in the country’s highest village, Nobeyama in Nagano.

Today's Quote

"It’s positive that you have more and more of the big teams supporting a women’s team, that’s great. But honestly, it should be compulsory. It would add 5-10 per cent to their overall budget and vastly expand their following." - Rochelle Gilmore CyclingNews

In the women’s race, the podium from yesterday consisted of the same women, just in different order. In the men’s race, the podium was markedly different from the day before.

Fast Phil scoops award following dominant performances in the Ardennes and elsewhere.

Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) is to write to the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) seeking clarification on the reasoning behind its decision to bar former dopers from representing the country at the world championships.

The Garmin-Cervélo team 2012 lineup entertained a sold-out crowd at the Boulder Theater in Boulder, CO on Thursday.

With all the amazing technology going into helmet design, is the real future corrugated cardboard?

A massive weekend of events including the NSW Cycling Grand Prix, The Launceston Cycling Classic, the Inaugural Opperman Gran Fondo, the Tour de Perth, the AIS Women's selection camp and much more.

De Clerq and Sunweb-Revor rail against commissaires.

Tour of Rwanda: The overall classification was won by the USA’s Kiel Reijnen of Team Type 1 but Joseph Biziyaremye deserves a mention too.

In a move that has surprised all in the cycling world, the Rothschild Group has abandoned their joint venture with Freud Communications and the Gifted Group for a much-discussed “breakaway league” comprising 14 professional teams – in favor of a union with the Roman Catholic Church.

Spanish rider looks set to serve total suspension of over three years.

The original owner, Vincenzo Tripodi, had passed away the previous year – everyone knew him by the nickname Cecce (pronounced Chay CHAY). His wife called me and explained that they wanted to find a good home for his old Colnago.

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

Polish team continues to race after initial confusion.

Samuel Sanchez was in little doubt that his Euskaltel-Euskadi team would be granted WorldTour status for 2012. The Basque team’s presence in cycling’s top flight was only confirmed by the UCI early last week, but Sanchez was confident that the outfit was deserving of a place both for its performances on the road and the large following it attracts.

Kannibaal closes the door after the Belgian dunes fail to separate the World’s top two.

UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite men results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3 (Elite women results),
Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 4),
Tour of Rwanda (Stage 7 results),
Jingle Cross Rock - Rock 1 (Elite men results),
Jingle Cross Rock - Rock 1 (Elite womwn results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
More...

Cyclocross season action continues Saturday with UCI Cyclocross World Cup at Koksijde, Belgium. Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

Photo submitted by Cristian, “Hi! Im from Argentina, and we took this picture this last weekend going up to the high peaks of Cordoba near the town of La Cumbrecita. I’m the rider that appears in the pic. The storm was in front of us and it did reach us when going down back to town!”

Lightweight and comfortable, stiff soled women's road shoe with a simple design.

The third round of the UCI World Cup heads to Koksijde, Belgium for its first round outside of the Czech Republic. Saturday’s race takes place in the North Sea coast on the grounds of the Koksijde Military Base. More importantly, Koksijde will play host to the 2012 World Championships in January.

Iowa City has become synonymous over the past few years with Thanksgiving and cyclocross, offering a 3-day festival that kicks off Friday night and ends Sunday with an all-important UCI C1 race.

Mud, cowbells, beer, more mud… It’s cyclocross season and it’s time for you to get in on it. Here’s how....

The future of the women's Garmin-Cervélo team is up in the air amid rumours that the women's squad's budget has been significantly cut.

Australian cyclist Rochelle Gilmore has backed British star Nicole Cooke to let her legs do the talking in a pre-Olympics controversy.

It's official: the Tour de France will celebrate its centenary with a visit to the only place in metropolitan France yet to get a tranche of Grande Boucle action.

As a quick recap, the key difference between the ‘Ui2' and Di2 is cabling - a two core, not quad core wire is used. While that renders the two incompatible, it does benefit the overall look as the Ultegra level cabling and connectors are noticeably slimmer.

European champion leads from the front to take solo victory ahead of Marianne Vos.

Gert-Jan Bosman surprised the crowd by taking top spot on the podium in the U23 race at Koksijde today, followed by Stan Godrie, Mickie van Empel and Lars van der Haar, all from the Netherlands.

Will Boom go Boom again at Namur? Amy Dombroski, the ultimate superfan. Wellens and Co. try a new approach to try to winning, successfully? Women, woefully underrepresented in the mass cycling media. The sands of Koksijde, will they unseat Pauwels? Trebon slowly coming back. When will winless Timmy’s winless streak end?

Hitec Products-UCK, one of the best women teams in the peloton. A mere week ago, the team was voted “team of the year” over at the Podium Cafe. The team hasn’t been around for many years, but has already made it clear that they mean business by taking thirteen wins this year.

Good-quality LED plugs for both drop and flat bars, providing useful additional visibility.

This Sunday, UCI “shikurokurosu” (cyclocross) returns to Nobeyama, Japan for the 2011 edition of the Nobeyama Cyclocross Race, presented by Rapha.

UCI explained team didn’t act quickly enough.

15 minute statement wraps up process.

Today's Quote

"It’s positive that you have more and more of the big teams supporting a women’s team, that’s great. But honestly, it should be compulsory. It would add 5-10 per cent to their overall budget and vastly expand their following." - Rochelle Gilmore CyclingNews

BikeRadar verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. "Unparalleled braking for a carbon wheel, and lighter than most "

Wonderful for most cycling applications, the humble clincher tire does not perform well under the rigors of cyclocross racing. While I’ve discussed this before, there are a few things I didn’t bring up in the previous piece that definitely deserve mention.

Dutchwoman speaks about her remarkable recovery and new Rabobank contract.

The answer to the above questioning headline would seem to be $400,000.

The Commission comprises 15 members some of who attended two days of meetings at the World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland before traveling to Lausanne for the third day where they attended a presentation by IOC Communications specialists.

The Texan pro discusses the importance of bike fit & offers the best advice for us all...

South African gets married today, is happy to return at the top level with GreenEdge.

Parlee Cycles have come a long way from their humble beginnings in 2001. What began as a one-man operation producing a single frame has grown into a thriving custom bike-building business that employs 15-20 people, depending on the season. In 2012, Parlee will offer 11  frames in their expanding product line that now includes road, time trial, cyclo-cross and touring models.

Could future in politics beckon after 2012 Olympic Games?

VeloNews Video: Making beet juice with Allen Lim, co-author of ‘The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes.’

The UCI's Global Cycling Promotion (GCP) has made the first move in the anticipated battle between themselves and the potential breakaway cycling tour that is being drafted up by the Rothschild Group and the Gifted Group.

Former Russian champion and French prodigy add strength to Dutch team’s on- and off-road squads.

Road cycling. We think about cycling all the time but when was the last time you ever considered the road? It is just there. Perhaps you know where the rough sections appear on your riding routes, but what makes one road smooth and another rough? What makes a road?

Heavyweight duo have a history of battling sporting administrators.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a land, the United States of America, where some people believed there was a place for pro cycling and that an All-American Team could defeat the world.

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

Cyclocross season action continues Saturday with UCI Cyclocross World Cup at Koksijde, Belgium. Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

The third round of the UCI World Cup heads to Koksijde, Belgium for its first round outside of the Czech Republic. Saturday’s race takes place in the North Sea coast on the grounds of the Koksijde Military Base. More importantly, Koksijde will play host to the 2012 World Championships in January.

Iowa City has become synonymous over the past few years with Thanksgiving and cyclocross, offering a 3-day festival that kicks off Friday night and ends Sunday with an all-important UCI C1 race.

Mud, cowbells, beer, more mud… It’s cyclocross season and it’s time for you to get in on it. Here’s how....

The future of the women's Garmin-Cervélo team is up in the air amid rumours that the women's squad's budget has been significantly cut.

Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 3),
Tour of Rwanda (results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup #3,
Oceania Track Championships (results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
Oceania Track Championships (results),
GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
More...

Australian cyclist Rochelle Gilmore has backed British star Nicole Cooke to let her legs do the talking in a pre-Olympics controversy.

It's official: the Tour de France will celebrate its centenary with a visit to the only place in metropolitan France yet to get a tranche of Grande Boucle action.

As a quick recap, the key difference between the ‘Ui2' and Di2 is cabling - a two core, not quad core wire is used. While that renders the two incompatible, it does benefit the overall look as the Ultegra level cabling and connectors are noticeably slimmer.

Fashionable and functional casual bag that lets the world know you're a cyclist but doesn't shout about it.

Photo submitted by Neil, “I just thought I’d share this birthday cake of my rider pal Ian. It was his 31st birthday last September and the cake is a labor of love from his wife Mayan and her siblings Emille and Camille who also helped out. It’s a real cool cake, you gotta love the details.”

This Sunday, UCI “shikurokurosu” (cyclocross) returns to Nobeyama, Japan for the 2011 edition of the Nobeyama Cyclocross Race, presented by Rapha.

UCI explained team didn’t act quickly enough.

15 minute statement wraps up process.

Today's Quote

"It’s positive that you have more and more of the big teams supporting a women’s team, that’s great. But honestly, it should be compulsory. It would add 5-10 per cent to their overall budget and vastly expand their following." - Rochelle Gilmore CyclingNews

BikeRadar verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. "Unparalleled braking for a carbon wheel, and lighter than most "

Wonderful for most cycling applications, the humble clincher tire does not perform well under the rigors of cyclocross racing. While I’ve discussed this before, there are a few things I didn’t bring up in the previous piece that definitely deserve mention.

Dutchwoman speaks about her remarkable recovery and new Rabobank contract.

Scandinavian nation puts confidence in its two leading riders eight months before the games; Johansson looking to go one better than Beijing silver.

It's the week for getting your next year's team clothing sorted and a nice video from Hope...

The SwitchIt saddle-changing system, courtesy of Paul Swift of Bike Fit Systems.

Jonathan Bellis, the British rider who suffered a horrible crash in 2009, is hoping he can return to top speed with a move to the An Post Sean Kelly team next season.

First category 1 event in Perth since 1997.

Could future in politics beckon after 2012 Olympic Games?

VeloNews Video: Making beet juice with Allen Lim, co-author of ‘The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes.’

The UCI's Global Cycling Promotion (GCP) has made the first move in the anticipated battle between themselves and the potential breakaway cycling tour that is being drafted up by the Rothschild Group and the Gifted Group.

Former Russian champion and French prodigy add strength to Dutch team’s on- and off-road squads.

Road cycling. We think about cycling all the time but when was the last time you ever considered the road? It is just there. Perhaps you know where the rough sections appear on your riding routes, but what makes one road smooth and another rough? What makes a road?

Heavyweight duo have a history of battling sporting administrators.

Pedal Pushers Club now has youth sized tees, like the one above. So now your young’n can advertise his or her love of cycling right along with you.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a land, the United States of America, where some people believed there was a place for pro cycling and that an All-American Team could defeat the world.

Matt Roy started wrenching professionally over 10 years ago on the road with the Saturn Pro Team. But now, the 39-year old can be seen in the pits at cross races, in both the Elite Women and Elite Men race.

World champion wants GB's Copenhagen road captain alongside him when he goes for gold next July.

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This weekend the Dutch will get a taste of the Superprestige series as it heads to Gieten, the Netherlands. The race has been going on since it’s first edition in 1976 and held it’s first women’s race in 1996. The fastest men and women will take to the course around Gieten.

A big weekend and some shaking-up to the rankings, as Niels Albert has abandoned the field to recover from a broken wrist and Kevin Pauwels solidified his place on the top of the heap – so let’s take a look at the top ten on the European Circuit.

Dutch champion to defend national title but not seek to reclaim rainbow jersey as he targets 2012 Classics.

Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 2),
Tour of Rwanda (results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
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GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
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Photo submitted by Harlow Farnsworth, ”This pic was taken early on saturday morning on some trails just outside Seattle. The temp was around freezing and we were riding right in a fog layer that sun was slowly burning off.”

2013 will see the 100th staging of the Tour de France and to mark the occasion the world's most iconic cycling event looks set to start on the French island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea, according to AFP. It will be the first time that the Tour has visited in the island since the race was founded in 1903.

Team Sky rider talks about being focussed on the Olympic track, switching Giro for Tour, and leading out the World champion.

American veteran eyeing outside chance of Olympic selection.

"Yesterday, we published Part 1 of our interview with Ryan Trebon. Here’s the remainder of the interview."

First category 1 event in Perth since 1997.

WADA has launched an improved module within the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS) that provides a more user-friendly and efficient whereabouts interface for athletes.

Practical tips for what to take with you riding. Let function come before fashion!

Gift suggestions for the cycling speedster in your life.

There are big changes afoot on the UK professional scene. While some squads add to already talent-laden outfits, others look to fold.

"Before packing up the Calfee “Adventure,” I took it out for one last ride. It was a lovely afternoon that did not feel like November. The sun was out, and it was 59 degrees F. The weather forecast was for rain in the lowlands and snow in the mountains. It seemed fitting to take a racing bike out on probably the last ride in shorts for the year."

Today's Quote

"It’s positive that you have more and more of the big teams supporting a women’s team, that’s great. But honestly, it should be compulsory. It would add 5-10 per cent to their overall budget and vastly expand their following." - Rochelle Gilmore CyclingNews

It goes without saying the sport is about a lot more than lawyers and bankers. There’s no better example than the Tour of Rwanda.

British rider looking forward to plenty of racing in 2012.

The love affair really started in 2009. There had been fleeting contacts the years before, where I attended local races and enjoyed the craziness of cross in Northern California but I’ll admit to not taking the racing that seriously (shame on me).

Sport’s highest court completed a four-day hearing into Alberto Contador’s doping case on Thursday, and the Spanish rider must now wait until early next year to find out if he will be stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title.

"The British Olympic Authority (BOA) is locked in a fight with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). I wanted to cover this story earlier in the week but there’s been too much other news to fit it in."

Former sporting director Manolo Saiz reacted to the news that the Operación Puerto investigation is moving towards a conclusion now that the case is being moved to a criminal court.

"Ekimov leans across the table and lowers his voice a little, “Before I tell you about the air field in the north of Italy, can you answer a question for me?”

"Ladies and gents, just be careful out there on Thanksgiving. You could be blasting down a twisty mountain road on your prize Colnago and disaster strikes."

What do Tyler Farrar, Adrian Hegyvary, Carl Decker, Svein Tuft and Kiel Reijnen have in common? The five, along with 17 other riders, graduated from the amateur Hagens Berman Cycling Team onto the pro ranks.

Speedsters Hosking and Bates join fledgling team in guest roles.

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"Yesterday, we published Part 1 of our interview with Ryan Trebon. Here’s the remainder of the interview."

Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Day 1),
Tour of Rwanda (results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
Oceania Track Championships (results),
GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
More...

Cyclocross is a weird animal. It’s intense and technically demanding, so you don’t get much chance to consume anything during the race. It’s also short, so heavy carb loading might be overkill.

After a bit of a static week – with the only major North American races happening in North Carolina and most of the country’s major players taking a bit of a rest – let’s take a look at the Power Rankings. Not much has changed, but Berden’s two wins and the fall-out from Trebon’s crash a week and a half ago cause some shifts. Meanwhile, some Americans have headed to Belgium for the World Cup.

"It’s disappointing to see so many teams at the top level of the women’s discipline existing and paying their riders nothing. For a small fraction of the salary of star Belgian Philippe Gilbert you could have a whole women’s team." 

CyclingTips: Bikes of the Bunch – Specialized Venge.

It’s completely over the top. A Specialized Venge with Lightweight clinchers, Di2, Quarq powermeter. There’s not much to upgrade except for an internal battery kit and the McLaren frame (the first one arrives to Australia this week). Only a few people will be able to pull off the McLaren without getting flak for it.

Night time-lapse photo by Fred Grinnan, “Billed as the longest 24 our race in the world. The 25 hours of Frog Hollow takes place near Virgin, Utah over the time change in the fall; hence 25hours….”

Tour podium finishers all to compete in early-season events.

"I contend that the very act of cycling, riding a bike fast, still makes us feel like kids. Maybe not every time we saddle up, but often. More importantly, this happens irregardless of whether the bike is old or new."

The third stop on the UCI World Cup returns to Koksijde on the North Sea coast of Belgium on Saturday, November 26. The 2.8 km circuit takes place on the grounds of the Koksijde Military Base. With riders fresh off the double race weekend in Gavere and Hasselt, the race is sure to be a showdown between the top guns on the European circuit.

The decisions concerning the GreenEDGE Cycling and RadioShack-Nissan teams will be announced later – the Commission is currently waiting for the teams to provide additional documents.

Tiralongo provides evidence in Lausanne.

Today's Quote

"It’s positive that you have more and more of the big teams supporting a women’s team, that’s great. But honestly, it should be compulsory. It would add 5-10 per cent to their overall budget and vastly expand their following." - Rochelle Gilmore CyclingNews

Geox-TMC manager Mauro Gianetti has revealed that he has two potential sponsors lined up to replace his team’s current main backer. Gianetti had already admitted that he has been negotiating with the Venezuelan tourist board, and has now told the C-Cycling blog that he is also working on a possible deal with what he described as "a good, serious company that we know very well".

Searls was on a first-floor balcony celebrating a dirt bike record when he tried to jump into the pool on Sunday night, but missed and hit concrete head first.

The world of reportage is full of authors who've done daft things in order to give the telling of their tale that exra touch of verisimilitude. George Orwell became a vagrant in order to write Down And Out In London And Paris. Hunter S Thompson joined a motorcycle gang in order to write Hells Angels. And Andrew Tilin became a doper in order to write The Doper Next Door. Orwell? "The Doper Next Door" may be purchased Here.

"I think there would be fewer problems on the trail if uphill riders yielded to downhill riders."

At a race like Paris-Roubaix with its infamous cobbled sections, neutral support plays an important role, especially when riders are far from their team cars when disaster strikes.

The Bordeaux–Paris was an invitational race and the longest on the professional calendar. It started in Bordeaux at 2am and finished in Paris 12-14 hours later covering over 570km. Unfortunately the race began to lose prestige in the 1980s.

Going on the leaked plans received by cyclingnews.com it seems the mooted breakaway league is struggling to get an advantage. As you probably know, anyone can launch an attack, the hard part is making a breakaway last. It’s the same in business, launching a venture is easy but making it work is the hard part.

Madrid’s Superior Court says sports physician Eufemiano Fuentes, former Liberty Seguros team boss Manolo Saiz and six others arrested in 2006 on suspicion of providing doping services to cyclists will be tried.

Denies that it interfered in the judicial process leading to Mosquera’s two-year ban.

Australian nabbed after winning stage of Tour of Hainan.

It sounds odd, but a basic bowl of cereal was initial genesis for the recently released cookbook, “The Feed Zone: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes.” The moment of inspiration came during one of Allen Lim’s first trips to Europe, where he witnessed a young pro cyclist pour himself the aforementioned bowl of cereal — for dinner.

"Andrew Tilin - The Doper Next Door - chats about his year as a citizen doper. Along the way we also talk about the 'anti-aging' industry, Joe Papp, whether doping is tax deductable and the general state of sport today."

BikeRadar verdict: 3 out of 5 stars. "Light, noticeably responsive yet usefully tough all-round wheels, but at a price."

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The third stop on the UCI World Cup returns to Koksijde on the North Sea coast of Belgium on Saturday, November 26. The 2.8 km circuit takes place on the grounds of the Koksijde Military Base. With riders fresh off the double race weekend in Gavere and Hasselt, the race is sure to be a showdown between the top guns on the European circuit.

Thirteen years in a wheelchair; Dutchwoman won two medals in 2008 paralympics.

Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
Tour of Rwanda (results),
Lotto Zesdaagse Vlaanderen-Gent (Start List),
GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
Oceania Track Championships (results),
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Kevin Pauwels once again proved he’s a force to be reckoned with this year picking up his third GVA Trophy victory in as many races. Pauwels out-sprinted World Champion Zdenek Stybar, beating him by just a few inches. Sven Nys and Tom Meeusen rolled across the line in third and fourth, respectively.

Today's Quote

"When Stybar attacks he looks like a wolf tearing a baby buffalo apart.” - AmyDombroski Twitter

Team facing possible loss of WorldTour ranking? An International Cycling Union spokesman indicated the team could face the possibility of losing its WorldTour licence if Alberto Contador is banned. 

Iljo Keisse is banned from riding in Belgium through January, and that ban also extends to his attendance at cycling events.  The UCI has told him not to attend the Gent Six Days race, according to the Belgian media.

Believes dynamic between he and Gilbert will lead to big successes.

The French team has already spent this year at Pro Continental level and despite its 21 victories, the fourth overall placing at the Tour de France of Thomas Voeckler and the overall win of the Tour's white jersey for best young rider by Pierre Rolland, the squad could not convince the UCI of rewarding it with a World Tour license.

“This photo is of us riding Slickrock trail in Moab, UT during Outerbike. Moab is awesome and completely different than Michigan.” Photo taken by Sara Baldwin.

"Every year, cyclocross gets bigger and bigger in North America, and it’s getting to become the cycling discipline that the “cool kids” do now, with nothing cooler than the Worlds coming to Louisville in 2013. However, there’s a place where cross is soaked deep into the mud like nowhere else, and that’s Belgium. And since I’m living in Belgium for a few months, let’s join the craziness shall we?"

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Trebon crashed hard in warmup, badly bruising his leg. Though he toed the starting line and raced to 10th place, cameras caught him limping up the course’s staircase each lap.

Testimony continues Tuesday in what will likely be the most important day in the four-day Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing in Alberto Contador’s clenbuterol case.

"My concern about traveling to France is that they may not allow me to return home," said Landis suggesting that the French authorities might like to see him behind bars.

The world of reportage is full of authors who've done daft things in order to give the telling of their tale that exra touch of verisimilitude. George Orwell became a vagrant in order to write Down And Out In London And Paris. Hunter S Thompson joined a motorcycle gang in order to write Hells Angels. And Andrew Tilin became a doper in order to write The Doper Next Door. Orwell? "The Doper Next Door" may be purchased Here.

One of the legends of frame building told me that he thought the only want to hone the craft of frame building was by spending some years in a production environment. It’s not until you’ve done dropouts or bottom bracket shells for days on end and are sick of them that you can hope to gain the experience necessary to develop that muscle memory.

What’s worse: flying with a bike or going on vacation without a familiar bicycle?

King got a two-year deal while Duggan was a late-hour re-up to stay with the WorldTour team. Both will continue their roles as workers for the team’s big captains, such as Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali.

As with any tradeshow, there are the items that stand out. Roc d’Azur was no exception. Some are unique takes on existing tech. Some are far out designs that almost seem to be more design study than practical application. And some are quite obviously just for fun.

Confidence was a huge factor in his success last season.

"The Crusher" is coming back in 2012, with the Beaver County Travel Council as a new title sponsor and a special registration program for all first-year entrants.

Exceptionally light lid for the money though the retention system won't suit everybody. The Limar 777 Road Helmet may be purchase Here

After many months of keeping his counsel, Ezequiel Mosquera hit out in several directions as he confirmed that he will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the two-year ban imposed on him after hydroxyethyl starch (HES) was detected in his sample at the 2010 Vuelta a España. Mosquera also indicated that he is likely to take action in Spain’s civil courts.

During the winter months pro road cyclists can catch up on various projects (Rory Sutherland painting his house) or take care of some personal business (Tejay Van Garderen getting married). In the case of Mike Creed he decided that this was the time to try stand-up comedy.

The Code du Sport requires a sports body in France to inform the athlete concerned that they are in the testing pool every year, to send a letter confirming their status. It seems the FFC did not do this.

Even if you don’t speak Spanish, the messages contained in the video are clear, including that all road users need to be aware of each other, whatever means of transport they are using.

German to race alongside Michael Rasmussen in 2012.

Mark broke the World Record for cycling around the world, covering 18,296 miles in 194 days and 17 hours, breaking the old record by 81 days. Mark's book "The Man Who Cycled the World" may be purchased Here.

BikeRadar verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. "Impressive – a real contender for the training tire crown."

Lizzie Armitstead has revealed the problems with Nicole Cooke and fractious aftermath of September's World Championship road race in Copenhagen, which casts doubt on the ability of the women's Great Britain road team to ride cohesively at the 2012 Olympics.

It was barely a year ago that Diego, at the tender age of 14, finished Day One of Team Ironfly’s MT III, the 500-mile epic slog from San Jose to Redondo Beach. We had just finished 70.3 miles and almost 8,000 feet of climbing when we rolled into Santa Cruz. Diego was a tad, shall we say, tired? He checked into his hotel room, collapsed on the bed in his salty, nasty, smelly kit, and went to sleep. For fifteen hours straight.

Snow and icy temperatures have been replaced with sun and summer. We're well underway with our winter training and we're spending the period of basis-training on the Canary Islands.

World Champion and Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish joined British Prime Minister David Cameron for the grand opening of the new McLaren Production Center in Woking, UK.

Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
Tour of Rwanda (results),
GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
Oceania Track Championships (results),
Australian Mountain Bike National Series - Perth (results),
Rodez - 2me manche du Challenge La France Cycliste de Cyclo-cross (results),
More...

With the safety and purity of our global food supply being brought into question by the current Contador Clenbuterol tainting case before CAS, several top cyclists appeared jointly at a press conference recently to highlight this issue.

It was a slim weekend for North American cyclocross. Many of the nation’s top-tier riders opted to take the weekend off after a grueling couple of weeks that saw seven major UCI-rated races – last week’s huge USGP weekend in Louisville, and before that, races in Cincinatti and Massachusetts.

Belgian earns praise from Wellens, Stybar as Nys waits for next week.

Belgian says new cast should enable him to train.

Photo by Glenn Bell of Paige Payne riding the Kenosha Pass.

Does milk—and its product spin-offs—really do a body good? Absolutely, if you know what and how much to consume.

BikeRadar verdict: 3 out of 5 stars. "Usefully light, tight and good looking all-rounder wheels with a reliable reputation." The Easton EA70 Road Bike Wheel Set is available for purchase Here

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The course was awesome. Fast, technical, sand, sand, and more sand. The green monster was everything that I thought it would be.

Cycling can be so confusing at times. I'm not talking about the inordinate amount of prize categories in the Giro d'Italia (Fast Team, Super Team, Escape Prize, Fair Play Prize). I'm talking about the people who are in charge of certain aspects of the sport. Doping and the results of doping are still front page news in cycling.

Reasons for Clenbuterol positive to be investigated.

French team rejoins the sports top division after one year at Professional Continental level.

Today's Quote

"When Stybar attacks he looks like a wolf tearing a baby buffalo apart.” - AmyDombroski Twitter

“It won’t stop us from riding,” says French team boss.

Liz Hatch became a professional cyclist when she was 28 years old in 2008; she has done more in four years than most riders do in a lifetime! From 1 hour US criteriums to the Giro d’Italia in a matter of weeks, then off to Belgium and more recently life in Spain. The past, the present and the future of Liz Hatch and how to pack in as much as you can in a short time.

What happened to the computer the Feds seized? Were they just a PC down back at the government offices and thought since they were raiding Yaroslav Popovych’s house, they might as well make up the deficit? “Here, Marcela, I know it’s not a new computer like we promised, we got it off a pro cyclist, pay no attention to the coded emails.”

A new name in pedals that isn't new at all...

Briton explains why Mark Cavendish is a good addition to the team.

Exceptionally light lid for the money though the retention system won't suit everybody. The Limar 777 Road Helmet may be purchase Here

Hayles won his first senior national title in the kilo in 1993, and finally became world champion 12 years later. A part of the GB set-up until 2009, Hayles was an integral part of the team who went from nowhere to become world beaters within the matter of years.

Insurance comparison firm Confused.com has provoked a storm of criticism from both cyclists and drivers alike with a ham-fisted and error-strewn press release aimed at promoting an equally confused road safety campaing and ostensibly highlighting the problem of road rage on Britain’s roads which has instead managed to alienate – not to mention confuse – almost everyone at whom it was aimed.

The Compliance Report showed that many European National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADO's) were non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code. On the two American continents, a total of 7 NADO's were also cited as not having achieved the criteria agreed by the WADA Executive Committee in September 2010.

Despite the news that the UCI are still waiting on additional documents in order to secure its WorldTour status for 2012, the GreenEdge team remains confident of its place in cycling's top tier.

Every so often in the cycling press we'll read about a pro who has developed arterial problems in his or her leg. The headlines will often referred to it as "Iliac Artery surgery". The medical term for the problem is "Exercise Induced Arterial Endofibrosis". What exactly is going on here?

"As another year of cycling comes to a close, I’m feeling a pang of nostalgia. For the first time in almost a quarter-century I wasn’t part of the group that nominated and selected the various Riders of the Year to be announced in the VeloNews Awards issue (now Velo Awards)."

Former tennis champion's comments "inadmissible and irresponsible."

World champion will miss his long time lead out man as he moves to Team Sky; will follow similar programme to 2009 on the build up to the Olympic Games.

World champion deemed most accessible rider in 2011.

Jon has a knack for summing up a day's racing in a single picture. His black and white portrait of Chris Horner at this year's Tour of California is one such example, but there have been many more in Jon's work for us.

British Cycling has today announced the names of the three female riders who will represent Great Britain in round two of the 2011/12 UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Cali, taking place from 1-3 December 2011.

Top stars at UCI headquarters this week.

"I suspect Noah would win “most unpopular Frenchman” in Spain by some margin. He’s just managed to upset an entire nation with an article in French daily Le Monde:"

Sanne van Paassen takes the women’s race on rolling, winding course.

Cyclocross season action continues Sunday with Superprestige Cyclocross at Gavere. Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

Today's Quote

"When Stybar attacks he looks like a wolf tearing a baby buffalo apart.” - AmyDombroski Twitter

Superprestige Gavere (Elite men results),
Superprestige Gavere (Elite women results),
GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
Revolution 34 (results),
North Carolina Grand Prix - Race 1 (results),
Tour of Rwanda (Prologue results),
Toi Toi Cup #6 (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
More...

Photo by Joshua Weiss, “Local cycling photographer Doug Brons of Vancouver, BC, took this shot from what was the toughest race yet of the BC Cup Series, BC Cup # 5. The South Surrey Cyclocross presented by Mighty Riders and Daryl Evans Racing. The rider is Joshua Weiss of Daryl Evans Racing.”

The Continental Marco Polo Cycling Team has decided to change its focus from Asia to Europe and Africa for the upcoming season. The team will be registered in Ethiopia and compete in races in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany as well as stage races in Africa, Asia and Southern Europe.

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Like (probably) many of you, I hate the trainer. I really do. I will ride in ridiculous sub-freezing temperatures just to avoid indoor workouts. When I must use the trainer, I have to trick myself into staying motivated.

There has been a “monumental change” in doping in cycling, Ettore Torri, the anti-doping prosecutor for the Italian Olympic committee (CONI) said. Doping has not been eliminated but reduced “a great deal”.

Modified early-season programme for Belgian champion.

BikeRadar verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars. "Classy Italian thoroughbred with great looks, handling and comfort."

Ukrainian rider aiming to help Fabian Cancellara and take a strong personal result.

With a top 3 clean sweep, the US squad wants to spread its message about diabetes.

Exceptionally light lid for the money though the retention system won't suit everybody.

"Rain and the cold aren’t deterrents. They are, rather, accelerators that get me quickly to the pleasure zone, where effort becomes work, and the work then becomes discomfort, and the discomfort morphs into either the extreme exhaustion of a long ride or the searing pain of a bad climb or a hellish rotation or a solo chase in no-man’s-land with no hope of ever latching back on."

With the threat of a lifetime ban hanging over his head, a healthy and upbeat Jan Ullrich said he looks forward to the final resolution of doping allegations linked to 2006’s Operación Puerto, adding that a sanction would have little practical effect on his life as a retired racer or newfound happiness as a recreational cyclist.

The UCI, cycling’s governing body take their image rights of the rainbow stripes very seriously. The five colors, arranged as they are in order blue, red, black, yellow, green are a registered trademark and their use on any piece of bicycle equipment must be approved by the UCI themselves. They have many pages of rules and regulations regarding the rainbow stripes of World Champion available on their website.

Sicard keeps his place after drunken incident.

We think that the Sella Ronda, which encompasses Passo Sella, Pordoi, Campolongo and Gardena, is one of the finest 55km loops in the world.

The Dutch women's team Dolmans Landscaping Team will have a new name co-sponsor in 2012, and will be called Dolmans-Boels Cycling Team, the team has announced.

The smartphone, with a multitude of cycling specific applications, seems to be a valid choice for replacing one’s cycle computer these days.  Thanks to bluetooth and custom cases you can personalize your system with various ant+ compatible sensors, the larger screen provides more data at one time, built in GPS tracks your ride, and you can easily read the screen after dark.

Americans. Honestly, why were they allowed get involved in the great sport of cycling? When they popped their colonial heads over the garden fence and asked “Can we play?” why didn’t everyone tell them to sod off and stick to that version of rugby they indulge in while wearing leisure armor or the game of rounders that only they play under the auspices of the ironically titled “World Series?”

Nys on the ropes but hoping for GvA Trofee comeback.

GVA Trofee - GP Hasselt (results),
Toi Toi Cup #6 (results),
Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Australian Mountain Bike National Series - Perth,
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Stybar, Nys, Pauwels, Wellens, Aernouts, Meeusen, Vantornout, Page...  Cyclocross season action continues Saturday with GVA Trophy Cyclocross - GP van Hasselt. Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

Photo by Derrick, “Looking down the Portal trail just past the BLM’s ‘Warning: Three Bicyclists have died here. DISMOUNT NOW’ sign.”

FDJ rider’s World Cup focus puts him currently fourth in standings.

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Jonathan Vaughters is a damn sharp guy. He’s a masterful team manager, a hilarious tweeter, a beacon of sartorial style and a shrewd evaluator of talent. The signing of Thomas Dekker to the Garmin-Cervelo ProTeam squad is a brilliant addition on several levels. It makes beautiful sense from a financial and sporting perspective.

Five cleaning secrets from the experts.

Chris Horner says that retirement is not on the horizon as he prepares for the 2012 season with RadioShack-Nissan-Trek. Horner, who turned 40 last month, says that he just keeps getting better with age.

Danish rider speaks about his clearing, his errors and his future.

We've all seen or read about them, and some have even been lucky enough to ride (or better yet, own) one: those ultra-premium 'halo' bikes that are cycling's equivalent of that old Lamborghini Countach poster on your childhood bedroom's wall. These days, nearly every company has at least one in their range – but if only a handful of people can afford them, what's the point?

EPS head honcho Flavio Cracco talks us round the new electronic system.

The new Giro Aeon helmet in a medium weighs a mere 222 grams — in fact, the European version goes all the way down to 189 grams. This creates a new term in your vocabulary: shocking light. The Giro Aeon Helmet is available for purchase Here...

"Anytime we can just throw on one piece of clothing rather than two (winter shoes versus super thick or double socks plus a wind blocking cover), we’re happy. And winter cycling shoes generally provide enough warmth and protection to let us do just that."

Set to compete with the Leopard-Trek structure in 2012, albeit under RadioShack-Nissan title sponsorship, American rider Chris Horner is thinking with big ambition about the races on his program.

"I am not going to just assume that readers here at Red Kite Prayer know who the hell I might be, nor will I assume that they have the slightest clue as to what it is I am doing here. So, given that this is my first column on Red Kite Prayer, it’s probably a good time for a not-so-brief introduction."

Football players are applauded for doping, while cyclists are censured for it, Tour de France winner Oscar Pereiro claimed on Spanish television. The discussion grew heated as Pereiro named names of football players he claimed have doped.

In a male dominated profession Josée Larocque made headlines in November when she became the first female to take the UCI’s director sportif course, but the Spidertech pioneer has asked for no special treatment from the sport.

“So I’ve got a wheel on the Parkway, and it’s leading up to the sprint, and some guy grabs my arm and pushes me off the wheel. What am I supposed to do? I almost crashed. It really scared me.”

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "It’s expensive, but Trek’s Slash delivers astonishing control and composure for enduro downhill or all-mountain blasts."

Today's Quote

"We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones.” - David Howman SBS

Warm, effective and extremely comfortable but those with larger biceps might find them on the snug side.

David Zabriskie gave his all in appreciation of Garmin-Cervelo team CEO Jonathan Vaughters.  The American gave a spirited rendition of an altered version of "Proud Mary" at the team gala Thurdsday night in Boulder, Colorado, calling it "a song for Jonathan, since he 'keeps it turning'."

Stybar, Nys, Pauwels, Wellens, Aernouts, Meeusen, Vantornout, Page...  Cyclocross season action continues Saturday with GVA Trophy Cyclocross - GP van Hasselt. Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

Jonathan Vaughters is a damn sharp guy. He’s a masterful team manager, a hilarious tweeter, a beacon of sartorial style and a shrewd evaluator of talent. The signing of Thomas Dekker to the Garmin-Cervelo ProTeam squad is a brilliant addition on several levels. It makes beautiful sense from a financial and sporting perspective.

Alberto Contador will appear personally at the hearing of his case next week before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).  He will not be speaking to the press, though, and it was not clear whether he would testify.

Turkey Day is fast approaching and what does that mean? We are, oh so close to Christmas week, arguably the best week in ’cross racing ever, with a race almost every day to live stream and geek out on.

The Top Four: Pauwels, Stybar, Nys, and Albert have a stranglehold on European cyclocross. These four have won every major race this season, unwilling to let wins slip through their stingy fingers to the rest of the pack. They are head and shoulders above the rest of the field, and as such, deserve to be looked at with a separation between them and the rest. They’re competing against each other – everybody else is just chasing them.

American ProTeam unveils strong lineup for next season.

The 2012 and 2013 USA Cyclocross Championships will be held at Badger Prairie Park in Verona, just outside of Madison, Wisconsin.  Organized by the Madison Area Sports Commission and Team Sports Inc., the races will take place January 4-8 culminating with the U23 Men’s race on Saturday and Elite Women’s and Elite Men’s races on Sunday.

Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Australian Mountain Bike National Series - Perth,
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Although the Spanish Federation are yet to issue their expected two-year ban for Ezequiel Mosquera, Vacansoleil-DCM has told Cyclingnews that they expected the rider to be banned after Oscar Sevilla was suspended under similar circumstances.

Five cleaning secrets from the experts.

Photo by AA, who is at the top of top of the Montabello Preserve in California.

The new Giro Aeon helmet in a medium weighs a mere 222 grams — in fact, the European version goes all the way down to 189 grams. This creates a new term in your vocabulary: shocking light. The Giro Aeon Helmet is available for purchase Here...

Set to compete with the Leopard-Trek structure in 2012, albeit under RadioShack-Nissan title sponsorship, American rider Chris Horner is thinking with big ambition about the races on his program.

His wife Patricia Florez “has been making the necessary arrangements for the winner of the 2007 Tour de France King of the Mountains to continue his recovery at home,” according to a statement issued by the Colombian cycling federation.

Stefan Schumacher is said to be joining Christina Watches for the 2012 season. Team owner Christina Hembo yesterday had announced a press conference at which she would introduce “a star rider” to the team.

Today's Quote

"We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones.” - David Howman SBS

"I found that this year’s Vuelta a Espana was massively intriguing. We saw one of the smallest winning margins of any Grand Tour ever. And in Juan Jose Cobo we were also presented with a winner who did not complete the 3,300km in the fastest time. Cobo beat Christopher Froome by 13 seconds thanks to time bonuses. The Team Sky rider clocked up the actual fastest time around the lap of Spain this year."

Tour de France remains biggest goal for Luxembourg brothers; could target Valkenberg Worlds.

Australian returns to UCI WorldTour with Italian team.

Bernard Hinault hated Paris-Roubaix. He called it “nonsense.” He raced it until he won, and then he quit showing up each year.

It's fixie frames going roadie, tattoo art clothing and clever framebuilding hacks this week...

The Midwest CX Stitch was created as part of an initiative on the east coast called Cycling Made Real, an organization started by women for women aiming to address the “too few races with too few contestants” problem.

HTC-Highroad’s Alex Rasmussen was said to be “wild with delight” after yesterday’s news that he was cleared to resume racing after a hearing by the Danish cycling authorities.

Governing body breaks its own regulations in late communication of warning.

In general, high-powered lawyers are paid by the hour but it appears that the legal team defending Alberto Contador against doping charges is being paid by the page.

David Zabriskie gave his all in appreciation of Garmin-Cervelo team CEO Jonathan Vaughters.  The American gave a spirited rendition of an altered version of "Proud Mary" at the team gala Thurdsday night in Boulder, Colorado, calling it "a song for Jonathan, since he 'keeps it turning'."

Charitybuzz have partnered with Levi Leipheimer to auction an autographed RadioShack branded race leader’s podium jersey from the 2011 Tour of Utah. The auction will benefit the Stiller Foundation.

US Professional Continental team secured through 2014.

Felt has just launched a mobile version of their website fine tuned for Android devices and the iPhone and iPad.

IG Markets, the financial company that sponsors Team Sky also has a useful ranking system for riders, the IG Markets Pro Cycling Index.

This is a cool little number. An article from the website Notes On The Road that has photos of over two dozen famous movie stars on bikes.

Much credit is due to historian Andrew Ritchie for his fascinating book, “Quest for Speed: A History of Early Bicycle Racing 1868-1903" which not only describes what was to become the foundation of our organized sport but provides insights into the attitudes and aspirations of what we would like to consider a more innocent time. "Quest For Speed: A History of Early Bicycle Racing 1868-1903" is available Here

Randell was caught in the crash on stage 2 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado, that saw Daniele Callegarin (Team Type 1), Sergio Hernandez (Jelly Belly p/b Kenda), Davide Frattini (UnitedHealthcare) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) all go down after a collision with a cattle guard.

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

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AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

French rider hoping for resolution of back issues.

As teams start rolling out their 2012 rosters, the closest thing to November news in the sport is confirmation of who is or isn't on some teams. And the biggest news of the week is that of two returns: Thomas Dekker to Garmin and Alejandro Valverde to Movistar.

Shimano is not a new sponsor. Cervélo, the bike manufacturer, is purchasing Shimano groups for the team after repeated requests for Shimano from team members.

2011 Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck has had his 350 Euro fine for speeding in his car upheld, and may receive further punishment on top.

Denis Menchov is said to be on the brink of signing with Katusha for the coming year.  The Russian would share the team leadership with Joaquim Rodriguez, with the pair dividing up the grand tours between them.

Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Australian Mountain Bike National Series - Perth,
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Andy and Fränk Schleck will be among those in the Mallorca Cycling Challenge in February. Race organizers have confirmed that RadioShack-Nissan will be one of at least six WorldTour tams at the race series.

This weekend brings two more big races in Europe with the GvA Troffee Series’ Hasselt race on Saturday followed by the SuperPrestige Gavere on Sunday, while the North Carolina Grand Prix weekend doubleheader is the only UCI race in North America.

Jeremy Powers - With two back to back USGP wins, Jeremy Powers is looking dominant. An on-form Ryan Trebon and a Ruta del Sol-winning Todd Wells may have been able to keep pace with him, but Powers showed his ability to ride away from a star-studded field (albeit with company) and then grind out last-lap victories. The man’s got an array of very big arrows in his quiver.

Olympic champion under the knife to remove calcified lesions.

The arrival of Shimano's Dura-Ace Di2 was met with great interest, but the $4,000-plus price tag meant it was little more than a dream for many cyclists. Shimano's history of introducing new technologies in its premier groups before trickling them down had us anticipating a lower-cost electronic-shifting group. Now the wait is over.

Photo by Fred Grinnan of rider Miles Porter.

The 2012 Superfly Pro expands on what was good, fixes a few niggles and moves even further upscale for what we expect to be a cross-country rocketship.

Why singlespeed? Isn’t ’cross hard enough? Sure, steep hills with one gear get a little harder, but you’d be surprised how much you can do with just one gear.

’Cross, like almost everything in life that’s worth doing, requires almost singular focus, dedication and hard, hard work. I’ve been lucky. Two men taught me the life lessons that allowed me to keep going when the barriers seem too high, the mud too thick, the run-ups too steep.

If ever there was an advertisement highlighting the folly of doping, it was the live internet podcast with Floyd Landis and Joe Papp that took place last Sunday evening.

Governing body breaks its own regulations in late communication of warning.

If you’re on Twitter and follow various pro cyclists you might have noticed quite a few “back to work” messages in the past couple of weeks. Riders have had their time off and it there is no racing until the Tour Down Under in mid-January, there’s plenty of training to be done.

The new Giro Aeon helmet in a medium weighs a mere 222 grams — in fact, the European version goes all the way down to 189 grams. This creates a new term in your vocabulary: shocking light.

Speedplay cleats require maintenance, just like your drivetrain. Squeaking can occur and man it drives me nuts! Over the years I’ve played with different lubes on my Zero cleats. WD-40 does a good job of cleaning them out. A Teflon spray works well in keeping them working freely. Now I use Speedplay’s own SP-Lube and I’ve been really happy with the results.

Ritchey’s Classic Road Bar & 4-Axis Stem - in classic silver.

It’s Saturday afternoon in Bend, it’s sunny and about 60 degrees out and I’m on the starting line. Luckily, my number got the second row starting position this week. “Click, click,” check my brakes one last time, a few deep breaths. Someone makes a bad joke and we all laugh nervously. “30 seconds!”

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Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

Giuseppe Dal Pra, the manager for groupsets, has worked on the Campagnolo electronic-shift project for 20 years — since 1992.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Light and effective, although a shade fiddly to fit."

The MSC Ultralight II carbon fiber handlebar is a Euro-pleasing 580mm wide XC bar (although you’ll notice “All Mountain” printed on it above) that includes marks for cutting it down to a mere 540mm should you desire.

In general, high-powered lawyers are paid by the hour but it appears that the legal team defending Alberto Contador against doping charges is being paid by the page.

Three team bikes for 2012. First is Vacansoleil-DCM with a Bianchi Oltre frame. There’s a mix of FSA and Shimano components along with Fast Forward wheels. The team had been using Ridley with SRAM.

Will lose second place finish in last year’s Vuelta.

Suspended Italian looking for a team; ban expires two days before Italian tour.

Today's Quote

"We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones.” - David Howman SBS

It was a pretty good year for KP. Elite track nationals? Fifth place, team pursuit. Master’s track nationals? Stars and stripes jersey in the team pursuit. Silver medal in the individual pursuit. Bronze in the points race and scratch race. State champion in the individual and team pursuits. In addition to his state and national titles, KP had some excellent results on the road as well. And he achieved all of this before he discovered the Tug-Toner, so he should really blow doors in 2012.

The Lazer Nirvana is packed full of little features that make the list price of $140 completely reasonable. The most distinctive being the Rollsys retention system that adjusts the fit of the internal perimeter of the helmet.

The company behind the newly merged RadioShack Nissan Trek outfit, Leopard SA, will continue its partnership with Craft next year.

CyclingNewsAsia Interview: Anuar Manam, Terengganu Professional Cyclist.

One of Malaysias' most prolific sprinters is Anuar Manam. The Terengganu born professional cyclist has won stages in the Tour de Langkawi, and today sits as one of Malaysias' best known cyclists. Certainly as his win tally increases, his popularity and name have become well known in the greater region.

Dane believes Tom Boonen is still capable of winning Classics.

The French newspaper Le Monde was fined €15,000 after the Spanish supreme court decided its 2006 report linking FC Barcelona to the doping investigation Operación Puerto amounted to defamation.

Specialized have been trumpeting their new carbon recycling scheme and I like it. Other bike manufacturers offer similar plans and it makes sense on many fronts, indeed it is not just the cycle sector offering this, it is becoming widespread for many carbon products. 

“You have to get to the pit because your bike needs a rider change.”
“Just think – they used to write magazine articles about you.”

Thor Hushovd has criticized the International Cycling Union's points systems, saying it is confusing for riders, teams and nations alike. He appreciated that it makes it easier for new teams to form and non-European riders to join the peloton, but overall it causes too many problems.

If ever there was an advertisement highlighting the folly of doping, it was the live internet podcast with Floyd Landis and Joe Papp that took place last Sunday evening.

"I’d be very interested to see an analysis of all the professional cyclist’s rankings versus their salary. Sadly it’s almost impossible to find official record of professional cyclists’ salaries to do this comparison."

Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Australian Mountain Bike National Series - Perth,
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Photo by Rob Morgan from his recent trip to Switzerland. Lucky guy.

Lizzie Armitstead brims with enthusiasm as she talks about London 2012's velodrome, but won't be participating in the velodrome next year…

Oregon Public Broadcast did a report roughly 15 years ago on the “new” sport of cyclocross. As the broadcaster points out, most racers were on mountain bikes, kiddie ’cross didn’t exist, and races were lucky to have 50 or 60 participants.

We raved over Zipp’s 404 Firecrest carbon clincher wheel in testing last month and now its shallower-rimmed brother, the 303, gets the same Firecrest treatment.

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

The new Giro Aeon helmet in a medium weighs a mere 222 grams — in fact, the European version goes all the way down to 189 grams. This creates a new term in your vocabulary: shocking light.

Victoire Cycles is a relatively fresh brand from Clermont-Ferrand, France, that is focusing on high end hubs, cogs and parts for fixie and urban style bikes, including a nod to bicycle polo with a very trick stem.

David Millar could still appear at the Olympics after WADA challenged the legal validity of the BOA's lifetime Games ban.

American Ted King has made a comfortable career for himself in professional cycling as a loyal and effective support rider. But the Liquigas-Cannondale man does not see the role of the domestique being changed by the UCI's system of choosing WorldTour teams based on the points accumulated by the riders.

In an upcoming interview with Procycling Magazine, Bernhard Eisel says that it was the right time for HTC-Highroad to call it a day. The team announced in August that they were unable to find a new title sponsor and would leave cycling at the end of the current year. Eisel, along with sprinter Mark Cavendish, moved to Team Sky for 2012.

Team budget said to be unaffected.

Over the weekend, Andrew Hood of VeloNews posited that the upcoming year could be the one for Fabian Cancellara to win the Tour de France.

Look back over the recent victories of Cadel Evans, Thor Hushovd and Fabian Cancellara, and the team performances of the likes of CSC, Saeco and BMC Racing, seems to suggest that they have little in common. However, if you were to compile photographs of each of these successes, the link between them would become immediately obvious.

Once upon a time, bike shops had to build the wheels for all their road bikes. Now custom-built wheels seem exotic and wheel-building is in danger of becoming a dying art. Regardless, there are several good reasons to go custom for your next wheelset.

MRP's chain guides are pretty sorted when it comes to performance so the onus with their latest single-chainring offerings has been on shedding weight.

World champ gives thoughts on issues such as advantage of a track background, and listening to music while you ride.

Today's Quote

"We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones.” - David Howman SBS

"I had been planning to race some CX this fall.  I really wanted to do some CX before I left for Brasil, but I didn’t get my bike when I expected…and also smashed my face rendering me useless for 2 weeks.  CX would have to wait till I got back from Brasil, and it was hard with a sweet bike and a unicorn skinsuit in my possession! I’m racing for a team out of Austin – Team Super Awesome."

Women's cycling scholar, Stefan Wyman (Horizon Fitness - Prendas Ciclismo DS), has popped back in to his favourite cafe to share his review of the 2011 season over a cappuccino. Due to its educational theme, Dr Gavia has kindly offered to buy everyone a coffee with the aid of a student loan.

Specialized have been trumpeting their new carbon recycling scheme and I like it. Other bike manufacturers offer similar plans and it makes sense on many fronts, indeed it is not just the cycle sector offering this, it is becoming widespread for many carbon products. Although if it sounds green, the energy processes involved in recycling don’t make this a giant leap in sustainability.

The French newspaper Le Monde was fined €15,000 after the Spanish supreme court decided its 2006 report linking FC Barcelona to the doping investigation Operación Puerto amounted to defamation.

The Iranian rider who was the top UCI points leader of the 2011 Asia Tour. Thanks to his significant 327 point total he was able to sign a contract with ProTour team Lotto Ridley. However, when Sohrabi heard that Liguigas-Cannondale rider Ted King hasn’t earned a single UCI point, he decided to donate some of his own.

MCipollini merges with Gauss; new BePink team set up.

Greg Henderson says it was a “no brainer” leaving Sky to join forces with former teammate Andre Greipel at Lotto-Belisol where he is hopeful to start the Tour de France for the first time next season after enduring an “emotional rollercoaster” at Dave Brailsford’s team.

Former top pro moves on after long stint working for Johan Bruyneel.

Light, stiff and comfortable top end road shoes guaranteed to give you wood.

After a day spent talking about it, we finally head to Mt. Etna to spend a day riding it...

A local hero in front, a champion on top of the podium and a race that was truly worthy of the legend of the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

Among the first things I noticed on Cannondale's SuperSix Evo were the slender frame tubes. The narrow pipes are a departure from the fatter-is-better philosophy many bike makers take these days, an approach Cannondale helped to usher in with its oversize aluminum bikes in the 1980s.

Interestingly, it seems that Stybar is still using a pair of prototype Dugast Pipisquallo tires from last season – the prototypes have a white center and black sides, and feature larger sideknobs than the production model.

Belgian 'cross champion Niels Albert got hit by a car during training today. A fracture in a metacarpal bone ensures he will be out of competition for two weeks, missing at least one race in all three series, but quite possibly for longer. This effectively ends his chances of winning any of the series.

Race will feature teams from around the world.

Michael Rasmussen has finally admitted why he lied about his whereabouts in the build-up to the Tour de France 2007. He did it so that his wife would not know where he was, insinuating – but not saying directly – that he was with another woman.

Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Another big weekend in Europe, which saw a host of races including two C1 races, one of which a Superprestige race at Hamme-Zogge.

One of only five original Wright Brothers bicycles known to still exist, the St. Clair shown here is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Jérôme Gilbert dreams of racing as Philippe's teammate.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "A big welcome to Shimano 10-speed shifting at a lower pricepoint."

FFC to to reveal outcome of her case against French anti-doping agency.

Their recently revived Clubman bike has roots in the post-war 1940s, where it was used for all manner of riding, from multi-day tours to road racing and time trialling. The modern Clubman has changed remarkably little, and with its geometry, Reynolds steel frame and distinct fork shape intact, Raleigh look to have worked hard to maintain its original characteristics.

"In winter “breakaway” is taking on another meaning: an attempt by some to take the sport away from the UCI. Cyclingnews.com reports of a breakaway league involving financial group Rothschild."

Cycling teams and sponsors make strange bedfellows sometimes, but perhaps none is stranger than the final-hour quest by the ill-fated Geox-TMC team managers to save its squad for next season.

Says Luxembourg rider needs to avoid previous tactical errors if he’s to finally win Tour de France.

Today's Quote

"We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones.” - David Howman SBS

Holm, formerly sport director at HTC-Highroad, and with Omega Pharma-Quick Step as of 2012, told politiken.dk that, “There is not doubt that next year we are faced with three super teams, BMC, RadioShack-Nissan and Sky."

Dr. Allen Lim has been the nutritionist to some of the biggest teams (Garmin, RadioShack) and stars, helping them stay fueled, healthy and upset stomach-free during hours and days on the bike. In 2009, he developed the Secret Drink Mix, which only recently has been made available to cyclists of average ability like you and I.

Professor Dal Monte and his original design for the record bicycle, later made with a few modifications such as double wings on the handlebars by Cicli Moser. The shape of the wheels was inspired by the radar mounted on airborne warning and control system airplanes: not a simple disc but a slightly convex shape, more lenticular. Even so, some thought the shape had been adopted only for publicity reasons.

Veeral Patel. Just like everyone else, he began his journey as an enthusiast. He's worked very hard at his passion and over the past three years we've watched Veeral's photography progress into something very unique which captures much more than a simple bike race.

Giro's new Savant is hitting the shelves now and brings close to everything normally expected from the lords of lids... Purchase the Giro Savant Road Bike Helmet Here

Brilliant workshop/generic sprucing tool with the power to encourage obsessional cleaning. Finish Line Gear Floss Microfiber Cleaning Rope - purchase here...

Despite little in the way of public developments in the Federal drugs investigation, Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour winner continues to surround himself with some of the best legal practitioners in the US. A grand jury has yet to make a decision on whether indictments will be served, but one legal expert has told Cyclingnews that such a delay can be typical of proceedings in the US.

David Howman, the director general of the WADA, says that there needs to be a re-think in the way his organisation and others go about the fight against doping. According to the AFP, despite more than 250,000 tests being carried out in the last year, only 36 came back as positive for EPO, which Howman describes as the "drug of choice for [endurance athletes]".

German opts for legal blood enhancement.

Gusset-tastic. Comfy, well-made riding jeans that really work on the bike.

José Ivan Gutiérrez — the three-time Spanish national time trial champion on Movistar — says he wants to forget his winless 2011 season as soon as possible.

"Coming from the ostensibly American but in practice multi-cultural Team HTC to the hardcore Belgian Omega Pharma-Lotto might have involved a bit of culture shock."

Known for its scintillating images of top female riders, this year’s edition also includes action shots.

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "Fast, fun, and beats most carbon bikes at this price for performance."

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

Back-to-back podium finishes for talented 19-year-old.

FFC to to reveal outcome of her case against French anti-doping agency.

This weekend, North American cyclocross racers converged on Louisville, Kentucky to fill perhaps the biggest, deepest field yet this season. Weather was cooperative and as we mentioned in our weekend preview, a number of riders have been heating up lately. The depth of the field meant that racing was aggressive from the gun.

If a Most Courageous jersey was awarded at Sunday’s Exergy US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby City Cup, it would have to have gone to Ryan Trebon (LTS/Felt). Going into the second race in Louisville, Trebon was all set for a re-match with Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) but then disaster struck a few hours before the Elite Men’s race.

Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Belgian champion adds his voice to those hoping for the winter to arrive in Europe.

An archetypal East Coast fall day set the scene for MAC racers, who were treated to a technically challenging ’cross course that required vigilance for every off-camber twist and turn. Beautiful leaves and colorful kits turned the already idyllic scene at the Fair Hill Natural Resource Center, where equestriennes and cyclists compete year round, into something resembling Narnia.

Aaron Tuckerman (Corsa Concepts) and Serena Bishop Gordon (Silverado Gallery/Sunnyside) capped their 2011 Cross Crusade series overall wins by adding another individual victory during the finalè Sunday on the Infield Paddock course at Portland International Raceway.

Italian bikes have a long history in the annals of racing due in no small part to the way Italy, in the 1880s, immediately embraced the nascent sport with a fervor that continues unabated to this day.

The gleaming machine is suspended on wires in the Cycling Weekly photo studio's white cove like a hi-tech, two wheeled Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

BikeRadar verdict: 2 out of 5 stars. "Smooth bearings, but heavy for the money and soft feel when driving and cornering."

With Geoff Drake’s biography of the team that Jim Ochowicz built just released, let’s don our rose-tinted Oakleys for the first of a four-part series that tries to put some truth into the story of the “unsung band of American cyclists who took on the world – and won.” "Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Cyclists Took on the World - and Won" may be purchased here.

Eighteen months after he last raced his bike, tomorrow (Tuesday) Alejandro Valverde will once again officially form part of a team when he strides onto the stage for the team launch of the 2012 Movistar squad.

Spanish newspaper lists details of next week’s CAS hearing.

"I’m on the way back from the last race of the year, for me, and for Kenda–5 Hr-Geargrinder (as always, sorry for the mouthful, but the sponsors paid for it, so it’s the least I can do)."

While the rest of the cycling world is pretty quiet at the moment, the sun is shining and the roads are buzzing with activity here in Australia. All the pros are back from Europe and it creates a special special vibe seeing them show up to the local bunch rides or crits.

The process is called “net-shape forging.” The grain structure of the aluminum is aligned during the forging process, so that it follows the contours of the crank. Net-shape forging optimizes the crank’s strength and enables us to offer a lightweight part without undue concerns about reliability.

Giro's new Savant is hitting the shelves now and brings close to everything normally expected from the lords of lids... Purchase the Giro Savant Road Bike Helmet Here

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "There isn’t a more comfortable mid-travel full susser out there for racking up huge miles."

A retro calendar featuring iconic images from the past 40 years of professional cycling will go on sale later this month.

Ten years after the Lotto team first collaborated with Adecco, the human resources company is making its come-back to the sport. In a press release, Adecco announced that it will become official partner of the Lotto Cycling Team in 2012 after having been co-sponsor from 2000 to 2002.

Carbuzz article seeking to dispel 'us versus them' attitudes goes viral via social media.

Brilliant workshop/generic sprucing tool with the power to encourage obsessional cleaning. Finish Line Gear Floss Microfiber Cleaning Rope - purchase here...

Another race, another win for Katie Compton (Rabobank Giant) who once again solo’ed to the win on the second day of Exergy US Gran Prix of Cyclocross Derby City Cup. Some changes were brought to Sunday’s course, the uphill sandpit was made more difficult with a sloping, off-camber tilt to it, a new 180 before the Selle Italia runup was added and it was shorter. Still a very tough course at the Eva Bandman Park in Louisville, KY.

Today's Quote

"I would never have considered Taiwan as a spot for tourism or cycling until this trip, but the rides there were some of the best I’ve ever done, no joke. Since they actually use bikes for transportation in Taiwan, there are bike lanes everywhere, and out in the country, bike-specific roads connect all the small towns, sometimes through really tight, barely-paved paths.” - Phil Gaimon VeloNews

In an eleventh hour attempt to save his Geox team, yet again, Josean Fernández Matxin travelled to three corners of the globe to secure funding from three unlikely sources – Iran, Libya and Venezuela.

Believes Martin’s in his peak, but says any Tour ambitions could cost him TT speed.

Track star hopes to go out in triple blaze of glory.

Why are we reviewing a pair of seven year old shoes from Sidi? Because when you’re ready to drop up to $300 dollars on new shoes, it’s instructive to remember the old ones.

In our latest nutrition round-up we look at new seasonal and single-serve options from Hammer Nutrition, Cytosport, GU, Clif Bar and Secret Drink Mix.

Cyclingnews catches up with Team GB and Sky supremo at charity dinner in London.

Boulder, Colorado based Ebay cycling auction house, The Pros Closet, have teamed with a select group professional riders, and friends to help in one family’s fight against cancer.

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Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
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"Chef Biju and Dr. Lim vetted countless meals with the world’s best endurance athletes during the world’s most demanding races. Now, in The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes, Lim and Thomas share their energy-packed, nutritious recipes to make meals easy to prepare, delicious to eat, and better for performance." The Feed Zone Cookbook may be purchased here.

No. 1: Philippe Gilbert Completes the Hat Trick.

Brilliant solo by Czech rider seals fate of competitors early; Van den Brand wins women's race.

Pauwels, Stybar, Albert, Nys, Meeusen, Vantornout, Aernouts, Wellens, Page,... 2011-2012 Cyclocross season action continues Sunday with Superprestige Cyclocross at Hamme-Zogge. Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

Superprestige Hamme-Zogge (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #6 - Derby City Cup (results),
Tour de Okinawa (stage 2 results),
More...

Fabulous bike, great package that more than rewards the efforts you put in… bit of a bargain too.

The Contour is to current technology exactly what the ’68 Mustang is. Not remotely up-to-date, but undeniably functional and containing a depth of style that runs straight to its DNA. The Selle Royal Contour Leather Saddle may be purchased here

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Immaculate lines and great fabric performance make this a winter must-see."

Not inexpensive glasses bound to get the cycling forums buzzing.

With Geoff Drake’s biography of the team that Jim Ochowicz built just released, let’s don our rose-tinted Oakleys for the first of a four-part series that tries to put some truth into the story of the “unsung band of American cyclists who took on the world – and won.” "Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Cyclists Took on the World - and Won" may be purchased here.

It’s not rocket science that lighter cyclists go faster up hills, and larger, more powerful cyclists make better time trial riders or sprinters. 1kg of weight loss is worth about 6 seconds in a 40km time trial (completed in 48 minutes on a dead flat course), but with a constant uphill gradient of 5% the difference would blow out to 55 seconds.

Former Olympic champ comments on track racing, London Olympics, globalisation and more.

Today's Quote

"I had nothing to do with any hacking and as far as I knew, the lab documents I received while serving as an expert consultant to the legal team for Floyd Landis were obtained legally.” - Arnie Baker CyclingNews
“No one really gives a rat’s ass what the French retards think anyways.” - Floyd Landis Cyclismas

"Oh my, oh my, that one hurt a little more than a little. 55 fast women starters in my largest cyclocross race ever. Third row call up isn’t great for the holeshot, but I have a great start and always got to go for it. I wasn’t able to move my way up to an opening fast enough for the holeshot, but I hit the grass in top ten."

Carbuzz article seeking to dispel 'us versus them' attitudes goes viral via social media.

The Giro is set to return to the demanding slopes of the Mortirolo on the penultimate day of the 2012 Corsa Rosa.

In one week, vacation time will be over for Liquigas-Cannondale's Ivan Basso, and he will get back to work in hopes of having a more satisfying year than 2011. In 2012, he will aim for his third Giro d'Italia victory rather than focus solely on the Tour de France.

Brilliant workshop/generic sprucing tool with the power to encourage obsessional cleaning. Finish Line Gear Floss Microfiber Cleaning Rope - purchase here...

Johnny Hoogerland takes on a horse called Unforgettable. It’s in Dutch but the video is self-explanatory. The result goes down to the wire.

Team management fly to South America to try to seal deal.

Briton scores personal bests in every timed event.

Sky rider appears in video to promote charities supported by new Lord Mayor of London.

First race is Tour Down Under, hopes for big victories again in 2012.

Advertisement
Bicycle Brethren Men's Bicycle Jacket

Zip jacket with rib neck, waist, cuffs and front pockets.
AV zipper puller, applique on front and printed graphics on back and sleeve.
Cotton polyester heavy weight fleece & rib trim, enzyme washed for that super soft & worn feel.
Biker Black

"Chef Biju and Dr. Lim vetted countless meals with the world’s best endurance athletes during the world’s most demanding races. Now, in The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes, Lim and Thomas share their energy-packed, nutritious recipes to make meals easy to prepare, delicious to eat, and better for performance." The Feed Zone Cookbook may be purchased here.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "The PRO 180 provides great combination of fabric, fit and comfort features." The Pearl Izumi Men's Pro Softshell 180 Jacket  may be purchased here...

The 34th edition of the Nommay Cyclocross race started off under very cool and overcast skies with a stiff wind. The dry course featured a good bit of up and down elevation change, but only one dismount, with a set of stairs just after the starting straight.

Vacansoleil-DCM will again be part of the WorldTour in 2012. The team said that the International Cycling Union has said it will receive its license, despite an initial delay.>

Exergy USGP of Cyclocross #5 - Derby City Cup (results),
Fidea Jaarmarktcross Niel (results),
Cyclo-cross Nommay (results),
Tour de Okinawa (results),
African Continental Championships (results),
More...

The Green Bullet is back — not the Silver Coors Beer Bullet, the Spaniard, the last Operacion Puerto scofflaw, Alejandro Valverde. (One Spaniard returns, one perhaps headed for suspension with Contador and CAS.)

One month into the cross season and the third weekend of both the Exergy US Gran Prix of Cyclocross (USGP) is upon us. Pretty much everyone is in Louisville to check out the course in preparation for 2013 World Championships. And it’s a fun long course, with a combination of technical and power sections.

With Geoff Drake’s biography of the team that Jim Ochowicz built just released, let’s don our rose-tinted Oakleys for the first of a four-part series that tries to put some truth into the story of the “unsung band of American cyclists who took on the world – and won.” "Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Cyclists Took on the World - and Won" may be purchased here.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "The PRO 180 provides great combination of fabric, fit and comfort features."

Carbuzz article seeking to dispel 'us versus them' attitudes goes viral via social media.

"Chef Biju and Dr. Lim vetted countless meals with the world’s best endurance athletes during the world’s most demanding races. Now, in The Feed Zone Cookbook: Fast and Flavorful Food for Athletes, Lim and Thomas share their energy-packed, nutritious recipes to make meals easy to prepare, delicious to eat, and better for performance." The Feed Zone Cookbook may be purchased here.

Dutch rider to attend team training camp next week.

Romain Sicard of Euskaltel-Euskadi has apologized for a drunken prank incident earlier this week, saying he has learned his lesson. He is now aware “of the need for impeccable behavior,” he said.

Omega Pharma Quick Step team heading to South American race.

Kozo Shimano was once one of the most influential men in professional cycling. Having been ousted from his family business, he he now finds he's happier than ever and still driven by his passion for the sport.

American rider believes in future potential of his new squad.

Brilliant workshop/generic sprucing tool with the power to encourage obsessional cleaning.

Today's Quote

"I had nothing to do with any hacking and as far as I knew, the lab documents I received while serving as an expert consultant to the legal team for Floyd Landis were obtained legally.” - Arnie Baker CyclingNews
“No one really gives a rat’s ass what the French retards think anyways.” - Floyd Landis Cyclismas

Why? Because we actually don’t like rain and snow and forsty conditions to ride in during Winter. So here’s a little anti-winter inspiration from New York photgrapher Michael Tcherevkoff.

Excellent jacket for commuting and gloomy winter training rides - windproof, breathable, light to wear, compact to carry - and at a fair price too.