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National marathon cross-country championship awarded at Breckenridge's Firecracker 50
The Firecracker 50 cross-country mountain bike race will rumble through the streets of Breckenridge, Colorado, Friday as the nation?s best battle for the U.S. national marathon title. The grueling 50-mile race, known for its 10,800 feet of total elevation gain, kicks off at 11 a.m. sharp with a parade through the heart of the famed ski town. In its eighth year, the Firecracker has become the centerpiece of Breckenridge?s annual Independence Day celebration. It has also grown into the ...The French federation has its own bike tech rules for the Tour de France
This year?s edition of the Tour de France isn?t sanctioned by the UCI, so VeloNews readers have been curious whether the UCI's somewhat-infamous tech rules still apply. You?ll remember that before last year?s race, official rule clarifications led to frantic refinement of time trial bikes as teams readied them for the London prologue. That controversy centered on the use of the ?praying landis? position and whether or not a rider?s forearms touched his aero extensions. Race ...The French federation has its own bike tech rules for the Tour de France
This year?s edition of the Tour de France isn?t sanctioned by the UCI, so VeloNews readers have been curious whether the UCI's somewhat-infamous tech rules still apply. You?ll remember that before last year?s race, official rule clarifications led to frantic refinement of time trial bikes as teams readied them for the London prologue. That controversy centered on the use of the ?praying landis? position and whether or not a rider?s forearms touched his aero extensions. Race ...Absences make the Tour ... more interesting?
Pro cycling fans may find themselves unclear who to root for at this year?s Tour de France. The list of familiar faces absent from this year?s race is as long as it is top-heavy. The exclusion of the Astana team of defending champion Alberto Contador and teammates Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden means three former podium finishers will sit out this year. It's the first instance in modern history where the previous year?s Tour winner was eligible to race, yet not invited to defend ...USA CRITS series comes to Pennsylvania for the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium
The 4th annual Iron Hill Twilight Criterium, Saturday in West Chester, Pennsylvania, is up next in the USA CRITS Series. Teams including TOSHIBA-Santo presented by Herbalife, Richmond Pro Cycling, Colavita Sutter Home presented by Cooking Light, Team Inferno Racing, Time Pro Cycling, Locos Grill & Pub, and Kelly Benefit Strategies will send their riders to the starting line in the men?s match-up. Cuba?s Yosvany Falcon (TOSHIBA-Santo) and Australia?s Jeff Hopkins (Team Inferno) are ...BC Bike Race: Kona maintains its lead
Editor's Note: Subaru/Gary Fisher pro endurance racer Nat Ross has been sharing daily diaries from the BC Bike Race with VeloNews.com readers. Today, Ross's teammate Chris Beck is providing his perspective on the fifth stage, from Sechelt to Squamish. It?s hard to say what was the hardest thing about today?s stage. Was it the 3000 or so feet of rocky rooty single-track? Maybe. Actually it was having to climb off the bike at the finish line after 12 kilometers of the smoothest, fastest, ...BC Bike Race: Kona maintains its lead
Editor's Note: Subaru/Gary Fisher pro endurance racer Nat Ross has been sharing daily diaries from the BC Bike Race with VeloNews.com readers. Today, Ross's teammate Chris Beck is providing his perspective on the fifth stage, from Sechelt to Squamish. It?s hard to say what was the hardest thing about today?s stage. Was it the 3000 or so feet of rocky rooty single-track? Maybe. Actually it was having to climb off the bike at the finish line after 12 kilometers of the smoothest, fastest, ...Back by popular demand, some of the best photo submissions from VeloNews.com readers.
We've compiled some of the best reader photo submissions for your viewing pleasure over the Fourth of July holiday. Be sure to keep sending them our way! Submit photos here!Team Garmin-Chipotle unwraps its new kit
American pro continental team Garmin-Chipotle presented by H30 made its Tour de France debut Thursday afternoon in Brest with the unveiling of its newly designed jersey. Flanked by Jon Cassat, Garmin?s vice president of communications, team manager Jonathan Vaughters introduced the recently re-branded squad, which has been run as Slipstream-Chipotle since the outset of the 2007 season. The team recently announced a three-year deal with Garmin, a GPS company based in Kansas. ?We?ve ...Inside Cycling, with John Wilcockson - Kashechkin's year in limbo
Editor?s Note: After team leader Alexander Vinokourov tested positive for homologous blood doping during last year?s Tour de France, the entire Astana team left the race under a cloud. Vinokourov?s top lieutenant Andrey Kashechkin tried to relax by spending time with his family in Turkey. His time out of the limelight, however, was short-lived as anti-doping testers knocked on his hotel room door and asked for a sample. That knock began a year-long struggle for the Kazakh rider, which has ...Readers respond to the Landis decision
The Mailbag is a regular department on VeloNews.com. Write to webletters@insideinc.com. Please include your full name, hometown and state or nation. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writers are encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month. The letters published should not be viewed as reflecting the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company. Smoking bike Editors, re: the photo of the Specialized chainstays. I ...Phinney looks to Beijing and beyond
?I?d shake your hand but this one?s a bit cut up,? says Taylor Phinney as we sit down to talk at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. His knuckles show the signs of a brush with the pavement, and an elbow is covered with gauze. Despite the injury and the past two hours spent answering questions from a gaggle of reporters, Taylor is lively and ready to talk. Mom and dad are there, with his coach Neal Henderson, representatives from Team Garmin-Chipotle and even a ...Pros arrive in Massachusetts Thursday's start of Fitchburg-Longsjo Stage Race
The inaugural New England Race Week wraps up with the four-day Fitchburg-Longsjo stage race in Massachusetts. The new race series includes eight days of top-tier racing in four Northeastern states. Back on the NRC calendar for 2008, the 49th running of the Fitchburg-Longsjo stage race begins Thursday with a stacked line-up of former winners and top pro riders. The absence of top professionals at last year?s edition allowed for more open racing in both women?s and men?s pro fields. ...The race for the green jersey
The positive out-of-competition test for cocaine that put defending points champion Tom Boonen out of the Tour de France, and the absence of the top Italian sprinters Alessandro Petacchi and Daniele Bennati, has opened up this year?s green jersey competition; while the decision by exciting newcomer Mark Cavendish to start the Tour rather than focus entirely on his Olympic track preparations gives new interest to the early sprint stages. Taking into account these late developments here?s ...Prudhomme: Tour de France cheats are on the way out.
Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme is convinced this year's race can take place without the numerous drug-tainted scandals that have left the event fighting for its credibility. The 95th edition of the world's biggest bike race begins Saturday. Ahead of a tough three-week race, devoid of the traditional prologue and with plenty of action promised in an innovative first week, there remain plenty of detractors following the 2007 edition which was blackened by the unceremonious exit of ...Rasmussen scores a win in Dutch court
A day after he received a suspension from Monaco?s Cycling Federation, former Rabobank star Michael Rasmussen earned something of a victory when a Dutch court ruled that his former team owed him more than $1 million. Rasmussen, who lost his license for two years on Tuesday for lying about his whereabouts in the lead-up to the 2007 Tour de France, won a partial victory in a wrongful dismissal suit he filed against Rabobank for kicking him out of the race and firing him within days. The ...Put Petals to the Pedals
Price: Not determined. Web site: www.sidisport.it Available: Fall The Sidi Genius 5 pro woman shoes are part of the company's 2008-2009 season. The shoes feature several new technical features besides the floral fashion. The flower motif was first seen on the feet of Pippo Pozzato, the 2006 Milan-San Remo winner, who debuted the design at this year's spring classic. The women's shoe has a soft instep closure system with an adjustable band on the top of the foot with caliper ...Team Kona ? Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon ? takes the lead at the BC Bike Race.
Editor's Note: Subaru/Gary Fisher pro endurance racer Nat Ross will be sharing daily diaries from the BC Bike Race with VeloNews.com readers. This is the fourth installment. Mountain Bike Stage Racing is epic and crazy! We are heading into the 5th stage Wednesday, and every day a different team has started with the yellow jersey. Lining up at the start line tomorrow in yellow is Team Kona of Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon. Today was Canada Day, so it was inevitable that one of the ...Team Kona ? Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon ? takes the lead at the BC Bike Race.
Editor's Note: Subaru/Gary Fisher pro endurance racer Nat Ross will be sharing daily diaries from the BC Bike Race with VeloNews.com readers. This is the fourth installment. Mountain Bike Stage Racing is epic and crazy! We are heading into the 5th stage Wednesday, and every day a different team has started with the yellow jersey. Lining up at the start line tomorrow in yellow is Team Kona of Barry Wicks and Kris Sneddon. Today was Canada Day, so it was inevitable that one of the ...The BC Bike Race heats up
Editor's Note: Subaru/Gary Fisher pro endurance racer Nat Ross will be sharing daily diaries from the BC Bike Race with VeloNews.com readers. This is the third installment. Day 3?s course in the BC Bike Race offered some sweet singletrack, deep creek crossings, and majestic views. Today?s high temperatures made for a tough day. It was the third day in a row of unusually hot weather. The course had several long exposed climbs that got to be quite brutal. Needless to say, the two aid ...
Cycling feed courtesy of Velo News
...formuula one
FIA Thursday press conference - Britain
Drivers: Jenson Button (Honda), David Coulthard (Red Bull), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren). Q: David, give us the background to your decision to retire? David Coulthard: There is not one morning you wake up if you are looking for a date, but I have had a growing feeling that this year is the right time to make it my last year in F1. I am enjoying very much the challenge and the racing even though I had a few incidents at the beginning of the year...Red Bull extend Mark Webber's contract
Just hours after Red Bull's veteran driver David Coulthard announced he is to retire, the team have confirmed they are to extend the contract of Mark Webber to the end of the 2009 season. Webber joined Red Bull in 2007 after spells with Minardi, Jaguar and Williams. “I'm very happy to have signed up for another year with Red Bull Racing so early in the season,” said the Australian...Mosley calls on teams to halve costs by 2011
FIA President Max Mosley has asked the Formula One teams for proposals on how to cut the costs of competing in the sport by 50 percent. The proposals, which must be submitted within three months and have the support of the majority of teams, will help form revised regulations for the 2011 season. “Formula One is becoming unsustainable,” said Mosley in a letter to the teams. “The major manufacturers are currently employing up to 1000 people to put two cars on the grid...David Coulthard announces his retirement
With his home race just days away, Red Bull's David Coulthard has announced he is to retire from competitive Formula One racing at the end of the 2008 season. Coulthard, who started his F1 career back in 1994, will continue to work for the team in a new testing and development role. “I will remain actively involved in the sport as a consultant to Red Bull Racing focusing on testing and development of the cars," explained the Scot...Formula One unites for GOSH at the Official F1 Party
Every year prior to the British Grand Prix the good and the great of Formula One racing come together for a party. Of course, Formula One racing is no ordinary enterprise, so this is no ordinary party. It is a party to celebrate the gift of life - the Official F1 Party in aid of London's Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Children's Charity. This year, together with event sponsor Santander, the F1 community pulled together to raise over £700,000 for a new Heart and Lung Centre...Celebrating 60 years of Silverstone
Silverstone staged its first motor race back in October 1948 and at this weekend's British Grand Prix the English track will be marking its 60th anniversary. In honour of this special occasion, we delved into the archives to bring you a few highlights from the circuit's last six decades… - In 1943, in the midst of World War Two, Silverstone opened as an airfield to service Britain's military needs. When peace was declared in 1945, the site was chosen by the Royal Automobile Club as a location to hold race meetings...Weekend weather update - rain probable for British Grand Prix
Welcome to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the ninth round of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship and, effectively, the midpoint. Yet again there is a strong possibility that rain could affect the outcome of the weekend. Showers are forecast on all four days, with the ambient temperature high dropping from 20 degrees Celsius on Thursday and Friday to 17 on Saturday, before rising to 18 on raceday. Whether the precipitation actually reaches Silverstone, of course, is another matter.The British Grand Prix preview - crunch time for Hamilton?
Ferrari and McLaren go head-to-head at Silverstone this weekend in a race that may well prove crucial in the world championship campaign of local hero Lewis Hamilton. The fast Northamptonshire track has recently favoured Ferrari, but McLaren have been happy all season with their MP4-23's behaviour in high-speed corners and, following last week's test of new aerodynamic parts - notably a new front wing - specifically for this race, Hamilton was even happier...A lap of Silverstone with Honda's Alex Wurz
Honda's Alexander Wurz may be Austrian by birth but he loves Silverstone like it's his own home circuit. Here the reserve driver talks us round a flying lap of the British track ahead of this weekend's Grand Prix… "Having married an English girl, there's a percentage of me that is now British. I'm not saying that Silverstone is like a home race for me, but it's almost one and whatever other countries claim, Britain is still the home of motor racing.Star-studded week for F1 in Schools winners
The 2008 F1 in Schools world champions, Team Pulse from the UK's Devonport High School for Boys, will be rubbing shoulders with royalty, VIPs, government personnel and Formula One drivers this week, as their international success brings them a host of prestigious, 'once in a lifetime' opportunities. Their week begins on Thursday with an invitation to tour the House of Commons in London. In the evening Pulse have a royal appointment at nearby St. James's Palace...Coulthard takes Red Bull bosses on McLaren factory tour
Red Bull driver David Coulthard stepped back in time on Wednesday as he took a tour of the UK headquarters of his former team McLaren. Coulthard, who raced for the British squad from 1996 to 2004, won the exclusive visit to McLaren's Technology Centre after outbidding rivals at a recent charity auction. The generous Scot also invited along Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner, their executive director of engineering Adrian Newey, who worked as McLaren's technical director until 2005, and his manager (and fellow former McLaren driver) Martin Brundle...Remaining bullish - Bourdais and Vettel's half-term report
Toro Rosso have scored seven points so far in 2008. That's seven more than they had achieved at this point last season and the two 'Sebs' - drivers Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Vettel - must take much of the credit. Despite numerous DNFs, half the team being put up for sale, the late arrival of their '08 car, and more than their fair share of misfortune, the highly-rated duo have kept the Red Bull-backed squad very much in the mix - and both are expecting bigger things for the season's second half…Singapore Grand Prix boosts grandstand numbers
In September Singapore will host Formula One racing's first-ever night race, and with demand for tickets booming, the event's organisers have organised additional grandstand seating to accommodate 1600 more spectators. The promoters had already sold 92 percent of tickets they had previously made available. As part of the changes, a new 1100-seat grandstand will be placed on the city's Esplanade Drive, while a further 500 seats will be added to the Turn Two grandstand so that it links up with the Turn One seating area. In addition, the Singapore Flyer premier grandstand will also be converted to a conventional grandstand.FIA press conference schedule for Britain
The championship's three British drivers will answer questions on Thursday, while on Friday team principals, including Frank Williams and McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh, take to the stage. The line-up in full…Domenicali: we plan to swap Raikkonen's engine
Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that the Italian team intend to change Kimi Raikkonen's engine ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix, following his exhaust problems at the preceding French round. World champion Raikkonen was forced to settle for second place behind team mate Felipe Massa at Magny-Cours following his engine strife. Fortunately, in a change to the regulations for this season, each driver is allowed his first unscheduled engine replacement without receiving the customary 10-place grid penalty...
Formula One feed courtesy of Formula1.com
