Tuesday's Tour of Qatar Stage 3 departs Dukhan at 12:30pm local (10:30am CET, 4:30am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Al Gharafa Stadium at around 3:48pm local (1:48pm CET, 7:48am U.S. Eastern).  Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:00pm local (1:00pm CET, 7:00am U.S. Eastern).

Belgian holds race lead by three-hundredths of a second after American team fastest in 11.3km Lusail test.

21-year-old British neo-pro fastest again in Balearic bunch sprint.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Superprestige Hoogstraten (Men's results),
Superprestige Hoogstraten (Women's results),
Trofeo Palma (Stages & results),
G.P. Costa degli Etruschi (Stages & results),
Paris - Nice (Stages & results),
Copenhagen 6-days (Days & results),
Ladies Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
More...

“This is a sad day for our sport. Some may think of it as a victory, but that is not at all the case. There are no winners when it comes to the issue of doping.”

"When he's on form, he's incredible. He arrives so fresh, he can climb well and he's clever on the bike," Cavendish said in a press conference in Doha this evening.

We've come across scores of ways to mount your Apple iPhone to your handlebar, transforming it into a bike computer. The latest to hit our desks from Wahoo Fitness has a few tricks up its sleeve, though, to make it stand out in a crowded market.

New research shows how to build power without bulking up.

Michele Scarponi: “I’m very sorry for Alberto Contador...”

Contador: CAS to rule on 2.4 million Euro fine later...

CAS rules against Spaniard, says contaminated supplement caused Clenbuterol postive.

Scores of results sheets will be adjusted following the CAS ruling to strip the Spaniard of all of his results dating back to 2010 Tour de France. Here’s a rundown of Contador’s wins from 2010 Tour to present and adjusted ‘winners.’

“It’s a sad day for Alberto Contador; it's a sad day for cycling. I think people want to kill off cycling. I’m the first to say that we need good anti-doping tests, but I think that in cycling they go too far.”  -  Eddy Merckx VeloNation

Reactions continue to today’s sanctioning of Spanish rider.

It’s long been the ignored middle child of mountain wheels, but 650b—the size that falls between 26 and 29 inches—is commanding a great deal of industry attention lately.

"World's lightest production frame" now available separately.

Well made and surprisingly pleasant to use, but pricey for a tool with so few functions.

The Daily Distraction.

Eddy Merckx has spoken about his disappointment about the fact that the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) has ruled that Alberto Contador should be suspended for two years. The Belgian legend, who won more than any other rider in the sport, was at the Tour of Qatar, where he is a part of the race organization.

The Contador suspension means that Saxo Bank stand to lose all of Contador's UCI points during the banned period in which he won numerous races, including the Giro d'Italia. More than two thirds of the teams' points come from Contador (68 percent to be exact) and such a slip in the rankings means that the UCI will ask the team to appear before the Commission in the coming days.

"The peddling of influence in our country has hit an all-time high."

We're not sure whether we'll incorporate these moves into our bike tests, mind.

Storck grew up in a cycling family where 3 generations of Storcks rode, and raced professionally from as early as 1876.

Monday's Tour of Qatar Stage 2, an 11.3km Team Time Trial at Lusail, is scheduled to get underway with the departure of the first team at 3:00pm local (1:00pm CET, 7:00am U.S. Eastern).  The last team is scheduled to depart at 3:45pm local (1:45pm CET, 7:45am U.S. Eastern).  Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:00pm local (1:00pm CET, 7:00am U.S. Eastern).

Red and black team checked out new stage finish as roadworks forced a move from Doha Golf Club.

Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider takes yet another stage win in windy Middle Eastern race.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Superprestige Hoogstraten (Men's results),
Superprestige Hoogstraten (Women's results),
Trofeo Palma (Stages & results),
G.P. Costa degli Etruschi (Stages & results),
Paris - Nice (Stages & results),
Copenhagen 6-days (Days & results),
Ladies Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
More...

British first-year WorldTour pro Andrew Fenn continued his impressive start to the 2012 season for the Omega Pharma-QuickStep team by winning the bunch sprint at the end of the Trofeo Palma, Mallorca, on Sunday.

Five former winners to take part in Malaysian race.

Italian triumphs over Eeckhout, El Fares in sprint.

Alberto Contador raced through the 2011 season as though there was nothing wrong. He won the Giro d’Italia and raced to a fifth place overall at the Tour de France. And to this day he continues to carry an International Cycling Union (UCI) professional license. But something was wrong—a positive test for clenbuterol from the 2010 Tour de France.

Two wins in two days for Belgium’s new Iceman.

Alberto Contador rode the Trofeo Palma on Sunday before returning to Madrid to learn his fate. The Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to issue its ruling Monday on the Saxo Bank rider's Clenbuterol doping case.

"This non-destructive method opens up completely new vistas in material testing," say the keen engineers from Koblenz.

BikeRadar verdict: 2 out of 5 stars. "Ticks all the boxes on paper but low on spec and ride quality is disappointingly dull."

"Every few years accumulate enough bits and pieces to create a Frankenbike. It's a slow process that I manage through donations, replacements and upgrades. Here is my very own "Bikes of the Bunch" five minutes of fame featuring a plethora of spare parts, a few clandestine purchases, and a lot of favors along the way."

2011-2012 Cyclocross season action continues Sunday with Superprestige Cyclocross at Hoogstraten.  The first Hoogstraten live stream is expected to start about 30 minutes before the Elite Men race begins.  Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

The Daily Distraction.

Late Friday afternoon in the United States, the U.S. Attorney's office released a small statement to the media explaining that the federal case against seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong along with members and associates of US Postal Service team had been dropped with no charges filed.

"Body: Hey Taylor, if you get a sec, I really need to talk to you."

In 2011 Selena Roberts co-wrote a number of the most important articles on the US Federal investigation into Lance Armstrong and the US Postal team. Roberts left Sports Illustrated at the end of 2011, but she believes that a number of reasons may have led to the closing of the federal investigation into the seven-time Tour de France winner last Friday.

“Our legal system failed us. This is what happens when you have a lot of money." -  Frankie Andreu  CyclingNews

"There’s a lot of great bicycle goodness on the web, and we can’t catch it all. With that in mind, we present a weekend round up that might just become a regular feature here on Bikerumor."

The fitter: After working in Australia's largest bike shop for two years Elissa started her studies at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT: Adv.Dip.App.Sci in Myotherapy).

Sunday's Tour of Qatar Stage 1 departs Barzan Towers at 12:30pm local (10:30am CET, 4:30am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Doha Golf Club at around 3:50pm local (1:50pm CET, 7:50am U.S. Eastern).  Tour of Qatar live video streaming is expected to begin at around 3:15pm local (1:15pm CET, 7:15am U.S. Eastern).

Italian triumphs over Eeckhout, El Fares in sprint.

Liquigas rider beats Modolo in Italian season-opener.

Kevin Pauwels makes GvA Trofee lead more secure but title to go down to the wire.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Paris - Nice (Stages & results),
Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Tour de San Luis (Stages & results),
Copenhagen 6-days (Days & results),
More...

Pierre Rolland (Europcar) knows that it’s a long way from a freezing Étoile de Bessèges to the white heat of the Tour de France, but the man who will shoulder so much French expectation in July got his season off to a fine start with victory on stage 3 of the early-season race on Friday.

"The first couple of days of the Trans Andes Challenge (TAC) had been pretty heavy on the legs and just as importantly (and expensively), heavy on the mind. We'd traveled to Chile to race as much as train, but going full gas at a mid-summer fitness level wasn't something my winter brain or body really were too excited for, much less prepared to do."

CXMagazine: Saturday Preview  - GVA Lille...

2011-2012 Cyclocross season action continued Saturday with GVA Trophy Cyclocross at Lille, Belgium.

The Superprestige series is anything but over as it returns to the main stage this Sunday, February 5, in Hoogstraten, Belgium. Coming one day after the GvA series race in Lille, it will be a race for the strongest riders in field. Hoogstraten is the penultimate race in the eight-race Superprestige series that concludes next Sunday in Middelkerke. In 2011, Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) won the race.

CyclingWeekly: Tour of Qatar 2012 - Preview and coverage.

2011-2012 Cyclocross season action continues Sunday with Superprestige Cyclocross at Hoogstraten.  The first Hoogstraten live stream is expected to start about 30 minutes before the Elite Men race begins.  Live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

"For those of us wit hopes for a cleaner sport, Spain is an easy target for criticism, the butt of jokes, exhibit A for national federations that put patriotism first, fact-finding and prosecution last. However, with yesterday’s decision by United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. to close the two year Federal investigation into alleged doping practices by Armstrong and his US Postal and Discovery teams, we find ourselves open to plenty of criticism."

Was the federal investigation our last chance to really know what happened in the Armstrong era?

“Our legal system failed us. This is what happens when you have a lot of money." -  Frankie Andreu  CyclingNews

Climbers, all-rounders, and Grand Tour contenders join the sprinters as Oman’s mountains provide a different challenge.

“The team are putting no pressure on me to win races, it’s just the pressure you put on yourself.”

A neat solution to a niche problem.

True to its name, the BH is ultra-light (13.6 pounds) and ultra fast to boot...

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has officially confirmed that the long-awaited decision in the Alberto Contador case will be announced on Monday.

The Daily Distraction.

If the legal wrangling grabs the headlines, luckily we have some sport to compensate. In fact there’s pro racing on four fronts. This weekend sees the racing season start in both Italy and Spain with the GP Costa degli Etruschi and the Majorca Trophy respectively. Pierre Rolland (Europcar) is leading the Etoile de Bessèges stage race in France. And the men’s Tour of Qatar starts on Sunday.

“It is the right decision and I commend them for reaching it.”

Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) will race Sunday in the opening round of the Mallorca Challenge in what will be his final event ahead of the long-anticipated ruling in his ongoing doping case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Back in the early 70’s there were names which caught the eye on the six day circuit, Tim Mountford was one and Jack Simes, another. Both Americans, crossing the wide Atlantic to wrestle with the Europeans before laptops, mobiles, Skype, Greg Lemond, Lance and all the rest was even thought about – and folk speaking English? Forget about that. And now, again, amongst the like of Marvulli, Bengsch and Aeschbach the name Simes has returned – Jack’s son, 23 year-old Jamis rider Jack Simes IV, better known as Jackie.

The Giro di Sardegna will not take place in 2012 due to financial problems. The Sardinian stage race was due to get under way on February 21, but race organisers have revealed that they have been forced to cancel this year’s event as they were unable to secure the necessary budget.

The Associated Press reported Friday afternoon that federal prosecutors have closed the investigation of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong without filing charges. The investigation, headed by federal agent Jeff Novitzky, focused on alleged performance enhancing drug use by Armstrong and his former U.S. Postal Service teammates in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

CXMagazine: Saturday Preview  - GVA Lille...

2011-2012 Cyclocross season action continues Saturday with GVA Trophy Cyclocross at Lille, Belgium.  There will once again be live streaming video: Elite Men: 3:00pm CET (9:00am U.S. Eastern).

The Superprestige series is anything but over as it returns to the main stage this Sunday, February 5, in Hoogstraten, Belgium. Coming one day after the GvA series race in Lille, it will be a race for the strongest riders in field. Hoogstraten is the penultimate race in the eight-race Superprestige series that concludes next Sunday in Middelkerke. In 2011, Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) won the race.

CyclingWeekly: Tour of Qatar 2012 - Preview and coverage.

The 2012 Tour of Qatar kicks off on Sunday February 5 for six days of sandy, wind-swept action in the Middle East. It offers a relaxed warm-up for classics riders wishing to hone their form away from the harsh winter in Europe.

Pierre Roland won stage three of the Etoiles de Besseges, as Nacer Bouhanni surged into the overall lead ahead of Marcel Kittel.

Strong teams rip the race apart in the wind again after long solo break from Kendall Ryan.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Tour de San Luis (Stages & results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships (Stages & results),
Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
More...

American rider looking forward to make racing debut in Italy.

Believe it or not, even though the World Championships have come and gone, the cyclocross season is not over yet. The GVA Trofee Series continues on this Saturday, February 4, in Lille, Belgium. In 2011, the race was won by Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) and Sanne Cant (BKCP-Powerplus).

"After a number of years essentially ‘winging it’ when it came to training for 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, it hadn’t really occurred to me to engage a coach.  Much like bike fit, if -like me- you’ve been riding and even racing for over 20 years, you just kind of know how to train, right?"

Hayden Kerr takes a trip down to Tasmania to talk about his recent adventures he had encountered during his first Wildside mountain biking race.

The cyclocross product review site CrossBikeReview.com has begun using QR codes in its gear reviews. It’s making these QR codes available to retailers so they can include them in product signage in their stores.

Was the federal investigation our last chance to really know what happened in the Armstrong era?

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has officially confirmed that the long-awaited decision in the Alberto Contador case will be announced on Monday.

"Because of certain actions by a choice few last week, if you conduct evil with a small “e” you have escaped my scrutiny thanks to some COLOSSAL acts of lunacy. So if you’re Jonathan Vaughters, you get a break from criticism on the women’s front. For this week. Only."

Yesterday saw the Etoile de Bessèges race disrupted by cold weather. Snow, albeit light, and freezing temperatures were enough to worry riders and organisers alike and the second stage was shortened to 58km and once underway it was semi-neutralised by a bunch keen to get the task over and done with. Marcel Kittel won in the end.

UC San Diego’s Boulevard Road Race in San Diego County is as close as you can get to an official kick-off to the Southern California race season. The UCSD Cycling Team is one of twenty-four schools that compete in the Western Collegiate Cycling Conference (WCCC). (Image by Mark Johnson ironstring.com.)

Absolute cycling filth that'll arouse your interest.

Italian manufacturer Olympia has confirmed Stage-Race as its new US distributor, bringing their bikes to North America for the first time.

Chipper Kiwi Emily Collins had a breakthrough year in the USA in 2011, after placing highly and winning races in New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands.

What cyclist is not fascinated by mountains? For those of us who don’t climb well due to (lack of) training, body type, lack of technical skill or, well, laziness, the ability to climb is one of the greatest gifts imaginable. There is joy in meeting the challenge, of savouring the view, of living through rocket-like descents. And at this time of year when many of us are plotting the great trips we will take in the coming months, more than a few are putting together that “once in a lifetime” experience riding Europe’s most famous climbs.

“I have nothing to confess. They sanctioned me for two years and I served it out. I don’t regret anything,” Valverde told El País. “In every moment of my life, I’ve done the right thing. I feel good about myself. I have nothing to reproach myself or have to say anything.”

"During the press days at the BMC training camp in Denia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, there was a chance to interview some of the World’s top cyclists. Tour winner, World Champions and BMC’s new Classic winner for 2012; Philippe Gilbert. It was a pleasant surprise to find a normal, keen, enthusiastic, young cyclist. You wouldn’t realise had so many wins under his belt, unless you’ve been living in a cave."

The Daily Distraction.

“It is the right decision and I commend them for reaching it.”

The Associated Press reported Friday afternoon that federal prosecutors have closed the investigation of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong without filing charges. The investigation, headed by federal agent Jeff Novitzky, focused on alleged performance enhancing drug use by Armstrong and his former U.S. Postal Service teammates in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

A Belgian court has information that Luc Van den Broeck administered drugs to Bart Wellens and two other riders the day before the Belgian national cyclo-cross championships, Het Nieuwsblad has reported. Bart and Geert Wellens and Kevin Cant are said to have received doping products either through an injection or a drip at his office.

Riccardo Ricco's hearing before the Italian national anti-doping tribunal has been postponed. The severe winter weather which has taken control of Europe prevented two consultants from attending.

"As fast as I transitioned to a bike rider in the off-season, forgetting about my power meter, riding-not-training and eating what and when I wanted, I shifted back into race mode. Expectations flipped the switch."

Amy Dombroski (Crankbrother) has spent almost the entirety of the cyclocross season in Europe, racing with the likes of Marianne Vos and Daphny van den Brand on an almost weekly basis.

The Alligator i-Link cable set has little to do with weight saving and more to do with precision and longevity. On the face of it, you'd need more money than sense to fork out money on derailleur cables...Then again, the outers aren't susceptible to corrosion in the same fashion as conventional types so should last many years, thus repaying the investment several times over.

“My reaction to this can be summed up very simply. Unlike Mr Verbruggen and Mr McQuaid, I do not accept donations from Lance Armstrong, so I am not really in a position to defend this. Hell will freeze over before I issue either of those gentlemen an apology for anything.” - Paul Kimmage  VeloNation

"Little Matt Lloyd pouts while pulling a "who's your daddy" pose, slapping away at an imaginary backside with his right hand while pointing to the heavens with his left. Not, this wasn't Saddles' nightmare from last night — it's the grim reality of Lampre-ISD's new season kit photos."

Fix the most common riding pains with these helpful tips.

"We have a nose around the Upgrade Bikes stand and discover plenty to talk about."

"I thought about how breaking a derailleur cable is merely inconvenient, whereas having your brakes malfunction can be dangerous. I inspect the components of my bike’s braking system much more frequently than my derailleurs: levers, cables, housing, brakes, pads and not to forget, the rims."

The skirmish between what UCI president, Pat McQuaid, calls American and European sports structures is at the root of McQuaid’s disagreement with the idea of a separate pro cycling league that has been repeatedly floated over the years.

German rider asserts innocence after being linked to Franke investigation.

Crosswinds and sandstorms play havoc with the peloton once more.

Marcel Kittel overcame the harsh winter weather and the doping stories of the last week to win the sprint of the shortened second stage of the Etoile des Besseges in Saint-Ambroix. Kris Boeckmans of Vacansoleil-DCM was second, with stage one winner Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ-Big Mat).  Kittel also took over the race lead.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Tour de San Luis (Stages & results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships (Stages & results),
Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
More...

Early clash with Cavendish won’t happen.

With a first place in the collegiate race and a silver medal in the elite women’s race at US Cyclocross Nationals, Kaitlin Antonneau (Cannondale-CyclocrossWorld.com) has had a terrific season. At Worlds, 19-year-old Kaitie Antonneau scored a 26th place finish, before heading back to the US to … you guess it, start her Spring semester at college.

Earlier this winter we ran across the work of Australian photographer Liisa Heint. The Sydney-based shooter is known for her sports photography, having snapped everything from equestrian events to surfing and plenty of cycling.

VeloNews: A closer look at Red...

A few years of experience – six years since the original Force, more than four since the first Red – have done the new 2013 SRAM Red group, unveiled yesterday, a lot of good. Not only does it shift and brake better than the previous version, it's also 150g lighter, more refined in its feel and operation, and more mature in its presentation.

"Paris Roubaix is coming up and the ASO cyclosportif version of the race.  I have a sweet BMC team elite with Easton EA 90 SLX clinchers on it. What are some good wide clinchers to go with for this race? What pressure? What about tubulars for less chance of pinch flats? I would like to try a carbon rim, like the pros, but will I likely trash them?"

Cyclocross is the fastest-growing cycling discipline in the U.S., but it's still a relatively obscure branch of bike racing. In Belgium it's a different story. On Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, about 60,000 spectators packed the Koksijde Air Base to watch the world's top riders do battle. Here's a look at one of Belgium's biggest sports and the world championships.

“I have nothing to confess. They sanctioned me for two years and I served it out. I don’t regret anything,” Valverde told El País. “In every moment of my life, I’ve done the right thing. I feel good about myself. I have nothing to reproach myself or have to say anything.”

Defending champion Tony Martin will be back for the “Race to the Sun,” set for March 4-11. Omega Pharma-QuickStep teammates Levi Leipheimer and Sylvain Chavanel are also penciled in to start.

"During the press days at the BMC training camp in Denia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, there was a chance to interview some of the World’s top cyclists. Tour winner, World Champions and BMC’s new Classic winner for 2012; Philippe Gilbert. It was a pleasant surprise to find a normal, keen, enthusiastic, young cyclist. You wouldn’t realise had so many wins under his belt, unless you’ve been living in a cave."

A good salary in a hard currency combined with tax perks make working at the UCI a financially rewarding role. But not everyone does it for the money. One member of  the UCI Management Committee who doesn’t need extra income is Igor Makarov.

He's the head honcho of one the most revered manufacturers in cycling, and the company that bears his name has a level of kudos that other firms can only dream about, but there's no need to tell Ernesto Colnago about it...

Our round up of interesting products from this week's bike trade show.

On the road and trail, bike bells help keep you safe. They're also a personal bike accessory; a sort of ring tone for your ride. So take a look and listen to a few of our favorite cute, classy, and loud bells.

“My reaction to this can be summed up very simply. Unlike Mr Verbruggen and Mr McQuaid, I do not accept donations from Lance Armstrong, so I am not really in a position to defend this. Hell will freeze over before I issue either of those gentlemen an apology for anything.” - Paul Kimmage  VeloNation

TwistedSpoke: UCI responds to “mullet” crisis. Karpets banned?

In an unusual turn of events, the UCI has issued a statement in response to a call for more oversight on mullets within the pro peloton.

It wasn't all £8,000 bikes at CORE. There was a best-ever naming system for a range of tyres for a start.

The Daily Distraction.

The skirmish between what UCI president, Pat McQuaid, calls American and European sports structures is at the root of McQuaid’s disagreement with the idea of a separate pro cycling league that has been repeatedly floated over the years.

As he awaits the Court of Arbitration for Sport's verdict on whether he should be banned following his positive test for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France, Alberto Contador has admitted that his career has not followed a smooth path since he was affected by a life-threatening brain injury in 2004. He also revealed that he has been doing all he can to distract himself from thinking about his case.

The Integra integrates a CycleOps computer into a removable nose cone that attaches to the front of the stem, giving your bike a much more elegant and aero appearance than strapping something to the handlebar. And there’s no weight penalty for looking good.

UC San Diego’s Boulevard Road Race in San Diego County is as close as you can get to an official kick-off to the Southern California race season. The UCSD Cycling Team is one of twenty-four schools that compete in the Western Collegiate Cycling Conference (WCCC). (Image by Mark Johnson ironstring.com.)

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. That's the wish of Rabobank manager Harold Knebel, who would like to see the length doping suspensions based upon rider points.

Spot checks can be carried out at WorldTour races.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Slimline looks and feathery weight, but comfortable with it."

BikeRadar verdict: 2.5 out of 5 stars. "Rough ride, lack of handling confidence and kit levels undermine its potential."

American Classic, starting its 30th year in business this year, is sponsoring and supplying its first major pro road team, the France-based Cofidis quad.

Chris Horner hopes he is done with crashes in 2012. His first race of the year is Tirreno Adriatico, where Horner says he looks forward to a TTT with RadioShack-Nissan-Trek teammate Fabian Cancellara.

The 2012 cycling season kicked off in Australia with Simon Gerrans winning the Tour Down Under, but there are over 500 other cyclists on ProTeams to cheer for. You maybe scratching head and asking, "Who do I support?" Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans are great choices, but why not go with a young, relatively unknown rider?

Specialized-lululemon and GreenEDGE-AIS put on a joint team time trial show but the lone Netherlander wins.

The French rider from FDJ-Big Mat collected the biggest victory of his career by edging out the Dutch duo of Jean-Pierre Drucker (Accent.jobs – Willems Veranda’s) and Bobbie Traksel (Landbouwkrediet - Euphony) at the end of the 148km ride from Beaucaire to Bellegarde.

Cycling South Africa clinched another coup by winning the rights to stage the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike Masters World Championships in Pietermaritzburg, a week before the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will take place at the same venue.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Ladies Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
Etoile de Bessèges (Stages & results),
Tour de San Luis (Stages & results),
UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships (Stages & results),
Tour of Qatar (Stages & results),
More...

The route for the 2012 Tirreno-Adriatico was unveiled in San Vincenzo on Wednesday, with a summit finish at Prati di Tivo in Abruzzo on stage 5 the centrepiece of a well-balanced course.

First Six triumph for Madison world champions.

SRAM have bucked the trend of 11-speed cassettes and electronic shifting for their wholly revamped 2012 Red group, preferring instead to stick with 10 rear cogs and conventional cable actuation. The new 1,739g claimed weight lops about 150g off of what was already a superlight package and major improvements to the brakes, derailleurs and drivetrain provide better stopping power, smoother front shifts and quieter running to accompany the updated ergonomics.

Niner has produced a bike with exceptional acceleration and crisp, fast handling that really excels on twisty, rocky, rooty, singletrack.

The humble bidon cage, you’ll find at least one on every road bike, silently executing its duty or patiently waiting to be called into action. In this article, I provide an overview of the many varieties of cages available.

The ill-publicized end of the world championship and National Racing Calendar winning Colavita-Forno d'Asolo team may have broken up one of the sport's most successful women's programs, but its director Rachel Heal and some of their top North American riders will remain together in 2012 under the Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies banner. Holcomb, Kirchmann, Sanders and Small form core of new team.

“We’ve got eight or ten guys that all are all on a really high level.”

While Niels Albert might have taken the overall title, Ryan Trebon took the top American spot at the Cyclocross World Championships in Koksijde this weekend, in 18th place. Following a second place at US Cyclocross Nationals, Trebon has clearly proven to the world that he’s not only recovered from an injury that sidelined him for almost two months of the season, but that he’s back and stronger than ever.

The Giro is one of the races that RCS Sport is organising, as well as Il Lombardia and Milan-San Remo to mention a few more. To build a name, an identity and a brand is difficult today, as people and organisations are constantly screaming for our attention. To manoeuvre in such waters demands strategic sense, ingenuity, the right people, and technology.

They call it "the perfect Sunday morning steed", we'd certainly be happy wheeling it out of the shed.

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

Czech champion due a long rest before his road season will commence.

Warm skullcap with a windproof band that keeps the cold air off your forehead and ears.

“My reaction to this can be summed up very simply. Unlike Mr Verbruggen and Mr McQuaid, I do not accept donations from Lance Armstrong, so I am not really in a position to defend this. Hell will freeze over before I issue either of those gentlemen an apology for anything.” - Paul Kimmage  VeloNation

The Daily Distraction.

Americans Van Garderen and Phinney also ready to get racing.

“It could be that I’ve ridden my last World Championship.” Nys said to Sporza.

Tour de France organiser's Amaury Sport Organisation will hand the reins of the Tour de l’Avenir, next scheduled to take place from 26th August to 1st September, to Tour de l'Ain organiser's Alpe Vélo.

Reports in the Spanish press suggest that Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) is planning to take part in the first day of the Majorca Challenge as he awaits the announcement of the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s verdict into his positive test for clenbuterol at the 2010 Tour de France. The Majorca event kicks off the Spanish season this coming Sunday. The CAS verdict is due to be announced the following day.

"The bicycle is one thing. The object, or idea of an object, that was maybe born with the draisine or maybe with the velocipede, does not really change. Whatever that thing is that started its roll in the early 19th century, the mechanical horse of an inventor’s dream, the idea of it, has continued to roll, taking in the boneshaker and high wheel and the safety bicycle, subsuming them and morphing into slightly different shapes, but staying, in concept, exactly the same."

"Day One was all about the bikes and the interviews with the star riders. Day Two was the official BMC team presentation. Afterwards we had a chance to take some photos of the boys out on a training ride going up the hills behind the village of Pego."

UC San Diego’s Boulevard Road Race in San Diego County is as close as you can get to an official kick-off to the Southern California race season. The UCSD Cycling Team is one of twenty-four schools that compete in the Western Collegiate Cycling Conference (WCCC). (Image by Mark Johnson ironstring.com.)

BikeRadar verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars. "Whichever way you measure it, the SL-K is a great performing seatpost. A worthy addition to any bike."