Euro Peloton Philly Bound for Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling

The big round-about in the bottom right hand corner above marks the turn around point that takes the field to the finish line in the International Championship

Euro Peloton will be traveling to Pennsylvania for the upcoming Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling. I'll be close to the riders all week, with in-depth interviews with the contenders, as well as same day race coverage of each of the three men's races and the one women's race. Look for fan predictions and perspective pieces as well, as I soak up an American cycling institution, the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, now in its 24th year.

The talent for the event looks good, with several big time European stars making the trip across the Atlantic to compete against the best America has to offer. And don't think the Americans will be out done. Expect good performances from Rory Sutherland of the Health-Net team, as well as from Lucas Sebastian Haedo, the younger bother of JJ Haedo, last year's Philadelphia winner. No word yet on whether the older Haedo will be present, but Euro Peloton has it from informed sources that he'll start Philly at least. See you in "The City of Brotherly Love," as Euro Peloton reports live daily from the heart of the action.

Giro Stage 18: Jens Gets His Day

Jens Voigt, the aging veteran escape artist of CSC, took a much deserved win yesterday in the Giro. The old schooler was Mr. Gruff only a day before, as he complained about riders taking illegal car pulls on earlier mountain stages. Other riders raising such concern would draw cynical glances, but not Jens. If there was ever a fair cyclist, it's Voigt.

The German all-arounder has taken the Criterium International title four times, and in each victory he has made the race. Unlike some race leaders who depend on stronger teams or riders to dictate tempo, Voigt, when on a good day, makes the race himself. It is this characteristic that makes watching him so enjoyable. He rides with a fiery confidence, is unflappable in pressure situations, and more times than not his fearlesslessness leads to success.

So was the case yesterday as Voigt powered away from an elite 12 man group composed of the big German Voigt, Bosisio, Nocentini, Cárdenas, Rodriguez, Lezaun, Spilak, Bennati, Bettini, Giovanni Visconti, Ardila Cano, and Nikolay Trusov. Of note here is that of the twelve riders of the day's break, only Lezaun (of the Euskaltal-Euskadi team) was a lesser known rider. It shows Jens Voigt's ability that he was able to outclass such a talented, select group of riders.

Voigt is known as a laid back cruiser, at least to his fans

Voigt is doing what he has done for more than 10 years: win races by being stronger mentally and physically than his competition. While uniforms and equipment have changed, Voigt's attacking style hasn't. Expect Mr. Gruff to growl again in about a month at the biggest race in the world, the Tour de France.

Ridin' the High Road: Gorilla and Ciolek Win on the Same Day

The American based High Road team is on fire. In two seperate races on Wednesday, the team netted two wins, behind exemplary riding from their younger riders.

In the Bayerne Rundfhart, it was the 21 year old Gerald Ciolek notching his first win of the year ahead of an on form Fabian Wegmann, while over at the Giro it was Andre "The Gorilla" Greiple who won after a big assist from teammate Mark Cavendish. Cav it seems is going the best of the High Roaders these days, and there should be no question that he gifted the stage to his teammate as a thank you for hard work in previous days.

The High Road squad is riding a CSC-like streak of recent victories as they fly the flag for clean cycling. And with the prestigious Commerce Bank Triple Crown of cycling just around the corner and the Dauphine Libere and Tour de Swiss stage races not long after that, the High Road squad is looking primed for a banner summer.

Congratulations to team owner Bob Stapleton, as he continues to field a competitive team without having to resort to doping for wins. High Road is a young, talented, aggressive outfit that is a handful in any race they enter. Look for them at the front for the rest of season, as they threaten to be the world's #1 team.

Checking in with the Kids at the Giro

With the Giro more than halfway over, how are the younger riders in the peloton doing? Below a brief review of those younger riders who've shined thus far in the year's first Tour. Some are already well known, while others will soon be the sport's biggest stars.

Ricco has lauded himself, but he has yet to be able to significantly gap Alberto Contador. The young rider classification will make for a nice consolation prize though

"The Cobra," or "The Ego," depending on who you talk to, Riccardo Ricco, currently leads the young rider classification. Ricco is already a well known, established pro (his arrival as an elite rider came in 2007), and has been active thus far in the Giro, riding at the front on many stages and winning two outright. He crashed in the first time trial, which is where he lost much of his time to race leader Alberto Contador. He'll likely win the white jersey going away, but will be dissappointed that he didn't net the Pink jersey too.

The new VDB (center in red) can mix it up in the hilly classics (here shown climbing at the Fleche Wallonne)

Jurgen Van Den Broeck has been the revelation of the Giro for the Silence-Lotto team. He has ridden exceedingly well in this year's Giro, and although he trails Contador, the 25 year old is showing he could be a rider to watch for the future. At worst, the Belgian will be able to support future team leaders as an good time trialist and climber.

Nibali will be a team leader within a couple of seasons, if not sooner

Vincenzo Nibali has been hyped from the beginning of the Giro as a possible dark horse contender, and he has not dissapointed. Nibali has shown himself to be a promising grand tour prospect for the rabbid Italian tifosi, and has ridden admirably in support of team leader Pellizotti. Expect him to take as many lessons as he can from this Giro, with an eye on the overall next year.

Anker Sorensen is still learning, but has shown promise early in his career

Chris Anker Sorensen was marked as a youngster to watch ahead of the Giro, but he hasn't been able to keep with the world's best in the year's first grand tour. He'll need a few more seasons under Bjarne Riis' watchful eye before he can hope to contend in a race the caliber of the Giro.

Spilak, at only 21, has a seemingly limitless upside as a big time rider

Like Anker Sorensen, Simon Spilak has underperformed at the Giro thus far, but make no mistake: the 21 year old Slovenian is a real talent who appears a promising prospect for the future. He lost a heafty 3+ minutes in the mountain time trial, and was dropped epically on stage 15 in the Dolomites, but he's right where he should be in this his first year as a true pro. Add to the puzzle that he was 9th at Flanders and 12th overall at Paris-Nice, and you have a picture of his future capabilities. His mental and physical toughness will only improve with age, to the chagrin of the rest of the peloton.

New Maglia Rosa Alberto Contador: Giro Game Over?

Alberto Contador now holds the maglia rosa after having put in a good performance climbing in the Dolomites. He rode an excellent individual time trial on Sunday, and although he didn't win the 'race of truth,' he did ride well enough to ensure that the pink jersey stays in his and Astana's hands into the final week of the Giro. He'll now look to recover over the next few stages, before the final mountian showdown later this week.

The Spaniard's competition now must ponder the inevitable: Alberto Contador is not easily dropped in the mountains, and not easily defeated in the time trials. He is a cagy, tactically sound rider competing for one of the best stage race teams in the world. He'll have excellent support from teammates Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden in the high mountains, and the best equipment money can buy in the time trials. Barring a catastrophe, Contador should arrive in Milano the winner of the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

Contador's strong time trialing skills will make it hard to beat him now that he is ahead

But not so fast, say the Italians. Danilo Di Luca, Franco Pellizotti, Gilberto Simoni, and Riccardo Ricco know the Giro's roads like the back of their hand, and will be waiting for the ideal moment to attack. Also, being from the same country, the above mentioned riders also may decide to form an alliance with each other to ensure that Contador doesn't win. After all, it has been 11 long years since a non-Italian won the Giro (Pavel Tonkov, Russia, 1996), and each of the Italians in the race will do all they can to keep the foreigner from winning.

Tonkov was the last non-Italian to win the overall title, back in 1996

The next few days will provide some much needed recovery time for each rider as they plan for the final week of action. Huge tests await the field in the Giro's final week, and the overall winner will truly be the one who has ridden the most consistently throughout the three week tour. Contador will use all of his resources to outwit and outride the competition, and it will be a difficult task for any rider (or team) to unseat the new patron of the professional peloton.

Giro Mountain Time Trial on Tap, Favorites Flex Form

The mountain time trial course, though only 12 kilometers long, is more than long enough to create big time gaps

The much anticipated mountian time trial takes place today at the Giro d'Italia, where current maglia rosa Alberto Contador will look to gain time on his rivals in the race against the clock. His closest adversaries, Riccardo Ricco, Danilo Di Luca, Dennis Menchov, and Gilberto Simoni, will hope for good results in the race of truth as they strive to wrestle the jersey away from the super Spaniard.

So what will happen? Who will win? No one can be sure, but one thing is for sure: as steep as the race is, if one is not on a good day, they will lose huge time. Likely the results on the day will show Contador, Ricco and Simoni close to each other, with Menchov and Di Luca slightly further back. Contador should be able to pick up some time on his rivals, and he'll be keen to take as much an advantage as he can so that he can defend in the high mountains later in the week.

For wildcards on the day, keep on eye on the red-hot Emanuel Sella, winner of the last two stages, and the American Levi Leipheimer. The Californian is well down on the GC, and he'll be keen to try to take a stage of the Giro to add ot already filled palmares. And if Andreas Kloden is on a good day, we could see the podium swept by Astana, signalling their hostile and sudden takeover of the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

Giro Weekend Wrap: Favorites Revealed

The weekend proved to be a decisive one for the 2008 Giro d'Italia, as the favorites for the year's first grand tour are now crystal clear. Alberto Contador, the new Maglia Rosa will be very tough to unseat in the coming days, as his time trialing and climbing skills are among the best in the world. Italians Riccardo Ricco, Gilberto Simoni, and Danilo Di Luca all remain close to the top of the classification, while the Russian Dennis Menchov also sits close to the top. While many thought Alberto Contador would be at a disadvantage coming into the Giro due to lack of preparation, it is now clear to all that he has great fitness and should be regarded as the number one favorite until another rider manages to gap him significantly. His performance thus far in the Giro reveals that he should never be underestimated as a possible winner of a grand tour.

Contador showed his class over the weekend, and now is the overall leader

Saturday marked the first time that the peloton would face a true mountain top finish to a stage. The results were interesting, as Emanuel Sella rode alone to the line, holding off a hard charging peloton lead by Dennis Menchov, Franco Pellizotti and Riccardo Ricco. Pre race favorites Danilo Di Luca, Gilberto Simoni and Alberto Contador limited their time losses, but the American Levi Leipheimer blew up on the stage, and lost over four minutes to the other favorites. Expect Leipheimer to put his all into the upcoming time trial, hoping for the stage win.

Stage 15 featured six climbs. Coming the day before the uphill time trial, riders will feel the effects of the stage for sure during the ITT

As riders came into Sundays stage, several were within a minute of the lead and the tactics promised to be tense. Contador was in the driver's seat as the best placed of the GC riders, while top hopes Simoni, Di Luca, Pellizotti, Ricco, Kloden, and Menchov lurked only a minute behind. Further down the classification were Vande Velde (2:45) and Nibali (2:01). Things were shaping up for an epic showdown in the Dolomites for the 2008 contenders on the way to the day's finish on the Passo Fedaia/Mormolada.

Tomorrow's time trial is a steep one, which should provide some big time gaps

In the end, it was Italian Emanuel Sella who took the win again again, rocketing away from the rest of the field for the victory. Right behind him though was a raging Riccardo Ricco, and behind him the rest of the GC hopes Simoni, Di Luca, Contador, and Menchov. Ricco took time out of each, but it was Contador who claimed the pink jersey with a scant 33 second lead over the explosive Ricco.

Ricco will be one to watch in tomorrow's time trial

Tomorrow's uphill time trial will work to further shuffle the general classification, but each of the top contenders should expect to have a good day. The course is a very difficult one though, with gradients as steep at 24%. If one of the top riders comes into the day less than 100%, they could find themselves losing several minutes. Look for Simoni and Ricco to outlast Di Luca, but expect Contador to put his full effort into the day, coming out as the winner.

Giro Mountains Loom, Contador Sounds Off

According to cyclingnews.com, 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador feels Gilberto Simoni has the best chance at overall victory in this year’s Giro. A Johan Bruyneel managed champion tipping a rival as the favorite. Sound familiar? Fans will remember that Lance Armstrong used the same tactics year after year in the Tour de France, citing Jan Ullrich and others as ‘bigger favorites’ than he, even though he managed to destroy the field year after year.

Contador’s voluntary giving of his opinion should scare the devil out of the rest of the GC favorites, as it was no doubt an attempt to deflect the pressure off himself and the rest of his Astana mates. However, anyone who has been following the race knows just how strong the entire Astana team is riding. Contador’s teammates Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden are both close to the top of the overall, and each is more than capable of climbing in the high mountains.

Like he has done in the past, Bruyneel has likly told his Astana squad to lay low until it counts—and then, as one of my favorite cycling fans would say (he knows who he is), “lower the boom.” Expect Astana to begin controlling the Giro today, and possibly take the pink jersey as well in the process. Whether it will be Kloden, Leipheimer or Contador is anyone’s guess, by EuroPeloton’s money is on the Spaniard to show well, and possibly win on one of theis year's hardest Giro stages.

Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling 2008: 'Benna' Comes to America

The Commerce Bank Triple Crown of Cycling, a three race series through eastern Pensylvania during the first week of June, has confirmed its teams and several top-tier riders for the series. Headlining the bunch is the Italian Daniele Bennati, who coincidentally won stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia yesterday in a bunch sprint. The Italian, injured early in the season, has perfectly timed his build up to the grand tour season, and has already netted an impressive three stages in this year's Giro. He'll have a few more chances in his home tour, before he heads to AMerica to continue his preparation for the July Tour de France. The Triple Crown series should provide 'Benna' with a nice week of races by which to stretch his legs against some of America's best.

Also confirmed for the three races are Claudio Corioni and Enrico Franzoi, two promising young stars also riding for the Liquigas team, andfrom Team High Road last year's animator Bernhard Eisel, who took wins at the first two races of the series before narrowly missing out on the Triple Crown with an oh-so-close third at the final race, the Philadelphia International Championship. His teammate meanwhile, Greg Henderson, took the win in Philly in 2006, and is always a threat should the race finish in a bunch sprint.

One name that has not been confirmed is last year's winner, JJ Haedo. The Argentinian has a knack for winning in America, and if he makes it over the pond to compete, will be one of the biggest favorites. However, CSC has remained mum thus far on whether they'll send Haedo stateside to defend his title. In his possible absence, the young Australian Matthew Goss can fill the void, as he finished second last year to his teammate Haedo, after having provided a blistering lead out for JJ.

The 'Argyle Gang' Slipstream will represent as wel, as they'll send a young, motivated team that will surely stir things up and agitate the rest of the field. American Tyler Farrar, who possesses an excellent finishing burst, will be in with a chance, as will breakaway specialists Steven Cozza, magnus Backstedt and 'Meatball' Mike Friedman. Also making the journey will be the 4th place finisher at Paris Roubaix this year, Martin Maaskant. Although he probably won't manage a huge result, Maaskant's star power (and horsepower) will enhance the quality of the field.

In what should be a wirlwind week for American cycling, the Commerce Bank Triple Crown will bring big time professional cycling to America once again, after this year's Tour of California and Tour of Georgia events. With the addition of the above mentioned Euro stars, the series has shown that it has come of age, and is an upper echelon event capable of drawing some of the biggest names in the sport to the United States. It isn't hard to envision the series growing by one more race and slotting in as solid preperation for the upcoming Tour de France.

Giro Stage 11: Soler Abandons, Visconti Defends Jersey

The Giro d'Italia continued with stage 11, a hilly jaunt the emptied the peloton into the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. The course featured almost constant hills, so the peloton was in for a tough day. And as rainy weather rolled in, the going got tougher for the 199 kilometer stage.

Stage 11 was up and down, a tough stage for all made tougher in rainy conditions

The first casualty was Juan Mauricio Soler, the climbing talent from Barloworld. Suffering from a fractured wrist, Soler dismounted his machine about half way through the stage. He'll regroup for July and another run at the mountains classification competition after an unsuccessful Giro.

Italian champ and current maglia rosa Visconti ws able to hold onto the jersey for another day

Others were involved in crashes, and some big names that hit the tarmac included Levi Leipheimer, Franco Pellizotti, and race leader Giovanni Visconti. And while Leipheimer and Pellizotti escaped unharmed, Visconti was not as lucky. He fell hard on his left arm, and was taken to hospital for x-rays immediately following the race. The results however were negative, and the maglia rosa will remain on his shoulders as he's comfirmed for the start of stage 12.

As the Giro heats up and approaches its final week, the peloton is bcoming more and more nervous, perhaps in anticipaiton of things to come. Over the next few days, it will be very important for all of the GC contenders to stay away from trouble and out of the wind. They'll need all their energy for the coming mountain stages.

Giro Time Trial Stage 10: Contador Arrives

Contador showed his superior time trialing skills again at the Giro d'Italia 2008

After the dust had settled on the 10th stage of the Giro, one name stood above all others as the biggest talking point: Alberto Contador. Last year's Tour de France champion blazed the individual time trial course, slotting the best time of the day among the GC contenders. Riding on a fractured elbow, the Spaniard showed why he is so dangerous. An amazing climber capable of quick accelerations on the steepest ramps, Contador also possesses the ability to take time out of his rivals in the time trial discipline. And he did it again at the Giro, alerting the field and the cycling public that he is a contender in this year's Giro, no matter what he or his team say.

Unlike riders like Riccardo Ricco or Gilberto Simoni, who hope to limit their losses in the time trials, Contador uses them to further increase his lead. He'll be tough adversary for the Giro field the rest of the Tour, a will his Astana team. The other two leaders of the team, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden, remain toward the top of the GC battle, as the American is about two minutes behind Contador, and teammate Kloden only a minute. As was predicted, the Astana squad will govern the tactics for the rest of the Giro, with three cards still to play.

Other surprises from stage ten? For positive, look no further than the aforementioned Simoni, who conceded only 54 seconds to Contador, and now sits comfortably in 10th place, only two minutes behind Contador. He'll have a chance if he can make Contador suffer in the high passes. For some, the time trial was decidedly negative. One such rider was Danilo Di Luca, who lost 2:03 to Contador, and now lies about a minute and a half from Contador's time. He is still well within striking distance, but he'll need to ride strong in the mountains to have a chance at the overall.

As usual, a time trial in a grand tour has shuffled the deck and revealed the true contenders of the race. Some are better off than others, but very few of the GC riders are out of the competition. All this and more should make the final week and a half at rhe Giro one of the best in recent memory.

Giro Rest Day: Ricco Hot Topic on Giro Rest Day

Riccardo Ricco is one of the hot topics at the Giro, according to Podium Cafe. Ricco, already having earned the nickname "The Ego" from the Podium Cafe fanbase, is being called out by his fellow countrymen as well, including defending Giro champion Danilo Di Luca. "The Killer" seems to feel that Ricco will lose significant time in the uphill time trial to Astana's Andreas Kloden, who has been quiet thus far in the Giro. However, Di Luca too has a good chance on the course, and should contend, as well as several others.

"Il Falco" Paolo Salvodelli will be one of the favorites in the Giro's first time trial

Even Ricco himself isn't conviced of his chances in the time trial, saying "If I lose two minutes, that would be good. I’ve worked a lot on the time trial over the winter, so I am anxious to see how I will do . . . riders such as Savoldelli, Contador, Menchov and Leipheimer will take time on the climbers; there will be other stages to recuperate the lost time."

Don't be so sure, Ricky.

Simoni will find the going tough in the individual time trial

Of the four names mentioned, Contador, Menchov, and Leipheimer are legitimate climbers capable of defending in the high mountains. Contador will be battling through a small fracture on his arm, which could hamper hisability to maintain an aerodynamic position, but Menchov and Leipheimer are at 100%, and will be ready to ride. Ricco should be careful what he claims, as the brash Italian's statements may one day soon fall on deaf ears.

Kloden knows how to suffer in the time trial discipline

In all liklihood, the upcoming time trial will eliminate several GC riders, leaving them too far from the lead to come back. Expect Simoni, Ricco, Karpets, and Nibali to take significant losses on the time trial, while Salvodelli, Di Luca, Leipheimer, Pellizotti, and Vande Velde should have decent rides. Even if Kloden or someone else wins by a significant margin, there is still plenty of racing---and climbing---left in the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

Bettini and the Rainbow: Cursed

Bettini at the Tour of Lombardy in 2007

Paolo Bettini has had the world champion's road race jersey for two years running. In those two years though, 'il grillo' has not made many results. Sure, he won the Tour of Romandy after his first world's win in 2006, but besides that result, the pickings have been slim for the small Tuscan all-arounder.

Bettini has finished second several times thus far in 2008, but the aging Italian star has yet to claim victory in an important race, after having been shut out at the early season Tour of California and the recent Ardennes classics. Now in the Giro, Bettini has finished in the running a few times, but has not been able to provide the end of race fireworks that his tifosi are used to. Hopefully Bettini will be able to find the will to take at least one stage in the Giro; but his time is running out.

The final week of the Giro is torturous, with many steep climbs. Bettini needs to make hay soon, or risk going without a win again in his home tour. He has already decided not to race the Tour, and he probably will line up at the Vuelta with only training in mind for the upcoming Olympics and world championships. While going without a win for most of the year would be tough, if he can strike gold in Beijing and the rainbow again in Italy, Bettini will be a champion with a record no one else can or probably ever will lay claim to: Double Olympic champion and three time world champ.

Sella Riding Stellar in 2008 Giro

Sella is an accomplished rider who has the tactical skills to win even when he isn't at his best

Emanuele Sella is having one heck of a Giro thus far, and trails GC hopes Danilo di Luca and Riccardo Ricco in the overall standings by less than ten seconds. The Italian has long performed well at the Giro, but looks particularly good so far in 2008. He has taken wins at the Giro before, and finished 10th overall in 2005. He'll look for stage wins again in 2008, but perhaps with the right conditions he could hope for even more.

Hopefully the climber will have good team support for the rest of the race, as he looks like he has the kind of form to make a real run at the podium for his continental sponsor. It would be huge for Sella and his team if he could go top five or better overall. While not the best time trialist around, Sella is a smart rider capable of limiting his losses. And when the road tilts up, look out. If not for a broken chain a few stages ago, Sella may already have had a win under his belt in the Italian grand tour. Instead, he is waiting, no doubt super-motivated, and ready to strike when the moment is right.

Giro Stage 7 and 8: Di Luca Steals Seconds, Ricco Strikes Again

As he did in last year's Giro, di Luca has used the early stages to take small time increments from his rivals

Danilo di Luca did what many expected him to do in Friday's stage 7 of the Giro, attacking the field on the way to the finish and taking valuable time away from several GC riders. Levi Leipheimer, Dennis Menchov, Andreas Kloden, Franco Pellizotti, and Gilberto Simoni all lost 49 seconds to the 'Killer,' while Juan Antonio Soler, the climbing ace from Barloworld, lost one minute and 26 seconds on the day. Di Luca dragged hiself and two other GC threats with him, as Ricardo Ricco and Alberto Contador were both strong enough to follow last year's champion.

Bettini has spent much of 2008 on the ground, which has hurt his form, not to mention his body

Meanwhile today in stage 8, Riccardo Ricco had his turn and was able to win another stage with his explosive sprint, after the field was thinned by some tough climbs before the finish. Ricco bested Italian compatriot Davide Rebellin, who for the second day was close to victory, but was lacking just that extra little bit of power needed to come around the Saunier Duvall-Scott captain. Also present at the front of today's stage was the world champion Paolo Bettini. 'Il Grillo' hasn't had the best start to his season, as he has suffered multiple crashes that have affected his form negatively in 2008.

Next Saturday's stage is when the real battle for the overall begins

Looking ahead, tomorrow's stage is a flat one, custom-tailored for the fast finishers. Look for Daniele Bennati again at the front of the bunch, as well as Danilo Hondo, and Julian Dean of the Slipstream squad. Race overall leader Giovanni Visconti will have yet another day in the maglia rosa, before Tuesday's mountain time trial. There, Visconti will probably be able to put in a good enough ride against the clock to keep the jersey again. With some luck, the current Italian champion may be able to old the jersey all the way until next Saturday, where he will surely give it up to one of the race favorites.

Roche Wins in Portugal, New Irish Hope

Roche takes his second win as a pro in Portugal

Nicholas Roche took the win on the first stage of the four day GP Internacional Paredes Rota dos Móveis race in Portugal yesterday. The son of former world champion and Tour de France champ Stephen Roche, the 23 year old Irishman has steadily improved over the years, and feels comfortable in the Credit Agricole system, after having ridden for Cofidis the past two seasons.

Roche hasn't won many races as a pro, and his win in Portugal was only his second ever victory. Still, expectations are high for the youngster as he continues to improve his cycling skills. He is without a doubt the leading Irish cyclist today, and has shown consistency and grit throughout his first two years of being a professional. Whether he'll join cycling's elite one day though is a long way off, and Roch has much to prove.

Credit Agricole has developed young riders before, as the Australian Stuey O'Grady debuted in the green and white kit, as did a young American named Saul Raisen. Once a very promising young pro, Raisen suffered a horrible crash that ended his career, and almost his life. One other excellent pro that came up in the Credit Agricole system is Jens Voigt. The tireless German spent six years on the French team, and took a huge win at the Dauphine Libere stage race in 2001. Hopefully, when he looks back on his career in ten to fifteen years, Roche will have a palmares similar to Jens. If so, he'll be able to call his career an overwhelming success.

Steegmans Keeps Winning, Team Leader of the Future?

Stegmans has his share of wins as a pro, having notched over 20 in his six year career

Gert Steegmans keeps on winning, as he took yet another win on the year at the Dutch Profonde van Fryslan race. Steegmans is quickly becoming a man to watch in the fast finishes, regardless of the quality of the field. Granted, he was up against less than elite competition at the Profonde, but the fact that he can win when given the chance reveals just how good the 27 year old could be if he had an entire team at his disposal. Surely he'll work for teammate Tom Boonen in the Tour de France, but given the chance, look for Steegmans to steal a stage for himself as well.

Being Belgian, he could be desired by other Belgian sponsors, including Silence-Lotto. The Belgian squad has aging pocket rocket Robbie McEwen, and will need a replacement in the near future. Why not bring Steegmans on board to help young Greg Van Avermet at Flanders and Roubaix, and to have a legit threat at most of the semi-classics and Milan-San Remo, not to mention the season's early stage races Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris Nice? If they're smart, Lotto will sign Steegmans before a rival does.

Tyler Hamilton: Cycling's Lonely Pariah Soldiers On

Tyler Hamilton is a former Olympic gold medalist. He won the world's oldest classic, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, in 2003. He won the prestigious Dauphine Libere stage race in 2000. He finished second in the Giro d'Italia in 2002, and took a stage win. He rode for and against Lance Armstrong during his reign of terror in the early 2000's. And today he finished 119th out of 156 riders at the Tour of Columbia, a stranger in a strange land. It wasn't supposed to turn out this way.

Hamilton rode the 2002 Giro with a broken collar bone, and finished second overall

Tyler Hamilton was long known to his fans and peers as a hard working rider with limitless talent. A former skier, Hamilton found a love for cycling at a young age and quickly rose up the ranks, eventually riding for one of the most successful teams in cycling, the US Postal Service dynasty. It was at Postal that Hamilton was able to learn under fellow American phenom Lance Armstrong. He studied the ways of the Texan closely, and in 2002 made the jump to a different team, in search of his own squad to lead.

In 2002, CSC-Tiscali was a young team searching for its identity under team boss Bjarne Riis. French veteran Laurent Jalabert was the team leader back then, and Hamilton was brought in to carry the torch in stage races as the team's GC leader. He blossomed into the role, and by the time Jalabert retired at the end of 2002, the team was Hamilton's to lead. And lead he did.

Today, the only thing impressive about Hamilton's cycling is his team kit

Under Riis' watchful eye, Hamilton went on an impressive run, taking LBL, a stage and the overall at the Tour of Romandy and a stage in the Tour de France in 2003. By 2004, Hamilton was being mentioned as a real threat to Armstrong's TDF dominance. It was not meant to be. Hamilton crashed in stage 6, and abandoned seven long stages later in stage 13. He would never get a shot at the Tour again.

It was late summer in 2004 at the Vuelta Espana, and Hamilton was looking like a strong GC threat. But news came down that he had failed a blood test, and tested positive for doping. He was immediately kicked out of the race and fired by team Phonak. After a lengthy appeal process, Hamilton was found guilty every step of the way. To date, he has yet to admit that he doped.

Today, Hamilton rides for the only team that will have him, Rock Racing. He works for other suspected dopers, Santiago Botero and Oscar Sevilla among them. Since he returned from his suspension, Hamilton hasn't had one respectable result. He was blown away at the Tour of Georgia, and is being outridden by second rate pros in South America. In what looks like the sad final chapter for Hamilton, he can be seen riding at the back of a bunch on climbs or taking long pulls at the front on the flats for whichever ex-doper he happens to be riding for that day.

Hamilton was allowed to keep his gold medal after his 'B' analysis was mishandled

The next chance for Americans to see Hamilton will come at Philly Week in early June. There, he'll get another crack at some of the world's best as three Pro Tour teams are confirmed. Maybe he'll be competitive, but probably not. After all, the dope is gone, and apparently with it Hamilton's talent to ride a bicycle fast.

So Far, So Good for Astana at Giro

The Astana team is sitting pretty after three though days at the Giro, having placed their three team leaders within less than a minute of the overall, as Kloden (28 sec), Contador (30 sec) and Liepheiner (40 sec) all remain in contention in the Italian grand tour. More importantly is that fact that the teal and yellow team has avoided injuries and mental lapses, while other riders are suffering from crash-related wounds or bigger time deficits.

On the injury front, two teams have suffered big losses, as the Slipstream team lost time trialing extradonaire David Zabriskie, and the CSC juggernaut bid farewell to the Aussie Bradley McGee, who went down with a collar bone break in stage three. Both riders were riding well, and each respective team will ride the remainder of the Giro one man down.

Among the GC riders with big time deficits, Vlad Karpets is the worst off of the GC guys, lying at over 2 minutes behind, while mountain goats 'Gibo' Simoni,' Dennis Menchov, and Jose Rujano are all at over a minute. Everyone else is under a minute, as the Giro inches closer to the big mountains. The next few stages are hilly, but not hard enough to create huge time gaps. Still, riders will have plenty of opportunities to take away time from their rivals if they are vigilant and aggressive. Expect to see many more stages similar to stage 2, when Riccardo Ricco won a five up sprint over fellow GC hopefuls Di Luca, Pellizotti, and Andreas Kloden.

Giro Stage Two: Cobra Strikes, Pellizotti in Pink, Zabriskie Crashes Out

Ricco has the flambouyance of an elite stage racer, but has yet to prove he has the legs

Riccardo Ricco took the second stage of the Giro yesterday, after he outsprinted Di Luca, Salvodelli and others, taking his first big win of the year. Full of confidence, Ricco played up his chances in interviews, claiming that taking the stage win ahead of defending champ Di Luca showed he is on good form and ready for a run at the overall. He may be, but judgement must be witheld until the race heads into the high mountains, as Ricco has had trouble with consistency in the past.

Pellizotti gets to ride for himself in 2008, as Di Luca is gone and Basso is still a year away, at best

Also involved in the sprint was Franco Pellizotti of the Liquigas team, who placed a strong fourth, and in doing so took the pink jersey. An excellent result for Pellizotti, who is enjoying his captainship of the lime green and blue team, after the departing of Di Luca. Like Ricco though, Pellizotti must prove himself in the high mountains before he can be considered a legit threat for the overall win.

Zabriskie got shoda-chopped by a railroad barrier in stage two

Finally, David Zabriskie crashed out of the Giro after being involved in a mass pile-up at a railroad crossing. A multitude of riders went down, but 'Don Quixote' took the worst beating, having to be taken to hospital. In what is a shame for Slipstream, Zabriskie heads back to the states to recover and prepare for other races on the schedule. Now word yet on where he'll make his comeback, but perhaps the Triple Crown of Cycling in Pennsylvania would be a good place to start.

Maglia Rosa for Vande Velde as Slipstream Wins Giro TTT

Vande Velde used his and his team's time trialing skills to take the first leader's jersey of the 91st Giro d'Italia

The Slipstream team accomplished its' only major goal for the Giro d'Italia, as they won the stage one team time trial and put American veteran Christian Vande Velde into the pink leader's jersey. In what was a monumental moment for the American squad, team leader David Millar played a big role in pacing the team to the win. American time trial champ David Zabriskie was valuable too, but Vande Velde went over the line first, taking a much deserved win and the first maglia rosa of the 2008 Giro.

For team director Jonathan Vaughters, it was a best case scenario, as all of the pressure on the American team goes away now that they have the jersey. Their victory in the event marked the second time they've won a TTT, the other being at the Tour of Georgia. Looking ahead, Slipstream probably won't be able to hold onto the jersey for very long, as the Italians in the race who are close on time will be hungry to steal it away over the next few days.

Best of all is that Slipstream really validated themselves as a top-flight cycling team. No longer will pundits be able to claim they are inexperienced or unworthy of being in a given race. And for the Tour de France in July, they'll have confidence that they belong in the event, and can thrive, if only on the time trial stages. Gone also will be their underdog status; they'll no longer be able to take anyone by surprise, and will be marked as a dangerous team in any race they attend.

Now that Vande Velde has the pink tunic, expect him and the Slipstream team to do all they can to keep it within the argyle kit. History tells us that once a rider takes a leader's jersey, they have just that little bit more motivation within them, which allows them to do great things. Vande Velde won't be keen on giving up his jersey without a fight, and he possesses the all-around skills to remain at the front of the race in any given stage. It on't be easy though, as the stacked Giro field will be breathing down his neck around every corner and on every climb.

Giro Off and Running with TTT in Palermo

Liquigas took the stage one TTT in 2007, and team leader Danilo Di Luca went on to win the overall

The Giro d'Italia, the season's first grand tour, will begin like it did last year: with a team time trial that will establish the initial GC. There are several favorites for the win, and the day should be action packed and exciting. So which teams are most likely to contend? See below for Euro Peloton's views . . .

Slipstream

The Slipstream team will not contend for the overall in the Giro d'Italia, but that doesn't mean they can't take the maglia rosa for a few stages. They bring a powerful line up to the time trial, full of big engines and experience. Two national champions (Millar, Zabriskie) will be on hand to take the time trial reins, along with two big roulers (Backstedt, Dean), an experienced top American time trialist (Vande Velde), and a former junior time trial champion (Pate). They have a very good shot at the win, providing they can perform as well mentally as they do physically. Considering the performance they put in recently at the Tour de Georgia, the 'Argyle Gang' should be considered the most dangeous team in the fight for the TTT title.

Former maglia rosa Pinotti is a respected rider recognized for his integrity and fair play

High Road

Like Slipstream, High Road probably won't be in the picture for the overall Giro title, but they have some excellent time trialists attending the Giro, and if they can send one of the top sprinters over the finish line first, they may be able to keep the jersey for a few stages. Look for Bradley Wiggins to lead the American registered team, as they attempt to put Italian veteran Marco Pinotti into the pink again, like they did in .

Astana

Why can't they? Everyone seem to want to put Astana at a disadvantage because they weren't notified ahead of time for the Giro. What's the big deal? Kloden is on great form, Levi was decent in Georgia, and Gusev is on the upswing following a broken clavicle at the Tour of California. Contado is Contador, the defending Tour de France champ. The four above mentioned riders are all excellent time trialists, and together are more than capable of putting in a great time against the clock. They'll go top five, minimum.

CSC

Bjarne Riis' Danish squad is young and inexperienced, but also very talented. The 1996 TDF winner (no matter what Prudhomme says) Riis always has his troops ready for battle, so expect CSC to put in an excellent ride in the TTT. They may not win it, but they'll knock on the door, as they do in every race they enter.

While the above four teams all have an excellent chance at victory, don't count out Danilo Di Luca and his LPR Brakes team. His teammate, "il falco," Paolo Salvodelli, is a better than average time trialist capable of long pulls at the front. Di Luca realizes the importance of the opening time trial, and will be urging his team on throughout. They may not win, but they won't lose by a ton either. The Giro d'Italia is on tap, the most beautiful stage race in the world!

Euro Peloton Extra: Cycling Super Kid

There is a promising new junior rider coming up through the ranks of road cycling, who is making a real name for himself as he uses an unheard of method: he rides a mountain bike for road races. This youngster, Jimmy Falloon, is able to stay with the world's best juniors on major climbs, and is faster on the descents due to his amzing bike handling skills and the sheer weight of his machine. You have to see it to believe it, so here it is, a first look at the cycling super kid.

"Put Up Or Shut Up," Says Steegmans to UCI; Liquigas to Philly

Steegmans, perhaps in anticipation of becoming a team leader next year, has called out the UCI for their veiled report of doped cyclists

Quick Step sprinter Gert Steegmans, 27, channelled wisdom far beyond his age in calling out the UCI over their announcement that 23 riders and "one top rider" are under suspicion for doping after test analyses from the new anti-doping passport program. An angry Steegmans declared, "It is a perfect example of how not to deal with such things. Why was that announced in this way? Either you say the full names, or you shut up and go about your business."

Bravo.

Steegmans, speaking on behalf of other riders, wondered aloud why the UCI has absolutely no professionalism when it comes to dealing with the sanctioning process. As usual, they have decided to create an environment of fear and uncertainty just days ahead of a grand tour. And like in the 2006 Tour de France, the peloton waits anxiously to learn who the suspected riders are, and which teams may face repercussions as a result of the allegations. In what is sure to be a long Friday, teams will wait for an announcement to be made the day before the Giro begins in Palermo.

If one of Liquigas' big three (Bennati, Pozzato, Pellizotti) take the start at the Triple Crown, fans will be ecstatic

Meanwhile, in America, positive news for the Triple Crown of Cycling event in Pennsylvania, as the Italian Liquigas team is confirmed as a late addition for the three race series. The acid green and blue squad, who recently signed new anti-doping ambassador Ivan Basso, will be on hand to contest the legendary Liberty Classic race on Sunday, June 7th in Philadelphia. American fans will remain hopeful that Daniele "Benna" Bennati, the recovering Italian sprinter, will be on hand to contest the series ahead of his bigger objective for 2008, the Tour de France. The addition of the Pro Tour squad is good for the race, it's organizers and the fans, as the inclusion of the Italian outfit will add color and talent to an already strong field.

Basso to Become Anti-Doping Ambassador for UCI

Basso volunteered just enough to get the heat off of him, and now looks poised to come full circle, even though he never really admitted to anything

What the hell is happening to cycling? As reported by Eurosport and other outlets, deposed Italian cyclist Ivan Basso has been brought on board by the UCI to become an anti-doing ambassador after his suspension ends. Shouldn't his official title instead be "Attempted Anti-Doping Ambassador?" Basso never admitted to doping, only "attempted" doping. If Basso only "attempted" to dope, then Bill Clinton never inhaled and didn't f*!# Monika Lewinsky.

Don't get me wrong here either, I'm all for second chances. I rode with Basso in 2005, and found him to be a pretty cool dude. But I have a huge problem with someone who is unable to out and out admit that they did something wrong. Basso doped. Period. He may not have ever tested positive, but Simoni was right to call him an "extra-terrestrial" as he was dominating the 2006 Giro, riding away from the world's best climbers with ease.

When he was finally nailed to the wall by CONI and the UCI, he still didn't admit what he did, but chose to take the coward's way out and admit only what he had to admit. Meanwhile, riders like Andre Kashekin, Roberto Heras, and Jorg Jaksche can't find a contract after having admitted that they actually doped. What gives here? Why are the honest athletes being blacklisted while the slimier ones (Basso, Hondo, VDB, Di Luca, Valverde) roam free? Is there no justice in the sport of cycling? Apparently not.

Increasingly, Basso is looking more like a politician and less like an athlete. And if he spoke English just a bit better, I would think he was an American. I'm sure he and Roger Clemens could spend a nice evening talking about the millions of dollars they have made over the years for their lies and deception. I hope Basso comes back, races clean, and wins. But I fail to understand why Jaksche and the other honest, transparent names above can't do the same. It is time for cycling to reward honesty, and punish deception, instead of the other way around.

Petacchi Suspended, Vila Positive, But Do Fans Care?

Petacchi wasn't planning on riding the Giro this year, but his suspension will affect his planned participation in this year's Tour de France

Alessandro Petacchi lost his appeal to the CAS yesterday for his non-negative test in last year's Giro, and is now suspended until August of this year. The CAS panel determined that the Italian did in fact break the rules, but did not do so maliciously, so he faces only a one year ban.

Meanwhile, Patxi Vila, the Spaniard of the Lampre team, has reportedly tested positive for abnormal testosterone levels. He faces a two year ban if found guilty. Lampre is standing behind their rider, and urging all to suspend judgment until the counter analysis has been completed.

With more doping related news sweeping through the peloton, the question of how the sport will be affected is top of mind. Fans seem not to care about doping in the peloton. A recent survey here on Euro Peloton revealed that fans will never stop following cycling, even if convicted dopers return to cycling. Most fans seem to be jaded by the myriad problems affecting the sport. They have become numb to the doping issue, and seem perpetually ready to forgive and forget.

Vila, here shown winning a stage in Paris-Nice ahead of Floyd Landis in 2006, faces a two year ban for abnormal testosterone, just like Landis

All of this is good news for Petacchi and others, who can expect to recieve huge support from their fans as they make their comebacks. Indeed, a rider like Ivan Basso seems to be more popular than he was before his doping confession. When riders cheat, it would seem, they become more human to fans, more vulnerable. This underdog factor tends to galvanize their fan base instead of alienating it. And as long as a sponsor like Liquigas or LPR are willing to sign tainted riders, all ends well for an accused/guilty cyclist.

Slipstream to Giro: All for TTT

The "Argyle gang" will look to pour the bubbly after stage one of the Giro

The Slipstream team will have a golden opportunity to take a grand tour leader's jersey this Saturday at the 91st Giro d'Italia. At 23.6 kilometers long, the team time trial course in Palermo, Sicily will give the "Argyle Gang" a real shot at winning the first stage and putting one of their guys into the Maglia Rosa of race leader. Although a technical course, the team time trial should suit Slipstream well.

British time trial champ Milar will lead Slipstream's efforts in the Giro TTT

If they can manage to take the win on stage one, Slipstream could presumably hold the jersey until stage seven, when the road really begins to turn upward. Stages two through 6 are no cakewalk though, so defending the jersey will be difficult. Expect Slipstream to let the jersey go before stage seven should they be lucky enough to win stage one.

Zabriskie will be a huge part of Slipstream's team time trial team at the Giro

In looking at the team's chances for the entire Giro, there doesn't seem to be anyone riding for the team that can hang tough in the high mountains. Danny Pate and Christian Vande Velde are good climbers, but neither has ever shown themselves capable of following the world's best. Expect the Giro as a whole to be a primer for the young American squad, as they gain valuable knowledge ahead of the July Tour de France.