Horner and Kloden Re-Sign with Astana, Levi Considering Options?

Besides the fact that he's getting older, the fact that he's a GOON with Napolean Complex may give Leipheimer problems when searching for a new team

Chris Horner and Andreas Kloden, two of the stronger domestiques of the Astana stage racing juggernaut, have agreed to one year extensions to stay with the Johan Bruyneel managed team. Meanwhile, the rapidly aging Levi Leipheimer has yet to agree to a new contract, perhaps signalling his desire to test the free agent market.


Leipheimer also may be concerned about whether the Astana team will receive an invite to next year's Tour de France. Being that they haven't had any positive dope test thus far in 2008, Astana looks to be in good position to receive an invite to the event, but still, Levi must be nervous.


The Santa Rosa, California resident missed his chance to try for the Tour overall again this season, and he probably knows that he has one, and at most two more chances to contest the Tour. If he misses the Grande Boucle again in 2009, he will have wasted two years with Astana. Sure, he took the win at the Tour of California this past February, but besides that he had a quiet year results wise.


The problem at this time for Levi is that he doesn't have many options. At 34, are there many teams out there that would be willing to sign the veteran as a team leader? He was dropped soundly at both the Tour of Georgia and the Dauphine Libere, and has never been able to hang with or ride away from the world's best on the Tour's steepest climbs.


Worst still is that there are few teams that would be able to support Leiphemier as a team leader in the Tour. Perhaps Garmin-Chipotle would be willing to sign him, but with Christian Vande Velde arriving as a true team leader this year, it would seem strange that Levi would be able to come in and usurp Vande Velde's leadership of the American team. If Cadel Evans leaves Silence-Lotto, then a spot would be open there, but would Leipheimer really want to go to the Tour with such a weak team? Like it or not, he may have no choice.

Cadel Evans Out of Olympic TT After Post Tour Party Knee Injury

Cadel Evans did injure his knee after all at his post-race Tour de France party last weekend. According to the Aussie, he slipped on a wet floor. No mention has been made about whether he was sober during the party.

Call me crazy, but this injury seems like a classic case of someone a bit drunk who lost control and got hurt. It wouldn't be the first time it has happened. Sad thing here is that Evans will miss out on one of his biggest objectives of the season. He may still ride the Olympic road race, but his chances of taking victory in that event are slim at best.

Hopefully this new development won't be the start of a downward trend for Cadel. After finishing second for the second year in a row at the Tour, will Evans go the Jan Ullrich route in the offseason? Will he spend his fall and winter eating tubes of Veggiemite and visiting discos? Hopefully he won't lose motivation and disappear from the cycling scene.

Evans seems to be at a cross roads in his career. He can't get any closer to victory in the Tour. He seems to lack that extra little bit required to win a classic, and he doesn't seem interested in smaller stage races or other grand tours. He knows that Alberto Contador and Astana will probably be at the Tour next year. Does he think that his chances for victory are gone? If so, we'll know soon as we watch his progress the rest of this year and into the off season.

Off the Front with Race Comm 1 at the 2008 Tour de Nez

The front of a bike race is a volatile, ever changing landscape. Different teams vie to control the front of the race, while individuals attempt repeatedly to escape from the pack. Sometimes these individuals manage to stay away, but most of the time they are reeled back in by the field. On any given lap of a 10 mile or longer circuit course, the front of the field can look drastically different from one minute to the next. Unfortunately, the average cycling fan will never see these myriad changes, as they can’t possibly view the race as it goes up the road.

There is however a place one can view a cycling race from where they get to see virtually all the day’s action: the Race Commissar Car. Any major sanctioned road race has at least two official Race Communication Cars, or Race Comm 1 and Race Comm 2. Comm 1 typically follows the very front of the race, while Comm 2 stays behind and follows chasing groups.

As press officer for the Tour de Nez, I asked the head official for the event, Bill Wykoff, if I could ride along in Race Comm 1 with him for the toughest stage of the 2008 Tour de Nez, the stage 4 mountain circuit road race through the steep hills around the Northstar at Tahoe resort. He reluctantly agreed, perhaps sensing my anticipation. Finally, he nodded gruffly. I had the golden ticket.

Being at the front of the race was amazing, as the field ascended the tough three mile climb for the first of ten times. Immediately there was a rider off the back, pedaling as if he knew he was done. Casually looking over at our Race Comm 1 car, the rider nodded when Bill told him he was done. Off the back he went, and I didn’t see him again until the post race party two days later.

Coming down the backside of the climb, I held on tightly as our driver struggled to keep up with the streaking peloton. Strung out beautifully in a single file line, I was taken by the raw power and grace of the field as they plummeted down the mountain. Reaching speeds of 50 plus miles an hour, the car’s wheels screeched around corners and the engine whined as the driver floored the accelerator on flatter sections of road.

Meanwhile in the front seat, Bill was working himself into a froth as he tried to deal with controlling the press motorcycles and course details. One moto referee, not realizing that Bill was in the car behind him, waved his hand for Bill’s car to back off the field. Lifting half his body out of the car, Wykoff bellowed at the moto ref. “Joe, it’s ME!!! GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!!” The ref, looking sheepish, pulled along side our car and apologized profusely to Bill. “I’ll forgive you just this one time,” Wykoff said as we went off in search of the field.

Turning his attention to the race, I saw that Bill really had his hands full. Speaking purposefully into the race radio, he barked out directions to the referees and motos, all while marking the gaps between the break away and the field with the assistance from the leading moto. He seemed to be able to communicate time gaps, requests for assistance and point allocations all in the same breath. A seasoned professional, Bill was able to keep all his responsibilities organized throughout the race, no matter how hectic the racing became.

Turning my attention back to the race, it was amazing to see each rider push themselves to their very limits as they tried to stay with the animators at the front. While Andy Bajadali, Scott Nydam, Eric Wohlberg, and others attacked each other at the front of the field, riders like Adam Switters of Rock Racing, Curtis Gunn of Successful Living, and Ian McKissick of BMC did all they could just to keep riding, pain coursing through their legs and straining their faces.

I watched riders drift slowly behind our Race Comm 1 car, as the leading group got smaller and smaller at the front. Every now and again I’d root a rider on, but often stayed quiet, feeling as though my cheering would only annoy them. It’s one thing to hear some one cheering for you when you’re riding by them, but entirely another to hear someone rooting you on that is riding by you. I imagine it’s a tad demoralizing.

Finally on the 8th lap of 10 it happened: the deciding attack. Wohlberg jumped away from his breakaway companion Aaron Olson, and went off in search of the stage win. Olson, after being joined briefly by Bajadali, was then also reunited with four others in the final charge to the line. The day would go to Wohlberg who soloed home, while Olson faltered on the final kilometer and lost precious time to the Symmetrics rider from Canada and Kelly Benefit’s Bajadali.

As Olson drifted past our car, I implored him to give all he had. Looking straight ahead, his eyes trained on the approaching finish line, I don’t think he even heard me. It was a glimpse into the mind of a focused athlete being pushed to the brink of their abilities. He had a plan that day, and a different one for the final stage the next day. He would go on to claim overall victory in the stage race with a superhuman effort on the final stage. But on stage four, I got to see Aaron Olson at his most vulnerable. And it wouldn’t have been possible unless I had been in Race Comm 1.

Tour de France 2008: The Lowlights

There was much positive that occured during the 2008 Tour de France. Andy Schleck confirmed that he is indeed a grand tour threat of the future, Carlos Sastre finally broke through and Cadel Evans battled once again with dignity and class. But there were several high profile dissapointments as well. Below are the notable negatives regarding select riders in this year's Tour.

1. The entire Saunier Duvall debacle. Riccardo Ricco could have went down as the Tour's revelation, instead he goes down in history as the 2008 version of Floyd Landis. One of the biggest shames of 2008.

2. Robbie McEwen gets shut out at the 2008 Tour. The "pocket rocket" is looking a bit worse for the wear these days, and his best days may behind him. He was outgunned in the sprints and even his own team wasn't willing to send anyone to the Tour to support him.

3. Stijn Devolder gets shelled in the high mountains of the Tour, and takes a DNF after abandoning after stage 15. Devolder looked lost in the steep mountains, and will have to rethink his approach to the grand tours. Originally thought of as a classics and grand tour threat, he may instead want to stick to classics riding only.

4. Denis Menchov. Tactically, he was by far the worst of the GC hopefuls. He forfeited time foolishly throughout the Tour, and his errors cost him and Rabobank a spot on the final podium. If he had managed to ride smarter, he would have been in with a chance to take the overall title. He may never get another chance, as his teammate Robert Gesink will be on the scene next year at the Tour.

5. Yaroslav Popovych. The Ukranian was supposed to be on hand to help Cadel on the toughest climbs. Instead, he was off the back often and was very little help to the Australian in his bid to take top honors. I wonder if Silence-Lotto regrets letting Chris Horner go?

6. Rémy Di Grégorio of the Francaise des Jeux squad was supposed to be the next great French hope. He was touted as a mountains specialist and was considered to be a dark horse candidate for the young rider jersey. So much for that. He looked like a typical Frenchie at the Tour, as he desperately tried to get into breakaways and then came in well after the leaders in the climbing stages. He finished 9th in the young rider competition, over an hour and a half behind Andy Schleck. Ouch!

7. Damiano Cunego. "The Little Prince" battled throughout the Tour to do his best and should be commended for his effort, but is there any remaining doubt as to his hopes (or lack thereof) of ever winning another grand tour? Cunego was outgunned and overpowered on the steep climbs, and was equally unimpressive in the time trials. He is an excellent one day style rider, in the mold of Bettini. He would be wise to take grand tour overall victories off of his to do list for the future.

Another Positive Drug Test at Tour de France Ruins End of Race Party

The fourth positive test of this year's Tour de France came on the final day, as Dmitriy Fofonov of the French Credit Agicole team, was found positive for heptamino, a stimulant. Fofonov is Kazahkstani, and follows in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Alexander Vinokourov and Andre Kashekin. Fofonov's positive shows that all teams are suspect to having doped riders within their ranks, and the Credit Agricole team, from France, is generally viewed as a clean one. As an example of CA's good reputation, in a recent poll conducted on this site for which team would have the next positive result, Credit Agricole was chosen by 1 of 75 survey participants.

The question now is who's next? Surely there will be at least a couple of more revelations in the coming days. And as we have learned in the past, no one is free from suspicion. Hopefully none of the jerseys will be found guilty, which would be detrimental to the image of cycling and the Tour de France. Luckily, both the yellow and white jerseys are on CSC-Saxo, so they haev internal doping programs to ensure they are not cheating. Gerolsteiner and Rabobank however, have no such program. Time will tell.

Tour de France Stage 20: Sastre Uses Mind Over Matter, Cadel Evans Chokes

Carlos Sastre did what many didn't think possible in the decisive stage 20 time trial in the Tour de France, holding off Cadel Evans to secure his overall lead. Sastre had the ride of his life, while Evans looked nervous from the beginning and was never able to find his rythym on the 53 kilometer course.

Sastre's win give CSC-Saxo boss Bjarne Riis his first ever Tour win as a director. The big Dane has been trying for years to achieve an overall victory with his CSC team, but has never been able to deliver the goods. Sastre has come as close as fourth, but had never made the podium previous to his win this year.

CSC-Saxo won the Tour like they win all their races: with dogged teamwork. From the brothers Schleck in the mountains to Fabian Cancellara, Stuart O'Grady, and Kurt Asle-Arveson on the flats, each member of Riis's Tour team knew their role from start to finish. The team will celebrate the win officially tomorrow in Paris.

For Cadel Evans though it is another year without an overall win. The Australian folded under the pressure of being the race favorite, and was unable to perform up to his usual expectations in the time trial. On any other day, Cadel would have blown Sastre away, but not in stage 20. He was obviously nervous in the start house, and looked to be suffering very early in the race against the clock.

Evans mentioned the lack of team support in the mountians hurt him, and team boss Marc Seargent promised that Silence-Lotto would do all they could to strengthen the team for 2009. Evans will try again next year, but the dynamic of the tour will be different. Next year the mighty Astana team will be at the Tour, and Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer will have a drastic effect on the tactics of the race. Evans will have to hope his form is better and his team stronger if he is to contend again next year.

Astana's Gusev Fired for Irregular Blood Values

Astana's Vladimir Gusev was fired today after his blood tests revealed abnormal values. The current Russian time trial champion, Gusev will undoubtedly find it hard to secure a contract with any other team after this latest revelation. I would like to be the first to say how glad I am that he is gone from the pro cycling scene.

I met Gusev at this past year's Tour of California. I asked him for an interview. Looking sullenly down at the ground, he mumbled "yes" and off we went. The interview lasted three questions. Gusev answered each one with one to two words before riding away as fast as he could. Behind him, Janez Brajkovic shook his head, dissapointed.

Brajkovic approached me, and stated "That was very unprofessional. He should have given you a better interview." I spoke with the former Tour de Georgia winner for a few minutes, before wishing him well for the rest of the season. Gusev, whom I saw several times the rest of the week, was never again asked a question by me.

Gusev's talent is undeniable, but due to his sour personality, I'm glad to see him go. Here is a rider that really has never attained any big result in his career, yet is as aloof as if he were the greatest athlete ever. I wonder if we'll ever hear from him again. Sure he's young, but is it likely that another team would take a chance on him? Perhaps Rock Racing would, or the new Russian Katuysha team would be willing. Either way, he's gone for now, along with his bad attitude.

Cycling Juggernaut Forming in Russia as Katuysha Team Begins to Take Form

Oleg Tinkoff has big plans for cycling in Russia. He has decided to drastically overhaul his team, and has found three big Russian companies to come aboard as sponsors: Gazprom, Itera and Ros Technologie. With a fresh budget in the tens of millions, the Katuysha cycling team should be a force to be reckoned with in 2009, like the Russian-made missiles the team is named after.

Already Oleg Tinkoff has managed to find a few high profile athletes to headline his team. For the classics, he has secured Belgian Gert Steegmans and Italian Filippo Pozzato. The two powerful one day specialists will provide a vicious one-two punch in the early season classics, and they'll be invaluable in the grand tours as support riders.

For other high profile signings, a slew of big names have been mentioned, among them Cadel Evans, Carlos Sastre, Fabian Cancellara, and Robbie McEwen. Take a moment to consider the prospect of Cadel Evans and Carlos Sastre on the same team, not to mention the extra fire power of three time world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara. And Katuysha also will have Pavel Brutt, Mikhail Ignatiev and Vasil Kiryienka returning for 2009.

Katuysha, at least in the early going, is looking alot like the old T-Mobile squads from several years ago. They'll be able to contend from the beginning of the year until the end, providing that Pozzato and Steegmans can co-exist in their pursuit of classics victories.

Alpe d'Huez: The Decisive Moment of the 2008 Tour de France Arrives

What a stage!!! As usual, Alpe d'Huez provided another epic result at the Tour de France. CSC, the most complete team of this year's Tour, took total control of the stage, leading to a Carlos Sastre victory and another CSC team member in yellow. Sastre, in taking the overall lead, now has a lead of over 1 minute and twenty seconds to his teammate Schleck, Australian Cadel Evans, and Gerolsteiner's Bernard Kohl.

From the beginning of the stage, it was clear that CSC would take charge. And the first of Bjarne Riis's bunch to take control at the front was Stuey O'Grady. What an incredible cyclist! Riding tempo at the front on the way up the day's first climb, the CSC flat-land specialist kept his cadence high and his will strong as he paced his team leader Frank Schleck up the fabled Col de la Croix Fer climb. Fabian Cancellara and Kurt Asle-Arvesen did their work too, before the two Schleck brothers ran interference on behalf of Sastre.

Meanwhile, Cadel Evans was largely on his own as he desperately tried to keep Sastre at arm's length. He was able to keep the Spaniard under two minutes, and now must plan on taking at least 1:35 out of Sastre in order to take the overall win. Frank Schleck and Brenard Kohl, though ahead of Evans, don't have a chance to stay ahead of last year's 2nd place Tour de France finisher. And speaking of second place, Evans will finish either there at #2 or in 1st, the place he has been targeting since this time last year.

The final spot for the podium will be a battle too, as Schleck and Kohl hold about a minute lead to Denis Menchov. The Russian is probably the second or third best time trialist at the Tour, and should be able to close the gap on Schleck and Kohl, adding some extra drama to the penultimate time trial stage on Saturday. Also of note on the stage was that American Christian Vande Velde once again held his own in the high mountains. He should have excellent confidence heading into the final half of the year and into next season. He'll be a GC rider to watch in 2009 at the Tour.

Tour de France Stage 16: Schleck Keeps Yellow, Vande Velde Fades, Alpe d’Huez Lurks

The Tour de France continued Tuesday with another grueling mountain stage from Cuneo to Jausiers. Stage 16 would take the peloton over the highest mountain pass in the Tour, and CSC’s Frank Schleck and his powerful CSC team were hoping to be able to further distance the Luxembourgian from his rivals. Cadel Evans and Denis Menchov, who both lost time to Schleck in some of the earlier mountain stages, had to make sure that they stayed in contact with Schleck while conserving their energy for tomorrow’s massive climb up Alpe d’Huez, one of the most famous climbs in the history of the Tour.
Cyril Dessel, the Frenchman of the AG2R team took top honors on the day, as he managed to escape from the top contenders along with a handful of other non-GC threats. He beat fellow Frenchman Sandy Casar to the line, taking a huge victory for himself and his French sponsored team. Dessel continued France’s streak of success in this year’s Tour, as he added another stage win for the host country.

Stage 16 ended with a twisting, technical descent into the town of Jausiers, and some of the overall contenders were unable to stay with the yellow jersey group. Rabobank’s Denis Menchov conceded 35 seconds to the yellow jersey on the difficult descent, while Garmin-Chipotle’s Christian Vande Velde faded in the high mountain passes and lost 2:36 in the battle for the overall lead.

Vende Velde has ridden extremely well thus far in the Tour, and it looked as though the American would be able to threaten for a spot on the final podium before he faltered on stage 16. He suffered a crash during the stage, and in losing over two minutes now sits 3:15 off the pace. All is not lost however, as a good day tomorrow on Alpe d’Huez could catapult him back into the overall picture. He’ll have to hope to recover over night and regroup ahead of tomorrow’s decisive stage.

Tomorrow’s stage to Alpe d’Huez will be drama-packed, as there are five riders very close to each other in the classification. Schleck will be put under pressure from all of the GC hopefuls. Look for pure climber Bernard Kohl to ride at the front and hunt for the win, as well as Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Sammi Sanchez. Meanwhile, Schleck’s teammate Carlos Sastre is an excellent climber, and may be able to escape as Evans and Menchov mark Schleck. One sure thing is that CSC will be a handful tomorrow for all the contenders with Schleck and Sastre both toward the top of the classification.

Vincenzo Nibali Showing His Class as Rider to Watch for Future

Vincenzo Nibali has the best young rider's white jersey, and the Liquigas pro is looking like a virtual lock to take the jersey all the way to Paris. Nibali has impressed throughout the year, and seems poised to become one of the world's top riders over the next few years.

With top stage race threat Ivan Basso coming back from suspension to join the Italian squad of Nibali, the youngster will have a golden opportunity to gain valuable knowledge from Basso as he grows into the role of team leader.

Nibali suffered through the Prato Nevoso stage of the Tour after a crash, but will hope to maintain his lead in the young rider classification all the way to Paris. Either way though, Nibali will be heard from again in the coming years as he gains experience and

strength as a pro cyclist.

Tour de France Stage 15: Favorites Stay Together, Schleck Siezes Yellow

Stage 15 of the Tour from Embrun to Prato Nevoso, a 183km test in the high mountains of the Alps saw the yellow jersey change hands once again as CSC's Frank Schleck was able to gap race leader Cadel Evans on the day's final climb, giving him a scant eight second lead on the Australian and 38 on Rabobank's Denis Menchov. The older of the two Schlecks realized his childhood dream in taking the yellow jersey, and will now look to defend on the next two mountainous stages.

American Christian Vande Velde rode well again in the high mountains, and sits comfortably in 5th place 39 seconds down on the classification. One of the surprises of the day was Gerolsteiner's Bernard Kohl. "The Gargoyle" rode extremely well, and took the polka dotted climber's jersey for his German sponsor.

The race will be driven over the next two stages by CSC, who has both Schleck and Carlos Sastre in the top ten. Bjarne Riis' squad seems to be well-positioned to contend for the overall over the next few days. Someone though, be it Schleck, Sastre or Vande Velde, must take some significant time away from both Evans and Menchov if they are to take the overall win. The two big favorites are both excellent time trialists, and will be ble to take chunks of time out of their rivals.

With Alpe d'Huez two days away, will the field take it easy in tommorow's stage from Cuneo to Jausiers, or will another shake up take place? Perhaps Bernard Kohl will attack early in an attempt to solidify his lead in the king of the mountain competition. If he is to do so, he'll need to find a way to escape from the dominant CSC team, who will look to keep the group together until the final climb.

Tour de France Heads Into Alps, GC Battle Set to Explode

The time has finally come to determine who the real contenders are in this year's Tour de France. Tomorrow's stage 15 from Embrun to Prato Nevoso will provide the climbers with another mountain top finish, and with it a chance to distance themselves from their rivals. The Alps always deliver dramatic results, and tomorrow's stage will surely be remembered as one for the ages.

Of the main favorites, Cadel Evans will lead the charge in the decisive moments on the way to the finish. He'll have to fight off multiple attacks from the CSC combo of Frank Schleck and Carlos Sastre, as well as from Rabobank's Denis Menchov and Garmin's Christian Vande Velde. Of the remaining GC contenders, Vande Velde has the most questions to answer, but if he can ride as well as he did in stage 10 , the new American sensation should impress once again.

The next three days of the Tour will be decisive in determining the winner of the event. Climbers like Schleck and Sastre will have to attack, while the stronger time trialists like Evans and Menchov will need onyl to limit their losses to the pure climbers. All American eyes will be on Vande Velde, as each of his fan's hope that he can keep his streak of good form going.

Tyler Hamilton Wins First Race Since 2004

Tyler Hamilton's long comeback attempt came full circle today as the Massachusetts native took stage eight of the Tour of Quinghai Lake in China. The victory, on the decisive climbing stage of the tour, also placed Hamilton in the race leader's yellow jersey. Hamilton will surely savor the win, his first in several years.

As a former fan of Hamilton, I must admit that I am very happy for the veteran. He has really been put through the wringer these past few years, and seems to have made it through despite multiple roadblocks and challenges. It is still very sad to think however about how many wins he would have collected in his years away from the sport.

Hamilton was, in many ways, made a scapegoat in the war against doping. Once a prominent member of the US Postal team, he was known early in his career as a selfless teammate willing to do whatever it took to help his leader win. When he broke away from Lance Armstrong and the US Postal dynasty in 2003, he alienated himself from many of America's biggest cycling players. In the end, it would cost him dearly.

By the time he was banned from the sport for two years for homologous blood doping, Hamilton had very few friends left. Armstrong was nowhere to be found, and even his former teammates at Phonak wanted nothing to do with him. His fans, for the most part, completely abondoned him, wanting nothing to do with a cheat. I took down his posters and threw them away, thinking I would never hear about him again.

But Hamilton would not be beaten down. He soldiered on in his comback attempt, first with the Italian Tinkoff team and then this year with Rock Racing. Often off the back in races this year, many, including yours truly, thought Hamilton was done as a pro. But now, with his stage win and probable overall win at Quinghai, Hamilton has shown that maybe, just maybe, he has a few more kilometers left in his legs. A long season of racing competitively has helped him progress, and while he'll never again be a truly elite cyclist, he can still hope to contend for a few more years at the top level of domestic racing in America.

For a long time, I was very angry at Tyler Hamilton. He was my favorite rider, seemingly capable of enduring pain levels that others would never be able to. Not only that, he had the guts to break away from the death grip of Armstrong to be a team leader in his own right. For a few years there, it even looked possible that he would be able to dethrone the American juggernaut. Once he got caught, my heart broken, I was happy to see all the bad things happen to him that did.

Today though, my anger is gone, and is slowly being replaced again by admiration for Hamilton's fighting spirit. I will never doubt that he doped, lied about it then, and continues to lie about it to this day. However, I also believe that he has paid his dues and then some. The man deserves another chance to do what he loves, and without a doubt he loves cycling. I know he'll never again contend in big time races, but I'll still be rooting for him as he hangs on as long as possible as a pro bike racer.

Just Like His Hero, Riccardo Ricco Positive for EPO, May Face Jail Time

More doping news out of France has Riccardo Ricco as the most recent positive for EPO. Authorities say that Ricco tested positive for a type of EPO that has only been available for the last year. Ricco's exit also spelled the end of the Saunier Duval team, as each member decided not to continue riding in the Tour.

Ricco, like his idol Marco Pantani, seems to be headed down the same road as the late Italian climber. His reckless behavior has finally caught up with him, and he'll surely face a two year ban. Worst of all is for the fans, as Ricco was a major animator in this year's Tour, and had added palpable excitement to all of the mountain stages.

Ricco becomes the third rider caught cheating at this year's Tour (Beltran, Duenas) and it is looking increasingly likely that more names will surface in the coming days. The media meanwhile is in a frenzy, and no riders are safe from scrutiny. Rumors are swirling around Christoph Moreau's abandon, as his team was unaware that he was suffering from severe bachaches and general fatigue as he claimed to the press following his withdraw. One unnamed source, according to cyclingnews.com, also expressed concern that very few french riders were being tested.

After the first part of the season, where no positives were reported, the witch hunt seems to be on full steam for the Tour. And what about that? How could there have been no positive tests leading up the the Giro? Or the spring classics? Or the early season stage races (California, Mallorca, Paris-Nice, Tirreno Adriatico)? No rider is safe from the testers in the Tour, and more will surely be exposed as cheaters before all is said and done. One thing is for sure though: the fight against doping is a loooooong way from coming to an end.

The Dog Days of the Tour: Frenchies Off the Front, GC Contenders Cautious

The first portion of the Tour de France is over. The field has been through a time trial, several flat stages, and several tense mountain stages and now sit at just past the halfway point in the Tour. Now are the days that each GC rider must be carful, as the next big stage doesn't come until Friday, when the riders confront a mountian top finish at Prato Nevoso.

Each GC threat must take care not to crash or ride inefficiently between now and Friday. Each must save his energy for what promises to be an explosive final week of racing at the Tour. After stage 15, stage 16 features two Hors Catagorie climbs, and then the mythical Alpe d'Huez awaits on stage 17. The true fireworks will start on stage 15, and the Tour will be won (and lost) over the course of those three stages.

Between now and then though, it is a race for the breakaway artists, and no one is as good at long attacks than the French. Look for either of the Chavanel brothers, French champ Nic Vogondy or little Tommy Voeckler off the front often. The Columbia and Gerolsteiner teams, also filled with attackers, will factor as well.

A crash or sickness to any of the GC contenders would be a huge blow to the 2008 Tour experience, as there are so many riders close on the GC. Hopefully each contender will be able to stay upright and out of the wind until Friday. After that, the strong will win, the weak will lose, and the 2008 Tour de France will be stamped into history.

Another Doper Caught at Tour: Barloworld's Moisés Dueñas

How stupid can people be? Moisés Dueñas of the Barloworld team was found positive for EPO from a test from stage four of the Tour, the individual time trial stage. A pro since 2002, Dueñas has never garnered big results, like Manuel Baltran, the other Spaniard who has tested positive for EPO in this year's tour. These revelations point to the fact that cycling is still a very dirty sport, with much work to do in the fight against doping.

Most concerning about Moisés Dueñas and Manuel Baltran is the fact that neither are high profile riders. Both are known more as team workers, not leaders. The fact that they are doping suggests that many riders still are. If a lesser known gregario is willing to dope, surely the team captains are tempted as well. Hopefully the Tour won't be faced with any more positives, as 2008 is starting to look more and more like 2007.

And what about those Spaniards? They seem to be constantly caught up in doping, while other countries stay out of trouble. Perhaps if there had been punishments from Operacion Puerto, Spain wouldn't have such a big doping problem. Meanwhile, one of the pre-race overall favorites Alejandro Valverde has lost large amounts of time and seems out of the hunt for the overall. Associated with Operacion Puerto documents, valv. piti. seems to be dope-free in this year's Tour.

One final point to ponder is why were there no positives at the Giro or any other early season races? Is the Tour the only race that riders dope for? Or is it that the Tour is the only race doing vigorous testing? Surely there were doped riders in Italy or at the classics this past spring, but the fact that they were not caught is disconcerting to say the least. With another positive test in this year's Tour, things may well start to spiral out of control for the sport of cycling.

Tour de France Stage 10: Evans in Yellow, Vande Velde Serves Cold Crow to Critics En Route to Third Overall After Hautacam

Insert foot in mouth. In the high mountains of the Tour de France yesterday, the GC saw a major shake up as some top contenders faded away from the overall fight while other underdogs were able to put on impressive displays of strength. And none of those underdogs were a bigger surprise than Christian Vande Velde of the Garmin-Chipotle team. The American stayed with the world's best on the steep climb up to Hautacam, showing that his form is good enough for a run at the podium.

Many pundits (including this one) didn't think that Vande Velde would be able to keep pace in stage ten, but he was able to stay with the new race leader Cadel Evans, and now sits in third a scant 38 seconds off the leading time. The Tour is far from over, but it is looking increasingly likely that Vande Velde can go top ten . . . or higher . . . as long as his form holds.

In the battle for the overall title, it was Cadel Evans who rode tempo to limit his losses to a rampaging Frank Schleck. Schleck, climbing ahead of the chasing group by himself, was able to take almost two minutes out of his competitors, and is now in second place only one second behind Evans. With more solid performances in the mountains, Schleck will be in with a chance at the overall title. He will need a cushion in the long time trial though, as both Evans and Menchov are excellent time trialists.

Some of the pre-race favorites for the Tour saw thier GC hopes dissappear, as Stijn Devolder, Damiano Cunego and Alejandro Valverde all lost significant time on the day. Devolder was the worst off of the three, losing a staggering 14:38 on the stage. Cunego and Valverde meanwhile conceded just under six minutes, effectively ending their chances for an overall victory. At this point, it is really a six man race for the overall, between, Evans, Schleck, Menchov, Sastre, Vande Velde, and Kirchin.

After a rest day today, the second half of the Tour continues with a 165 kilometer run from Lannemezan to Foix. The field will pass over the catagory 1 Col de Portel, providing yet another look at the form of the overall contenders. The top GC threats will rest today with an eye on the second half of the Tour, as each pursues the most coveted title in all of cycling.

Christian Vande Velde Targets Tour de France Overall, Cycling World Falls on Floor Laughing

Pretty tough headline, right? Allow me to qualify it before you go crazy emailing me with profanity-laced tirades. I like Christian Vande Velde, as a rider and as a person. I admire his honesty, dedication, hard work, and team work. Since he was a youngster at US Postal, I have felt he was under-rated by many in the cycling world. To me Vande Velde has as much or more potential than Tom Danielson, yet it is Danielson who has received the majority of the "next big thing" attention over the years.

Today, Vende Velde is over 30 and on the back stretch of his career. He has ridden for the biggest teams in the world (Postal, CSC) and has been a part of many winning efforts over that time. He has rarely had a chance to ride for himself, but when he has he has usually been able to deliver decent results. So far in this year's Tour de France, Vende Velde has ridden very well, and as of stage nine he sat in third place overall, only 44 seconds behind race leader Kim Kirchin and secind place Cadel Evans.

After another solid ride in a hilly Tour stage, Vande Velde revealed in an interview with Frankie Andreau that he would be looking out for himself, with an eye on the overall classification. Some American commentators even went as far as to suggest that he could threaten for the overall title. It was upon hearing this that I, and many others in the cycling world, fell to the ground with uncontrollable laughter.

Let me be very clear about Vande Velde's overall chances in this year's Tour de France: he has a ZERO percent chance of winning the overall title. Further, he also has a ZERO percent chance of making the podium. If that makes me mean or insensitive, so be it. I would sooner assert that Leonardo Piepoli of the Saunier Duvall squad or Filippo Pozzato of Liquigas has a chance at the podium (they do not) than Vande Velde.

Winning the Tour de france is extremely difficult, and it is rare that a rider without amazing climbing talent wins the race. Pierero did in 2006, but that Tour is widely considered inadmissable due to Floyd Landis and his positive dope test. Periero was able to gain a half hour on the field in one of the stages, giving him a shot for the overall. The chances of Vande Velde getting away are nil, and he's not a good enough climber to hang in the steepest mountains. Just watch on stage ten if you don't believe me.

Sure, Vande Velde can hope to go top fifteen, and maybe top ten, but even that is asking a lot. Once the Tour hits the high mountains (today's stage 10), the Garmin rider will begin to lose major chunks of time. Unfortunately, while he is a good climber, Vande Velde will be riding against great climbers, riders capable of fearsome accelerations on the steepest mountain ramps. Instead of talking about the overall, Vande Velde would be better served to go stage hunting like other talented riders in the field. He'll have much better luck trying for a stage than the overall. If he wants to win a stage race, Christian should target next year's Paris-Nice, a much more attainable target.

Tour de France Stage 9: Ricco Goes Berserk, Kirchin Keeps Yellow

Ricco showed himself as a rider for the future on Sunday at the Tour de France

Riccardo Ricco put on a climbing clinic on Sunday in the Tour de France, as the fiesty Italian attacked the field on the Col d'Aspin climb, and went solo to the finish line for his second stage victory in this year's Tour. Ricco put in one of his signature accelerations on the Aspin, indicating his potential as a future Tour champion.

Ricco is one of a few riders (Contador, Valderde) that is able to take significant time from his rivals with lightning-fast accelerations on the steepest mountain slopes. Past riders that had similar attacking styles in the high mountains were Roberto Heras, Lance Armstrong, Marco Pantani, and Gilberto Simoni. These climbers, like Ricco, take your breath away as they accelerate. That they can move that fast on steep hills truly is amazing.

Ricco, in taking his second stage win of this year's Tour, is showing his great potential as a future champion of the Tour. He took second overall in this year's Giro, and is still very much in the hunt for the overall title this year at only 2:35 behind in the general classification. If the small climber can learn to limit his losses in the time trial discipline, he'll be a handful in any grand tour.

In the battle for the maillot juane, Columbia's Kim Kirchin held the overall lead, as he kept in contact easily with the main peloton. With exception to a crash for Cadel Evans, things remain status quo heading into tomorrow's 156 kilomtere stage from Pau - Hautacam. A day for the mountain specialists, the battle for the GC will really take shape on the steep slopes of the Hautacam climb. The 15.8 kilometer climb averages 6.8%, with sections steeper than 10%. The winner of the stage could likely be the new yellow jersey, as the Hautacam climb will expose weaker riders early on.

Beltran Revives the War Against Doping: Liquigas Out of 2009 Tour?

Manuel Beltran's "A" sample from the Tour de France came back positive for EPO. This much is factual. However, the rider's "B" sample has not yet been tested, so theoretically Beltran should be considered innocent until the second test comes back. Unfortunately, in this world of instant news via the Internet, it is very rare that any athlete receives due process.

This is not to say that Beltran should not be castigated. It is unlikely that a second sample won't come back positive. Beltran is almost without a doubt guilty, but is he the only one? Is it all his fault? Often, the rider is hung out to dry on his own, and is the only one who faces sanctioning and penalties. None of the coaches, the team, or management usually face any traditional sanctioning, which is a shame. But times are changing for the better.

New teams like Columbia and Garmin-Chipotle are very careful about who they bring onto their team. They do extensive background research into each rider as an assurance that the rider is clean. Indeed, a rider like Beltran with a questionable past would NEVER be associated with a team like Garmin or Columbia. Other teams need to be more careful about who they choose to hire, as a rider who tests positive can now cost a team dearly in the months and years following their sanction.

The Liquigas team will be an interesting squad to watch over the next several months. They will be allowed to continue in the Tour, and will avoid the 100,000 euro fine because they took immediate action and removed beltranfrom the race. But what about next year? Now that one of their riders has tested positive, will the acid green and blue team be invited back to the Tour next year?

Adding to the situation is that Ivan Basso, currently on suspension for doping, will be making his come back in Liquigas colors. Will the organizers of the Tour de France be willing to have Basso ride their race (providing he is fit enough) or will they choose to leave Liquigas off the invite list next year? Nothing is for sure, but Beltran's transgression certainly didn't do his former team any favors.

Another Lance Armstrong Domestique Tests Positive as Beltran Caught EPO+ at Tour De France

Every single rider in this picture save one has been convicted for doping. Can you guess which one hasn't?

Well, well, well, another former US Postal/Discovery rider tests positive for a banned substance. This time it was Manuel Beltran, one of Armstrong's mountain henchmen at US Postal/Discovery. The list of banned riders previously associated with Armstrong grows by the day, and the Texan will find it harder and harder to fight off doping allegations from his fans and the media.

In addition to Beltran, Tyler Hamilton, Roberto Heras, Floyd Landis and Frankie Andreau have all been convicted or admitted to doping during their time with Armstrong. Plus, many of the riders Armstrong handidly beat year over year (Beloki, Ullrich, Mayo, Basso, Rasmussen, Vinokourov, Valverde, and Menchov) have also been convicted or implicated in doping scandals. Is there any doubt left as to whether Armstrong has doped?

Lance Armstrong is a wealthy, powerful figure in America and in cycling. He has been a master at distancing himself from past teammates and their doping allegations, and has worked behind the scenes to silence anyone who has spoken out against him (Andreau, Simeoni). He is a spokesman for his foundation, Trek bikes, and FRS energy drinks, to name a few. Is it likily that any of the companies would assist in bringing the truth to light, or are they more apt to cover up and suppress as much as possible?

All informed cycling fans should need no more evidence to realize that Armstrong was as doped as anyone else during the EPO era. He always says he never failed a test. So what??!?!!? Many riders have never failed a test (Miller, Basso, Rasmussen, Jaschke, Valverde, Contador), yet evidence of their doping practices still exist. It is time that the cycling world recognizes that Lance was not superhuman. He was not naturally better than everyone else. He, like most of the rest of the peloton during the 90's and early 2000's, was doped to the gills. Sad but true.

Tour de France: Stage 6 to Super Besse Shuffles Classification, New Yellow Jersey Again

The Tour's first climbing stage to the Super Besse ski station (pictured) provided a glimpse of what the battle for the overall title will look like when the bigger mountain stages show themselves in a few days time. Most of the GC contenders were able to stay in the front group, with exception to "il piccolo principe," Damiano Cunego. The former Giro winner was dropped by the lead group, and conceded 32 valuable seconds in the fight for the yellow jersey.

In winning the stage with a blistering attack in the final few hundered meters, Riccardo Ricco showed himself as an enormous talent of the future. Similar to Alberto Contedor, Ricco possesses an amazing turn of speed on extremely steep slopes, and his fearless attacking style usually pays off. He is fairly far down on the classification, but Ricco nevertheless remains one of the most intriguing riders in the Tour.

Of the other GC favorites, it was Kirchin, Valverde and Evans who looked the strongest. Rabobank's Denis Menchov and CSC's Carlos Sastre and Frank Schleck put in good rides as well, showing that the battle for the overall has only just begun. Stijn Devolder of Quick Step lost 19 seconds on the day, but is still well within striking distance in 9th place at 1:21.

The surprises from the Super Besse stage must be Kirchin and Cunego. Kirchin is on incredible form and should no longer be discounted as a possible winner for this year. Cunego meanwhile took a noticable step back, despite his claims to the contrary. If the Italian can't survive on a stage like Super Besse, he'll probably have a much harder time in the huge mountains to come.

Looking ahead, after two more up and down stages the next two days, the Tour heads into the high mountains on Sunday for stage 9. Although not a mountain top finish, stage 9 will again soften the bunch, as the less-fit riders find themselves off the back once again. The field will face two huge climbs, the Col de Peyresourde and Aspin over the last 50 kilomteres, and it will be possible for a strong climber to possibly get away. The contenders will need to make sure that if they let a break go up the road, it doesn't contain a GC threat.

The Millenial Sportif: Riis, Vaughters, Stapleton Redefine the Director Sportif Ideal

It's the new illusion. While past team directors have frantically pushed their riders on with everything from megaphones (Saiz) to blatent intimidation (Cyrile Guimard), today's DS is decidedly more composed. Increasingly, the DS persona is one of stately control rather than impassioned fury. Three of today's most successful DS's, namely CSC-Saxo's Bjarne Riis, Columbia's Bob Stapleton, and Garmin-Chipotle's Jonathan Vaughters, exhibit similiar public personas. Each is calm, understated and reclusive while in front of the public, and each seems well versed in dealing with a sometimes hostile press corps and rabid fan base.

The way the DS and rider interact has changed in the last several years, as the DS today is considered more of a colleague than a coach. Many directors are only a few years from having been a pro racer themselves, so they are able to go on training rides with their team, and build trust and rapport out on the road. When things turn serious during a race, many of the new age directors can draw on past training rides with their riders for motivation, and relate on a personal level with each rider.

Increasingly, it is looking as though this new DS is the way of the future. Patrick Lefevre, thought of as an old schooler, nevertheless has adapted to today's style, and is decidedly more dialed down than he was as recently as 1995. And this method works. Today's most successful directors are those most able to relate to their riders on a collegial level. No longer is the director a far-off, brooding presence, but instead he is one that is omnipresent, always attentive, and forever looking out for the well-being of his rider. Like in many aspects of today's society, TLC takes precidence over harsh words and impulsive decision making.

Riis, Stapleton and Vaughters will lead tomorrow's young cyclists into the next decade, along with a few others. Erik Breukink of the Rabobank team, Johan Bruyneel of Astana and even BMC's John Lelangue will help redefine the role of the director sportif, lending a supportive instead of oppressive hand to their young charges. Years from now, the yelling maniacs of yesterday will be all but forgotton, replaced instead by stoic chess masters plotting their every move behind the scenes.

The New Patron: Cadel Comes of Age

Cadel Evans has long been villified by both the press and cycling fans for his perceived lack of panache as a rider. Often labeled a wheelsucker over the years, Evans has always been successful as a cyclist, but has not exhibited the killer instict to attack during races. His detractors have said that Evans can never win a grand tour because he isn't willing to attack for victories.

But perhaps the press and fans had it wrong all these years. Perhaps Cadel knew something we didn't, and had a plan that he didn't want to share with the public. Perhaps way back in 2002, when Evans briefly took the maglia rosa in the Giro, an idea was hatched. A former mountain bike champion, Evans realized in the 2002 Giro that he could compete on the road, at the highest level of the sport. And so over the next few years, he studied other riders past, present, and future, and modeled himself after a Spaniard who was sometimes criticized for his lack of panache: Miguel Indurain.

"Big Mig" was the first ever to win five straight Tours de France. Not only that, he took two Paris Nice's and Giro d'Italia's, and one each of the Dauphine Libere, Criterium International, Classica de San Sebastian, and Tour de l'Avenir. He won his stage races methodically, and with great patience. An excellent time trialist, Indurain was able to take significant time from his rivals in the time trial discipline, and then defend in the high mountains, often following wheels and purposfully marking his rivals. Indeed, Indurain was known as an exceedingly generous patron, willing to concede victories to rivals so they could bask in the glory of winning stages while he took the overall.

Evans is strickingly similar to Indurain. A good time trialist and capable climber, Evans too exhibits an easy going personality and pragmatic approach on the bike. He weighs each decision carefully, and is always careful not to go too deep into the red zone, hence preventing himself from losing spectacularly. Unfortunately, it is this pragmatic approach that keeps Evans from going on wild attacks to the delight of the crowd. Perhaps like former 5-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault, Evans is riding to win, not please the fans.

One thing is for sure thus far in the 2008 edition of the Tour: Cadel Evans hasn't made any mistakes, and is in the cat bird's seat heading into the meat of the Tour. The time he gained in yesterday's time trial will give him a buffer in the high mountains as he looks to limit his losses ahead of stage 20, the 53 kilometer time trial that may well decide the Tour. Cadel Evans is looking more and more each day like a patron, despite his alleged lack of panache. Somewhere, Indurain is smiling, as he admires his multiple grand tour trophies.