doping and cycling

two interesting pieces in today's press.

from slate.com :

Still Doping After All These Years. By Nathaniel Vinton. Friday, July 27, 2007
With so much scrutiny on the Tour de France, why are cyclists still cheating?

from macleans.ca :

Interview: David Walsh. By Marco Ursi. Friday, July 27, 2007
The author of "From Lance to Landis" on doping, doctors and the tarnished reputation of the Tour de France

Some interesting points:

• doping isn't gone from the '07 race.
• it isn't going away anytime soon.
• doping is ubiquitous, sophisticated, and can be hard to trace.
  
• whistle blowers are often punished by the peloton.
• we -- the fans -- participate in the coverup because we are denial about our heros (especially with someone like Lance).

added 07/28/07:
from dailypeloton.com:

Can we handle the truth? We are our own worst enemy. By Ray Cipollini. 07/29/06
[A]n open letter of my opinion on the subject of cheating, the constant trampling and indecent and incorrect treatment of our athletes, the realities of the Anti-Doping Agencies, and a call to action.

le folie de le tour de france

International Herald Tribune:

• 26 July 2007 Organizers hail Tour de France leader's ouster

more IHT TdF articles:

• Daniele Bennati wins 17th stage of doping-tainted Tour de France

• Tour de France in tatters: Team ousts the race leader

• Tour de France rides into infamy

• Rabobank on Rasmussen's dismissal

Daily Peloton :

• 7/25/2007 Daily Peloton Tour de France Goes on Without Yellow Jersey. Rasmussen fired by Rabobank. Cofidis pulls the plug on team.

• 7/8/2007 The Tour of Scandals begins...

2007 Tour de France Information & Links

Tour of California 2008

The tour of California announced the towns the tour will go through yesterday in a press conference.

Here's the list of stages and cities:

Prologue: Sunday, Feb. 17 - Palo Alto
Stage 1: Monday, Feb. 18 - Sausalito to Santa Rosa
Stage 2: Tuesday, Feb. 19 - Santa Rosa to Sacramento
Stage 3: Wednesday, Feb. 20 - Modesto to San Jose
Stage 4: Thursday, Feb. 21 - Seaside to San Luis Obispo
Stage 5: Friday, Feb. 22 - Solvang time trial
Stage 6: Saturday, Feb. 23 - Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita
Stage 7: Sunday, Feb. 24 - Santa Clarita to Pasadena road race,

concluding with a circuit race in Pasadena

Tour de France 2007

• Official site

• Official site in English

• Bicycling Magazine

• Daily Peloton

• Another Tour de France Blog

• Versus network site

• kora in hell | french department
  

tour of california : stage 4

Seaside to San Luis Obispo

International Cycling History Is Made At Amgen Tour Of California As Olympic And World Champion Paolo Bettini Wins Stage Four In Photo Finish. For the first time ever, a reigning Olympic and World Champion won a race held on U.S. soil.

Under clear skies and roaring crowds who packed the finish in downtown San Luis Obispo, Bettini outsprinted T-Mobile's Gerald Ciolek (GER) and Team CSC's Juan Jose "J.J." Haedo (ARG), who finished second and third respectively, to take his first stage win in America.

The ride from Seaside to San Luis Obispo was punctuated by two brief rain showers and some of the most striking scenery yet as the cyclists rode hard down the Highway 1 coastline. The average speed was 25.8 mph (41.5 kph), with the leaders completing the course in 5:05:47.

web site for tour of california

stage 4 results

Levi Leipheimer Retains Leader Jersey

Stage 4
1. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic, 213.4km in 5:05:47
2. Gerald Ciolek (G), T-Mobile, same time
3. Juan José Haedo (Arg), CSC, s.t.
4. Thor Hushovd (Nor), Crédit Agricole, s.t.
5. Graeme Brown (Aus), Rabobank, s.t.

Overall
1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Discovery Channel, 17:52:12
2. Jens Voigt (G), CSC, at 0:03
3. Rory Sutherland (Aus), Health Net-Maxxis, at 0:15
4. Christopher Horner (USA), Predictor-Lotto, at 0:16
5. Ardila Cano Mauricio Alberto (Col), Rabobank, at 0:17

Jerseys
Leader: Levi Leipheimer (USA), Discovery Channel
Points: J.J. Haedo (Arg), CSC
KOM: Christophe Laurent (F), Crédit Agricole
Best young rider: Matthew Lloyd (Aus), Predictor-Lotto
Team: CSC

tour of california

sunday 02.18.07 - sunday 02.25.07

• map
• stages
• teams
• tv schedule
• stage recaps
• press

web site for the tour of california

giro d'italia 2007

the schedule is here!
(and I have only three more months to brush up on all of the italian words for "crash" before the race starts and I have to try to follow what the twelve commentators are all saying at once on RAI)

giro d'italia 2007
route and presentation

from : the daily peloton (click for further details)

Saturday, May 12: Stage 1 (Caprera to La Maddalena - Team TT, km. 24);
Sunday, May 13: Stage 2 (Tempio Pausania to Bosa, km. 203);
Monday, May 14: Stage 3 (Barumini to Cagliari, km. 195);
Tuesday, May 15: Rest/Transfer Day;
Wednesday, May 16: Stage 4 (Salerno to Santuario di Montevergine, km. 158);
Thursday, May 17: Stage 5 (Teano to Frascati, km. 172);
Friday, May 18: Stage 6 (Tivoli to Spoleto, km. 181);
Saturday, May 19: Stage 7 (Spoleto to Scarperia, km. 239);
Sunday, May 20: Stage 8 (Barberino del Mugello to Fiorano Modenese, km. 194);
Monday, May 21: Stage 9 (Reggio Emilia to Lido di Camaiore, km. 182);
Tuesday, May 22: Stage 10 (Lido Camaiore to Santuario N.S. della Guardia, km. 230);
Wednesday, May 23: Stage 11 (Serravalle Scrivia to Pinerolo, km. 192);
Thursday, May 24: Stage 12 (Scalenghe to Briancon, km. 163);
Friday, May 25: Stage 13 (Biella to Oropa Sanctuary - Uphill ITT, km. 13);
Saturday, May 26: Stage 14 (Cantu' to Bergamo, km. 181);
Sunday, May 27: Stage 15 (Trento to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, km. 191);
Monday, May 28: Rest/Transfer Day;
Tuesday, May 29: Stage 16 (Agordo/Dolomiti Stars to Lienz, km. 196);
Wednesday, May 30: Stage 17 (Lienz to Monte Zoncolan, km. 146);
Thursday, May 31/B>: Stage 18 (Udine to Riese Pio X, km. 182);
Friday, June 01: Stage 19 (Treviso to Comano Terme, km. 178);
Saturday, June 02: Stage 20 (Bardolino to Verona - ITT, km. 42);
Sunday, June 03: Stage 21 (Vestone to Milano, km. 181);

Total Distance: 3,442 km.
Flat/Easy Stages: 8
Mid Mountain Stages : 5
High Mountain Stages: 5 (4 Mountain Top Finishes)
Individual TTs: 2 (1 Uphill IT)
Team TTs: 1
Cumulative Distance against the Clock: 105 km.
Rest Days: 2
Mountains: 30

happy new year

happy holidays