Cycle Media

A former teammate of Lance Armstrong has backed up allegations that Lance Armstrong took part in and encourage teammates to dope.  The informant has spoken to the Federal prosecutor.

The cyclist has given detail into the widespread use of doping agent by members of Armstrong’s United States Postal Service team.

In May and during the Tour de France, ex-Armstrong teammate and admitted doper Floyd Landis claimed Armstrong and other team members used blood transfusions and performance-enhancing drugs. He claimed Armstrong encouraged doping and that the team sold racing bicycles to fund those activities.

Now prosecutors have two sources with knowledge of Armstrong’s alleged doping allegations.  The validity of these allegation could destroy Armstrong’s legacy in the sport of Cycling.

The 2010 Tour De France was an amazing race between two elite bike rider this year.  The spinters had their days here and there but overall it was a race between Contador and Schleck.  It was disappointing to see Cantador take the yellow jersey away from Schleck based on a mechanical mishap but overall the race was excellent.

The scenery in high definition was also amazing. I can’t wait until next year.

The sixth stage of the California Tour begins today with a ride from Palmdale to Big Bear.  This is perhaps the hardest segment of the tour as it is a tough ride up the mountain to Big Bear.  Not to mention the change in altitude.

The sad part of it all is that Lance Armstrong drop out of the race yesterday after crashing his bike and suffering minor bumps and bruises.  On the same day that doping allegations surround his name once again.

Vacansoleil’s Luke Roberts from Australia, left, sprint to win the third stage of the Vuelta a Murcia cycling tour between Las Torres de Cotillas and Alhama de Murcia, Murcia, Spain, Friday, March 5, 2010.

A French judge has issued a arrest warrant for Floyd Landis in connection with a computer hacking, after he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title because of doping.  The Court wants to question Landis about his potential connection with the alleged hacking of the computer system at the French anti-doping facilities.

The hacking occurred at a time when Landis was trying to defend himself against the failed drug test. Landis, unable to prove his case, was ultimately banned from the sport for two years.

Lance Armstrong is going to race in the Criterium International in Corsica.  That will pin him up against world road cycling champion Cadel Evans and Olympic gold medalist Samuel Sanchez – which will make for an interesting race.

The Criterium International is raced in three stages over two days — a medium mountain stage Saturday, and a flat stage and short individual time trial Sunday. This year’s race will be the first major professional race held in Corsica since the last Tour of Corsica was run in 1982.

Armstrong’s current main rival, reigning Tour de France champion and former teammate Alberto Contador, is not scheduled to participate in the event.

Corsica is a candidate to host the “grand depart” of the 100th Tour de France in 2013, and hosting the Criterium International is seen by some observers as a trial run for that. Prudhomme said the two races were so different that no conclusions could be drawn.

USA Cycling announced on January 22, 2010, the dates and venues for the 21 events that will comprise the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Calendars.

In their fourth year, the three calendars will provide professional and elite level athletes with top quality racing opportunities across all disciplines of mountain biking: (1) cross-country, (2) gravity, and (3) ultra-endurance.

Consisting of 10 events in six states, the cross country calendar will kick off with the U.S. Cup Fontana in Fontana, Calif. on March 27 and wrap up on September 6 with the Laddies Loppet Stage Race in Callaway, Minn.

The eight-event gravity calendar will span five states, featuring downhill, 4-cross, super D, and dual slalom competitions. The series begins April 10 with the Santa Ynez Valley Classic in Buelton, Calif. and concludes September 12 with the Whiteface 5^th Annual 5k Downhill in Wilmington, New York.

A five-race ultra-endurance calendar will give competitors the chance to duke it out in 12-hour, six-hour, 24-hour, and marathon events, starting with the 12-hours of Santos in Ocala, Fla. on Feb. 20 and ending with the USA Cycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships in Breckenridge, Colo. on the Fourth of July.

The Amgen Tour of California will kick off on May 16, 2010 and continue to May 23, 2010.  It is the largest cycling event in American.  The format of the race is a Tour de France style race.

The race started in 2005.  The aim of the race is to raise awareness and funds to support services and programs for those with cancer.

The 2010 race will cover the following cities:  Nevada City, Davis, San Francisco, San Jose, Visalia, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Modesto, Bakersfield, Big Bear Lake, and Thousand Oaks.

Stage 1:  Nevada City to Sacramento

Stage 2: Davis to Santa Rosa

Stage 3: San Fransico to Santa Cruz

Stage 4: San Jose to Modesto

Stage 5: Visalia to Bakersfield

Stage 6: Pasadena to Big Bear Lake

Stage 7: Los Angeles

Stage 8: Thousand Oaks

Last week, the 26 rider lineup featuring Lance Armstrong was announced for 2010.  The well balance team is made up of experienced riders and young talented riders.  The team is currently in Tucson, Arizonia, where they will train together for the next two weeks.

The ultimate goal of the team is to compete in the Tour De France as well as other tour races.  However, the teams ultimate goal will be to help Lance Armstrong win his 8th Four de France.  That will be an extraordinary accomplishment for a man at the age of 37.

Of the 26 riders, at least three of them have ridden in El Tour de Tucson including Armstrong (in 1997), Chris Horner, and Matthew Busche. Busche finished 135th overall in this year’s El Tour de Tucson.

The team will make it debat at the 2010 Tour Down Under in Australia.

Italian cyclist Matteo Priamo was banned for 4 years for supplying doping productions to a teammate.  The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Priamo provided the endurance booster CERA to his teammate Emanuele Sella, on the CSF Group Navigare team.  Emanuele Sella received a one year ban for cooperating.

Sella confessed to using CERA.  The CERA was provided by Priamo.  The Court of Arbitration for Sports, said that its panel of three lawyers had enough evidence to find Priamo’s violation.