No team will be able to control the Tour de France during all three weeks because the route is too difficult, race director Christian Prudhomme said on Friday.
Astana’s Alberto Contador, a Tour winner in 2007, will be the overwhelming favourite when the race starts with a 15-km time trial in Monaco, on July 4.
But despite possible support from team mates Lance Armstrong, a seven-times Tour champion, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloeden, keeping the yellow jersey all the way to Paris should prove too tricky.
“I don’t believe one team will be able to control the whole race,†Prudhomme told reporters at the Monte Carlo tennis Masters.
“A team could seize power early in the race but given the route, they should not be able to keep it all the way,†he said … Details
 Known for hosting performance racing events, motorcycle enthusiasts can enjoy all sorts of two-wheeled fun at Laguna Seca this weekend.
Motorcyclists, cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts are expected to come together this weekend for the Sea Otter Classic, a four-day celebration of sport. Taking place at the Laguna Seca area in Monterey, California the event on April 17th-20th, promising more activities and exhibits.
One such exhibit will have rider’s adrenaline potentially pumping with Ducati’s Hyper Truck offering Hypermotard demo rides. Ducati’s tractor trailer full of performance motorcycles is touring all summer offering demo rides and world-class hospitality and is calling Laguna Seca home this weekend. When the Italian motorcycle manufacturer sets up shop, not only will demo rides be in the offering, but For those wanting to fill out the riding wardrobe the latest in Ducati Fashion will be available.
Interested riders should note … Details
American cyclist Tyler Hamilton will hold a teleconference Friday to announce he is retiring after testing positive for the steroid DHEA, which he said he knowingly ingested in an over-the-counter herbal antidepressant.
It was the second doping offense for the veteran rider, who tested positive for homologous blood transfusion in 2004 and served a mandatory two-year suspension even as he disputed the test results through two rounds of arbitration.
Hamilton likely would face a suspension of eight years to life for his second offense…Â Details
It’s more than a bike race. What began in 1991 as a mountain biking competition with 300 participants and 150 spectators has grown into the world’s largest cycling festival with close to 10,000 athletes and 50,000 fans.
The 19th annual Sea Otter Classic begins today (Thursday) and continues through Sunday at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area in Monterey.
Competitive events include amateur and elite mountain bike racing and road racing. But it is not only the action on the trails that this sporting event has to offer — there will be a multitude of entertainment options for the entire family.
The activities will be centered in Sea Otter Village, where spectators with 360-degree views of the races can enjoy live music, browse through the cycling trade show, get team autographs, watch aerial stunt shows and let their kids release their energy at the Kids’ Carnival and Bike Zone…Â Details
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