Stories by Andrew Hood

• Posted: Wed, Jun 11th
  Valverde seizes lead at Dauphine
  Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) rode the time trial of his career to beat the likes of Levi Leipheimer and Cadel Evans on a difficult, hilly 31km course Wednesday to win the stage and take control of the 60th Dauphiné Libéré. Valverde, who also won Monday’s first ...
• Posted: Wed, Jun 11th
  Quick Step holds the line
  Quick Step is sticking with its troubled star, Tom Boonen, and so are the team’s key sponsors. Just a day after it was revealed that Boonen tested positive for cocaine in an out-of-competition control taken last month, his Belgian team announced Wednesday that its most ...
• Posted: Mon, Jun 9th
  Astana not expecting Tour turn-around
  The rumors keep flying, but Astana officials insist they are not expecting a last-minute reversal from Tour de France officials to start this year’s race. Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel said he isn’t anticipating the Tour to follow the recent example of the Giro ...
• Posted: Mon, Jun 9th
  Valverde wins stage 1 at Dauphiné
  The 60th Dauphiné Libéré is a race of seconds – literally – at least through the first two days of racing. A day after losing Sunday’s opening prologue by one second, Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) captured the maillot jaune by that same margin over ...
• Posted: Sun, Jun 8th
  Leipheimer wins Dauphiné prologue
  Levi Leipheimer (Astana) ripped to a dramatic victory in Sunday’s opening prologue at the 60th Dauphiné Libéré in a showdown between the Tour de France favorites. Leipheimer -- who won the 2006 Dauphiné – flew over the 5.6km course into Avignon to stop the clock at ...
• Posted: Sat, Jun 7th
  A difficult Dauphiné features a tough, explosive course
  A challenging and explosive course for the 60th Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré should produce plenty of fireworks in what will be the final dress rehearsal for many Tour de France-bound favorites. Last year’s Tour runner-up, Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto), leads an all-star ...
• Posted: Tue, Jun 3rd
  Contador eyes grand tour sweep with Vuelta
  Alberto Contador received a hero’s welcome upon his return to Spain on Monday, with politicians toasting him and thousands of fans cheering him upon his arrival in Madrid’s Barajas airport. But before the recently crowned Giro d’Italia winner had a chance to celebrate ...
• Posted: Mon, Jun 2nd
  Slipstream, High Road celebrate successful Giro
  Sunday’s final time trial gave Slipstream-Chipotle and High Road the perfect way to celebrate what’s been a very successful Giro d’Italia for both teams. Five riders from the two U.S.-registered teams filled out the top-six in the final stage of the 91st Giro, with ...
• Posted: Mon, Jun 2nd
  Bruyneel: ‘We’re seeing the birth of a great champion’
  Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel celebrated his 11th grand tour victory from behind the steering wheel of a team car with Alberto Contador’s unlikely Giro d’Italia win Sunday. Bruyneel answered questions about the team’s anti-doping program and Contador’s unexpected ...
• Posted: Sun, Jun 1st
  Contador: "This was my Tour"
  Alberto Contador is so happy with his pink jersey that he says he wouldn’t want to swap it for a yellow jersey even if the Tour de France organizers change their minds about his team’s exclusion. The defending Tour champ ...
• Posted: Sun, Jun 1st
  Alberto Contador wins the 2008 Giro d'Italia
  Now Alberto Contador can go back to the beach. After interrupting a vacation a month ago to pack his bags to head to Italy, the defending Tour de France champion secured one of the most unlikely victories in cycling history to claim the 91st Giro d’Italia on ...
• Posted: Sat, May 31st
  Contador weathers Mortirolo storm
  Alberto Contador (Astana) is 28.5km from winning a Giro d’Italia he never expected to start. The Spanish climber deflected a flurry of last-gasp attacks from arch-rival Riccardo Riccò ...