Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen powered away in the final straight to clinch the rainy seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday.

The Team Columbia rider, second on Thursday, came in ahead of South Africa’s Robert Hunter and Russian Pavel Brutt.
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Michele Scarponi of Italy won the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia Thursday as the race crossed into Austria.

Scarponi covered the lengthy 248-kilometer (154-mile) leg, which began in Bressanone, in an unofficial time of 5 hours, 49 minutes, 57 seconds.

Danilo Di Luca held on to the overall leader’s pink jersey after finishing 36 seconds back.

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more to come…

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San Jose, CA – LOOK, the innovation leader in clipless pedals and carbon fiber frames, is pleased to introduce the LOOK 585 Trade Up Program. Designed to get cycling enthusiasts onto the legendary 585, this program offers consumers a $500 credit towards the purchase of a 2009 LOOK 585 frame when they bring in their existing frame from any manufacturer.

Featuring advanced carbon fiber technology, the LOOK 585 is the ultimate multipurpose frame. Weighing just 900g., the 585 is one of the most balanced frames in it’s category, straddling the ideal blend of stiffness and all day comfort and compliance.

The LOOK the 585 Trade Up Program is available at participating LOOK dealers through June 30, 2009. A complete list of dealers can be found on the LOOK site: www.lookcycle-usa.com. The credit can be used towards the purchase of a LOOK 585 Origin, Optimum, Ultra or Elle.

New Braunfels, Texas – The Third Annual Skeese Greets Women’s Triathlon, held May 3rd in New Braunfels, Texas saw professional triathletes Kelly Handel Williamson and Desiree Ficker take first and second overall. Hundreds of other participants, spectators, and volunteers filled the venue at the Texas Ski Ranch for a fun-filled day of swimming, biking and running.

With temperatures in the upper 70’s and overcast skies, the all women’s tri went smoothly from beginning to end. Before the gun went off, Desiree Ficker led the crowd with the singing of the National Anthem. From there the 323 finishers, ranging in age from 10 to 71, began the 300 meter open-water swim, then progressed to a beautiful 11 mile bike ride through the Texas Hill Country, and ended with a 2 mile run. Kelly Handel Williamson edged out Desiree Ficker for the win with a time of 48:59. Event producer and owner of Skeese Greets, Stacy Keese, has received numerous thank you emails and compliments from participants, with one being from Kristen Goldman, “That was really fun! My first Triathlon! It really was such a positive experience for me! I think I am hooked!” says Kristen via email.

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DUKE ENERGY JOINS AS PRESENTING LEVEL SPONSOR;
TV COVERAGE TO INCLUDE LOCAL AND NATIONAL SHOWS

GREENVILLE, S.C. – With three consecutive years of strong crowds and community support, the Greenville Hospital System USA Cycling Professional Championship will return to Greenville, S.C. for its celebrated weekend of racing and family events, August 29-30, 2009. Two-time U.S. Professional Road Race national champion George Hincapie (1998, 2006), who resides in Greenville, announced at a press conference today that he will return in an effort to recapture the famed Stars and Stripes jersey. Three-time U.S. National Pro Time Trial champion Dave Zabriskie (2006-08) of Salt Lake City, Utah is expected to return as well for a fourth consecutive title.

“I’m excited to race in Greenville again for the USA Cycling Pro Championships,” said George Hincapie, a Tour de France stage winner and 16-year pro cyclist who now rides for Team Columbia. “I love racing in front of family and friends, so it’s awesome to have the race right here in my back yard. It is quite an honor to wear the Stars and Stripes jersey, so I’ll be trying my best to win it again this year.”

New for 2009, the dual championships will also host two races for the U.S. Handcycling Series, presented by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Greenville will be the season-ending finale for the U.S. Handcycling’s 2009 calendar on Aug 29-30, utilizing the same courses for the best Americans on bicycles for elite Americans on handcycles. The handcycling races will be the warm-up events for the world championships in late September.

On Saturday, Aug. 29, the Professional Time Trial Championship will return to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). This course will also host a time trial for U.S. Handcycling the same day. The proximity to downtown Greenville and the compact, closed course make it both easily accessible and engaging for fans. On Sunday, Aug. 30, the 110-mile Professional Road Race Championship will remain at the start/finish location from last year in the West End section of downtown Greenville. This area will also stage a criterium for U.S. Handcycling and the start for the 4th annual Stars and Stripes Challenge, a recreational bicycle ride produced by the Palmetto Peloton Project to generate awareness and funds for cancer research.

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Winning Time, a leader in chip timing systems, has been approved as a Green company by the Environmental Protection Agency’s renowned Wastewise Program. The company received the award based on their design of long-lasting, reusable timing chips as well as recycled materials.

The EPA Wastewise Program recognizes companies which help promote the green movement by cutting back on landfills and disposing of materials correctly. Winning Time’s reusable design model, incorporation of replaceable batteries, and recycling of plastics, paper, and metals have allowed for this partnership. No zip ties are needed so nothing gets thrown away after the race. “The growing trend in the endurance industry is offering eco-friendly solutions to athletes”, comments Julia Vitarello, VP of Winning Time Americas, “and equally as important is the accuracy of results. Winning Time offers an affordable solution that conquers both.”

The makers of the Winning Time systems have practiced green measures for years, and their efforts have finally been met by the EPA certification. The company’s chips last more than a decade, and are easily and quickly attached and detached from the athlete’s ankle, bib or bike. “After working hard to design durable, reusable chips which guarantee accuracy, we are thrilled to see that races and athletes around the US are increasingly interested in eco-friendly solutions”, says Vitarello. “We’ve seen that races which make the effort to meet green industry standards benefit from standing out in the crowd and attracting new sponsorship opportunities”. Among the many races which Winning Time services, the Lilac Bloomsday Run and the Boulder Marathon chose the company as one of their efforts to make their race eco-friendly, while at the same time guaranteeing the highest level of scoring possible.

Winning Time offers easy, green, and reliable timing solutions for any type of race.

For more details visit www.winningtimeamericas.com

SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA, Italy (AP) — Italy’s Danilo Di Luca has won the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia in an uphill finish, with Lance Armstrong 15 seconds behind.

Sweden’s Thomas Lovkvist took the overall leader’s pink jersey from Alessandro Petacchi of Italy on Tuesday.

Di Luca of the LPR Brakes team covered the 101 miles from Padua to San Martino di Castrozza in the Dolomite range in an unofficial time of 4 hours, 15 minutes, 3 seconds.

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Exhibitor Registration Now Open

Speedway, In.—The Greater Richmond Convention Center in the historic city of Richmond, Va. will host the 2010 North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS) when the world’s number one custom bicycle show moves to the east coast next February 26-28.

Booth registration for the show will start immediately for the 2009 exhibitors, who will be contacted by email. Open registration will start June 15, and will be accessible through the event website www.handmadebicycleshow.com.

Show founder and director, Don Walker, said “I researched all the way along the east coast and Richmond came up as the strongest candidate, all criteria considered. I then put forward three candidates to a vote among this year’s exhibitors, and Richmond was the clear winner. I looked at some of the largest cities as well, and while these cities might have great cycling culture, their prices are out of range for the vast majority of my exhibitors.”

Jack Berry, president and CEO of the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, commended the decision. “The timing’s perfect! Cycling is really becoming more and more popular in this region. Being a cyclist myself, personally I’m thrilled! This is huge for Richmond and the Mid-Atlantic.”

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San Francisco, Calif. – Organizers of the San Francisco Twilight Criterium say the event will be postponed until September of 2010, due to a lack of adequate sponsorship.

“Unfortunately, in this lackluster economic climate, securing sponsorship dollars is a tough task,” said race director Ryan Dawkins of Project Sport, LLC. “We had a choice between putting on a smaller event or waiting until next year to do it right, and on the grand scale our fans expect.”

USA Cycling National Events Manager Tom Vinson said he supports the race’s postponement. The San Francisco Twilight Criterium is the latest in a number of events on the National Racing Calendar (NRC) that have had to be called off due to challenging economic conditions.

“While we always hate losing an event, we look forward to having the race back on the calendar next year, just as strong and well-run as it was in 2008,” Vinson said.

Large crowds turned out last year to see national cycling champions and Olympians race through one of San Francisco’s most scenic neighborhoods, on a course that included the city’s equivalent of Rodeo Drive. But when Dawkins put out the call for additional sponsorship, there were few takers.

“We had some nibbles, but nothing in the form of a title sponsor that would have made it possible to have a world-class event,” he said. “But we are already well into our planning for next year. We look forward to finding a company that realizes the benefits of putting their name on an exciting, family-friendly event that promotes the healthy lifestyle cherished by so many people in the Bay Area.”

Next year’s San Francisco Twilight Criterium is scheduled for Sept. 4, 2010.

Companies that are interested in becoming part of the 2010 edition of the race can contact Dawkins directly at 415.287.4253 or e-mail him at ryan@projectsport.com.

For more information on the San Francisco Twilight Criterium, visit www.sftwilight.com.

About the San Francisco Twilight Criterium
The 2008 San Francisco Twilight Criterium marked the return of professional cycling to San Francisco, Calif. with a criterium race circling an eight-block stretch of the popular neighborhood of Cow Hollow, a stone’s throw from the Golden Gate Bridge. The event is free, and includes kids’ races and a pro-athlete village where spectators can collect the signatures of their favorite racers. The San Francisco Twilight Criterium is part of USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar and is owned by Project Sport, LLC, in San Francisco.