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Dear USA Cycling Member,

Now that the 2008 competitive cycling season is in full swing, I know many of you are already thinking about this season’s USA Cycling Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships.  Scheduled for Aug. 6-10 in Anaheim, Calif., this year’s edition will once again crown national champions in time trial, road race, and criterium events.

Based on valuable feedback from our members, USA Cycling has implemented several changes in order to create a better experience for our athletes.  Some of these changes include the elimination of field size limits and the addition of qualifying heats if necessary, the implementation of on-site registration and race-day packet pick-up, a refund option in case your plans change, and an escalating registration fee structure.

The following guidelines provide all of you with the information you need to experience an enjoyable and successful event.  Please take a moment to read the below eligibility requirements, registration guidelines and general rules.

In the next few weeks, USA Cycling will publish a daily event schedule, course maps and profiles and additional information pertaining to the 2008 USA Cycling Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships.  Should you have any further questions related to the event, please don’t hesitate to contact the National Events Department of USA Cycling at 719-866-4581 or e-mail USA Cycling National Events Manager Tom Vinson at tvinson@usacycling.org.

Good luck in 2008!

Yours in Cycling,

Steve Johnson

CEO, USA Cycling

2008 USA CYCLING JUNIOR, U23 AND ELITE ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

ELIGIBILITY, RULES & REGISTRATION GUIDELINES

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

1.       ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST HAVE A CURRENT & VALID USA CYCLING LICENSE WITH THE PROPER CATEGORY AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION. Only riders who have a current and valid USA Cycling license will be allowed to register. Riders must also be licensed for the category in which they are attempting to register. If you do not have a current and valid USA Cycling license, the easiest way to obtain one is via the USA Cycling website at www.usacycling.org. You may purchase, renew and/or request a category upgrade online on your My USA Cycling page.

 

ELIGIBILITY

1. At the time of registration, all participants in the USA Cycling Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships MUST meet the minimum required category for the respective races according to the 2008 USA Cycling Rulebook. Riders attempting to register for a race without having the required category will be removed from the registration list with no refund provided.

 

2. All participants in the 2008 Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships MUST be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident depending upon the category as outlined below:

 

a.       Junior 10-16: Participants MUST be either a U.S. Citizen OR permanent resident

b.      Junior 17-18: Participants MUST be a U.S. Citizen

c.       U23: Participants MUST be a U.S. Citizen

d.      Elite: Participants MUST be a U.S. Citizen

 

3. U23 athletes who are on a UCI ProTour roster are not eligible to compete at the USA Cycling Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships.

 

4. Men over the race age of 22 who are members of any UCI-registered trade team (ProTour, Professional Continental, Continental) are not eligible to compete at the USA Cycling Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships.

 

5. Age Group/Category Participation:

 

a. Junior 10-16 participants MUST race in their respective age groups, subject to category restrictions

b. Junior 17-18 participants MAY race in both their age group and/or the Elite races, subject to category restrictions

c. U23 participants MAY race in both their age group and/or the Elite races, subject to category restrictions.

REGISTRATION

1. PARTICPANTS MAY ONLY REGISTER ONE START SPOT PER ATHLETE. Riders are allowed to register one start spot per athlete, per race. Start spots are not allowed to be held, sold or otherwise transferred to other riders at a later time.

 

2. REGISTRATION FOR THE 2008 USA CYCLING JUNIOR, U23 AND ELITE ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WILL OPEN 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE EVENT. Online registration for the 2008 edition will open at 12:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 7 at www.sportsbaseonline.com. Please note: In 2008 USA Cycling has introduced an open registration process with NO MAXIMUM FIELD SIZE LIMIT and the option of running heats if warranted by the number of registrants. The determination of whether or not heats are necessary will be made by USA Cycling officials following the close of online registration and all affected participants will be notified by e-mail. Online registration will close at 12:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 1.

 

3. In an attempt to encourage members to register for the event early, USA Cycling has implemented a LATE ONLINE REGISTRATION period. The late online registration period will begin two weeks prior to the close of online registration at 12:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 18. Members who register online after this time will incur an additional $25.00 late registration fee PER RACE in addition to the original registration fee.

 

4. Also, in an attempt to allow as many competitors as possible to register for the event, USA Cycling will also allow late on-site registration. Participants may register for the 2008 USA Cycling Junior, U23 and Elite Road National Championships up until one day prior to their respective race. All on-site registration must be completed by the close of registration the day BEFORE your race. Please note: All on-site registrants will incur a 100% increase in the original registration fee.

 

5. USA Cycling will accommodate refund requests up until two weeks prior to the opening of on-site registration. Refunds will no longer be considered after 12:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 22. All refunds are subject to a 20% processing fee.

 

6. Packet Pick-up/On-site Registration will be available every day throughout the event at the host hotel (Hilton Anaheim Convention Center). There will be specific times designated each day. USA Cycling encourages participants to pick up their race packets during these times. In order to pick up your packet, you MUST present your valid USA Cycling license at packet pick-up/registration. Additional on-site packet pick-up will be available at the start line each day, subject to a $20.00 late fee.

 

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION DATES

Sat., June 7 (12:00 p.m. EDT): Online Registration Opens at www.sportsbaseonline.com

Fri., July 18 (12:00 p.m. EDT): Late Online Registration Period Begins ($25 late fee charged)

Tues., July 22 (12:00 p.m. EDT): Refunds No Longer Granted

Fri., Aug. 1 (12:00 p.m. EDT): Online Registration Closes

Tues., Aug. 5: On-Site Registration Begins (100% increase in registration fee)

RULES

1. NEW FOR 2008 USA CYCLING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: For all National Championships for riders ages 17 and up (i.e., junior 17-18, U23, elite, and masters), all bikes must be UCI legal. For any questions regarding bike measurements please click here. 

 

2. Individual Time Trials are open to ALL categories – men’s categories 1-5 and women’s categories 1-4.

 

3. ROAD RACE RULES:

·         The Junior 10-14 men’s and Junior 10-18 women’s road races are open to ALL categories

·         The Junior 15-18 men’s road races are restricted to category 1-3 participants only

·         The U23 women’s road race is restricted to category 1-3 participants only

·         The U23 men’s road race is restricted to category 1-2 participants only

·         The Elite women’s road race is restricted to category 1-2 participants only

·         The Elite men’s road race is restricted to category 1 participants only

 

4. CRITERIUM RULES:

·         The Junior 10-14 men’s and Junior 10-18 women’s criteriums are open to ALL categories

·         The Junior 15-18 men’s criteriums are restricted to category 1-3 participants only

·         The U23 women’s criteriums is restricted to category 1-3 participants only

·         The U23 men’s criteriums is restricted to category 1-2 participants only

 

LODGING

 

The Hilton Anaheim Convention Center will serve as the official race hotel. Other area accommodations are available through the event’s housing website at: www.gettravel.com/sports/USACycling/

Fort Collins, Colo.  – The 2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships concluded on Sunday as Lees McRae College claimed the overall Division I team title and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology won the overall Division II team championship. Eight individual titles were also awarded on Sunday as the three-day event closed with criterium racing in Old Town Fort Collins. 

 

Lees-McRaeamassed 473 points to take the national title home to Banner Elk, N.C. Rival Fort Lewis College finished in second (424) and host Rams of Colorado State University (362) earned the third spot. After winning the women’s DII team time trial and placing fourth in the men’s race against the clock, MIT never looked back, using a balanced attack to score 394 points and win the DII team title. Last year’s runner-up Dartmouth (365) repeated their performance, while 2007 winner Western Washington University (341) finished third. Overall team titles were awarded based point contributions from both men’s and women’s squads in the team time trial, road race and criterium contests. 

 

A pair of Lees-McRae riders, Andrew Talansky and Carla Swart captured the individual Division I overall titles while Craig Leukens (Yale University) and Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) rode to overall wins in the Division II standings.

 

Both first time collegiate road omnium national champions, Talansky and Swart used road race wins and top ten finishes in Sunday’s criterium to propel them to the overall individual honor and help their team to the title. Leukens, a recent Yale Divinity School graduate, was able to run away with the men’s DII overall title after a second place finish in the road race and a criterium victory. The DII women’s individual omnium race was much tighter with Haskell and Kendi Thomas (Whitman College) technically tying with 304 points apiece. With the number of first-place finishes acting as the tie breaker, Haskell was awarded the stars-and-stripes jersey due to her win in Saturday’s road race competition.

 

Four individual criterium national championships were also awarded on Sunday with the DI women once again starting things off in Old Town Fort Collins. With the incredibly tight omnium competition going into the race, the top schools were scraping for every point, providing animation from the start in the 60-minute contest. Several top riders from leading schools Lees-McRae College and Fort Lewis College pushed the front, but it was Michigan’s Julie Bellerose and Harvard’s Anna McLoon who were able to get away halfway through the race. Although numerous attacks were mounted no one team took initiative to chase the leaders and Bellerose was able to outsprint McLoon to win the national championship ahead of a surging field. Swart and her Lees-McRae teammate, Kasey Manderfield were able to win the field sprint to earn valuable points for third and fourth places. Fort Lewis College was able to earn points for sixth place as Kristin McGrath finished just behind Colorado State University’s Amanda Miller in fifth.  

 

“I felt pretty good, so I thought I’d try to get away,” explained Bellerose. “We could hear the splits, so knowing how close the field was we were working together with around 20-30 second pulls.”

 

Dartmouth took the points for both first and third after the DII women’s race came down to a field sprint to the finish. After being fairly quiet all day, Jen Stebbins (Dartmouth) turned it on in the finishing stretch to win the criterium national championship. Whitman’s Kendi Thomas, repeated last year’s performance, pulling in second, while Eve McNeal (Dartmouth) took third. The powerful MIT squad was however able to put two riders inside the top 10, helping assure them the DII team omnium national championship.

 

Colorado State University’s own Phil Mann was able to repeat on last year’s performance in the DI men’s criterium by winning the field sprint to the finish. Despite several breakaway attempts nearly the entire field remained in tact on the technical eight-turn course. Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin – Madison) was barely taken at the line by Mann to earn second while last year’s road race champion Alex Boyd (Midwestern University) took third. Road race and omnium champion Talansky was able to pull off a ninth-place finish and lock down the overall team omnium for Lees-McRae.

 

A mid-race breakaway filled with powerhouse riders was the story of the DII men’s criterium. With Furman, Dartmouth and Yale putting two-riders in the break, team tactics were on display.  A pair of groups were able to bridge up to the leaders, making a strong 14-man break. Even on the tough, technical course the group was able to stay away with Leukens turning it up on the last lap to take the stars-and stripes jersey.

 

“The course was very exciting,” said Leukens, who was able to bridge up to the front mid-way through the race. “We weren’t sure if a break could stay away with all the turns, but they were killing it so I knew I had to go.” 

 

In addition to the stars-and stripes national championship jerseys and the medals presented to all podium finishers, the USA Cycling Development Foundation will contribute a total of $5,000 to the top three programs in the final Division I and Division II team standings. As part the USA Cycling Collegiate Performance Awards program, Lees-McRae College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will each receive $1,200, while runner-ups Fort Lewis and Dartmouth College will each receive $800 and Colorado State University and Western Washington University will each receive $500. Awards are provided to the collegiate club budget to be used for operational and developmental purposes. The winning teams were also awarded numerous prizes, including performance glasses courtesy of Habervision.

 

 

2008 USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals

May 9-11

Fort Collins, Colo.

 

For complete results, click here.

To view photos from the event, click here.

 

Division I Men’s Criterium

1. Phil Mann (Colorado State University) 1:26.55

2. Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin – Madison) s.t.

3. Alex Boyd (Midwestern State University) s.t.

4. Joshua Lipka (University of New Hampshire) s.t.

5. Rodney Santiago (Pennsylvania State University) s.t.

 

Division I Women’s Criterium

1. Julie Bellerose (University of Michigan) 57:06.5

2. Anna McLoon (Harvard University) s.t.

3. Kasey Manderfield (Lees-McRae College) +42.7

4. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College) s.t.

5. Amanda Miller (Colorado State University) s.t. 

 

Division II Men’s Criterium

1. Craig Leukens (Yale University) 1:14:37

2. Spencer Beamer (Furman University) s.t.

3. Thomas Brown (Emory University) s.t.

4. Jason Sears (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) s.t.

5. Zak Grabowski (Colorado School of Mines) s.t.

 

Division II Women’s Criterium

1. Jen Stebbins (Dartmouth College) 58:26.4

2. Kendi Thomas (Whitman) s.t.

3. Eve McNeill (Dartmouth) s.t.

4. Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) s.t.

5. Tela Crane (Western Washington University) s.t.

 

Division I Overall Results

1. Lees-McRae College 473

2. Fort Lewis College 424

3. Colorado State University 362

4. University of California – Davis 342

5. Stanford University 290

 

Division II Overall Results

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 394

2. Dartmouth College 365

3. Western Washington University 341

4. Colorado School of Mines 320

5. Yale University 283

 

Division I Men’s Overall Results

1. Andrew Talansky (Lees McRae College) 244

2. Phillip Mann (Colorado State University) 223

3. Steve Scholzen (University of Wisconsin – Madison) 220

4. Joshua Lipka (University of New Hampshire) 208

5. Alex Boyd (Midwestern State University) 191

 

Division I Women’s Overall Results

1. Carla Swart (Lees-McRae College) 281

2. Anna McLoon (Harvard University) 226

3. Julie Bellerose (University of Michigan) 209

4. Amanda Miller (Colorado State University) 208

5. Amy Dombroski (Fort Lewis College) 205

 

Division II Men’s Overall Standings

1. Craig Leukens (Yale University) 310

2. Chris Butler (Furman University) 259

3. Zak Grabowski (Colorado School of Mines) 242

4. Ben Showman (United States Military Academy) 211

5. Spencer Beamer (Furman University) 202

 

DII Women’s Overall Results

1. Devon Haskell (University of Chicago) 304

2. Kendi Thomas (Whitman College) 304

3. Jen Stebbins (Dartmouth College) 254

4. Martha Buckley (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) 217

5. Eve McNeill (Dartmouth College) 186

 

 

About USA Cycling   

Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross.  As a membership-based organization and sanctioning body, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ members, including 57,000 competitive cyclists, 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 350 professional cyclists, and 200 certified mechanics. USA Cycling also sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive organized cycling events throughout the United States annually, as well as 1,800 clubs and teams. Associations of USA Cycling include the United States Cycling Federation (road, track & cyclo-cross), the National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), the BMX Association, the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the United States Professional Racing Organization. USA Cycling is also responsible for the identification, development, support and promotion of American cyclists through various athletic initiatives and programs including the USA Cycling National Development Team, the USA Cycling Women’s National Team, the USA Cycling Junior Development Team, Talent Identification and Regional Development Camps, domestic and international race calendars, direct athlete funding and support programs, and educational camps and seminars. USA Cycling also fields and supports U.S. National Teams for various international events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Continental Championship and World Cups across all levels and disciplines of competitive cycling. USA cycling further supports grass roots and locally-based initiatives through its 32 Local Associations and comprehensive network of licensed and certified coaches and officials. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts National Championship events for amateur and professional cyclists, awarding more than 600 national titles annually to men and women in junior, U23, masters, elite, professional and paralympic categories throughout the various disciplines of competitive cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org. For media-related or general inquiries, please contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867 or alee@usacycling.org.   

 

Yoga makes good athletes better!  This time-honored discipline imparts flexibility, balance, and whole-body strength, creating improvements in an athlete’s form, efficiency, and power.  And though there have been yoga options for endurance minded athletes for the last couple of years, there hasn’t been a product that was up to the standards of the most trusted name in video training, Endurance Films.

 

“If the endurance world is embracing Yoga, they might as well have a product created by a seasoned endurance athlete and coach that knows how to work the two styles of training together.  We knew we found that person when we met Sage Rountree.” says producer Eric Feller.



"The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga" is designed and narrated by Sage Rountree, author of the book of the same name. Sage is an endurance athlete, a Registered Yoga Teacher, and a coach with certifications from USA Triathlon and USA Cycling. She has created a program to fit specifically within the base, build, and peak cycles of endurance training.  And using the interactive menu, the viewer can choose from three preset sequences or can completely customize their routine by choosing from a list of twenty stand alone segments. 



“An athlete’s training needs are in constant change. To address this we’ve made the DVD menu such that each person can tailor their workouts from 2 minutes to 2 hours and focus on their specific needs for that day.” Sage continues saying, “It was a lot more effort to make the DVD like this but ultimately it will serve our customers well.  I’m proud of what we’ve done here.”



Sage appears in the video with her students Laurence Wilkinson, a tennis pro and adventure racer who demonstrates modifications for beginners, and Dan Lehman, an Ironman triathlete who shows deeper expressions of the poses.  Both students are USAT certified coaches as well.

The DVD currently lists for $29.95 and can be found at www.endurancefilms.com.

……………………………………………

Sage Rountree runs a successful career in blending yoga and endurance sports coaching in Chapel Hill, NC.  You can learn more about her practice at www.sagerountree.com.



Endurance Films, Inc. is a full service digital video production company focusing on the production and worldwide distribution of endurance and extreme sports video entertainment. 

For more information visit www.endurancefilms.com

New Cycling Computers in 2008

By Agence France Presse

UCI president Pat McQuaid has upped the ante in his poker match with Amaury Sport Organization.

Photo: AFP (file)

By Susan Westemeyer

Team T-mobile as presented at the beginning of the 2007 season

Photo ©: Photosport International

Deutsche Telekom AG has stopped its sponsorship of T-Mobile Team, effective immediately, it announced Tuesday afternoon. However, High Road Sports Inc., the team management company, said that "its elite men's and women's cycling teams will continue racing in 2008 after T-Mobile has ended its engagement. The teams will now be known as 'Team High Road'."

Telekom had sponsored the team, under the names Team Telekom and T-Mobile Team, since 1991. "We arrived at this decision to separate our brand from further exposure from doping in sport and cycling specifically. This was a difficult decision given our long history of support for professional cycling and the efforts of Bob Stapleton in managing the team in 2007," said Deutsche Telekom Board member and CEO of T-Mobile International Hamid Akhavan. "We have an obligation to our employees, customers and shareholders to focus our attention and resources on our core businesses."

The team had been rocked over the last two seasons by a series of doping cases. "We have worked very hard with the current team management to promote a clean cycling sport but we reached the decision to continue our efforts to rid all sports of doping by applying our resources in other directions. Deutsche Telekom AG wants to make it clear that this action is not based on any disagreement with or misconduct by team management," Akhavan emphasized.

High Road Sports, owned by Bob Stapleton, holds the team's ProTour license. "T-Mobile's decision to end its involvement in professional cycling is a challenge for the sport and our team. We will review and adapt our operations, and continue to advance our leadership position in athletic success and commitment to clean and fair sport that began during our work with T-Mobile," said Stapleton.

"We have an outstanding international roster of exciting young talent backed by proven veteran leadership for 2008," he added. "We will likely be the youngest team in the ProTour and believe that together, these athletes can shape the future of the sport with their talent and commitment."

High Road Sports will use the next few weeks in intensive preparation for the 2008 racing season. "We have good options, but plenty of work to do to begin racing in less than 60 days," noted Stapleton. The team is focused on beginning its 2008 campaign with the first Race, the Tour Down Under in Australia in January.

The team's sponsorship contract was set to run until December 31, 2010.

By John Wilcockson

VeloNews Editorial Director

in Paris

"We want to create a race that is not predictable."

Prudhomme wants to keep things exciting in '08 and from the looks of it he will.

photo: Agence France Presse

So said Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme Thursday in announcing the course for the 95th Tour, which takes place next year from July 5 to 27. Prudhomme should get his wish because the 21-stage, 3554km route he presented has a plethora of stages that hark back to the days when breakaways usually succeeded and the yellow jersey changed hands many more times than it does in modern times.

The 2008 Tour starts in Brest in the far west of France, and heads counterclockwise around the country, with the race first passing through the Massif Central and Pyrénées mountains, and then the Alps, before the traditionalfinish on the Champs-Élysées in Paris.

In contrast to the 2007 Tour, which started with a prologue on a spectacular city-center course in London, there will be no opening time trial next year. This is because for the first time in the history of the Tour, a whole region (Brittany) has bought the rights to the grand départ and not a single city. As a result, the Tour is opening with three straight road stages that crisscross the four départements that make up the Breton peninsula.

The entire region of Brittany has bought the rights to the grand départ.

Officially, every Tour since 1967 has started with a prologue; but there was one exception. When the race began at La Baule in southern Brittany in 1988, the opener was a so-called "prelude" that did not count toward the general classification. Just one rider from each of the 16 teams raced the straight 1km course along the Atlantic beachfront, with the Italian Guido Bontempi taking the win. The reason for it not being included as part of the race was that the UCI had just reduced the length of grand tours to a maximum of 21 days of racing - the prelude would have made it 22 days.

Twenty years later, the Tour is still made up of 21 stages and two rest days, and as in 2007 second-year race director Prudhomme has pleased everyone by eliminating most of the long transfers between stages - just like the old days. The only significant one remaining is the transfer by TGV express train on the final day.

Here's a closer look at the 2008 course:

Saturday, July 5 Stage 1, Brest to Plumelec (195km)

Stage 1 starts in the naval port of Brest, and heads southeast over the rolling hills of the Monts d'Arrée to an uphill finish on the Cadoudal hill in the village of Plumelec, just north of Vannes. So the 2008 Tour will begin in the same manner as that non-prologue edition of 1988, with a straight-out road race. The winner of that stage 1 two decades ago, and the first yellow jersey, was Canadian Steve Bauer - who went on to finish fourth overall. He won the opening stage with an amazing solo attack in the final kilometer to finish eight seconds ahead of the pack. Stage 1 in 2008 might see something similar, as the Cadoudal climb is stiff enough (2.3km at 5 percent grade) to split the peloton; the last time a stage finished on this hill, in 1997, the winner was German sprinter Erik Zabel - who is still racing and may again challenge for the stage victory that looks destined for Robbie McEwen this time.

Will the '08 course favor climbers? Astana's Contador sure hopes so.

photo: Agence France Presse

Sunday, July 6: Stage 2, Auray to St. Brieuc (165km)

Stage 2 goes from Auray, a town of 12,000 people to the west of Vannes, and heads north through central Brittany, over the infamously steep Mur de Bretagne to another uphill finish, this one in downtown St. Brieuc where Italy's Filippo Pozzato scored a memorable stage win out of a small breakaway group in 2004.

Monday, July 7: Stage 3, St. Malo to Nantes (195km)

Stage 3 starts from the ancient ramparts of St. Malo, a port city on the northern coast of Brittany, and heads south to the city of Nantes. This is likely to produce the first truly mass sprint finish, with Tom Boonen, Alessandro Petacchi, Mark Cavendish and McEwen the likely protagonists.

Tuesday, July 8: Stage 4: Cholet TT (29km)

Many teams were hoping for a return, after a three-year absence, of the popular team time trial. But Prudhomme decided that because there is no prologue in 2008 he needed to include an early individual time trial to separate the race favorites before reaching the first challenging road stages. At 29km, this circuit TT at Cholet, a bike-crazy town that organizes an annual French Cup race, is long enough to see a true battle between the specialists like Fabian Cancellara, David Millar and Dave Zabriskie and overall contenders Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer.

Wednesday, July 9: Stage 5, Cholet to Châteauroux (230km)

This longest stage of the 2008 Tour has no serious difficulties on a straight course south of the Loire Valley and should see another field sprint dominated by Petacchi, Boonen and company. The only time a stage finished here before, in 1998, sprint superstar Mario Cipollini was the winner.

Thursday, July 10: Stage 6, Aigurande to Super-Besse (195km)

The sprinters will have to go into survival mode for a couple of days as the Tour heads south on rugged stages through the mountainous terrain of the Massif Central. Stage 6 even has a summit finish at Super-Besse, a small ski station in the Puy de Sancy range. Its 11km of climbing at a 5-percent average is enough to draw out the likes of Contador and defending KoM champion Juan Maurice Soler, but it's unlikely to be decisive.

Friday, July 11: Stage 7, Brioude to Aurillac (158km)

This much shorter stage, with multiple climbs that include the 7.8km, 6.2-percent Puy Mary 41km from the finish, should see plenty of breakaway action. One of the moves will probably succeed, and let's hope that it involves some of the real protagonists.

Saturday, July 12: Stage 8, Figeac to Toulouse (174km)

Still only a week into the race, this stage has enough early climbs to shed the peloton's weaker elements, but the last part is flat and fast, so expect to see a classic field sprint into the city of Toulouse. Perhaps the young sprinters like Cavendish and his T-Mobile teammate Gerald Ciolek will get the better of the older generation this time.

Sunday, July 13: Stage 9, Toulouse to Bagnères-de-Bigorre (222km)

This second longest stage of the Tour will likely see a long-distance breakaway succeed, even though it finishes with two challenging Cat. 1 climbs in the Pyrénées. The main contenders should be content to spar among themselves on the Peyresourde-Aspin combination ahead of the much more treacherous stage 10.

Monday, July 14: Stage10, Pau to Hautacam (154km)

On the French national holiday, Bastille Day, huge crowds will be lining the roads of the classic Pyrenean peaks of Tourmalet and Hautacam - where this decisive stage 10 ends with the familiar 14.2km, 7.2-percent leg bender where Lance Armstrong astonished former race winners Jan Ullrich and Marco Pantani at the 2000 Tour.

Tuesday, July 15: Rest day at Pau

With half the race already in the bank, everyone will be ready for this much-needed rest day in Pau. But no-one wants a repeat of the stories that nearly toppled the 2007 Tour at Pau - the elimination of Alexander Vinokourov for alleged blood doping and the sacking of race leader Michael Rasmussen after his "false" explanations about missing a couple of pre-Tour anti-doping controls.

Wednesday, July 16: Stage 11, Lannemezan to Foix (166km)

The whole of this stage is in the Pyrénées, but it skirts the major climbs, except for the 11.6km, 7.1-percent Col de la Crouzette, 57km from the finish in Foix. That climb could split the peloton, and lead to  an exciting finale. All of the contenders will have to be vigilant, while opportunists like Yaroslav Popovych may be able to steal the stage win.

Thursday, July 17: Stage 12, Lavelanet to Narbonne (168km)

This is the first of two flat stages along the Mediterranean that gives the sprinters who've survived the Pyrénées a chance to return to the limelight. But with most of the field now far back of the leaders, there will be a great opportunity for an early break to succeed.

Friday, July 18: Stage 13, Narbonne to Nîmes (182km)

This stage is much more likely to end in a bunch sprint, one that McEwen or Petacchi would dearly like to snaffle before the race heads into the foothills of the Alps.

Saturday, July 19: Stage 14, Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains (182km)

The baking hot roads of Provence usually favor breakaways, but with no serious climbs on this unfamiliar course the sprinters may get a last call to show their skills on a tight finish straightaway in Digne-les-Bains.

Sunday, July 20: Stage 15, Digne-les-Bains to Prato Nevoso (216km)

This first of three stages in the Alps is long and likely to be a yawner as it crosses into Italy over the gentle Col de Larche. But fireworks await the main pack when they reach the finishing climb to Prato Nevoso, whose 11km at 7 percent is just tough enough to draw out the main contenders.

Monday, July 21: Rest day at Cuneo

With only six days of racing left, including the two toughest stages in the three weeks, the 2008 Tour should be finely poised.

Tuesday, July 22: Stage 16, Cuneo to Jausiers (157km)

There has never been a stage of the Tour quite like this one. It's less than 160km long and contains only two climbs. But the first one, the Col de la Lombarde at half-distance, is more than 20km long, and averages 7 percent on its way to an elevation of 7713 feet. Then, after a rapid 20km descent, the climbing begins up the giant Col de la Bonette (a.k.a. the Restefond). It opens with 15km of uphill work in a deep canyon and then gets into serious climbing mode for another 27km at a 6.2-percent average to the highest elevation of any climb in France: 9193 feet above sea level. The stage ends with a scary technical 23km of descending to the finish in the tiny town of Jausiers. Only the prospective Tour podium finishers will be left to contest this stage win.

Wednesday, July 23: Stage 17, Embrun to L'Alpe d'Huez (210km)

Only four days from the Tour finish, this last stage with a summit finish could see an even more dramatic showdown than we witnessed on the Col d'Aubisque at this year's Tour. This classic stage 17 first crosses the mighty Col du Galibier, then heads over the just as rugged Col de la Croix de Fer before tackling the spectacular 13.2km, 8.6-percent haul up to L'Alpe d'Huez. This is the same combination of climbs and finish that led to the two-man show by Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault in 1986, and consecrated LeMond as the Tour's first American winner.

Thursday, July 24: Stage 18, Bourg d'Oisans to St. Étienne (197km)

With the Tour virtually settled (or will it be?), all of the "losers" in the race will be wanting to make it into the day's winning break. Whoever gets up there will need to have climbing strength to contemplate taking the win in St. Étienne because the final climb, the little-known Croix de Montvieux,  is almost 14km long at a 5.5 percent average grade.

Friday, July 25: Stage 19, Roanne to Montluçon (163km)

Finally, after a week of kicking their heels (and surviving the Alps), the sprinters should get a shot at another stage win. But the last time the Tour came to Montluçon, in 2001, Belgian journeyman Serge Baguet shot out of a small breakaway group to take the honors.

Saturday, July 26: Stage 20, Cérilly to St. Amand-Montrond TT (53km)

This closing time trial is similar to the one at Angoulême in 2006, when Contador, Evans and Leipheimer fought it out for the final yellow jersey. Could they again be the three contenders, or will someone come out of the woodwork to surprise the favorites? It might be that type of Tour.

Sunday, July 27: Stage 21, Étampes to Paris (Champs-Élysées) (143km)

The traditional procession through the southern suburbs of the French capital precedes eight ultra-fast laps around the Champs-Élysées. Expect a familiar heated sprint finish to end what looks like being another unpredictable Tour.

Total distance: 3554km