



TOUR DE FRANCE 2008
The last stage of the Tour
TOUR DE FRANCE 2008
Christine at the stage 1 depart
DAUPHINÉ REPORT
INTERVIEWS 2008
Chechu on the Giro and Georgia
GEORGIA EDITORIAL
NOTES FROM ASTURIAS
Four days in Chechu's footsteps

AMIGOS AT PARIS ROUBAIX
CHECHU WINS IN MURCIA!
CHECHU JOINS LOCAL TEAM
KAZAKHSTAN
THE TURQUOISE T-SHIRT
FRUITS OF ENCOUNTER
Chechu's apple jam
ENCOUNTER
With Chechu in Asturias
In a press release today, Team Astana named the nine riders who will take part in the Tour of Spain, starting this Saturday in Granada.
The 2008 roster is Assan Bazayev, Alberto Contador, Andreas Klöden, Levi Leipheimer, Dmitriy Muravyev, Benjamín Noval, Sérgio Paulinho, José Luis Rubiera and Tomas Vaitkus. Daniel Navarro is the reserve.
Chechu says, "This will be my 20th and last Grand Tour. I am very grateful to all the riders, staff, sports directors and fans who have supported me throughout my entire career. It is a true honor to have had the opportunity to race for Johan, Lance and now Alberto. It has been a dream and I would love to complete my career with another Grand Tour victory".
RESULT: Leipheimer 1st. Contador 2nd. Chechu finishes 43rd at 10'02".
Chechu joins team-mates Contador, Leipheimer, Muravyev, Navarro and Paulinho for a Vuelta warm-up at the Clásica a los Puertos today.
During 146km in the mountains of the Sierra de Madrid, the race takes in three huge climbs, including the first category Puerto de Navacerrada.
Past winners include Pedro Delgado and Miguel Induráin.
See OFFICIAL RACE WEBSITE
As Chechu continues his build-up for the Vuelta a España this weekend, we're also looking forward to the Tour of Spain. It's Chechu's last scheduled race and like it or not, we have to think about this too.
So we're planning a series of special features, retrospectives on his wonderful cycling career. As well as best of the web, we're working new features and interviews.
Our retrospectives will be specially published via our newsletter during the Vuelta. If you're not already signed up, perhaps now is a good time. It's free, of course, and we don't pass your details on.
SIGN-UP
Christine continues her fan diary, this time catching up with Team Astana in Bourg-en-Bresse for stage 1 of Tour de l’Ain.
See MAGAZINE
New design, and up-to-date content. And in Russian.
With lots of Astana blue, it is positively dynamic in contrast to its clunky predecessor. I personally don't like the flying images, but who cares. For ease-of-use and content, it performs well so far and will certainly have broader appeal. (Nicky)
Go to TEAM ASTANA
It's known as a challenging race, and after just 70km, a group of 46 riders got away, including winner Alejandro Valverde. The remainder of the peloton were stopped by the race commissionaire shortly afterwards!

Bruno Lopez Vizcon catches up with Chechu and his team-mates on their training ride on the Angliru, the key climb in this year's Vuelta.
See MAGAZINE
Braveheart Cycling Fund supports David Smith, 22 years old, from Caithness in north Scotland. He's been riding in France for nearly three years. We spoke to him to find out more about his life, and his quest for a pro contract. It's great reading!
See INTERVIEW
Photograph by Graham Watson, Team Astana
See RACE DIARY. Also DAUPHINÉ REPORT
Bruno Lopez Vizcon escribe, Los españoles tenemos una típica costumbre con nuestros deportistas. Tenemos la manía de buscar sucesor a todo el mundo. Necesitamos ver en las nuevas figuras antiguos héroes o leyendas de nuestro deporte. Nos pasó con Induráin. Cuando se fue nos quedamos tan vacios, que le pasamos el testigo al pobre Olano, “El nuevo Induráin” decíamos. Esto condicionó tremendamente la carrera de Abraham.
Para más, vaya al REVISTA