Performance cyclists looking for a challenging ride through gorgeous scenery will certainly have their work cut out for them as Thomson Bike Tours opens its King of the Mountains Bike Tour at Giro d’Italia.

As a cycling fan, you may already know that the Giro d’Italia features some of the best and toughest climbs in cycling events (and probably the most famous, as well). This year’s edition is no different, as pro-cyclists will have to take on hardcore ascents at Monte Zoncolan, which is infamous for its reputation as the most difficult climb in all of Europe.

Now, you may not be a professional cyclist yet, but if you’re the kind of rider whose mouth waters at the thought of conquering these slopes, then you will love the King of the Mountains Bike Tour.

First of all, you won’t even have to get on your bike to enjoy this tour, since participants…

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Amber Halliday’s debut with last year’s Tour of New Zealand took everyone by surprise. The professional rower won the 125 kilometer stage to Admiral Hill on her own. It was a momentous victory for her since it was her first International Cycling Union road race.

After a collision with Japanese Mayuko Hagiware of Japan National Team, Amber Halliday will have to forfeit the chance to win the 11 kilometre individual time trial at the Women’s Tour of New Zealand. The accident happened on the second stage of the race while both female riders are on the descent. Halliday planned to wear her green, gold and white jersey and win the race which she won last year.

Halliday was thought to have a a broken collarbone but reports confirmed she suffered a humerus fracture and a dislocated shoulder. There were also some skin abrasions and angry bruises that came from the…

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After having a much needed rest, Anna Meares will return to race on Saturday evening’s Revolution 6 in Melbourne, Australia. Due to fatigue from her intense workout, she was advised to take a break and recover so she can join the UCI World Track Championships next month.

Meares’ sprint champion and teammate Kaarle McCulloch will be joining her on Revolution 6. McCulloch marks the Revolution 6 race as part of her training for the championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. Earlier this month, the amazing McCulloch won four gold medals at the Australian Track Championships in Adelaide, South Australia.

Emily Rosemond will be joining Meares and McCulloch to compete with the Under 19 men this weekend for the sprint race. With the likes of Jaron Gardiner, Aaron Cooper and Nathan Corrigan-Martella in the contest, it will be a sight to watch and to find out who will emerge victorious over this seemingly…

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The US National Ultra Endurance Series 2010 (NUE) sponsored by Kenda, will begin on April 24, 2010. 2009 NUE series champs were Betsy Shrogen and Jeff Schalk. The 100-mile mountain bike races will kick off at Cohutta 100 in Tennessee. The series is composed of eight 100 mile races and will end on September 5 at the Shenandoah Mountain 100.

Replacing the Sierra-Tahoe 100 of last year’s event is the High Cascades 100 in Oregon. Co-organizer, Ryan O’Dell expresses his excitement over this new move. Oregon will get to have its virgin run on August 7, 2010.

Scheduled to run the same way as 2009, the US National Ultra Endurance Series will close with a bang on Labor day weekend at the Shenandoah Mountain 100 race. This is also where the tiebreaker race will take place based on the best four events score by racers.

Organizers for NUE strongly encourages…

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The newest addition to their line of backpacks, Osprey Hydraulics ushers in the Raptor and the Manta. These two new hydration packs is set for adventure on the road or in the mountains. The Raptor packs were specifically designed to accommodate mountain bikers with its tool pockets and other compartments any mountain biker may use. The Manta packs are more for an all-day activity like mountain hiking or climbing.

Both hydration packs are lightweight and functional. Built with padded waist straps and five slash pockets where you can store items like your cellphone or keys. It has a main compartment that has a tool pocket.Slash pockets are lined with heat embossed fabric. It also has a blinker patch and an Airscape back panel. There is also a helmet latch and the packs come in several colors.

Probably its best feature would be the hydration bladder. Osprey Hydraulics came…

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It turns out that Fabian Cancellara has to cancel his plans for using his Specialized time trial bike, since the UCI has banned it from the races. Needless to say, this news is not going down well for unhappy Team Saxo Bank owner Bjarne Riis.

Riis claims that the UCI’s decision to ban the TT bike is “very disturbing” and “beyond contempt”, and that the rules are so complicated, no one can understand them. Riis also insists that the Specialized bike they were planning on using for their time trials this season is “both durable and safe”.

Fans may remember that Tour de France winner Alberto Contador was also prevented from riding a Specialized TT bike at the Volta ao Algarve. This is the same model that World TT champ Fabian Cancellara wanted to ride, before the UCI also closed the door on him.

Bjarne Riis complains that “it is…

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Professional Mountain Bike Gravity Tour will give you two UCI events and five races in four states to celebrate its second year in US Cycling. The races will take place from April to September 2010 with the starting line at Port Angeles, Washington.

The Professional Gravity Race Tour is a downhill series of races. From its kick off point, it will take you to the opposite coast for the Plattekill Gravity Open in Roxbury Hill Bike Park, New York. Sometime halfway through the course, upon reaching California, the bikers will race at Northstar at Tahoe event in Truckee. The series will proceed to Winter Park, Colorado for the Trestle Bike Park and finish once again with the Whiteface 5th Annual Downhill races in Lake Placid, New York.

The series will be rendering ranking points to every top finishers of the races. This will have professional men and…

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