On Tap...

Round Two
This weekend marks the beginning of the second round of the three round fight known as the 2008 Vuelta a Espana. The surprising Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) holds a slim lead over American Levi Leipheimer in the General Classification. As the roads begin to kick upwards this weekend, however, look for the men of Spain to headline the remainder of their grand tour all the way into Madrid.

General Classification After Stage 6
1 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
3 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
4 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana
5 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
6 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
7 Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
8 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank
9 Dominique Cornu (Bel) Silence - Lotto
10 Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

Week 2 Schedule
Stage 7 - September 6 Barbastro – Andorra (224 km)
Stage 8 - September 7 Andorra - Pla de Beret (160 km)
Stage 9 - September 8 Viella – Sabiñánigo (198 km)
Stage 10 - September 9 Sabiñánigo – Zaragoza (173 km)
Stage 11 - September 10 Calahorra – Burgos (178 km)
Stage 12 - September 11 Burgos – Suances (180 km)
Rest Day 2 - September 12

America's Third Wheel
Meanwhile, back in the States the third of our grand tours, the Tour of Missouri, begins on Monday, September 8th. Look for most, if not all of the fireworks to be provided by the prolific American duo of Garmin-Chipotle and Team Columbia, both of whom will be packing their heavy hitters in this Show-Me State showdown.

On the women's side, the Tour of Missouri follows the example of the Amgen Tour of California by holding the inaugural Tour of Missouri Women's Criterium with a cash purse of $7500. Overland Park's Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine) will be highly motivated and tough to beat in front of the hometown crowd in Kansas City. The Monday start time for the P/1/2/3 race is 1:00pm. It will take place over 55 minutes + 5 laps.

Men's Schedule
Stage 1 - Monday, Sept. 8
St. Joseph to Kansas City , road race with circuits (90 mi / 144.81 km)
Stage 2 - Tuesday, September 9
Clinton to Springfield , road race with circuits (125 mi / 201.13 km)
Stage 3 - Wednesday, September 10
Branson , individual time trial (18 mi / 28.6 km)
Stage 4 - Thursday, September 11
Lebanon to Rolla , road race with circuits (105 mi / 168.95 km)
Stage 5 - Friday, September 12
St. James to Jefferson City , road race with circuits (100 mi / 160.9 km)
Stage 6 - Saturday, September 13
Hermann to St. Charles , road race (110 mi / 177 km)
Stage 7 - Sunday, September 14
St. Louis , circuit race (75 mi / 120.68 km)

In Your Area
09/06/2008
Lotoja Classic
Logan, UT to Jackson, WY
Warnerville Time Trial
Oakdale, CA
Priority Health Grand Cycling Classic
Grand Rapids, MI
Univest Grand Prix
Souderton, PA
LARPD Cyclocross Race Series
Livermore, CA
Nebraska State Championship Road Race
Raymond, NE
Walnut Cove Criterium
Walnut Cove, NC

09/07/2008
Priority Health Ann Arbor Cycling Classic
Ann Arbor, MI
Team Time Trial and Tandem TT Arizona State Championship
Picacho Peak, AZ
Redding Velo Mt Shasta Hillclimb
Mt Shasta City, CA
Fiesta Island SCNCA Masters/Jrs TT Championships
San Diego, CA
Benicia Town Race
Benicia, CA
Univest Criterium of Doylestown
Doylestown, PA
Carolina Cup 2008
Greensboro, NC

For results and photos of some of the races above, click through to Truesport.com .


In The Distance
09/12/2008
Folsom Cyclebration Time Trial
Folsom, CA

09/13/2008
Pine Grove Furnace Masters PA TT
Gardners, PA
Apple Festival RR
Montrose, PA
Asheville Grand Prix
Asheville, NC
SCNCA Elite Track Cycling Championships
Encino, CA
Elite Track State Championships
San Jose, CA
Alan/Infirmary Mound CX Race
Granville, OH
San Francisco Twilight Criterium
San Francisco, CA
Folsom Challenge Criterium
Folsom, CA
The Climbers Trophy
Salt Lake City, UT
Bear Creek Cyclocross Weekend
Macungie, PA

09/14/2008
Arizona State Time Trial Championship 2008
Picacho, AZ
End of Summer Crit
Ft Lee, VA
Historic Downtown Wake Forest Criterium
Wake Forest, NC
Cyclesport Cyclo-Cross
Loveland, OH
Two Bridges Circuit Race
Folsom, CA
Yuasa Battery's Right From the Start Criterium
Laureldale, PA