On Tap...

Act Three
The final Act of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana begins this weekend with the tortuous ascent and mountain top finish of the Alto de L'Angliru. Last used in 2002, L'Argliru pitches up at a 23% grade in several locations. It will be no easy task to say the least.

A quick glance at the General Classification show Euskaltel's Egoi Martinez with a narrow lead on the dangerous pair from Astana, American Levi Leipheimer and Spaniard Alberto Contador. Although there are still hundreds of kilometers to go until Madrid, and with all due respect to Martinez and the rest of the field, but this race is Astana's to lose.

General Classification After Stage 12
1 Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana
4 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC - Saxo Bank
5 Ezequiel Mosquera Miguez (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
6 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
8 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
9 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre
10 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

Stage Recap - Stage 1| Stage 2| Stage 3| Stage 4 | Stage 5| Stage 6| Stage 7| Stage 8| Stage 9| Stage 10| Stage 11| Stage 12

Schedule
Stage 13 - September 13 San Vicente de la Barquera - Alto de L'Angliru (199 km)
Stage 14 - September 14 Oviedo - E. E. Fuentes de Invierno (158 km)
Stage 15 - September 15 Cudillero – Ponferrada (198 km)
Stage 16 - September 16 Ponferrada – Zamora (185 km)
Stage 17 - September 17 Zamora – Valladolid (160 km)
Stage 18 - September 18 Valladolid - Las Rozas (179 km)
Stage 19 - September 19 Las Rozas – Segovia (161 km)
Stage 20 - September 20 La Granja de San Ildefonso - Alto de Navacerrada ITT (16 km)
Stage 21 - September 21 San Sebastián de los Reyes – Madrid (110 km)

Rolling in the USA
The Tour of Missouri concludes this weekend. Buttressed by his win in the Stage 3 Individual time Trial, Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Chipotle) leads Team Columbia's Michael Rogers by a scant 18 seconds. But barring any major catastrophes, Vande Velde should walk away with the 2008 title.

Stage Recap - Stage 1| Stage 2| Stage 3| Stage 4| Stage 5

Schedule
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)

Fast & Hard
The penultimate race of USA Crits Series also takes place this weekend with the debut of the San Francisco Twilight Criterium tomorrow, September 13th. It should be a pair of fast and exciting races as the top two in both the women's and men's individual points standings and in the women's team competition will look to garner as many points as possible heading into Las Vegas. And don't look now, but our friends on first-year team Vanderkitten Racing are on the prowl.

Women’s Overall Standings:
1 Kelly Benjamin (Cheerwine Cycling) - 1358 pts
2 Jennifer Wilson (Vanderkitten Racing) - 1333
3 Taitt Sato (ValueAct Capital Cycling Team) - 1043

Men’s Overall Standings:
1 Yosvany Falcon (TOSHIBA-Santo p/b Herbalife) - 1489 pts
2 Adam Myerson (Time Pro Cycling) - 1425
3 Mark Hekman (TOSHIBA-Santo p/b Herbalife) - 1329

Women's Team Standings:
1 Vanderkitten Racing - 3354
2 Cheerwine Cycling - 3314

Right Here, Right Now
For other races in select areas of the country, scroll through the listings below.

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

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


Up The Road
09/20/2008
Henleyville Road Race
Corning, CA
Nittany Lion Cross
Foglesville, PA
2008 Huntington Bicycle Challenge
Huntington, IN
Buckeye Criterium in Verrado
Buckeye, AZ
Everest Challenge Stage Race
Bishop, CA
Cherry Roubaix
Traverse City, MI

09/21/2008
Sierra Nevada Chico Downtown Criterium
Chico, CA
Ohio State Road Racing Championships
Waynesville, OH
Jackson Park Cyclocross
Chicago, IL
Sacramento Cyclocross #2
Sacramento, CA
ING Direct Capial Criterium powered by CycleLife
Washington, DC
Muckenthaler Cyclocross
Fullerton, CA