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LAST CYCLE-WIRE EDITORIAL... FOR THE MOMENT
Yes, that's right after two years and nearly 100 issues, the Cycle-Wire team taking a sabbatical. We intend to return in the near future and will keep you informed of any developments. We hope you have enjoyed our service so far and you will still be able to contact us at feedback@cycle-wire.com should you wish to get something off your chest!

NEWS

BRITAIN GOES FROM OBSCURITY TO BEST IN THE WORLD IN TRACK CYCLING
Manchester, UK - Rarely has one nation dominated a sporting event as much as Britain has done at the track cycling world championships, and in an Olympic year too.
British riders took gold in eight of the 10 Olympic events. Observers said their surprising rise from cycling obscurity reflects the hard work - and most of all the money - that has been devoted to the sport by Britain.
"Ten years ago I used to have to report on which British riders had qualified for the first round. The second round was out of the question," said veteran cycling commentator Phil Liggett.
"I've seen these guys work so hard, and now they have the best coaches. The result is that for the moment they have created an unbeatable team. I've only seen this before once, and that was the Australians, who ruled the roost for a few years." AP/ International Herald Tribune. Full story: tinyurl.com/2tvqcr

GREAT BRITAIN BASKING IN GOLDEN GLOW
David Brailsford, the performance director of British Cycling, has found his own vantage point from which to watch his riders in action at this week's World Track Championships in Manchester - the raised, red-carpeted rostrum in the centre of the velodrome where the gold medals are handed out.
As he stood on his platform yesterday, leaping up and down and punching the air as Britain won three more gold medals to take their overall total to nine golds and one silver out of 14 events, it was hard to think of a more appropriate place for the man who has overseen one of the most dominating performances by a team of British athletes in living memory.
Brailsford's cyclists have quite simply owned the gold medal podium, turning the championships from a competition between the world's greatest track riders into a ruthless exhibition of speed and endurance. By Simon Hart, The Telegraph. Full story: tinyurl.com/39m7pt

BRITS RIDE RINGS AROUND AUSSIES
Four months before the Beijing Olympics - and almost four years after blitzing them in Athens - Australia's track cyclists are facing a mammoth task to close the gap on Britain.
The home team has completely dominated the world championships in Manchester, collecting a stunning nine gold medals, seven of them in Olympic events, with only non-Games races scheduled for the final day.
Australian head coach Shayne Bannan admits it's unlikely the British have peaked too early and his team has a lot of work to do but he's confident there's still time to close in. The Melbourne Age. Full story: tinyurl.com/3xt95h

RELATIONS WITH WADA AND THE BIOLOGICAL PASSPORT: A STATEMENT BY THE UCI
Switzerland - The International Cycling Union (UCI) has noted with surprise the declarations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the subject of the lawsuit against Mr Richard Pound and must reiterate that the case brought against him does not in any way target the institution of which he was formerly the President. The UCI has always made a very clear distinction between WADA and Mr Pound. Furthermore, the UCI has always maintained an excellent working relationship with WADA, including during the period when statements made by Mr Pound were harmful to this relationship. More recently, the UCI has appreciated the role played by WADA in establishing the biological passport and hopes that it will continue to make a commitment in this respect. If WADA were unfortunately to decide to withdraw from the biological passport programme, the UCI would nevertheless continue its best efforts to implement the programme. UCI website: tinyurl.com/2ck34m

BULGARIA BICYCLE INDUSTRY TO GROW BY 40% IN 2008
Sofia, Bulgaria - Bulgarian bicycle makers are expecting a 40 per cent jump in production this year, double the initial estimates for 2008, after receiving last week an official permission from Brussels to import parts without paying anti-dumping tariffs.
Even though no tariffs were paid to start with, producers had to deposit a bank guarantee, which is no longer required, Velomania spokesman Lyudmil Ouzounov told The Sofia Echo on March 24. Velomania manufactures bikes under the Drag brand.
"By taking back the bank guarantees now we will be able to produce much more bicycles, as well as to open many new working places," Ouzounov said. The bank guarantees deposited by manufacturers was around three million euro, which they expected to receive it back by the end of the week, Dnevnik daily reported. By Elitsa Grancharova, Sofia Echo. Full story: tinyurl.com/34gvfq

TOUR DE FRANCE ORGANIZERS SAY CHAMPION ALBERTO CONTADOR WON'T BE ELIGIBLE UNTIL 2009
Spain - Tour de France champion Alberto Contador won't be eligible to compete in cycling's showcase event until 2009. Tour organizer Patrice Clerc said Wednesday he won't rescind the decision to ban Contador's Astana team from this year's race. But he said Astana can return in 2009 if it stays free of doping scandals this year. International Herald Tribune. Full story: tinyurl.com/2xn3bo

TIMING ERRORS, PERHAPS?
RAHEELA REMAINS HERO IN NATIONAL CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIP
Wapda's top most cyclist Reheela Bano remained the hero on the third day of the national women cycling championship with her continuous run of sterling performance winning another two finals here on Saturday at Cycling velodrome.
Reheela not satisfied with her earlier performance of pocketing two gold medals, went on to claim 20 km road time trials and was part of team which won 3 km team pursuit.
Her astute planning and remarkable display of technique has given big boost to defending champions Wapda's hopes for retaining the title.
She clocked 2.57.99 in the tiresome 20 km road time trial in which Wapda's Ayesha Amin stood second and Punjab's Naeelam Riaz got the third place.
Raheela along with Ayesha Amin, Rashida Munir and Ghazala Abbas led Wapda to second victory of the day in the 3 km team pursuit, clocking 4.214.93, Punjab and Railways got the second and third place respectively. Associated Press of Pakistan. Full story: tinyurl.com/2rmzvr

SHORTS

CYCLIST MISSING FROM BUNGAY
Norfolk, UK - Family members and police are becoming concerned about a 73-year-old Bungay man who went missing in Ditchingham yesterday.
John Christopher was last seen cycling in the area of "Chicken Roundabout" on the A143 at Ditchingham, Norfolk at around 3pm, and has not returned to his home in Flixton Road in Bungay. EDP24. Full story: tinyurl.com/2rchw5

BABY YOU CAN RIDE MY BICYCLE
Before their acrimonious separation, Sir Paul McCartney could often be seen bicycling happily along the seafront with Heather Mills near their house in Hove, East Sussex. Little more than a week after his divorce was granted by the High Court, the former Beatle is back on his bicycle with a new companion. By Tim Walker, The Telegraph. Full story: tinyurl.com/2vup9u

CABINET APPROVES DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL BICYCLE NETWORK
Israel - The cabinet decided on Sunday to allocate NIS 50 million to the development of a national bicycle network.
Launching the Nature and Environment Awareness Week at Beit She'arim National Park in the Galilee, the cabinet voted in favor of paving a comprehensive network of bicycle lanes in rural as well as urban areas. Haaretz.com. Full story: tinyurl.com/3xmeg8

FEATURES

PEDAL POWER
London, UK - David Cameron may be fond of his bike but what will be its impact on his political credibility?
"I'm glad I've had a whole week to consider the questions raised by an inspired tabloid sting that caught Conservative Leader David Cameron, on his way to work, cycling the wrong way up a one way street as well as ignoring at least one red light.
There is so much involved in this case that an instantaneous response would have been useless.
Personal morality versus official responsibility, credibility versus hypocrisy, physical fulfilment versus the duty to reduce carbon emissions: all these things were in play from the moment that the redtop reporter got on his bike and started trailing Mr Cameron in the direction of Westminster, with the impending-chase music from Bullitt playing ominously on the soundtrack.
For the reporter, it was no easy job. He had a video camera, so he had to ride one-handed. He had to follow Mr Cameron through a red light and along a one way street, going the wrong way." By Clive James, BBC. Full story: tinyurl.com/2mq6y6

MADNESS A THRILL
Bolivia - Painted on the side of the rock face is the utterly apt message "Jesus loves you." Below it is a precipice that drops at least 600 metres straight down. There are no soft landings on the World's Most Dangerous Road, and at virtually every hairpin turn from my perch on my mountain bike, I was invoking the Lord's name. Come to think of it, there may have been some other words that followed his name ... By Jack Branswell, Canwest News Service. Full story: tinyurl.com/ytkk2n

CHRIS HOY PROFILE
Great Britain - While Rebecca Romero has rightly taken the plaudits for her achievement of winning world championship gold medals in two sports, the extraordinary versatility of Chris Hoy has been rather overlooked, but then again, we have been taking Hoy for granted for years. Can you think of any other British competitor from any other sport who has won 19 world or Olympic medals - including 10 golds - in the last nine years? As his family's banner proclaims "Chris is the real McHoy". The Telegraph. Full story: tinyurl.com/ysuqrf

BMX ACE'S HOME GROUND ADVANTAGE
Australia - Olympic BMX hopeful Luke Madill has unveiled the secret weapon he hopes will secure him a spot on the medal dais in August. The first Olympic-sized BMX track in Australia has been built in his backyard in western Sydney, complete with 8m-high start ramp and identical jumps to the ones that will feature on the Beijing course. The only difference between the two is that his track is half the width, accommodating four riders instead of eight. By Bonny Symons-Brown, Adelaide Now. Full story: tinyurl.com/28ap6c

CONROE'S KYLE BENNETT RIDING BMX TO BEIJING
Texas, USA - Kyle Bennett's bike will probably take him from Armadillo Downs BMX, his hometown track in Conroe, Texas, all the way to the Beijing Games. There's a good chance he'll snag a gold medal while he's there.
The 28-year-old, three-time world champion got started in BMX (bicycle motocross) like most kids. He was 7 and went with a friend to the local track. His grandfather - "PePa" as Bennett calls him - fixed up a bike from Wal-Mart for racing: he removed the kickstand.
"It's been history ever since," said Bennett, who won the USA Cycling BMX National Championships Saturday in DeSoto, where he increased his points lead as he closes in on an automatic berth to Beijing.
"I just started chasing the dream."
Who would have thought the dream could include the Olympics?
BMX, yes BMX, is the newest Olympic sport. The International Olympic Committee voted in 2003 to approve its debut in the 2008 Games this August. By Kate Hairopoulos, Dallas News. Full story: tinyurl.com/36tjoe

GADGET OF THE WEEK:
One Hour Design Challenge WINNER!: TheftProof Bike Seat Lock. Full story:
tinyurl.com/2d3gp4

LETTERS
Feedback and letters to the editor can be sent to feedback@cycle-wire.com. Letters should not exceed 100 words and must include the author's full name, city and country of residence. Attachments will not be accepted. Names are withheld only in special circumstances at the discretion of the editor. All letters are subject to editing and abridgement.

Regarding David Cameron, the UK Conservative Party leader, who was seen by a journalist busting a few red lights on his way to work.

"I'll never condone red-light breaking (whatever the political persuasion). But what a sad-ar*e jerk the pedalling paparrazi fellow is. I mean, reinforcing social stereotypes of cyclists as being irresponsible law-breakers is hardly something you'd do if you loved the sport. Puncture his tyres I say!!! (And no, I'm a green not a Tory.)" - Jim Robinson, Opotiki, NZ