Alberto Contador lambasted Lance Armstrong during a press conference after returning to his hometown of Pinto (near Madrid), saying that the tense relationship between the two riders caused a very uncomfortable situation for all team members.

“My relationship with Lance Armstrong is non-existent. Even if he is a great champion, I have never had admiration for him and I never will,” the Contador said. “On this Tour, the days in the hotel were harder than those on the road. It was a delicate situation, very tense, the two riders who had most weight on the team did not have an easy relationship and that puts the rest of the technical staff and the riders in an uncomfortable position.”

Lance’s reply, via Twitter:

“Seeing these comments from AC. If I were him I’d drop this drivel and start thanking his team. w/o them, he doesn’t win.”

“hey pistolero, there is no “i” in “team”. what did i say in March? Lots to learn. Restated.”

Astana Team captain Johan Bruyneel and Armstrong both are leaving the team at the end of the year, and at present Contador is unsure of where he will go, saying “I do not know where I’ll go, but I am clear that it will be a team that is 100 percent behind me.”

Covered on both CNN and NY Times.

Gruppo Bici has become the U.S. importer of Axevo colored replacement brake hoods for road bike brakes.  Colored rubber hoods (as well as OE replacements) are available for Campagnolo 9-11 speed, Shimano 105, Dura-Ace 7800 and 7900, and Ultegra, and SRAM Force, Rival and Red controls and are available in seven colors: blue, celeste, green, pink, red, white and yellow. Custom colors are also available for clubs and teams based on a minimum order.

Axevo hoods are used in original equipment applications so the molds are the same as or identical to the manufacturer molds as are the rubber compositions. “Axevo makes no claim to enhancing the manufacturer’s brake hood so the rider will see no difference in the finish, fit or function compared to the original equipment,” D’Abria Versace states; Axevo brake hoods are made in Italy and have no branding.

Gruppo Bici has an introductory special of $29.95 through end of August, after which they’ll be $34.95 (prices include shipping).  They should have them in stock later this week.

Another photo after the break…

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Joshua Hammer is a freelance foreign correspondent for the NY Times and is based in Berlin. He and Mark Simon, also from the NY Times, recently documented a cycling trip that followed along the Iron Curtain (the ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991).

The article is full of interesting information about the history of Germany, military activity, various cultures, foods and geography. It’s amazing how much fun learning can be when you throw in a bike!

Read the Full Story Here.

After a several year hiatus, Pinarello is resurrecting the Dogma name with a totally new for 2010 racing road bike: the Pinarello Dogma 60.1.  It takes the award-winning, highly regarded Prince frame and creates a new top-of-the-line road bike with some very interesting features.

Technical specs in a moment, we just can’t wait to say that it comes in a whopping 12 color schemes, all of which are dead sexy (“Black on Black” shown above, pictures of the other 11 colors after the break).

Now, about those specs…the frame uses asymetrical stays and differing features on each side of the bike.  Pinarello calls it “the beginning of a new generation of frames that will revolutionize the concept of racing bicycles.”  They claim it’s the first completely asymetric racing frame, with the right and left side having different shapes and sections.

Starting with the Prince’s frame, Pinarello used the proven shapes and geometry, then added a lot of new technology:

• Asymetrical frame design
• EPS Wrinkle Free System construction
• Exclusive 60HM1K carbon by Torayca
• Nanoalloy to prevent sudden breakage
• Diamond Finish exterior treatment
• 11 frame sizes
• Totally customizeable builds

These are all explained after the break with glorious, glorious photos (insert Homer Simpson aaaaaaaauuuuggghhhh here)…

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The Ride 2 Recovery is an event designed to bring veterans, celebrities, athletes, and hundreds/thousands of participants together to help injured heroes return to a life free of the mental and physical toll that they have taken.

There are four main multi day rides scheduled and several one day “CycleFests”. Ride 2 Recovery is currently looking for local event directors for the one day CycleFests. Event promotors, with the support of Ride 2 Recovery, will organize one day events in their own town. Events may include various length rides (i.e. 20 mi, 50 mi, 100K, 100mi) and have any elements such as entertainment, expos or anything else to make their CycleFest memorable.

If you are interested in becoming a Ride 2 Recovery CycleFest Director, please go here for more information.

Hit ‘more‘ for Schedule of Multi-day Events, and a R2R Commercial run during the Tour de France…

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Lance may be getting a little more attention than he wants from this bike, the Trek Madone he rode in the final stage of the 2009 Tour de France.  Designed by controversial artist Damien Hirst, the butterfly wings on it are real, and this has animal rights activists up in arms.

Citing “horrific barbarity” over the use of dead butterfly wings, Sam Glover of PETA said this “ruined the very essence of this (Armstrong’s) spirit.”

Hirst said he was approached by U2 singer Bono to make the bicycle and that he (Hirst) wanted to use real butterfly wings because of the way they shimmer in the light.  He said Armstrong “loves it.”

This bike, along with the other custom designed frames (See Exhibits A, B, C, D, E and F) are on exhibit at Stages09 through mid-August.  They will be auctioned off in October to raise money for Livestrong’s anti-cancer programs.

Hit ‘more’ to see close-ups of the butterflies on the bike…

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We’ll admit two things about the upcoming 2010 Santa Cruz Tallboy 29er:

1) We’re surprised as heck to see it given Santa Cruz’s comments on our 29er DH post and on their engineering guy’s own blog, and…

2) We’re a little late to the game on posting this.  It’s been in the wild for a couple weeks now, depending on who you talk to.

So, to make up for the latter, we’ve accumulated lots and lots of pics, specs and details for your viewing pleasure.  Here it is, the 2010 Santa Cruz Tallboy 29er.  It’s a carbon-fiber frame with next-generation VPP pivots that have grease ports and angular contact bearings, aluminum pivot axles and titanium hardware.  It’ll come in four sizes, from Medium to XXL, and it’s light!

Hit ‘more’ for all the goods…

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Alabama’s liquor control agency has banned Cycles Gladiator Wine because its label protrays a nekkid woman riding (flying?) a bicycle.  The image is from a vintage 1895 cycling poster and has been sold nationwide for years without issue.  Now, however, Alabama’s ABC Board has sent a letter to all stores and restaurants telling them not to sell the wine because the label defies the state’s prohibition on labels that are “offensive or immodest.”

Wow.  If that’s the worst thing someone who’s 21 sees in their day, they’re probably a nun.

My hunch is interest in the wine among Alabamans will increase now, and in the meantime, they can rock out in the sweet Cycles Gladiator bicycle jersey.  Hit ‘more’ to see it…

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Here are the good bits, summarized for your water-cooler gossiping pleasure:

• Cancellara accused Contador of drafting the motorbikes during Thursday’s final Individual Time Trial when the Yellow Jersey trounced his Olympic Time Trial winning compatriot.  But here’s the deal: It’s the motorcycles’ responsibilities not to interfere with the riders, not vice versa.
• Armstrong bailed on Contador’s team celebration Saturday night, opting instead to have “a few extra glasses of wine than I would have normally done” while entertaining higher ups from future team sponsor Radio Shack.
• Jokes abounded following Thursday’s announcement of the Radio Shack deal, with one of our favorites being “Bruyneel to Armstrong: We’re not going to win today’s time trial, how can we upstage Contador? Armstrong: I have an idea…
• Contador’s win makes this the fourth straight Tour de France won by a Spaniard, and Spanish press are hailing Alberto Contador as he “king of the Tour.”  He won it in 2007, and Oscar Pereiro won in 2006, Carlos Sastre in 2008.  It’s a shame they accidentally played the Danish national anthem when Contador was on the podium…maybe that explains Armstrong’s curious facial expression (above, and at the link. Is it me, or does Lance look like a young George W Bush there?).
• Greg Lemond, after witnessing Contador’s climb up Verbier and drubbing of Cancellara in the final time trial, passively accused Contador of doping.  When pressed on the issue by a journalist, Contador twice ducked the question, then passed on discussing his VO2 max as well.  Given the massive testing efforts, Contador so far is clean, and Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme remains cautiously optimistic that this year’s race has proven the race can be run clean.
• Bruyneel will be leaving Team Astana, citing conflicts with team sponsors and not liking the infighting between Armstrong and Contador.  One of the pivotal moments was when Contador attacked on Stage 17 against Bruyneel’s orders, effectively pushing Armstrong and Kloden off the podium and giving second place to Andy Schleck.
• There’s no doubt it was a disappointing Tour for Cadel Evans, but the final days’ posts on his website/blog are fairly upbeat.
• Sure, Armstrong will be back next year, with a vengeance.  But French riders have hope in your Brice Felliu, who performed exceptionally well.  And the Schleck brothers’ antics of testing everyone all the time should continue to make the Tour interesting without Lance’s star power.  But there’s no denying that seeing Armstrong face off against Contador next year will be stellar…let’s hope and pray no one’s busted for anything between now and then.  Unrelated, does anyone else think of the “twins” from the Matrix when they see the Schlecks riding around playfully at the front of the peloton?

Join Topeak-Ergon team mountain bikers Sonya Looney and Jeff Kerkove to get some tips on racing like a pro, including training, nutrition, maintenance and more.  Held at the REI flagship store in Denver, CO, tomorrow (Tuesday) July 28, 2009 at 7pm.

Alan Ray Simmons is glad he was wearing his helmet.  He was riding along on Tunnel Road in Asheville, NC, with his wife and 3-year-old son when motorist Charles Diez approached him and berated him for riding with a young child on such a heavily trafficked road.

Authorities said the men got into an argument, then Diez pulled out a handgun and fired at Simmons.  Fortunately, the bullet hit Simmons’ helmet, passing through the lining, but stopping short of hitting his head.  Diez is being held on $500,000 bond and charged with attempted first degree murder.

He must’ve been wearing the new Bell-istic model helmet…

UPDATE: It gets worse…Diez is (was, now) an Asheville FD fire fighter.

Thanks to Denny @ Manitou for the heads up on this.