Cycling photography for February - Part II The Local East Coast Australian Time is plus 30 minutes GAS Sport Team Presentation Classic Haribo & Trofeo Luis Puig Acca Due O Team Presentation Vuelta Andalucia (Ruta del Sol) Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente Trofeo Laigueglia Tour Méditerranéen Le Tour de Langkawi Alfa Lum Team Presentation La Dolce Vita Cup Gun Hill Premier Calendar Road Race Mercatone Uno Team Presentation Floyd Llandis and Amber's wedding GAS Sport Team Presentation Team GAS Sport are about "sacrifice, team spirit, strength and will power". They presented a team of 11 riders in Chiuppano, Italy on February 26. Pictures supplied by GAS Sport Team management. Gabriella Pregnolato - 2000 Italian road champion Alessandra Cappellotto Finnish star - Pia Sunstedt Up and coming French rider - Séverine Desbouys. World Road Champion - Zinaida Stahurskaia. The entire GAS Sport Team - outside HQ Classic Haribo & Trofeo Luis Puig Two big races on the February 24-25 weekend were the French Classic Haribo, won by Hans de Clercq, and the Spanish Trofeo Luis Puig, won for the second time in a row by Erik Zabel. Hans Declercq (Lotto) - raises his arms after winning the 8th Classic Haribo Hans Declercq - poses with his trophy Erik Zabel (Telekom) - wins the XXI Trofeo Luis Puig in Benidorm Acca Due O Team Presentation The Acca Due O-HP-Lorena Camiche team presentation was held in the Hotel Fior in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy on February 24. Cyclingnews correspondent, Tim Maloney was on hand to capture the appropriate pics of the world's number one women's team. New signing - Nicole Cooke and Alessandro Brambilla The ever present Zita Urbaniate The entire Acca Due O-HP-Lorena Camiche team New direttore sportivo - Jean Paul Van Poppel. President Maurizio Fabretto - with team bike Acca Due O Pinarello team bike Acca Due O team jersey for 2001 Cool Prosecco - complete with Sydney 2000 logo! Vuelta Andalucia (Ruta del Sol) Alexandre Shefer (Alessio) - celebrates as he wins the second stage of the Ruta del Sol Erik Zabel (Telekom) - celebrates on the podium after winning stage 3 Rabobank cyclist - Erik Dekker is kissed on the podium Stage 4 winner - Martin Hvastja (Alessio) holds his trophy and flowers aloft Erik Dekker - raises his arms after winning the overall classification Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente Following on directly from the Trofeo Laigueglia, this four-stage Italian race is in its first year in 2001. More pics from Roberto Bettini and Fotoreporter Sirotti. Daniele Galli (Alexia Aluminio) - wins stage one Stage 1 podium: Andris Nauduzs, Daniele Galli and Nicola Loda Dimitri Konyshev and Stefano Zanini - go head to head for the line in the stage 2 sprint Stefano Zanini - just wins stage 2. Stefano Zanini - raises an arm as he wins stage two Stefano Zanini - kissed on the podium after winning Stefano Zanini - kissed on the podium after taking the leader's jersey Podium of stage 2: Fabio Sacchi, Stefano Zanini, and Dimitri Konyshev Laszlo Bodrogi (Mapei) - wins stage 3 into Varazze, wearing the Hungarian champion's jersey Laszlo Bodrogi - on the podium after taking the leader's jersey in stage 3 Laszlo Bodrogi - raises his arms with the trophy Stage 3 podium: Andrea Ferrigato, Laszlo Bodrogi and Giuliano Figueras A Fassa Bortolo rider (Frigo?) - pictured in action during the final stage Sergey Ivanov (Fassa Bortolo) - wins the final stage into Savona. Sergey Ivanov - raises his arms as he wins the final stage Stage 4 podium: Andrea Ferrigato, Sergey Ivanov and Laszlo Bodrogi (3rd) Laszlo Bodrogi - the overall winner of the first Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente. The winners - acknowledge the crowd atop the final podium Trofeo Laigueglia The first Italian race on the UCI calendar is traditionally the Trofeo Laigueglia, a 172.5 kilometre semi-classic won this year by 'home boy' Mirko Celestino. Photos by Roberto Bettini and Fotoreporter Sirotti. Mirko Celestino (Saeco) - leads Petito and Rebellin in the final break Davide Rebellin - leads Axel Merckx in the final six man break Mirko Celestino - crosses the line, ecstatic with his first season victory. Mirko Celestino - crosses the line (close up). Mirko Celestino - crossing the line, arms raised Mirko Celestino - holds the Trofeo aloft, as Nardello and Rebellin look on Michele Bartoli (Mapei) - looked in ominous form during the Trofeo Laiguieglia Tour Méditerranéen Fotoreporter Sirotti has sent in the several of the following shots in from the Tour Méditerranéen, the second major French stage race of the new season. The peloton - set out from Cannes on stage 1 Ivan Basso (Fassa Bortolo) - leads Rebellin and Moncoutie (Cofidis) on Mont Faron Ivan Basso - sprints away to win Ivan Basso - triumphs in the first stage ahead of Rebellin Ivan Basso - punches the air after winning Very happy - Ivan Basso on the podium. The three placegetters in stage 1 - Davide Rebellin (2nd), Ivan Basso (1st) and Davide Moncoutie (3rd) Robbie McEwen (Domo-Farm Frites) - triumphs in stage 2 Robbie McEwen - ahead of Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) on the line Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) - on the ground after falling Robbie McEwen - on the podium after winning stage 2 Robbie McEwen - gets the flowers. Yellow jersey wearer Ivan Basso - stands next to McEwen Jimmy Casper - edges out Jan Svorada and Jaan Kirsipuu for stage 3. Jimmy Casper (La Francaise des Jeux) - celebrates his win on the podium Gabriele Balducci (Tacconi) - wins stage 4 in front of Stefano Zanini (Mapei). Gabriele Balducci - celebrates on the podium after winning stage 4 Yellow jersey wearer Ivan Basso (Fassa Bortolo) - lies on the ground after falling Ivan Basso - receives medical treatment after his fall Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) - clearly wins stage 5 in front of Jimmy Casper Jaan Kirsipuu - on the podium after his win in stage 5 Davide Rebellin (Liquigas) - looks like a winner in the yellow jersey Davide Rebellin (Liquigas) - in action during stage 6 Jimmy Casper (FdJ) - falls within metres of the finish line of the final stage Jaan Kirsipuu (Ag2r) - storms home to win the final stage Jaan Kirsipuu - wins the final stage of the Tour Méditerranéen Davide Rebellin (Liquigas) - celebrates his overall victory Davide Rebellin - celebrates on the podium after his overall win Final podium - Frédéric Guesdon (mountains), Davide Rebellin (overall GC) and Jaan Kirsipuu (points) Le Tour de Langkawi Malaysia's premier bicycle race, Le Tour de Langkawi, is also one of the richest in the world, boasting $US 370,000 in prizemoney. The 12 stage event is well patronised by European and US trade teams, as well as several national teams. Gord Fraser and Jans Koerts - both of Mercury-Viatel, in the post-race press conference after stage 1 Jans Koerts (Mercury) - still in yellow after stage 2 Jans Koerts - on the podium with some not-quite podium girls Race leader Jans Koerts and Gord Fraser - feel the humidity after stage 3 Still in yellow - Jans Koerts enjoys a trishaw ride after his win in stage 6 Jans Koerts - on one of the famous trishaws in Melaka after stage 7 Fans - wait for the peloton to come by on stage 9 Many fans - wait for the peloton to come by The peloton - come through Pascal Herve (Alexia) - wore the mountains jersey after stage 9 Jans Koerts (Mercury) - was not happy about being eliminated Paolo Bettini (Mapei) - did not wear the points jersey during stage 10 Paolo Bettini - waits in the rain before the start of stage 10 Stage 10 winner - Nathan O'Neill (Panaria) Paolo Lanfranchi (Mapei) - was secure in the yellow jersey after stage 10 The podium after stage 10: Herve, Lanfranchi, O'Neill, Bettini and Wong Riders - line up for the start of the final stage The peloton - speed by the start/finish line during stage 12 Hans De Meester (Collstrop) - has a go during the final stage The peloton - speed through the streets of Kuala Lumpur on the final stage Mapei - controlled the pace on the last stage in Kuala Lumpur Paolo Lanfranchi (Mapei) - was ecstatic at winning overall. Mapei and Telekom Malaysia - were the final winning teams Mapei-Quick Step - celebrate their victory Alfa Lum Team Presentation The Alfa Lum RSM team presentation was held in the Centro Commerciale "Azzurro", Republic of San Marino, on February 10, 2001. Photos of the entire team were provided by team management, taken by Andrea Gorini. Team Alfa Lum RSM - in cowgirl outfits Team Alfa Lum RSM - in full team kit Aranzazu Azpiroz (Spa) - an up and coming rider from Spain. Fany Lecourtois (Fra) - ranked third in France last season Mari Holden (USA) - World TT Champion shows her new colours Mari Holden - in her World's jersey Martina Corazza (Ita) - Italian junior champion in 1997. Rasa Mazeikyte (Ltu) - bronze medallist at the 1999 European TT championships Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) - 1999 World Champion and 1998 Tour winner Sara Felloni (Ita) - triple winner of Varazze-San Remo Serena Gazzini (Ita) - former Italian junior champion (1995) Simona Grossi (Ita) - on the comeback trial after a knee injury Joane Somarriba (Spa) - Giro winner in 1999-2000, and Tour winner in 2000 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) - 1999 European time trial champion Daniela Veronesi (SMr) - veteran of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia La Dolce Vita Cup Although an slightly unlikely sounding name for a bicycle race, La Dolce Vita Cup in Qld, Australia clearly brought out the best in people's criterium racing skills. The photos were provided by Martin Pearce, and were taken by Scott Dobeli. Marty Pearce (Harding European/G.E.T.) - takes a Prime Craig Mackie (Harding European/G.E.T.) - tries to go it solo Aggressive team riding Craig Saunders - wins the race from Brad Nightingale and Leon Vogels Gun Hill Premier Calendar Road Race This race was held in September 2000 but we have recently received some photos courtesy of Dave O'Nyons who was quite close to the action. The race was won by John Tanner. The ascent of Gun Hill - Mark Lovatt, John Tanner, and Julian Winn The main peloton - struggle up to the summit of Gun Hill John Tanner amongst the peloton - as it passes through Leek town centre Team RealCost/Stephen Roche - put on a good prformance An excellent ride - came from Jonathan Rosenbrier Tanner - begins to take control of the race Mercatone Uno Team Presentation Photos of Il Pirata and his band of buccaneers at the team's presentation, sent in by Roberto Bettini and Fotoreporter Sirotti. Marco Pantani - and Felice Gimondi with Bianchi Marco Pantani - looking reflective, dapper and polished Marco Pantani - and the gang The team - looking very suited to the occasion Associated head honchos - and groupies. Felice Gimondi - looking very happy (of course) Floyd Landis and Amber's wedding Floyd Landis - in his post-nuptial Mercury-Viatel gear The ring - and the frame. Floyd - and his bride Amber Want some more? For more cycling photography, please consult our monthly archives