Cycling photography for March - Part 1 The Local East Coast Australian Time is plus 30 minutes Giro di Siracusa Canberra World Cup/Tour de Snowy/Aust. Women TT Vuelta a Murcia Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne Omloop Het Volk Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad Valenciana GAS Sport Team Presentation Classic Haribo & Trofeo Luis Puig Acca Due O Team Presentation Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente Giro di Siracusa Supermario is back! Taking the bunch sprint, Mario Cipollini signalled his return to form after suspension and illness. Mario Cipollini - punches the air in triumph Canberra World Cup, Tour de Snowy, Australian WTT The first women's World Cup race of the year is held in Canberra, two days after the finish of the Tour de Snowy. Tom Balks was there for cyclingnews.com. More Tour de Snowy and Canberra photos can be found via these links. Canberra World Cup - March 10, 2001 Autotrader.com team - pose before the pre-World Cup press conference Saturn-Timex team - pose in front of Parliament House New Zealand team - pose with corrugated cow Cyclists - answer questions at the pre-race press conference in Canberra Race promoter Phill Bates - the man behind it all. Anna Millward (Saturn) - speaks during the press conference Mari Holden (Alfa Lum) - was giving nothing away Susy Pryde (Autotrader.com) - answers questions for TV Australian Women's TT Championships - March 11, 2001 Anna Millward (Saturn) - in full flight towards victory Alison Wright (AIS) - on her way to second place Sara Carrigan (AIS) - had to settle for third Winner's podium: Alison Wright, Anna Millward, and Sara Carrigan Vuelta a Murcia This Spanish stage race saw the return of Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich and Stefano Garzelli to competition, although they weren't expected to perform well. Jan Ullrich (Telekom) - rides during stage 1 Tayeb Braikia (Lotto) - lies on the ground after falling at the end of stage 1 Endrio Leoni (Alessio) - edges out Jeroen Blijlevens (Lotto) in stage 2 Endrio Leoni (Alessio) - on the podium after his win Austrian Werner Riebenbauer (Nurnberger) - still in yellow Lance Armstrong (US Postal) - rides during stage 3 Argentinian Martin Garrido (Relax) - wins stage 3 Francisco Cabello (Kelme) - in yellow after stage 4 Lance Armstrong (US Postal) - in TT mode during stage 5 Kelme's Aitor Gonzalez - wore the final yellow jersey of the 2001 Tour of Murcia Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne Announcing his return in fine style, Peter Van Petegem took out the 'follow-up' race to Het Volk for his new Mercury-Viatel squad. Peter Van Petegem - takes the finishing sprint Peter Van Petegem - with Romans Vainsteins bridged to the original break Romans Vainsteins - leads the break through Belgian winter murk Romans Vainsteins - having a less than good day of it Andrei Tchmil - made the decisive break, with Chris Peers and Nico Mattan Andrei Tchmil - powering the initial break Hans De Clerq - in the break Marco Serpellini - not as good a day for Italy as Het Volk The bunch - making careful downhill progress Omloop Het Volk The opening race of the Belgian season ended in a rare Italian victory. Photos from Fotoreporter Sirotti, AFP and one from Daniel Schamps. A "poor" crowd - at the start of the Omloop Het Volk Michele Bartoli - leads the break into the closing stages Michele Bartoli - leads the break Michele Bartoli - post-race smiles from the winner Michele Bartoli - on the way to the win The bunch - gets excited at a possible glimmer of sunshine Nardello - leads Bartoli Cobbles - gratuitous hardcore pavé Fassa Bartolo demonstrates the fine art of cornering Fabio Baldato - just another day at the office Gritting your teeth - shows determination Team Lotto - Team Red! Peter Van Petegem - on the way to 16th. Domo mechanic - adusting Museeuw's brakes The bunch - climbs the Muur. The bunch - takes to the pavement to avoid the pavé. Ludo Dierckxsens - climbing the Muur. Romans Vainsteins - taking a corner with care Johan Museeuw - preparing for the start. Johan Museeuw - rugged up against the weather Romans Vainsteins - in the mist Michele Bartoli - grinds his way up the Muur Michele Bartoli - raises his arm as he crosses the finish line to win Michele Bartoli - raises his arm as he crosses the finish line to win Michele Bartoli - celebrates on the podium after winning Vuelta Ciclista Comunidad Valenciana The Vuelta Valenciana is one of several early season Spanish 5 day stage races. It is fairly mountainous, ending in a time trial. Michael Boogerd (Rabobank) - wins the first stage into Puerto Sagunto The peloton - near Cullera, eastern Spain, during the second stage Erik Zabel (Telekom) - sprints to win stage 2 ahead of Conte and Hincapie David Etxebarria - wins stage 3 of the Tour of Valencia, his first in Euskaltel colours 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 Walter 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! 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 Want some more? 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