Cycling photography for May - Part II The Local East Coast Australian Time is plus 30 minutes Cloudsplitter Classic GP de Wallonie GP du Midi Libre Samsung Mobile Grand Prix Vuelta Asturias MTB World Cup #3, Houffalize Tour of Japan Tour de l'Aude Cloudsplitter Classic Photos from this US national event were sent in by Joseph Moore. Three of the all-conquering Rona team - Jeanson in the middle. Gabriella Gonzalez de Ferrat (Rona) - gets ready for the TT Gabriella Gonzalez de Ferrat (Rona) - rides during the TT Genevieve Jeanson (Rona) - gets ready for the TT Jeff Alexander (Team Roar) - gets ready for the TT Meshy Holt (UPMC) - lines up for the criterium The start - of the criterium Genevieve Jeanson (Rona) - looking focussed at the start of the criterium Action - from the men's criterium The start - of the men's road race The finishing sprint - of the men's road race GP de Wallonie Axel Merckx (Domo) won his first race of the year in the GP Wallonie, a 1.2 class race in lower Belgium. Photos from AFP and Sabine Sunderland. Scott Sunderland (Fakta) - chasing over the top of the Citadel with one lap to go Axel Merckx (Domo-Farm Frites) - triumphs in the GP de Wallonie GP de Wallonie podium: Tom Stremeersch, Axel Merckx, and Scott Sunderland GP du Midi Libre Stage 1 - May 22: Gruissan - Saint-Cyprien, 181.5 km 1st and 2nd in the GP Midi Libre 2000 - Didier Rous (Bonjour) and Laurent Jalabert (CSC) Jerome Bernard (Jean Delatour) - rides with Matthe Pronk (Rabobank) Jerome Bernard - overjoyed at winning stage 1 Stage 2 - May 23: Saint-Cyprien - Pézenas, 190 km The peloton - ride through heavy rain Laurent Jalabert (CSC) - rides during stage 2 Christophe Moreau (Festina) - rides during stage 2 Nicki Sorensen (CSC) - goes on the attack Jan Svorada (Lampre) - clearly wins the second stage Stage 3 - May 24: Montpellier ITT, 19 km Kazakh Andrei Teteriuk (Mercury-Viatel) - in the leader's jersey after winning stage 3 Stage 4 - May 25: Pont-du-Gard - Laissac, 209 km The peloton - roll along during stage 4 The peloton - speed past cycling journalist Eric Fottorino Laurent Jalabert (CSC), Didier Rous (Bonjour) and Brad McGee (FdJ) - ride together Andrei Teteriuk (Mercury) - wearing the leader's jersey during stage 4 Brad McGee (Francaise des Jeux) - wins stage 4 of the Midi Libre Brad McGee - smiles on the podium with his stage winner's trophy. Brad McGee - tells it how it was after the stage Stage 5 - May 26: Rignac - Mende, 188.5 km Iban Mayo (Euskaltel) - leads Benoit Salmon and Sven Montgomery Sven Montgomery (FdJ) - attacks on the Croix-Neuve Sven Montgomery - wins the stage into Mende. Sven Montgomery - on the podium in the "blood and gold" jersey Stage 6 - May 27: Florac-Sète, 208.5 km Laurent Jalabert (CSC) - on the Mont St Clair climb Iban Mayo (Euskaltel) - on the Mont St Clair climb Benoit Salmon (Ag2r) - leaves Iban Mayo behind on the Mont St Clair climb Benoit Salmon - raises his arms as he wins the last stage Iban Mayo (Euskaltel) - holds the final winner's trophy aloft Benoit Salmon - on the podium with his daughter Samsung Mobile Grand Prix This 1.2 race in early May was dominated by CSC who took the first three places. Jannie Madsen took these pictures Bjarne Riis' new bike? Jürgen Landrie and Bert Heirewegh - of Belgium team Ville de Charleroi Laurent Jalabert - with a Danish fan Laurent Jalabert - being interviewed Pauly Burke (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) - behind bars before the start of the race Jalabert, Sandstød, and Piziks - CSC/Worldonline in action at a bonus sprint. Vuelta Asturias Stage 6a - May 20: Cangas del Narcea - Oviedo, 98 km Igor Bonciucov (Atlas-Lukullus) - raises his arms as he crosses the finish line in the final stage Juan Carlos Domínguez (iBanesto.com) - riding a very aggressive final stage. Stage 6b - May 20: Oviedo - Alto del Naranco ITT, 5.8 km Juan Carlos Domínguez (iBanesto.com) - celebrating his overall victory MTB World Cup #3, Houffalize Roland Green continued his World Cup campaign with a win in the third round. AFP's Yves Boucau took these pictures. Miguel Martinez and Dario Acquaroli (Full Dynamix) - vie during the men's race Miguel Martinez (Full Dynamix) - grits his teeth as he climbs toward third place Roland Green (Trek/VW) - raises his arms as he crosses the finish line in first Tour of Japan In its 6th year this year, the Tour of Japan is steadily growing in stature, despite being held at a very busy period of the racing season. Miwako Sasaki, who is a journalist for the Japanese Cycle Sport magazine, sent in the following pictures. The start - of the first stage of the Tour of Japan in Osaka The leading bunch - making good ground on the peloton Stage 1 podium - Pawel Niedzwiecki and Dariusz Skoczylas The riders - get ready to start outside the Todaiji Temple in Nara Allan Davis (Australia) and Kazimiesz Stafiej (Mroz) - were well away on the final lap before disaster struck Allan Davis - sits by the roadside in agony after he was hit by a car Allan Davis - almost manages to smile whilst wearing the red mountains jersey Stage 2 ceremony - Graeme Miller, Pawel Niedzwiecki and Allan Davis Patrick Calcagni (Tacconi Sport) - was awarded the flowers for winning the third stage The peloton - got soaked during stage 3 The podium after stage 4: Pawel Niedzwiecki, Kazimierz Stafiej and Matthew Yates The Yates brothers - Matthew and Jeremy The Yates brothers The start - of the second last stage in Utsunomiya Allan Davis (Australia) - gets the final mountain prime to secure his red jersey Allan Davis - zips up his final red mountains jersey The 5th stage ceremony: Lars Teutenberg, Pawel Niedzwicki, and Allan Davis The riders - get ready to start stage 6 in Tokyo, in the rain Scott Davis (Australia) - sits in the middle of the peloton An antipodean gathering - before the final presentation Stage winner Grame Brown (Australia) - raises his arms on the podium Pawel Niedzwiecki (Mroz) - wore the final green jersey on the podium Tour de l'Aude One of the most important French stage races is the women's Tour de l'Aude, in its 17th year this year. Some pictures of the race have been sent to us by James Victor, Australian team manager. The Australian team - at the presentation on May 17, with one notable ring-in Prologue podium - Anna Millward, Petra Rossner, Mirella van Mellis, Judith Arndt and Sarah Ulmer Suzy Pryde, Anna Millward and Sarah Ulmer - line up for the start of the first stage Stage 1 podium - Rochelle Gilmore, Olga Slissoureva, Alison Wright, Petra Rossner and Lyne Bessette Rochelle Gilmore (Autotrader.com) - wears the pink jersey of the best U22 rider Want some more? For more cycling photography, please consult our monthly archives