Pre-race

Pre-race favorite Philippe Gilbert finished third ahead of American veteran George Hincapie.

Eisel outsprints small pack to Ghent-Wevelgem in Belgium 2010

Pre-race favorite Ivan Basso is 27 seconds behind Armstrong and Leipheimer with his Liquigas team placing eighth.

American team Columbia wins Giro opener, Armstrong and Astana third 2009

Pre-race favorite Ivan Basso and another former Giro winner, Stefano Garzelli, launched a failed attack on the penultimate of six climbs but couldn't maintain more than a minute lead on Menchov and the other leaders.

Bertagnolli wins 15th stage as Menchov retains lead in Giro 2009

Pre-race favorites Saxo Bank, anchored by world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara, had to settle for fourth at 14 seconds off the pace.

HTC-Columbia wins Vuelta opener, puts Mark Cavendish into overall lead 2010

• German takes title with victory at Yas Marina• Pre-race leader Fernando Alonso frustrated by track

Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull crowned Formula One champion in Abu Dhabi Richard Williams in Abu Dhabi 2010

Pre-race jitters when I thought I might finish Top 30...

More from Cross Nationals in KC, MO... Dan_Giddyup 2008

Pre-race, the real stars, the drivers, were nowhere to be seen.

Alison Stein Wellner: The Indy 500, or America, in the Round 2008

Pre-race jitters when I thought I might finish Top 30...

Archive 2008-12-01 Bryan 2008

Pre-race favourite Asafa Powell of Jamaica tied up and trailed home fifth as four men went under 9.90 seconds for the first time in history.

Archive 2004-08-01 2004

Pre-race ceremony has commenced, with the American national anthem, traditional race-day invocation and those most famous words in NASCAR.

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