This afternoon I started breaking down the Raleigh in anticipation of making it a fixed gear. Got the derailleurs, shifters and cables off along with the big chainring. I'll need some new bolts for only one chainring and a new wheel with a fixed hub. Probably should get new brakes and brake cables as well.

News Item of the Day The latest rumour around Alejandro Valverde (Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme) has it that the fourth placed rider at this year's Vuelta is in contract negotiations with Illes Balears, supposedly his last chance to stay with a Spanish team if he doesn't want to leave his home country. Within the team of Eusebio Unzue, Valverde could fill the gap left by Denis Menchov's move to Rabobank, but the €2 million buy-out clause in his CV-Kelme contract is still the main obstacle for then rider's team change.

Valverde would take Cayetano Juliá and José Luis Martínez, also at CV-Kelme, with him to the new squad, as well as a physiotherapist of his choice.