Fantasy Tour first prize: Discovery Channel team issue Trek Madone 5.9

The Trek Madone 5.9 is the bike of Lance Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, and it's the first prize in this year' Cyclingnews Fantasy Tour Game. The Madone was designed and built by Trek to answer Armstrong and the team's need for the ultimate road racing bike. It combines Trek's Tour-proven road geometry with time trial aerodynamics to create the ultimate performance package.

Built in Waterloo, Wisconsin, the Madone 5.9 you can buy in your local bike shop or win in the Cyclingnews Fantasy Tour Game is constructed right alongside the bikes ridden by Lance Armstrong and the Discovery Channel team in the Tour de France.

High-performance design features include "A-Stay" seatstays for greater strength and stiffness when pedaling out of the saddle or descending at high speed; and one-piece, bonded dropouts that make every pedal stroke more efficient - creating a structure that's up to 50% stiffer than more commonly used two-piece dropouts.

The Trek Madone 5.9 has been acclaimed by cycling publications worldwide as a superlative road racing rig; Cyclingnews described it as "a tool for winning races" and "a platform for turning training into trophies".

Enter now

This year's Fantasy Tour Game is now underway. You can begin building your teams now! There will be over 25 opportunities to win prizes in this year's game. Be a professional team manager for the 2005 Tour de France. Based on the live racing action, you will take up the challenge of using your knowledge and tactical skill as a race team manager to compete with managers from around the world. Follow the races live and use your skill and knowledge to win prizes. Follow the races live and use your skill and knowledge to win prizes. For more info go to the fantasy site.

Prize list

As well as thefirst prize TREK Madone Discovery Team bike detailed above, the following great prizes have been confirmed, with more to come.

Stage by Stage Prizes : Specialized - 21x pairs of sunglasses

Runnerup Prizes:

Bontrager - 2x pairs Bontrager Race X-Lite Aero wheels, 1x Race X Lite OS handlebars, 1x Race XXX Lite OS carbon stem, and 1x Race X Lite Pro saddle.
DMT - 3x pairs of Flash shoes
Speedplay - 4x pairs of CSC pedals
CTS - Signature coaching package
fi'zi:k - 5x Team issue Arione saddles

New Rules

In conjunction with feedback and suggestions from players of the game over three years, we have developed a new points system for the Tour games. We've awarded more points to a greater number of riders and given back more emphasis to GC placings. Thanks to all of you who helped us develop the new points system. Have a look for yourself in the points section.

How to Play

You can begin creating your team/s now. You can play the first 8 stages for FREE! We will be adding additions to the startlist on a daily basis. The Tour games are easy to play, all you need to do to manage your own team is select 15 riders from the live start list then select 9 of these riders to race each day throughout the Tour. You score points according to how well each of the riders place each day in the Tour. So try your team today and see if it's for you. It's a great way to follow the Tour. Create your teams now at fantasy.cyclingnews.com.

Good luck!

The Fantasy Cyclingnews Team