Must Reads: Tulsa driver’s sentence reduced, Leipheimer loves Sonoma, a Tour baby for Cav and Peta

KRMG.com: Tulsa driver’s sentenced reduced

A judge has reduced the sentence of Tausha Borland, who was convicted last year on two counts of manslaughter for killing two cyclists with her SUV in 2009. Borland, who was also convicted for driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an injury accident, was originally sentenced to two 12-year prison terms on the manslaughter charges. This week a judge reduced each charge to 10 years. He also added four years to her probation period.

PressDemocrat.com: Leipheimer says Sonoma County ‘the best place on earth to ride a bike’

Levi Leipheimer tells an appreciative crowd in his home town of Santa Rosa, California, that Sonoma County should be ranked number one in the country for bicycling. “I don’t want to see Boulder (Colo.) ranked above Sonoma County, because I’ve been there; it’s not that great,” he said to laughter from his audience of business people and cyclist enthusiasts.” Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man. We’re pretty happy with Boulder.

The Sun: It’s a Tour baby for Cav and Peta

Mark Cavendish’s girlfriend, model Peta Todd, is expecting a child. “I’m four months gone, which means it was conceived in July, during the Tour de France. It’s a Tour baby,” Todd, 24, tells The Sun, where she has appeared as a Page 3 girl. She goes on to speculate that the child is a girl. “Athletes often conceive girls during the racing season as their testosterone levels are low,” she said.

De Telegraff: Van Impe headed to Vacansoleil

The Dutch paper says the Belgian classics specialist will jump from Quick Step to Vacansoleil for 2012.

EADT.com: No Tour for Geraint Thomas

Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas will skip the Tour de France next season to focus on preparation for the London Olympics. Thomas will ride the Giro d’Italia instead. Thomas won gold in the team pursuit in the Beijing Olympics. “Riding the Tour is a bit more of a gamble. I could be going really well but could also end up on my knees and pretty tired. … I’m going to be doing similar preparations to before Bejing, when I rode the Giro and didn’t ride the Tour.”

KUTNews.org: Armstrong reduces water use, a bit

“A few years back, Lance Armstrong was caught. He apologized, admitted the error of his ways, and promised to do better in the future. His offense? Using too much water … But it would appear Armstrong has not learned how to conserve. According to data from Austin Water Utility, he used around 1.3 million gallons of water in the last year, putting him among the top ten residential users of water in town.”

NewTimes Phoenix: Halloween costume ideas for cyclists

Be a doper, a Cutter, Super Mario, Juan Pelota or Gary Fisher … Blogger Jason Franz has a few entertaining suggestions.

FILED UNDER: News TAGS: Must reads

Steve Frothingham

VeloNews.com editor Steve Frothingham joined the gang in bike-crazy Boulder in early 2008. He is the former executive editor of the trade magazine Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. He also was a reporter and editor for The Associated Press, where he covered three presidential primaries in politics-crazy New Hampshire. His racing career began on a BMX track in 1980 and reached its zenith with several miserable road races as a category 2 in the early 90s. He subsequently retreated to cat. 3, where he has had a consistently mediocre (at best) record ever since, in road, mountain bike and cyclocross events. Follow him on Twitter at @steve_froth

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