Madrid - Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde has asked for a further postponement of a hearing by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in a doping investigation, Spanish media reported Tuesday.

Valverde had originally been ordered to appear before a CONI panel on Monday, but the hearing had been postponed to Wednesday at the Caisse d'Epargne rider's request.

According to the reports, Valverde has sought another 48-hour postponement to allow his lawyers more time on the case.

Washington - Lance Armstrong's bicycle was stolen just hours after he rode it in a California race, but the US cycling legend was confident of getting it back - there's only one like it in the world.

Armstrong is racing in the nine-day California Amgen Tour, which started Saturday. His bicycle was stolen, along with three others from the Astana team truck.

Brussels  - Belgian professional cyclist Frederiek Nolf was laid to rest on Saturday in the west Flemish town of Kuurne.

So many people wanted to pay their last respects to the 21-year- old Topsport Vlaanderen rider, who died in his sleep during the Tour of Qatar on February 5, that several hundred people did not fit into the church, the Belgian news agency Belga said.

Belgian sport minister Bert Anciaux and former Head of State Yves Leterme were amongst the mourners for the cyclist, who was given a guard of honour by his former team-mates.

Brussels  - Belgian professional cyclist Frederiek Nolf was laid to rest on Saturday in the west Flemish town of Kuurne.

So many people wanted to pay their last respects to the 21-year- old Topsport Vlaanderen rider, who died in his sleep during the Tour of Qatar on February 5, that several hundred people did not fit into the church, the Belgian news agency Belga said.

Belgian sport minister Bert Anciaux and former Head of State Yves Leterme were amongst the mourners for the cyclist, who was given a guard of honour by his former team-mates.

Rome  - Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde has been summoned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in a new doping investigation linking the rider to the Operation Puerto affair.

CONI said on its website Wednesday that Valverde has been summoned to a hearing for Monday.

Italian media reports said DNA tests on blood samples taken from the rider last July match blood samples seized by police from the laboratory of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

Rome  - Spanish cycling star Alejandro Valverde has been summoned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in a new doping investigation linking the rider to the Operation Puerto affair.

CONI said on its website Wednesday that Valverde has been summoned to a hearing for Monday.

Italian media reports said DNA tests on blood samples taken from the rider last July match blood samples seized by police from the laboratory of Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.