Nicolas Roche endured his worst day of this year’s Vuelta A Espana so far after losing over 28 minutes on the 16th stage from Luarca to the summit finish at Ermita de Alba yesterday.

Andy Schleck, the 2010 Tour de France champion, has announced his retirement from cycling at the age of 29.

Defending champion Chris Froome has abandoned the 2014 Tour de France after a third crash in two days.

The pressure on embattled UCI president Pat McQuaid to resign increased last night after disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong branded comments made by the Irishman last October as “pathetic”.

His smug look took up most of the page; was he smiling thinking this was too easy?

The Tour de France resumes today without Frank Schleck after the Luxembourg rider failed a drugs test.

Frank Schleck was last night in a Pau police station after leaving the Tour de France following a positive drugs test, his RadioShack- Nissan-Trek team confirmed.

Frank Schleck has left the Tour de France after failing a doping test, his RadioShack-Nissan-Trek team have confirmed.

Defending champion Cadel Evans and rival Bradley Wiggins successfully negotiated a crash-strewn first week of the Tour de France as some of their rivals for the Paris podium saw their hopes come to an end on stage six to Metz.

Defending champion Cadel Evans and rival Bradley Wiggins successfully negotiated a crash-strewn first week of the Tour de France as some of their rivals for the Paris podium saw their hopes come to an end on stage six to Metz.

Cadel Evans is poised to win his first Tour de France title after wresting the fabled yellow jersey from the shoulders of Andy Schleck on today's penultimate stage in Grenoble this afternoon.

NICOLAS ROCHE finished 19th in yesterday’s 18th stage of the Tour de France after a dramatic day in the Alps which saw Thomas Voeckler cling to the yellow jersey for an 11th consecutive day while Alberto Contador saw his hopes of a fourth title all but disappear.

Andy Schleck made his claim for Tour de France victory with a solo surge to win at the highest summit finish in the race’s history today, but Thomas Voeckler retained the yellow jersey for a 10th day with another resilient performance.

IRELAND’S Nicolas Roche moved up one place to 21st on the overall classification at the Tour de France yesterday after he finished 14th on a testing 179 kilometre stage from Gap to Pinerolo in Italy.

NICOLAS ROCHE slipped back four places to 22nd on the overall general classification after yesterday’s 16th stage of the Tour de France from St Paul Trois Châteaux to Gap in the south east of the country.

DEFENDING champion Alberto Contador knows the Alps are where he must strike to win a fourth Tour de France.

The Tour de France's overall favourites fought out a stalemate on the final day in the Pyrenees as Belgium's Jelle Vanendert claimed victory at Plateau de Beille.

NICOLAS ROCHE finished safely in the main bunch of yesterday’s 156-kilometre 13th stage of the Tour de France from Pau to Lourdes but he slipped back one place to 11th on the overall general classification after Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert crossed the line in ninth place to usurp him of a top 10 placing.

HE may have finished over two minutes behind stage winner Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) but Ireland’s Nicolas Roche gave the strongest indication yet that he’s bang in line for a top 10 overall finish at this year’s Tour de France after he produced a superb ride up to the summit of Luz Ardiden in the Pyrénées on the toughest stage of this year’s race yesterday.

Thomas Voeckler successfully defended the race leader's yellow jersey on Bastille Day, but defending champion Alberto Contador lost time to his overall rivals on the first mountain stage of the 2011 Tour de France.

Bradley Wiggins was in confident mood as the Tour de France entered a fifth day of racing today.

DEFENDING Tour de France champion Alberto Contador punched the air in celebration at the end of yesterday’s fourth stage in Brittany — despite being beaten to victory.

Alberto Contador was beaten to victory by Cadel Evans in a dramatic finish to the fourth stage of the Tour de France in Brittany.

NORWAY’S Thor Hushovd swapped the world champion’s rainbow jersey for the Tour de France race leader’s maillot jaune yesterday after his Garmin-Cervelo squad won the 42.5 kilometre team time-trial around Les Essarts.

ANDY SCHLECK’S Leopard Trek team say they want to propel the two-time Tour de France runner-up to victory in cycling’s most prestigious bike race on the road, rather than in the courtroom.

The identity of Andy and Frank Schleck’s new Luxembourg-based team was revealed today as Team Leopard-Trek.

Mikel Nieve claimed the 16th stage of the Vuelta a Espana today while his fellow Spaniard Joaquin Rodriguez regained the overall lead.

ANDY SCHLECK yesterday blasted Alberto Contador after the Spaniard seized the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey by taking advantage of his rival’s mechanical problem.

Fabian Cancellara reclaimed the race leader's yellow jersey as the Tour de France endured another bumpy ride today.

A crash-strewn final three kilometres of the first road stage of the Tour de France was won by Alessandro Petacchi in Brussels today.

Scotland's David Millar was in a borrowed green jersey as the Tour de France took to the road today.

Frank Schleck clinched overall victory ahead of Lance Armstrong on the final day of the Tour de Suisse.

Mark Cavendish today completed the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, a day after being involved in a mass pile up.

ALBERTO CONTADOR strengthened his position at the top of the general classification by powering to victory in yesterday’s individual time trial in stage 18 of the Tour de France.

Alberto Contador powered to victory in the individual time trial in the 18th stage of the Tour de France to retain a vice-like grip on the yellow jersey on a day Lance Armstrong returned to the podium positions.

Spain's Alberto Contador stood toe-to-toe with the Schleck brothers on the final day in the Alps to strengthen his grip on the Tour de France's yellow jersey today.

Britain’s Bradley Wiggins is refusing to get too carried away despite moving up to third in the overall standings in the Tour de France.

Alberto Contador called for his Astana team to back his Tour de France bid after the Spaniard seized the leader's yellow jersey with an emphatic victory on the 15th stage this afternoon.

Carlos Sastre moved to within touching distance of the Tour de France title after retaining the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage following Saturday’s time trial between Cerilly and St Amand-Montrond.

SYLVAIN CHAVANEL bade farewell to Cofidis by delivering a second Tour de France stage win for the French team in the 163-kilometre flat stage from Roanne to Montlucon yesterday.

Sylvain Chavanel bade farewell to Cofidis by delivering a second Tour de France stage win for the French team in the 163-kilometre flat stage from Roanne to Montlucon.

MARCUS BURGHARDT — best remembered for being knocked off his bike by a dog in last year’s event — profited from a transitional day in the Tour de France to escape to victory on the 18th stage from Bourg d’Oisans to St Etienne.

Marcus Burghardt profited from a transitional day in the Tour de France to escape to victory on the 18th stage from Bourg d’Oisans to St Etienne.

FRANK SCHLECK surrendered the yellow jersey to team-mate Carlos Sastre as the Spaniard kicked away to a convincing victory on Alpe d’Huez in the 17th stage of the Tour de France.

CYRIL DESSEL’S masterly descent of the Col de la Bonette-Restefond clinched the prestigious 16th stage of the Tour de France from Cuneo to Jausiers as Frank Schleck retained the yellow jersey.

TOUR de France leader Frank Schleck has vowed to continue to use the strength and experience of his CSC team to tighten his grip on the yellow jersey.

FRANK SCHLECK wrestled the yellow jersey from the grip of Cadel Evans as the race favourite suffered badly on the summit finish to Prato Nevoso in the Tour de France.

Frank Schleck wrestled the yellow jersey from the grip of Cadel Evans as the race favourite suffered badly on the summit finish to Prato Nevoso in the Tour de France.

Oscar Freire held off a stern challenge from sprint legend Erik Zabel and Leonardo Duque to win the 14th stage of the Tour de France from Nimes to Digne-les-Bains today.

MARK CAVENDISH continued to enhance his reputation as cycling’s new sprint king with a fourth stage win in the 2008 Tour de France yesterday.