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

Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche believes disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong should be given back the seven Tour de France jerseys he was stripped of after being found guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs throughout his career.

Fabian Cancellara announced his withdrawal from the Tour de France on the race’s first rest day yesterday, becoming the latest big name to exit — albeit the Swiss did so voluntarily.

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.

Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche predicts Alpine fireworks over the coming days as Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France lead is set to come under attack — and anticipates the race leader’s Team Sky colleague and fellow Briton Chris Froome could be the major beneficiary.

Team RadioShack-Nissan-Trek have called a press conference for 4pm this afternoon amid reports Andy Schleck has been forced to pull out of the Tour de France.

Alberto Contador was yesterday stripped of his 2010 Tour de France victory and handed a two-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following his positive test for clenbuterol.

CADEL EVANS became the first ever Australian and only the fourth anglophone to win the Tour de France in the race’s 98 year history after the three-week race reached its conclusion on a glorious day in Paris yesterday.

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 paid for his exertions on Thursday when he came in over 25 minutes down on stage winner Pierre Rolland (Europcar) on yesterday’s gruelling 109 kilometre stage 19 of the Tour de France from Modane to the ski station at Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps.

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.

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

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.

Rui Costa won today’s eighth stage of the Tour de France as Thor Hushovd retained the yellow jersey as the race entered the Massif Central.

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.

Belgium's Philippe Gilbert seized the Tour de France race leader's yellow jersey with victory in Les Herbiers today.

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.

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

Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has signed a two-year deal to race with Team Saxo Bank from next season.

ALBERTO CONTADOR edged closer to Lance Armstrong’s record number of victories yesterday as the American’s Tour de France career came to an end.

Andy Schleck was forced to change his bike on today's final stage of the Tour de France after suffering mechanical trouble while racing Alberto Contador.

The titanic tussle for the 2010 Tour de France title is set to end in Alberto Contador’s favour after the defending champion increased his advantage in today’s penultimate stage.

THE battle for the race leader’s yellow jersey will take place today as Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck face into today’s 52-kilometre time-trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac.

Mark Cavendish was able to look over his shoulder as he sprinted to yet another sensational victory on stage 18 of the Tour de France in Bordeaux today.

The Tour de France concludes in Paris this weekend with the duel for the race leader's yellow jersey set to end in Alberto Contador's favour.

ALBERTO CONTADOR emerged from a mist-shrouded Col du Tourmalet yesterday with his Tour de France race lead intact and one foot on the top of the Paris podium.

Andy Schleck took the stage finish atop the Col du Tourmalet but will require a miracle if he is to usurp the yellow jersey of Alberto Contador after today’s epic stage 17 of the Tour de France.

Andy Schleck planned to go on the attack today in his bid for Tour de France glory.

ANDY SCHLECK appeared calm and relaxed ahead of his yellow jersey showdown with Alberto Contador as the duo prepare to race to the summit of the Col du Tourmalet in stage 17 of the Tour de France today.

THE farewell victory Lance Armstrong hoped for failed to materialise yesterday as the seven-time Tour de France winner was beaten to the line in Pau.

Lance Armstrong's bid for a fairytale finale ended in an anticlimax today as Pierrick Fedrigo won the 16th stage of the Tour de France.

Alberto Contador has apologised for taking advantage of rival Andy Schleck’s mechanical problem to seize the Tour de France race leader’s yellow jersey.

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.

Alberto Contador today seized the Tour de France lead after taking advantage of yellow jersey incumbent Andy Schleck’s mechanical problem on stage 15.

TOUR DE FRANCE leader Andy Schleck believes he fared better in the latest battle with nearest rival Alberto Contador yesterday as the race entered the Pyrenees.

The latest bout in the battle for the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey ended in a stalemate in the Pyrenees today.

Lance Armstrong was among the riders dropped as the Tour de France peloton entered the Pyrenees today.

Controversial Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov won the 13th stage of the Tour de France today.

NICHOLAS ROCHE continues to ride exceptionally well as leader of his Ag2R Mondiale team in the Tour de France, finishing in 20th place yesterday on stage 12, just 31 seconds behind stage winner Joaquin Rodriguez (Team Katusha).

The 13th Tour de France stage win of Mark Cavendish’s career today came at a cost as Mark Renshaw, the Briton’s HTC-Columbia leadout man, was expelled from the race for headbutting.

ANDY SCHLECK has laid down the gauntlet to Alberto Contador as the race for the Tour de France became a duel following yesterday’s second Alpine stage.

Sandy Casar has won today's 204.5-kilometre ninth stage of the Tour de France from Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

LANCE ARMSTRONG’s demise as a contender for the 2010 Tour de France was met with sorrow by his biggest rival, Alberto Contador.

When he announced the 2010 Tour de France would be his last, Lance Armstrong would not have expected it to end so soon.

THE first Alpine stage of the 2010 Tour de France witnessed the fall of a legend as Lance Armstrong declared: “My Tour’s finished”.

THE Tour de France peloton met a second day of destruction as rain-soaked roads wreaked havoc on the second stage from Brussels to Spa yesterday.