World champions BMC won the Stage 9 team time-trial at the Tour de France yesterday, beating Team Sky by a single second as Chris Froome retained custody of the race leader’s yellow jersey.

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

Manchester United will join Manchester City and Liverpool for a grand pre-season tournament in the United States, but David Moyes may have to pull his team out if they are forced to go through Europa League qualifying.

The route of the 2014 Tour de France, which begins in Britain, includes five mountain finishes and just one individual time-trial, organisers announced this morning.