Cycling great Sean Kelly believes Lance Armstrong being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles will “cast a long shadow” over the sport for years to come.

Japan’s prime minister Taro Aso dissolved the powerful lower house of parliament today, setting the stage for an election next month that could transform the country’s political power structure.

The organisers of the Tour de France have announced that the 2010 race will begin from the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

The number of people suffering cancer could double in the next 40 years unless steps are taken to stem the rising tide of obesity, an expert warned today.

Reports that seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will return to cycling have been met with bemusement by the team with which he is said to be making his comeback.

THE Irish head of cycling’s world governing body believes it will take more than one scandal-free Tour de France to convince the public cycling has beaten its doping problems.

Tour de France organisers today began trying to hammer out a deal to see a stage of the race return to London without any sign of a breakthrough in the bitter rift which could threaten this year’s event.

Patrice Clerc, president of the Dakar Rally organising body Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), has confirmed the 2009 race will take place in South America.

The annual cross-African Dakar Rally was cancelled today on the eve of the race because organisers feared it may become an al-Qaida target.

The organisers of the Tour de France have criticised cycling’s world governing body over doping controls, describing the UCI as “incompetent”.

Dakar Rally competitors are enjoying an unexpected weekend off after security fears caused the cancellation of two stages.