Alberto Contador finished second behind Venezuela’s Jose Rujano in today’s 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia to extend his cushion as the overall leader.

CYCLING: OMEGA Pharma-Lotto rider Bart de Clercq held on to win the seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday with race leader Pieter Weening retaining the pink jersey.

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.

KURT ASLE ARVESEN emerged from a group of a dozen escapees to win the 11th stage of the Tour de France from Lannemezan to Foix.

Kurt Asle Arvesen emerged from a group of a dozen escapees to win the 11th stage of the Tour de France from Lannemezan to Foix.

FLOYD LANDIS was yesterday confirmed as Tour de France champion after the traditional final stage finish on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

UKRAINIAN Yaroslav Popovych won stage 12 of the Tour de France from Luchon to Carcassonne yesterday as the country celebrated Bastille Day.

Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych won stage 12 of the Tour de France from Luchon to Carcassonne as the country celebrated Bastille Day.

Raimondas Rumsas has denied using drugs to achieve his third-place finish in the Tour de France.

The wife of Raimondas Rumsas, the Lithuanian cyclist who finished third in the Tour de France, was officially placed under investigation today, two days after being caught with suspicious drugs.

Tour de France rider Raimondus Rumsas has been suspended after his wife was picked up at a border post in a car containing ‘‘doping substances’’.

A THRILLING sprint finish win for Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu and a catastrophic crash in the peloton were the features of stage five of the Tour de France yesterday.

A thrilling sprint finish win for Estonian Jaan Kirsipuu and a catastrophic crash in the peloton were the features of stage five of the Tour de France today.

Tour de France classifications.