Ireland’s Dan Martin started his maiden Tour de France with a superb 8th place finish on the opening road stage from Liège to Seraing yesterday.

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.

NICOLAS ROCHE’S goal of a top-10 finish in this year’s Tour de France is over after a nightmare day on Saturday when he conceded almost seven minutes to his main rivals and dropped back from 11th to 18th on the overall classification.

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.

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.

It’s been a fabulous start to the 2010 Tour de France for the sole Irish rider in the race, Nicholas Roche.

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.

Heinrich Haussler’s daredevil descending saw the Cervelo TestTeam rider earn his first Tour de France victory today in the 200km ride from Vittel to Colmar.

The Saunier Duval-Scott team have voluntarily withdrawn from the Tour de France in the wake of the positive drug test returned by their star climber Riccardo Ricco.

NORWEGIAN Thor Hushovd edged a tight finish to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the 193km route between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny.

Norwegian Thor Hushovd edged a tight finish to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the 193km route between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny.

OVERALL leader Fabian Cancellara claimed a dramatic victory in the 236.5km third stage of the Tour de France between Waregem and Compiegne.