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.

Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha and Vacansoleil’s Johnny Hoogerland were today wiped out by a television vehicle as an incident-packed Tour de France suffered further casualties in the Massif Central.

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.

MARK CAVENDISH yesterday scorched to the 16th Tour de France stage win of his career before hinting at the demons which lie beneath his combustible personality.

Great Britain's Mark Cavendish today scorched to the 16th Tour de France stage win of his career before hinting at the demons which lie beneath his combustible personality.

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.

Mark Cavendish and his sprint adversaries will likely step to one side today, with the Tour de France fourth stage set to shake up the race for the yellow jersey.

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.

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

Spain’s Alberto Contador is free to defend his Tour de France title in July after the Court of Arbitration for Sport this evening confirmed his doping case would be heard after the race.

Astana rider Paolo Tiralongo edged Spaniard Alberto Contador to win the 19th stage of the Giro d’Italia today.

Italian rider Eros Capecchi won the 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia in a sprint finish today.

Spain’s Alberto Contador put in a stunning mountain time trial to win his second stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia this afternoon and strengthen his grip on first place.

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.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport have reiterated their aim of ruling on the Alberto Contador case before the Tour de France after naming the arbitration panel for the hearing.

Alberto Contador was crowned winner of the Vuelta a Murcia today in only his second race back since being cleared by the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation of doping charges.