Alberto Contador claimed overall victory following the final stage of the Tour de France today.

The titanic tussle for the 2010 Tour de France title is set to end in Alberto Contador’s favour after the defending champion increased his advantage in today’s penultimate stage.

THE battle for the race leader’s yellow jersey will take place today as Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck face into today’s 52-kilometre time-trial from Bordeaux to Pauillac.

Mark Cavendish was able to look over his shoulder as he sprinted to yet another sensational victory on stage 18 of the Tour de France in Bordeaux today.

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.

Lance Armstrong's bid for a fairytale finale ended in an anticlimax today as Pierrick Fedrigo won the 16th stage of the Tour de France.

Controversial Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov won the 13th stage of the Tour de France today.

THE 13th Tour de France stage win of Mark Cavendish’s career yesterday came at a cost as Mark Renshaw, the Briton’s HTC-Columbia leadout man, was expelled from the race for headbutting.

The 13th Tour de France stage win of Mark Cavendish’s career today came at a cost as Mark Renshaw, the Briton’s HTC-Columbia leadout man, was expelled from the race for headbutting.

Mark Renshaw has been expelled from the Tour de France after helping his HTC-Columbia team-mate Mark Cavendish to victory on stage 11 by using his head.

Britain's Mark Cavendish today recorded the 12th win of his Tour de France career with victory on stage six.

THE winning feeling returned for Mark Cavendish on the fifth stage of the Tour de France after a fraught and forgettable period on and off the bike.

Mark Cavendish stuck two fingers up to his critics – in a metaphorical sense this time – with victory on the fifth stage of the Tour de France.

Alessandro Petacchi won the fourth road stage of the Tour de France into Reims today.

A crash-strewn final three kilometres of the first road stage of the Tour de France was won by Alessandro Petacchi in Brussels today.

Mark Cavendish emerged from a sprint finish to claim victory on the 11th stage of the Giro D’Italia today.

MARK CAVENDISH continued to enhance his reputation as cycling’s new sprint king with a fourth stage win in the 2008 Tour de France yesterday.

ALESSANDRO PETACCHI was yesterday cleared of doping charges by the Italian Cycling Federation.

Team Astana have withdrawn from the Tour de France after Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion.

Alessandro Petacchi was today cleared of doping charges by the Italian Cycling Federation.

THE potential presence of Stuart O’Grady with Team CSC could add an exciting dimension to the inaugural Tour of Ireland (August 22-26).

Danilo di Luca held on to the overall lead after 18 stages of the Giro d'Italia after Alessandro Petacchi claimed his fourth win of the tour today.

AUSTRALIA’S Robbie McEwen claimed his third victory in this year’s Giro d’Italia as he won a group sprint in the 10th stage yesterday.

TOM BOONEN of Belgium took the sixth stage honours yesterday in another day of thrills and spills on the Tour de France.

Tom Boonen of Belgium took the sixth stage honours today in another day of thrills and spills on the Tour de France.

FRENCH champion Thomas Voeckler relieved Lance Armstrong of the yellow jersey after the 200 kilometre fifth stage of the Tour de France from Amiens to Chartres.

ITALIAN sprint king Alessandro Petacchi yesterday claimed his fourth victory in six stages of the centenary Tour de France after an explosive burst in the closing metres in Lyon.

ITALY’S Alessandro Petacchi confirmed his reputation as the new sprint king of the Tour de France as he recorded his third stage win in five days in the centenary running of the most famous cycling race in the world.

ALESSANDRO PETACCHI blasted to his second stage victory in three days yesterday, but Jean-Patrick Nazon is sure to be the toast of France as the Tour moves into its fifth day.

GIRO sprint king Alessandro Petacchi humbled his rivals to win the 168-km first stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint tarnished by a spectacular crash near the finish line yesterday.

Italy‘s Alessandro Petacchi won the first stage of the centenary Tour de France on Sunday, prevailing in a sprint finish marred by a crash which affected most of the 198-strong peloton.

Mario Cipollini broke the all-time record number of stage victories in the Giro d‘Italia.