BERNARD HINAULT was one of the greatest cyclists of all time and is the last Frenchman to have won the Tour de France.

In sport and in life, everybody wants to be like Eddy Merckx – the outrageously gifted Belgian cyclist whose natural talent and extra-terrestrial strength allowed him to brush aside his rivals with contemptuous ease.

Vincenzo Nibali completed victory in the 101st Tour de France in Paris yesterday as Marcel Kittel won the final stage on the Champs-Elysees-

Vincenzo Nibali looks to have secured his first Tour de France title today after completing the penultimate stage of the race.

Vincenzo Nibali has vowed to "honour the yellow jersey" by going all out for stage victory in today’s time trial on the penultimate day of the Tour de France.

Chris Froome is determined to ensure his Tour de France title this year is just the start of a run of dominance in cycling’s greatest race.

His smug look took up most of the page; was he smiling thinking this was too easy?

PJ O’Rourke, writer, 64;

NICOLAS ROCHE paid for his exertions on Thursday when he came in over 25 minutes down on stage winner Pierre Rolland (Europcar) on yesterday’s gruelling 109 kilometre stage 19 of the Tour de France from Modane to the ski station at Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps.

PLEASE mind your toes, reader; there’s quite a big name about to be dropped in a second or two.

Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly is to be honoured with a hall of fame sporting award in Co Tipperary this weekend, it emerged today.

Lance Armstrong quit cycling with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory today and named Italian rider Ivan Basso as his likely successor.

JAN ULLRICH believes six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's decision to quit after this year's race in July has set up a classic confrontation.

LANCE ARMSTRONG is finding out that, while there may be no rest for the wicked, world-famous cyclists have a pretty hard time too.

Lance Armstrong will take his time before deciding whether he will attempt to win the Tour de France for an incredible seventh successive time.

Lance Armstrong secured a record sixth Tour de France victory on the Champs Elysee after surviving the final stage unscathed today.

Lance Armstrong won his fifth stage of the 91st Tour de France today to all but seal his sixth successive victory and a pre-eminent place in the history of cycling’s greatest event.

SPAIN'S Juan Miguel Mercado may have claimed his maiden stage victory in the Tour de France on Friday, but once again it was overall race leader Lance Armstrong who held the limelight.

Spain’s Juan Miguel Mercado may have claimed his maiden stage victory in the Tour de France on Friday, but once again it was overall race leader Lance Armstrong who held the limelight.

LANCE ARMSTRONG took what looks like an unshakeable grip on the yellow jersey in yesterday’s time-trial with a performance worthy of a man about to enter history by becoming the first cyclist to win a sixth Tour de France.

Lance Armstrong expects to be the target for doping allegations on the eve of the Tour de France as he aims to become the first man to win six Tours when this year’s race starts

LANCE ARMSTRONG assured place in cycling history on the Champs Elysses yesterday, winning his fifth consecutive Tour de France and the American promised to return in 12 months time to try and win a sixth.

Lance Armstrong is within touching distance of a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title this evening after a drama-filled time-trial won by Britain’s David Millar.

Lance Armstrong has signalled his intent to ride next year and potentially become the greatest cyclist in Tour de France history.

David Millar was denied a repeat of his 2000 Tour de France glories when his chain came off in today’s prologue in Paris.

LANCE ARMSTRONG won his fourth Tour de France yesterday and his victory was so commanding that he earned a nickname from the bunch - the boss.

LANCE ARMSTRONG won his fourth Tour de France yesterday and his victory was so commanding that he earned a nickname from the bunch - the boss.

FOR a nation which gave birth to the greatest cycle race in the world, the French have had little to cheer about in the Tour de France recently.

For a nation which gave birth to the greatest cycle race in the world, the French have had little to cheer about in the Tour de France recently.