On a day when the defending champion, Cadel Evans’ defence of his Tour de France title disintegrated on the perilously steep slopes of the Pyrenees, Ireland’s Dan Martin turned in one of the performances of his career to finish seventh on yesterday’s 16th stage from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon.

Dan Martin’s Garmin-Sharp team have endured more than most in the opening week of the Tour de France but matters worsened yesterday when their team manager Jonathan Vaughters was taken to task before the stage start in Rouen about reports in a Dutch newspaper that some of his riders had received six-month bans after confessing to doping.

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.

Lance Armstrong's former team-mate, Tyler Hamilton, has described an alleged systematic programme of doping in the US Postal team in which the seven-time Tour de France winner played a leading role.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche has finished runner-up in the 14th stage of the Tour de France, 16 seconds behind Katusha’s Sergei Ivanov, with Hayden Roulston in third.

Luis-Leon Sanchez produced a masterful late charge in a four-man sprint finish to claim stage eight of the Tour de France today.

DAVITAMON LOTTO’S Robbie McEwen made a late charge to take stage six of the Tour de France in Vitre.

The absence of a certain Texan for the first time in eight years should create a wide-open Tour de France.

NORWEGIAN Thor Hushovd reclaimed the yellow jersey after Australian Robbie McEwen outsprinted world champion Tom Boonen to win the second stage of the Tour de France yesterday.

DICK POUND believes cycling “is in the toilet” following the latest doping scandal to rock the sport.

LANCE ARMSTRONG has still to win a stage in this year’s Tour de France but Paolo Salvodelli yesterday became the second of his Discovery team-mates to cross the line first with an impressive victory in Revel.

Lance Armstrong has still to win a stage at this year’s Tour de France but Paolo Salvodelli today became the second of his Discovery team-mates to cross the line first with an impressive victory in Revel.

A gruelling stage 15 saw George Hincapie become first team-mate of Lance Armstrong to win a stage at this year’s Tour de France as the six-time champion retained the yellow jersey against the challenge of Ivan Basso.

Holland’s Pieter Weening claimed stage eight of the Tour de France today, pipping Andreas Kloden of Germany in a photo finish after a two-man sprint for the line.

Tom Ross

Stage seven of the Tour de France gets underway later today, with the riders facing a 229km trek from Luneville to Karlsruhe.

ROBBIE McEWEN of Australia won today’s fifth stage of the Tour de France in a sprint finish.

Scott Dougal

Lance Armstrong laid an iron grip on the yellow jersey today after victory in the team time-trial delivered a substantial lead in the 2005 Tour de France.

Spain’s Inigo Landaluze survived a gruelling ascent on yesterday’s last stage to claim the Dauphine Libere crown.

Ireland's Ciaran Power came 13th in the men's raod race in Athens today.

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.

Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon produced a superb sprint finish to claim the third stage of the Tour de France today.

THE US Postal team are confident they will deliver a gift-wrapped fifth victory for their leader Lance Armstrong in the centenary-year running of the Tour de France which gets underway today.