Dan Martin’s hopes of a podium finish at the Tour de France were thrown off course yesterday when crosswinds decimated the field and he was one of the big losers on the 165-kilometre stage 16 from Le Puy-en-Velay to Romans sur Isere.

Diego Ulissi of Italy claimed his second win of the Giro d’Italia as Bob Jungels maintained his grip on the race leader’s pink jersey on yesterday’s 11th stage.

Portuguese rider Nelson Oliveira took the biggest win of his career on stage 13 of the Vuelta A Espana yesterday as he outsmarted a 24-man breakaway to win alone in Tarazona.

Two cyclists were disqualified from the Vuelta a Espana cycling race - after repeatedly punching and shoving each other in the middle of a stage.

Cycling Ireland last night named a strong team for the UCI World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain in two weeks’ time.