British cycling fans endured a day of mixed fortunes today as Team Sky leader Bradley Wiggins crashed out of the Tour de France before Mark Cavendish enjoyed a stage seven success in Chateauroux.

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford’s ambition was vindicated today as Geraint Thomas set up a first Tour de France stage win for the British squad and Norwegian prodigy Edvald Boasson Hagen.

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.

Bradley Wiggins was in confident mood as the Tour de France entered a fifth day of racing today.

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.

Alberto Contador was beaten to victory by Cadel Evans in a dramatic finish to the fourth stage of the Tour de France in Brittany.

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.

TYLER FARRAR celebrated an emotional and long-awaited Tour de France stage win with an American Independence Day victory in Brittany yesterday.

Tyler Farrar won today’s Tour de France third stage in Brittany – giving the United States an Independence Day victory.

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.

Norway’s Thor Hushovd claimed victory in the UCI Road World Championships road race in Geelong, Australia today.

Norwegian Thor Hushovd took the honours on the sixth stage of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday after pipping a whole host of riders in a massed sprint finish in Murcia.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fabian Cancellara reclaimed the race leader's yellow jersey as the Tour de France endured another bumpy ride today.

THE Tour de France peloton met a second day of destruction as rain-soaked roads wreaked havoc on the second stage from Brussels to Spa yesterday.

The Tour de France peloton met a second day of destruction as rain-soaked roads wreaked havoc on the second stage from Brussels to Spa.

MARK CAVENDISH claimed a British record ninth Tour de France stage victory yesterday on a day when Ireland’s Nicolas Roche continued to impress.

Spain's Alberto Contador stood toe-to-toe with the Schleck brothers on the final day in the Alps to strengthen his grip on the Tour de France's yellow jersey today.

Mark Cavendish admits his “big objective” is to win the final stage of the Tour de France on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

MARK CAVENDISH won his third stage on the 2009 Tour de France yesterday, a 194.5-kms trek ridden at a leisurely pace in an implicit protest by the riders at a radio-ban by organisers.

Mark Cavendish produced yet another superb sprint today to take his third stage win as the Tour de France reached Issoudun.

Britain’s David Millar admitted his emotions got the better of him as he battled in vain for a third stage victory in the Tour de France.

BRITAIN’S David Millar came agonisingly close to a third Tour de France stage victory of his career as Norway’s Thor Hushovd won a sprint finish to win Stage Six yesterday.

Norway’s Thor Hushovd won a sprint finish to claim Stage Six of the Tour de France 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.

Mark Cavendish became the first Briton to win a stage of the Tour de France for five years with a brilliant sprint shoot-out on the fifth stage from Cholet to Chateauroux.

Norwegian Thor Hushovd won stage two of the Tour de France with a fantastic sprint finish in the final 300 metres between Auray and Saint Brieuc today.

NORWEGIAN Thor Hushovd edged a tight finish to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the 193km route between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny.

Norwegian Thor Hushovd edged a tight finish to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the 193km route between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny.

AUSTRALIAN Robbie McEwen stole through to claim a sprint finish win on the fourth stage of the Tour de France in Saint-Quentin yesterday as world champion Tom Boonen held on to the yellow jersey.

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.

ROBBIE McEWEN claimed the ninth stage of the Tour de France by a whisker in the closest finish of the Tour so far.

Robbie McEwen claimed the ninth stage of the Tour de France by a whisker in the closest finish of this year’s Tour so far.

NORWAY’S Thor Hushovd claimed his first stage victory of this year’s Tour de France as a chaotic closing 10 kilometres climaxed in a thrilling uphill sprint in Quimper.

Australian Robbie McEwen burst clear of his challengers in the finishing straight to ride into Namur ahead of the peloton and claim the second stage of the Tour de France.