Andy Schleck made his claim for Tour de France victory with a solo surge to win at the highest summit finish in the race’s history today, but Thomas Voeckler retained the yellow jersey for a 10th day with another resilient performance.

NICOLAS ROCHE slipped back four places to 22nd on the overall general classification after yesterday’s 16th stage of the Tour de France from St Paul Trois Châteaux to Gap in the south east of the country.

NICOLAS ROCHE’S goal of a top-10 finish in this year’s Tour de France is over after a nightmare day on Saturday when he conceded almost seven minutes to his main rivals and dropped back from 11th to 18th on the overall classification.

The Tour de France's overall favourites fought out a stalemate on the final day in the Pyrenees as Belgium's Jelle Vanendert claimed victory at Plateau de Beille.

HE may have finished over two minutes behind stage winner Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) but Ireland’s Nicolas Roche gave the strongest indication yet that he’s bang in line for a top 10 overall finish at this year’s Tour de France after he produced a superb ride up to the summit of Luz Ardiden in the Pyrénées on the toughest stage of this year’s race yesterday.

Thomas Voeckler successfully defended the race leader's yellow jersey on Bastille Day, but defending champion Alberto Contador lost time to his overall rivals on the first mountain stage of the 2011 Tour de France.

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.

The latest bout in the battle for the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey ended in a stalemate in the Pyrenees today.

NICHOLAS ROCHE continues to ride exceptionally well as leader of his Ag2R Mondiale team in the Tour de France, finishing in 20th place yesterday on stage 12, just 31 seconds behind stage winner Joaquin Rodriguez (Team Katusha).

ANDY SCHLECK has laid down the gauntlet to Alberto Contador as the race for the Tour de France became a duel following yesterday’s second Alpine stage.

It’s been a fabulous start to the 2010 Tour de France for the sole Irish rider in the race, Nicholas Roche.

A dog disrupted David Millar’s progress from Rotterdam to Brussels as the Tour de France hit the road today.

Frenchman Damien Monier attacked on the final climb to claim victory on stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia today.

Franco Pellizotti emerged triumphant from a gruelling final climb to claim the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia today.

Ask Mark Cavendish what sort of punishment is appropriate to cycling’s drugs cheats and he has no doubts – “prison”, says the young Manxman.

FLOYD LANDIS made his latest attempt to prove his innocence of doping charges in the court of public opinion yesterday, publishing on his website a detailed defence which included hundreds of pages of documents and a Powerpoint presentation.

FLOYD LANDIS hailed the patience and persistence that his parents instilled in him in his youth as he swept to victory in the Tour de France to become the first winner in the post-Lance Armstrong era.

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

Rafael Nadal must put aside off-court controversy as he prepares for tomorrow’s Wimbledon quarter-final meeting with Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.

Rafael Nadal tonight reacted angrily to being linked to the doping scandal which has rocked the Tour de France.

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

Tour de France director Jean Marie Leblanc has congratulated T-Mobile for ousting race favourite Jan Ullrich on the eve of the competition after he was named in a doping investigation.

LANCE ARMSTRONG’S anointed heir Ivan Basso will launch his bid for the vacant Tour de France throne in Strasbourg next July.

LANCE ARMSTRONG retired from cycling yesterday after winning a seventh Tour de France title and still at the height of his powers.

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

ITALIAN Giuseppe Guerini produced an exceptional display of tactical riding to claim victory on the 153km 19th stage of the Tour de France.

Italian Giuseppe Guerini produced an exceptional display of tactical riding to claim victory on the 153km 19th stage of the Tour de France but Lance Armstrong maintained control of the overall lead.

SPANIARD Marcos Serrano claimed victory on the 189km 18th stage of the Tour de France between Albi and Mende yesterday after holding off a strong challenge from Cedric Vasseur and Axel Merckx.

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.

THE final mountain stage of the 2005 Tour de France passed comfortably yesterday for Lance Armstrong who, barring injury or mishap, will accept his seventh consecutive title in Paris on Sunday.

Oscar Pereiro of Phonak won stage 16 of the Tour de France today, taking the line in a four-man sprint.

JAN ULLRICH has all but given up on his challenge to Lance Armstrong on this year’s Tour de France and admitted he is fighting Michael Rasmussen for a place on the podium.

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.

Lance Armstrong survived a series of attacks to retain the yellow jersey on stage 14 of the Tour de France, which was won by Austrian rider Georg Totschnig.

John Roberts

SIX-TIME winner Lance Armstrong lost the Tour de France yellow jersey after another dramatic day of climbing which handed Germany’s Jens Voigt the race lead for only the second time in his career.

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.

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.

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.

LANCE ARMSTRONG gave another demonstration of his total superiority over the Tour de France by sprinting to his fourth stage win of this year’s event.