An Irish journalist has said he felt “more amused than threatened” after Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford yesterday attempted to block the reporter from the team’s media event over unfavourable coverage of his evasive attitude to the press.

Dan Martin sits just 72 seconds off the lead of the Tour de France, but the Irishman could hardly be more relaxed as he insists it is just another bike race.

When Dan Martin crashed hard on stage nine of the Tour de France last Sunday week and crossed the line 1’15” down on stage winner Rigoberto Uran, many felt his best ever chance of a podium in the sport’s greatest contest had passed him by.

Chris Froome surrendered the yellow jersey to Fabio Aru as Romain Bardet won stage 12 of the Tour de France in Peyragudes.

After one of the most bizarre Tour de France stages in recent years, overnight leader Chris Froome emerged from a day of chaos with the yellow jersey he claimed last Wednesday.

Dan Martin rocketed up the General Classification at the Tour de France yesterday and is now fourth overall just 25 seconds down on the man who assumed the race leader’s yellow jersey, Chris Froome.

Nicolas Roche put up a brave fight in a bid to claim stage glory on yesterday’s 17th stage of the Tour de France but it was German Simon Geschke (Giant Alpecin) who emerged victorious with a brilliant solo victory.

Chris Froome stamped his class all over the Tour de France yesterday by totally obliterating the field on the first mountain stage of this year’s race.

CYCLING: Dan Martin put in a very gutsy display on stage 11 of the Vuelta A Espana yesterday, finishing eighth on the stage, eight seconds behind stage winner Fabio Aru (Astana) and moving up to 11th overall.

Nairo Quintana plans to target the 2015 Tour de France after celebrating victory in the Giro d’Italia yesterday.

Philip Deignan notched his best result since moving to Team Sky last year — and the best result from an Irish perspective at this year’s Giro d’Italia when he notched a brilliant third on yesterday’s 18th stage of the race from Belluno to Panarotta.

Stefano Pirazzi cried tears of joy after winning his first Grand Tour stage in his home race yesterday, but behind him arguments still raged after Tuesday’s controversial Giro d’Italia stage put Nairo Quintana in the pink jersey of race leader.

There was controversy in today's stage of the Giro d’Italia as organisers caused confusion over whether a descent was actually going ahead on the route.

CYCLING: Nacer Bouhanni of France continued his dominance of the Giro d’Italia sprint finishes by winning his third stage of the race in Salsomaggiore Terme yesterday.

Dan Martin's Giro d'Italia dreams were ended on the opening stage in Belfast as he suffered a serious crash.

The days of partying are now over as Donegal’s Philip Deignan prepares for the Giro d’Italia with Team Sky.

Ireland’s Dan Martin expects Sunday’s Road World Championships road race in Florence to come down to the survival of the fittest.

Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory in Brescia to take the red jersey in the Giro d’Italia and become only the fifth-ever rider to win the points classification in all three of cycling’s Grand Tours.

Ireland’s Dan Martin finished safely in the main bunch on yesterday’s third stage of the five-day Bayern-Rundfahrt stage race in Germany.

Carrick-on-Suir sprinter Sam Bennett delivered the An Post Chain Reaction team’s second stage win of this year’s An Post Rás when he outgunned Dane Morten Ollegaard (Blue Water Cycling), Polish rider Marcin Bialablocki (Team UK Youth) and the rest of the peloton in a mass bunch sprint to the line at the end of stage three in Listowel yesterday.

Bradley Wiggins admitted his disappointment after being forced to abandon the Giro d’Italia, a race the Olympic champion had made his number one priority this season.

Bradley Wiggins has pulled out of the Giro d’Italia because of a chest infection.

Mark Cavendish claimed the 100th stage victory of his career over the 134km 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia from Longarone to Treviso today.

Bradley Wiggins slipped to sixth place in the overall standings after a gruelling fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia.

Nicolas Roche remains in seventh place overall after stage six of the Vuelta Espana today.

One of the weirdest things for me, when I participated in the Olympics, was waking up the day after the opening ceremony going to the dining hall before training and seeing people with Olympic medals already hanging around their necks.

When Great Britain’s Team Principal David Brailsford was quizzed on his team’s plans prior to Saturday’s Olympic men’s road race, his response drew as much exasperation as it did wry smiles from rivals teams.

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.

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.

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.

Igor Anton won the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Espana today with Philippe Gilbert finishing fifth to keep hold of the leader’s red jersey.

Mark Cavendish today completed the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, a day after being involved in a mass pile up.