Nicolas Roche will be one of the race favourites for this month’s Friends Life Tour of Britain, after his participation was confirmed by his team Tinkoff-Saxo yesterday.

Italy's Vincenzo Nibali launched a late attack to win stage two of the Tour de France in Sheffield today and claim the race leader's yellow jersey.

A devastated Mark Cavendish ruled himself out of the Tour de France after suffering a shoulder injury in a crash on Saturday's opening stage to Harrogate.

Mark Cavendish’s bid for the yellow jersey ended in a heap as the Manxman tumbled to the tarmac in a dramatic conclusion to the opening stage of the 101st Tour de France in Harrogate.

CYCLING: Mark Cavendish won stage four of the Tour de Suisse to show his form ahead of the Tour de France.

SAMBA SADNESS

Police in the UK called to reports of a bloody axe attack in progress were confronted with a bunch of young movie-makers shooting a zombie film.

The route of the 2014 Tour de France, which begins in Britain, includes five mountain finishes and just one individual time-trial, organisers announced this morning.

The Uninvited

Veteran comedian Jimmy Tarbuck has been arrested in connection with a historic child sex abuse allegation, sources said.

Former UCI President Hein Verbruggen had assets managed by the investment bank of Thom Weisel, backer of the US Postal Services team that disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong rode for during his rise to fame in the late 90s and early 2000s — but has denied any wrongdoing.

THE BESTSELLING biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson is most notable for revealing that the innovator and aesthete genius behind Apple — the world’s most successful company — was in many ways a giant, semi-autistic toddler.

Fierce storms battered Britain today with heavy rain and winds gusting over 100mph.

UK department store chain Debenhams today said it expects to create 600 jobs as part of plans to refit 20 outlets in its next financial year.

A TYPE of honey used for centuries to treat wounds may be the ultimate weapon against drug resistant bacteria, research suggests.

England’s John Parry surged into the early clubhouse lead on the third day of the Castello Masters in Spain.

St Andrews, the Home of Golf, could tomorrow see Lee Westwood crowned as the new world number one - and little-known John Parry as the shock winner of one of Europe's richest events.

England's John Parry left nine of Europe's Ryder Cup side trailing in his wake at St Andrews today - in an event he was not qualified for until he won his first European Tour title two weeks ago.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON delivered the European Ryder Cup team a timely boost in producing an impressive eight under par 64 on the final day of the Vivendi Cup in Chambourcy.

England’s John Parry – a team-mate of Rory McIlroy in the 2007 Walker Cup - today became the third rookie to win on this season’s European Tour.

Padraig Harrington is a massive 11 shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the low-key Vivendi Trophy in Paris – but at least he is still in it.

Royal Bank of Scotland is axing another 3,500 jobs under plans to more than halve the bank’s administration centres across the UK, it was announced today.

Germany’s Marcel Siem eagled his final hole en route to an eight-under-par 64 today to secure a one-stroke lead at the end of the opening round of the inaugural Avantha Masters.

Luca Cumani nominated a return trip to France as the most likely option for Fantasia after her third-place finish in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp.

Silver Frost ran out an impressive winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp.

The maker of Dunlopillo pillows and bedding went into administration today after falling victim to soaring costs and its failure to secure vital funding.

Supermarket giant Tesco has taken a step closer to complete retail conquest of the country after buying stores on several remote Scottish isles.

The first undercover pictures of the men accused of a £2m (€2.86m) race-fixing scam involving Kieren Fallon were released today.

HE was born in the Yorkshire town of Harrogate, is captain of Welsh club Llanelli and he has played almost all of his rugby across the water.

Pete Doherty's lawyer has dismissed reports the troubled rocker has quit rehab

Singer Pete Doherty has been told he faces jail if he doesn't undergo rehab to tackle his addiction to drugs.

Rory McIlroy revived his feint hopes of victory in the St Andrews Links Trophy when he carded a three-under par 69 over the Old Course in Saturday's second round.

Richard Guest reached a half-century for the season when Move Over landed the Alan Thompson 75th Birthday Novices’ Handicap Chase at Catterick.

La Cucaracha, owned Guy Reed and trained by Barry Hills, will sidestep the Hong Kong Sprint so she can be preserved for another season of racing.

Unibond League Burscough snatched a dramatic injury-time winner to knock League One Gillingham out of the FA Cup and secure a place in the second round.

InterContinental Hotels signalled an expansion of its Holiday Inn brand in the UK today after clinching a franchise deal with one of its rivals.

Former GMTV presenter Eamonn Holmes has landed a new job – hosting the theatre version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Shaun Murphy has become the first qualifier to reach the Embassy World Championship final for 26 years after overwhelming Peter Ebdon 17-12 with a near flawless display.

The British government today signalled it will offer no more significant concessions to critics of its proposals to impose restrictions including house arrest on suspected terrorists.

British soldier Lee Clegg is to face a court martial over allegations that he assaulted a teenager, it was reported today.

British supermarket chain Waitrose rang up a record £100m (€142.3m) in sales during a hectic final week before Christmas, figures showed today.