The Ryder Cup might not immediately offer itself as sports’ best expression of the ideals of liberté, égalité, or fraternité. Like all top-level sports events, its primary objectives are not social, they are commercial.

Bradley Wiggins was today set to stay out of trouble on the sixth stage of the Tour de France as Mark Cavendish again went in search of a 22nd Tour stage win of his career.

For a moment it appeared Mark Cavendish’s Tour de France and Olympic hopes might be over on stage four to Rouen today, but the world champion is set to live to fight another day.

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.

MATTHIAS KESSLER produced a strong finish to win an action-packed third stage of the Tour de France yesterday as world champion Tom Boonen claimed the yellow jersey.