Andy Schleck, a top Tour de France podium winner in the 2011 event, will not be competing in the big French race this year, according to a flash article published in Bicycling.com. http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2012/06/13/andy-schleck-out-of-tour-de-france/#.T9jJCg_f07M.facebook Allegedly the rider has suffered a fractured pelvis in the Criterium du Dauphine this month, and will not be able to...
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July 25, 2011, Paris, France Cadel Evans brought a new spirit to the Tour de France this year, and perhaps a new methodology. The oldest rider since World War II to win the Tour, the 34-year-old Evans rode a sensible, if not patient Tour in which he worked hard to protect his gains when...
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July 24, 2011, Paris, France Australian Cadel Evans accomplished the unexpected yesterday when he overcame the odds and won the Tour de France. In the final stage before Paris, Evans made up the deficit he had with Andy Schleck, and passed it mightily by besting his time in the time trial in Grenoble. He...
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July 20, 2011 Luxembourgan Andy Schleck prevailed today on the highest stage of the Tour history, the Col de Galibier, just barely missing the Yellow Jersey, but claiming a large advantage over his fellow competitors. With over 60 km to go, the Team Leopard Trek rider attacked the Yellow Jersey group halfway up the...
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A finish in the Italian city of Pinerelo was sure to add spice to the Tour de Francia, as it is called here. For one, the Carabinieri are nicer, the fans are relaxed, and the whole atmosphere is like one big Italian party. Perhaps fitting that the young man from the Sky Team Edvald...
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July 19, 2011—-Gap, France—In a day spotted with calm weather and flats followed by dense rains, difficult climbs, attacks and counter attacks, Thor Hushovd come to the front once again to win the stage in Gap 162.5 km from the start. The idea that the Norwegian is no longer seeking the Green Jersey, but...
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July 19, 2011 (From Gap, France) A few months after last year’s Tour de France ended, the 2010 champion Alberto Contador was found to have tested positive for a banned substance, Clenbuterol. The test results created a difficult and dangerous situation for the Spanish rider, who stood to lose his 2010 Yellow Jersey because...
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July 18, 2011 Last year’s winner of the Tour de France Alberto Contador said he thinks Thomas Voeckler could win the Tour this year. Speaking at a press conference at the Hotel Chateau Rochegude, the Spaniard who rides for Team Saxobank said crashes and his painful knee have helped make this Tour very difficult,...
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It was almost as if the French had decided that their performance wasn’t good enough on Bastille Day so they had to make it up today in the course from Pau to Lourdes. About 4 km from the finish in Lourdes it almost looked like Jeremy Roy of team Francais des Jeux could win...
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It has been the day we were all waiting for: when the Tour reaches the first mountainous stages and suddenly the riders that were winning before are in the back, and a new climbing set takes their place in the bastion of power. No better day than Bastille Day, one of the most important...
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This 167.5 km stage from Blaye les Mines to Lavaur was mostly flat with some short, steep hills in the last hour, followed by a mostly flat final 15 km,  suitable for a mass sprint at the finish. Would the rivalry we saw between Greipel and Cavendish in stage 10 play out again on...
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It was a stage perfectly suited for the sprinters, and the question at the beginning was, will it be Tyler Farrar or Mark Cavendish who will throw his arms up at the end? But neither of the two favorites took first place in the final meter at the finish: Cavendish took an early sprint...
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With the Tour switching to the mountains today–even little ones–the outcome  was predicted to change the winners. But the massive shake up that Tour de France watchers were looking for never materialized: even with the first major climbs of the tour, Yellow jersey winner Thor Hushovd–more a sprinter than a climber,  managed to stay...
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Mark Cavendish took his 17th win of a Tour stage today into Chateauroux on the 218 km mostly flat stage with a massive lead out train from his HTC Highroad team. Cavendish won this stage for the first time in 2008 and was said this morning to be looking for a symbolic anniversary win....
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In the last 36 km of stage 7 of the Tour de France today, Bradley Wiggins of Team Sky crashed. His injuries which include a possibly broken collarbone, were great enough that he did not get back on his bike, and is now out of the Tour. Many other riders were caught in the...
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At the beginning of today’s longest 226.5 km stage from Dinan to Lisieux everyone was guessing Mark Cavendish would win. That’s because last year’s longest stage in the Tour, 227.5 km from Montargis to Gueugnon, was won by the Manxman. But on the rain streaked, uphill finish and with a lead out from his Team Sky...
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Well, at least there is some justice in the world. The organizers of the Tour de France have ejected the motorcycle rider who clipped Nicki Sorensen in yesterday’s stage 5. The motorcycle passed so close to the SaxoBank Sungard rider they hooked his pedals, knocked him down and then actually dragged him a bit...
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Today’s mostly flat 164.5 km from Carhaix to Cap Frehel offered a wide open opportunity for the major sprinters to go head to head. And so they did, with the Manx Missile Mark Cavendish winning handily at the finish in Cap Frehel. But the action did not come without lots of pain, crashes, an...
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