Tour de France

After two runner-up finishes, Cadel Evans finally stood on the top of the podium on the Champs Elysees as champion of cycling's great race.

Cadel Evans seized the Tour de France yellow jersey in the next-to-last stage, all but giving Australia its first victory in cycling's showpiece event and capping one of the most dramatic races in years.

Luxembourg's Andy Schleck has captured the Tour de France yellow jersey on the famed Alpe d'Huez, setting up a pulsating finish with a weekend time trial and final dash to the Champs Elysees in Paris.

Andy Schleck led a daring attack in the Alps to win the 18th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, putting him within seconds of the yellow jersey and quashing Alberto Contador's hopes of a fourth title.

Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway won the 17th stage of the Tour de France, the first of three days in the Alps, while Thomas Voeckler retained the yellow jersey but lost time after riding off course on the final descent.

Having narrowly missed out on winning the green jersey twice before, British sprinter Mark Cavendish is remaining cautious heading into the final week of the Tour de France.

British sprinting star Mark Cavendish overcame high wind and "bashing" in the pack to collect his fourth stage victory at this year's Tour de France, as French rider Thomas Voeckler earned the race leader's yellow jersey for a sixth straight day.

After another impressive day at cycling's biggest race, Thomas Voeckler might be daring to dream at the Tour de France.

Norway's Thor Hushovd won the 13th stage of the Tour de France and France's Thomas Voeckler kept the yellow jersey on a ride through the Pyrenees that ended in the home of one of the most famous Catholic shrines.

Score one for the Schleck brothers - Andy and Frank - against defending champion Alberto Contador.

British rider Mark Cavendish won a rainy 11th stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint, easily beating Andre Greipel of Germany at the line to seize the leading sprinter's green jersey.

German sprinter Andre Greipel has won the 10th stage of the Tour de France, beating former teammate Mark Cavendish by a wheel's length in a dash to the line and capturing a leg of cycling's showcase race for the first time.

Defending champion Alberto Contador and his main rival Andy Schleck have yet to properly test each other in this year's Tour de France.

Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez won the ninth stage of the Tour de France on a wild day of crashes, while France's Thomas Voeckler finished second to take the leader's yellow jersey from Thor Hushovd.

World Champion Thor Hushovd of Norway has surprised a lot of Tour de France watchers by finishing the tour's first tough uphill stage alongside favourites like Cadel Evans, Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador.

Mark Cavendish won a crash-marred seventh stage of the Tour de France, capturing his 17th career stage win in the same town where he won his first, as world champion Thor Hushovd retained the yellow jersey.

Alberto Contador knew it made little sense to take risks on a day when blinding, torrential rain lashed riders in the Tour de France.

Mark Cavendish of Britain won a windy and crash-marred fifth stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint, while Thor Hushovd of Norway kept the leader's yellow jersey.

Make no mistake, Alberto Contador is back on the prowl.

Tyler Farrar became the first American to win a Tour de France stage on July 4, dominating a sprint finish in the third leg as teammate Thor Hushovd of Norway kept the yellow jersey.