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Stage 20 - Marcoussis to Paris Champs-Élysées (146km)

The champion arrives in Paris

The champion

Bennati wins the finale

The podium

Boonen wins his first points jersey

The Knees break (has a painful sound to it, don't you agree?)

Welcome to Paris

Barloworld chasing

Contador toasting

Disco' on the podium

Throw in the two rest days, and Alberto Contador's winning margin at the 2007 Tour de France is destined to equal one tick of the watch per day. Those 23 seconds will represent the second smallest final time difference in the race's 94 renditions, trailing only Greg LeMond's eight-second triumph over Laurent Fignon in 1989. This year's near-record breaker came to pass during a breathtaking stage-19 time trial that left the outcome in doubt until the final kilometer, when Contador narrowly held off stiff challenges from Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer to maintain his slim overall lead.

Contador guts it out

Leipheimer wins his first Tour stage and secures his place on the podium

Evans gave it his best, but had to settle for second on the day — and second in Paris

Karpets slots into third

Popo' nails fourth

Contador cranks out the ride of his life for fifth — and first in Paris

Hincapie set a tough mark to top . . .

. . . clipping a dozen seconds off Hoste's then-best time

Today's big winner — the man wearing yellow

Levi Leipheimer uncorked the time trial of his life to win Saturday’s time trial shootout in Angouleme, but a controversial 10-second penalty in stage 12 will likely cost him second place on the Tour de France podium. With one day left to race in the 2007 Tour, Leipheimer pulled within eight seconds of Cadel Evans and the runner-up spot on the Tour podium. Contador leads Evans by 23 seconds with Leipheimer slotted into third another eight seconds adrift.

Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov's B sample confirmed that he had been blood doping, sources told AFP on Saturday. Vinokourov was thrown out of the Tour de France last Tuesday when it was revealed that a blood sample taken from the Astana team rider after his victory in the time trial on the 13th stage revealed the presence of "two distinct blood populations.” That suggested Vinokourov had injected the blood from a compatible donor to boost his performance in the race against the clock.

Embattled Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen was told Saturday that he would not be welcome at the starting line of one of his country's biggest races. Rasmussen, kicked out of the Tour de France when leading the race this week in a dispute over missed drugs tests, had intended to emulate cycling great Lance Armstrong by competing on the Decoplant Grand Prix which starts on Monday. But race director Jesper Tikioeb told Saturday's Berlingske Tidende newspaper that Rasmussen should not attend.

COURSE: This closing time trial, on up-and-down country roads through the vineyards, could see another showdown to determine the Paris podium. HISTORY: Cognac, where the world renowned brandy is produced, has never hosted a Tour stage, but the nearby town of Saintes saw two split stages (with stage fi nishes and starts) in both 1936 and 1937. A 75km team time trial from Saintes to La Rochelle in 1936 was won by the Belgian national team of overall winner Sylvère Maes at 42 kph, an excellent average speed for the era. FAVORITES: With a possible west wind blowing in from the nearby Atlantic

Tour de France organizers on Saturday called for the resignation of UCI bosses who they feel are to blame for the Michael Rasmussen controversy which has sullied the race. "There's only one solution (in such circumstances), and that's resignation," said Patrice Clerc, the president of the race's parent company Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) ahead of Saturday’s 19th and penultimate stage. Clerc said there has been a "lack of clarity, transparency, competence, and most of all a lack of professionalism" on the part of the higher echelons of cycling's world ruling body. The

Top Ten - Stage 19 (Cognac - Angoulême)1. Levi Leipheimer (USA), DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM , 1:02:442. Cadel Evans (Aus), PREDICTOR - LOTTO, at 00:51 3. Vladimir Karpets (Rus), CAISSE D’EPARGNE, at 01:56 4. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr), DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM, at 02:01 5. Alberto Contador (Sp), DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM, at 02:18 6. Ivan Gutierrez José (Sp), CAISSE D’EPARGNE, at 02:27 7. George Hincapie (USA), DISCOVERY CHANNEL TEAM , at 02:33 8. Oscar Pereiro Sio (Sp), CAISSE D’EPARGNE, at 02:36 9. Leif Hoste (B), PREDICTOR - LOTTO, at 02:48 10. Mikel Astarloza (Sp), EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI, at 02:50

Astana’s Andreas Klöden said Saturday he is considering retiring after the recent wave of doping scandals have left him in fear he may end up in jail one day. The 32-year-old, one of the pre-race favorites to win this year's Tour de France, told German daily newspaper Bild that he has trouble sleeping and fears criminal elements are creeping into his sport. "I find it difficult to sleep," said the 2004 German champion, who was excluded from the Tour on Tuesday after his whole Astana team withdrew in the wake of leader Alexander Vinokourov's failed drugs test. Fellow team-mate

Britain's David Millar managed to contain his anger after the wheels literally came off his bid for a top finish in the final Tour de France time trial on Saturday. The 30-year-old, who rides for Saunier Duval, finished the 55.5km race against the clock from Cognac to Angouleme well outside the top 10 after a pair of disastrous mechanicals cost him crucial time. Millar initially blamed wheel producers Mavic, but later admitted he could not put his finger on exactly why the incidents happened. "I've got no idea (why it happened)," he said. "The Mavic disc exploded in the first 500

The final stage of the Tour de France is traditionally a ceremonial ride into Paris, a day for the yellow jersey to sip champagne and the sprinters to fight for victory on the Champs-Élysées, one of the most celebrated avenues in cycling. Then again, never in the Tour has there been a final-day road stage quite like tomorrow’s, which is poised to close out the second-closest Tour in history, with Alberto Contador of Discovery Channel leading Cadel Evans of Predictor-Lotto by just 23 seconds. Contador’s teammate Levi Leipheimer sits third overall, just eight seconds behind Evans.

It was a day of high drama at the 2007 Tour de France. Levi Leipheimer won his first stage and, barring disaster during the final run-in to Paris, clinched third spot on the podium. And Alberto Contador turned in the time trial of his career to make it all but certain that he will be the winner once the dust settles on the Champs-Elysees. Our man Casey Gibson was on hand once again to capture all the action.

Seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong arrived at the Tour de France Sunday to motivate Discovery Channel riders Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer in what, to date, were the most important time trial efforts of their respective careers. As was often the case during his racing career, the Texan became a French good-luck charm. Armstrong sat in the Contador follow vehicle next to team director Johan Bruyneel, while sport director Dirk Demol followed Leipheimer just six minutes up the road.

Weather:Humid with light rain and heavy cloud cover, highs in low 80s. Riders enjoyed a steady 15-20 mph tailwind Stage winner:American Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) took the first Tour stage win of his career by blitzing the time trial. Leipheimer was first at every intermediate time check to win by 51 seconds ahead of Cadel Evans. The stage win secured Leipheimer’s spot on the final podium in Paris. Race leader:Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) rode the most important time trial of his life, and though he lost 1:27 to Evans, he secured his overall lead by 23 seconds with only

Jeremiah Bishop (Trek-Volkswagen) and Georgia Gould (Luna) won the fifth round of the 2007 national mountain bike cross-country series, held July 28 at Sugar Mountain resort in Banner Elk, North Carolina. "I had an awesome race, and initially I was thinking that I wish I could have felt this good last weekend [at the USA Cycling national championships]," Bishop said. "But this was a great consolation prize. I got to win the only race of the season that my mom got to go to, my wife, Erin, was here and I had great fan support." Bishop took the third NMBS cross-country race of his career after

Stage 19 - Cognac to Angoulême, Individual Time Trial (55km)

Stage 19 - Cognac to Angoulême, Individual Time Trial (55km)

Here's how a Tour time trial starts

And here is how cognac starts

Fans pile in to see the bikes

Dirk Demol has a chat with Egoi Martinez before the start

Cancellara early, sans tailwind

Evans is all concentration for a great time trial, but fell just short

Hincapie looks smooth

Horner rides to a great 15th overall

Leif Hoste riding hard to give a report to Evans

Euskatel through the flowers

Leipheimer rippin' it up

Contador racing to a strong fifth-place finish

The winnah . . .

. . . and still champeen

Health Net-Maxxis rider Karl Menzies took his second official – and third unofficial – win at the International Tour de ’Toona Friday, retaining the leader’s jersey in the process. Menzies recently returned from visiting his father, who has terminal cancer, in his native Tasmania.“When I say I’m motivated, people don’t necessarily understand what I mean,” Menzies said. “He told me, ‘I don’t want you sitting here watching me die. I want you back racing and winning.’” Winning Friday’s 77-mile stage 5 Martinsburg Circuit Race in a bunch sprint earned Menzies a five-second bonus in a race where

In a battle among two Frenchmen and a pair of soon-to-be retirees, Française des Jeux's Sandy Casar was fastest of the four, taking victory in stage 18 of the 2007 Tour de France. Casar, who crashed into an unleashed dog early in the day, launched a cunning attack late in the 211km ride from Cahors to Angoulême, then held off the chasing trio of Axel Merckx (T-Mobile), Laurent Lefevre (Bouygues Telecom) and Michael Boogerd (Rabobank). It was the 29-year-old Frenchman's first career Tour stage victory, and the second for the host country at this year's race.

COURSE: The beautiful roads through the Dordogne area give this stage a similar feel to the one in which Armstrong took his famous solo stage victory at Limoges in the 1995 Tour, a few days after his Motorola teammate Fabio Casartelli died. The latter part of this year’s stage 18 should favor the sprinters’ teams if they have enough riders left to organize a chase. HISTORY: Angoulême, with a population of 105,000, has hosted only one stage finish. That was in 1975, when future Italian legend Francesco Moser, riding his first Tour, surprised everyone with an uphill attack in the final

Results, Stage 18 (Cahors-Angoulême)1. Sandy Casar (F), Francaise Des Jeux, 5:13:312. Axel Merckx (B), T-Mobile, at 00:01 3. Laurent Lefevre (F), Bouygues Telecom, at 00:01 4. Michael Boogerd (Nl), Rabobank, at 00:01 5. Tom Boonen (B), Quick Step-Innergetic, at 08:34 6. Robert Hunter (Rsa), Barloworld, at 08:34 7. Erik Zabel (G), Milram, at 08:34 8. Sébastien Chavanel (F), Francaise Des Jeux, at 08:34 9. Bernhard Eisel (A), T-Mobile, at 08:34 10. Thor Hushovd (N), Credit Agricole, at 08:34 Results, Stage 18 (Cahors-Angoulême)1. Sandy Casar (F), Francaise Des Jeux, 5:13:312. Axel Merckx (B),

Sporting a pink pair of pink “Dopers Suck” socks, Subaru-Gary Fisher rider and regular VeloNews columnist Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski finished fourth in the cross-country at the 2007 USA Cycling national mountain-bike championships. The muddy, technical course didn’t suit JHK’s high-altitude climbing skills, and the Coloradan admitted winner Adam Craig was the best man of the day. As a fan of road cycling, JHK has kept himself glued to the tube, watching the 2007 Tour de France. But like most American viewers, JHK said he’s been blown away by the chaotic state of the sport. VeloNews caught up

British Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins believes the drug-tainted Tour de France has lost all credibility as the race struggles from one crisis to another. Wiggins and the rest of his Cofidis team were withdrawn from the race after teammate Cristian Moreni failed a test for testosterone. Moreni later admitted to use of the hormone, while being questioned by police. "No one has faith in who is wearing the yellow jersey," said the 27-year-old Wiggins. "This year's Tour has lost all credibility. It's null and void as far as I am concerned this year. It will take a long time to

Riders are still steaming following a string of high-profile doping scandals that have threatened to push cycling over the edge of credibility in the eyes of the mainstream media. Emotions ran so high at Thursday’s start in Pau that Dutch veteran Michael Boogerd actually tried punching a fan who was booing him before the sign-in podium. With the Tour decapitated of its yellow jersey Michael Rasmussen, the peloton is trying to get down to the business of racing bikes, but bitterness is still simmering under the surface. “I’m full with aggression and I want to get home. I don’t care that

Weather: Warm, sunny skies, highs in upper 80s, head-crosswinds Stage winner: Sandy Casar (FDJeux) attacked a four-man breakaway with just under 3km to go only to be reeled in by three chasers. He remained in the lead postion and accelerated off the front on the rising finish to snag France’s second stage-win of this Tour. Casar shook off a fall early in the stage when a dog ran into the peloton and the victory took the sting off losing into Marseille by inches. Race leader: Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel) enjoyed his first full day in the yellow jersey, but second-place rider Cadel

The 94th Tour de France is coming down to the wire with three candidates – Alberto Contador, Cadel Evans and Levi Leipheimer – within striking distance of the maillot jaune. VeloNews gauged the key players on who they thought would win and why. Here’s a sampling: Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel), 1st“I know that tomorrow is a day that can change your life forever. I also know that it will be the most difficult day of my life. The public was nice with me today. I felt a warm reception along the roads and it was an honor to ride in the yellow jersey today. I have to take advantage of this

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme wants to stop working with the UCI on next year's race, a German daily will report on Saturday. "One should not make the Tour de France organizers responsible for everything," said Prudhomme in an explosive interview with German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "Just like in every sport, there is an international organization in cycling, but despite all the respect it warrants, it does nothing. The UCI never really wanted this Tour to be clean, but next year, there could potentially be a clean Tour.” When asked if he could break with UCI and its

UCI chief Pat McQuaid has dismissed as "complete false" a report that cycling could be axed from the Olympic Games. A senior European International Olympic Committee member told AFP on Wednesday, speaking under anonymity, that the troubled sport risks being ejected from the Games because of the consistent spate of drug scandals. However, UCI chief McQuaid said Friday that was not on the IOC’s agenda. "That is completely false and is not on the agenda," McQuaid told France 2 television. "The IOC supports cycling, as it does all federations who are trying to fight agaginst doping. The system

Wounded, but willing to keep riding, Sandy Casar's ride on Stage 18 was almost like the Tour itself. Friday's ride from Cahors to Angoulême featured a four-man break that stayed well ahead of a peloton thinking more about Saturday's time trial than chasing down a group of escapees. Our many Casey Gibson was there.

Iban Mayo and Cadel Evans, among others, demonstrated some important aerodynamic concepts for us in the stage 13 time trial in Albi. Specifically, they showed us about what to do - and what not to do - with the knees and elbows. We learned a few more subtle lessons from Levi Leipheimer and from the Astana team, and we saw once again that a wet road does not slow a fast rider… well, except on corners. Two distinct styles: Evans vs. MayoLong TV shots from the front allowed us to see how Evans maintained a compact, narrow position throughout his body, and how Mayo did not. Evans has wide,

Stage 18 - Cahors to Angoulême - (211km)

Stage 18 - Cahors to Angoulême - (211km)

Casar takes a tumble, then takes the stage

JKH thinks North American mountain bikers are racing clean

Discovery protects its new race leader

The break

Disco' drives the chase

Boonen in green

Contador in yellow

Evans easily drops a pack of TV types at the start.

Contador's ride at the ready

Pierrick Fedrigo tries to start the first break, and checks to see if he has any takers.

Axel Merckx and Michael Boogerd lead the break that stuck.

Disco in the lead, with Lotto keeping a close eye on things.

Boonen early in the stage, on what looks like a very small bike. He can make it go fast, however.

In the Hunt for points, Hunter congratulates Boonen on the field sprint.

Contador starts his daily fashion show. First his team kit...