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Danish tour, Clásica keep wheels turning
There’s more to racing than the Tour de France and there’s no rest for the weary as the cycling circus keeps on truckin’. The Tour of Denmark and the Clásica San Sebastian are the main events this week as the cycling calendar switches gears after the most important stage race of the year. The women’s World Cup also clicks back into gear, with two events in Sweden this weekend. 19th Tour of Denmark
Prudhomme credits Armstrong for exciting Tour
Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme credited Lance Armstrong for adding an interesting element to this year's race after the American came out of retirement to finish a commendable third overall. Armstrong finished more than five minutes behind Astana teammate Alberto Contador, who proved unbeatable over three weeks of tough racing on his way to his second victory since his maiden win in 2007. However, on more than one occasion, the 37-year-old seven-time champion showed that his sense for racing is still up there with the best.
Spanish media hail Contador win
The Spanish press hailed Alberto Contador as a "king" on Monday after the 26-year-old won the Tour de France for the second time after an intense rivalry with his Astana teammate Lance Armstrong. "The new king of the Tour is called Contador," top-selling daily El Pais wrote on its front page below a picture of a smiling Contador receiving his trophy on Sunday as Armstrong looked on beside him on the podium. "This is the second Tour of the fittest," the newspaper added.
Prudhomme cautiously optimistic after scandal-free Tour … so far
Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme was cautiously optimistic in celebrating a scandal-free 96th edition on Sunday. For the first time in recent history the world's biggest bike race avoided being dragged through the mire by drugs cheats. On this year's race only the sublime performances of Contador in the grueling mountain stages prompted some experts to raise eyebrows. However Contador, who won with a comfortable lead over his rivals, insists he is a clean Tour champion.
Intermontane Challenge comes to Kamloops
Adding to the list of mountain bike stage races dotting this year’s off-road racing calendar is the inaugural Intermontane Challenge, which begins today. The five-day race starts and ends in Kamloops, British Columbia; in fact, every stage starts and ends in the town, making the event logistically simple for organizers and athletes alike. Promoters have enhanced the event’s appeal further by offering $10,000 Canadian each to the winners of the men’s and women’s solo categories.
A Casey B. Gibson Gallery: A Spaniard in Paris
Ace shooter Casey B. Gibson finally got to drop that massive camera bag in Paris, but he sent along a few final pix before grabbing some downtime.
Absalon, Pendrel win World Cup XC
The World Cup cross-country course at Mont Saint-Anne is one of the few – if not the only – courses that gets racers truly fired up about racing cross-country. They say it possesses all the elements of a genuine mountain bike race course. But factor in wet weather and things start to get really exciting since the course turns into a rollercoaster with rocky teeth, and roots too, lots of slippery ones.
Cavendish always delivers
During the stage-winning celebrations at the Columbia-HTC team bus in Paris Sunday evening, directeur sportif Allan Peiper pointed out that Mark Cavendish scored his record six field-sprint wins at this Tour in very different ways. The 24-year-old Brit not only packs a kick that is fast enough to out-accelerate most of his rivals but he can also improvise in way that few sprinters have ever been able to do.
Cav’ calls final victory ‘beautiful’
Britain's Mark Cavendish called his sixth stage win in this year's Tour de France "beautiful" after powering to a stunning victory on the Champs-Élysées on Sunday. A superb lead-out from Columbia-HTC teammate Mark Renshaw gave Cavendish a clear run to the line as he surged away from green jersey Thor Hushovd (Cervélo TestTeam) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream). "The Champs-Élysées is a dream for every sprinter in the world; to cross the finish line in view of the Arc de Triomphe with your arms in the air," Cavendish said.
Tech Gallery: A look at Cavendish’s ‘Fighter Pilot’ sprint bike
Not to be outdone by the Trek Project One paint jobs over in the Astana camp, and the custom yellow Specialized Tarmac SL3 for Saxo Bank’s Fabian Cancellara, Scott Bicycles and the Columbia-HTC team produced a special bike for their star sprinter Mark Cavendish.
Armstrong skips party honoring Contador
Lance Armstrong admitted on Sunday that he did not join his teammates in celebrating Alberto Contador's Tour de France triumph on Saturday night, preferring instead to go for drinks with the backers of his future outfit, Team RadioShack. "To be honest, I went out for dinner with the RadioShack guys and I had a few extra glasses of wine than I would have normally done," said Armstrong.
The winners of the 96 Tours de France
Past winners of the Tour de France
Contador’s win is the 12th Tour win for Spain
Alberto Contador took Spain's tally to 12 wins in 96 editions of the Tour de France when he wrapped up his second victory of the Tour here on Sunday. Reputed climber Federico Bahamontes, nicknamed the 'Eagle of Toledo,' broke new ground for his countrymen by winning the race in 1959 after years of domination by the French, the Italians and Belgians. Following in Bahamontes' trail, albeit 14 years later, was the great Luis Ocana, who claimed his only win in 1973 in an era dominated by Belgian great Eddy Merckx.