Road Racing

Every year, a dozen or so riders hope to make the podium in Paris. But crashes, sickness and poor form thin the herd.

Both men came to the Tour to work for others, but found themselves rising to the top as their leaders fell by the wayside.

Casey B. Gibson captures the action in the 97th Tour's only time trial.

Fränk Schleck is more than a brother and a podium threat — he's also Andy's roommate and mentor.

Garmin-Transitions riders used a special skin suit in the time trial Saturday that appeared to re-shape the riders' profiles.

Specialized founder Mike Sinyard has sponsored riders sitting first and second in the Tour

The Russian started 18 seconds behind Samuel Sánchez on GC, then rode him right off the podium.

2010 Tour de France stage 19 results

Behind at the first time check, Contador rallies to finish the day with a 39-second GC lead on Andy Schleck. Early-starter Fabian Cancellara wins the stage.

Watson photos from the Tour's final time trial

Aerobar inventor Boone Lennon flies to Bordeaux to help Schleck; Saxo Bank boss Riis declines

Defending champ Alberto Contador concedes that Saturday's time trial is one for the strongest man after three tough weeks, and Andy Schleck has yet to wave the white flag.

Riders, organizers at odds as a crash mars the finish at the Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort.

With the mountains behind, life in the peloton took on a more relaxed tone in the 18th Stage of the Tour de France. Casey B. Gibson was there to capture images on the road to Bordeaux.

The polka-dot jersey was decided Friday and the yellow jersey on Saturday, but the green jersey should come down to the final sprint into Paris.

Scenes from stage 18 into Bordeaux

It will be a battle of orange for the final spot on the podium at the Tour de France.

Cavendish comes off Cervelo and Petacchi to take his 14th Tour stage. Garmin's Dean is second and the GC stars cross rest up for the Saturday TT.

Complete results from the race to Bordeaux

A sampling of new stuff tech editor Zack Vestal has spied in France: wheels, components, helmets and more.

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Sutherland, Abbott lead GC before Mt. Bachelor summit finish

DeFeet isn't just about the feet. The company's made light, strong base layers for years, and its latest is a marvel.

Casey B. Gibson captured the action and the scenery (and the fog) from the critical stage.

Chris Horner rode into the top 10 on the Tourmalet and bolstered RadioShack's team GC lead.

A sign of weakness or maturity? Contador has attacked only a few times and hasn't won a stage, but appears destined for a third Tour win

Carlos Sastre says the peloton is taking things too far when it comes to 'fair play,' turning the sport into a 'baby's playpen' at times.

On the hardest mountaintop finish of the 2010 Tour de France, Ryder Hesjedal emerged from the mist atop the Tourmalet to cross the line in fourth.

They said that Andy Schleck needed to win Stage 17 by a big margin to capture the Tour de France. Just don’t tell that to Schleck, or his team.

Come Aug. 1, Giro is promising a more dialed in fit system and lighter weight in its helmets sporting the new Roc Loc 5 fit system.

The Luxembourger pulls the Spaniard to the line, but can't shake the race leader.

Complete 2010 Tour de France stage 17 results

Mid-stage shots from Thursday's ride to the Tourmalet.

The Tourmalet suits Andy Schleck's steady pace, and given the bad weather it's possible to find the time he needs.

Casey B. Gibson visits the Garmin-Transitions team on the second rest day of the 2010 Tour.

UnitedHealthcare's Rory Sutherland deposes Trek-Livestrong's Jesse Sergent as Colavita's Cath Cheatley overthrows Vera Bradley's Alison Powers.

Christian Vande Velde and Tyler Farrar will return to major competition next month at the Vuelta a España.

Andy Schleck promises to attack race leader Alberto Contador in a bid to reclaim the yellow jersey on the Tourmalet

With four days left in the Tour de France, RadioShack’s Levi Leipheimer is realistic about his chances of moving up from seventh overall to finish on the final podium.

Trek-Livestrong and Vera Bradley Foundation open the race with wins, while a T-shirt clad Floyd Landis toes the line.

There’s an intense battle brewing for the final spot on the Tour de France podium.

Cadel Evans admits his number one priority in this year's Tour de France is to just finish the thing

Ryder Hesjedal will stay in a Garmin-Transitions kit through 2013.

The 16th stage of the Tour de France was probably one of the hardest ever contested.

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Complete 2010 Tour de France stage 16 results

A look at Levi Leipheimer's quiver of Trek Madone Series 6 Tour bikes

A perfect match: The Pyrénées and the Tour

Big mountains and big doin's and Casey Gibson was there to capture the action of Stage 16 at the Tour.

Even Andy Schleck admits he needs a head start going into Saturday’s time trial if he has any chance of winning the Tour.

Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador have buried the hatchet, but promise to fight to the death up the Col du Tourmalet on Thursday.

It takes more than a front flat at 70 kph to keep the Saxo strongman from finishing a stage.

The Cervélo rider has a four-point lead, but thinks the battle will go all the way to Paris.

It’s wrong for cycling fans, the media or riders to vilify Alberto Contador for “The Chain of Events” situation between Contador and Andy Schleck on the hors categorie Port de Balès Monday.

“I’m not the best guy in the race. But I still have the spirit of a fighter,” Armstrong said after going for broke on stage 16.

Lance Armstrong and teammate Chris Horner jump into a long breakaway, but in the end Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) nabs the stage win. GC picture unchanged.

Campagnolo's 2011 Super Record 11-speed group is lighter, packed with carbon and has a redesigned shifter with hood-color options.

The green jersey wearer promises cooperation and his team says it will support him while awaiting further details.

Mid-stage pics from Graham Watson. More soon.

Lennard Zinn has ideas as to why Andy Schleck's chain came off on Monday's stage in the Tour de France.

Complete 2010 Tour de France stage 15 results

Bradley Wiggins jokes he'll refund the travel expenses for British fans who came to see his disappointing performance at the Tour.

Casey in the cave, and on the roadside.

Spanish polls find support for Contador's response, but VeloNews.com readers have a different take.

Armstrong, Vino, Hunter and others weigh in on Contador's reaction to Schleck's problem.

To wait or not to wait — that was never the question when race leader Andy Schleck dropped his chain on the Port de Balès in Monday’s wild ride over the Pyrénées.

Collusion between teams is nothing new. So what sorts of alliances are taking place at this Tour de France?

Mid-stage photos from Graham Watson. More soon!

They get less attention, but the races for team GC, King of the Mountains and other titles explain a lot of what goes on at the Tour.

Schleck had them right where he wanted them ... until he dropped his chain.

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Fly V Australia deposits sprinter for Wells Fargo Twilight win

Complete 2010 Tour de France stage 14 results

Sunflowers, Leipheimer, and a shot of Chris Horner's seriously fit legs.

The battle between the two climbers is at stalemate, their GC difference the result of the prologue and the cobbles

The Garmin-Transitions rider rode his own pace on Sunday, and in the process took time from several big names.

Armstrong says he's not playing favorites, but Contador looks strongest.

British champ Geraint Thomas of Team Sky is a domestique for now, but he dreams of yellow.

Sastre scored his first Tour de France stage win on Aix 3 Domaines in 2003. He gave it another shot on Sunday.

Lance Armstrong says news about a federal probe into Floyd Landis' claims has not distracted him