Armstrong jumps from 10th to 3rd place at Tour de France; Cavendish wins 2nd straight stageLA GRANDE-MOTTE, France — Lance Armstrong jumped from 10th to third place at the Tour de France on Monday, positioning himself for a shot at the yellow jersey after evading trouble on a windy ride along the Mediterranean. Cavendish wins 3rd Tour de France stage; Armstrong gains time on favoritesLA GRANDE-MOTTE, France — Britain’s Mark Cavendish has won his second straight stage at the Tour de France, and Lance Armstrong has gained ground and is now third overall. Armstrong fined for missing sign-in before Tour’s 3rd stageLA GRANDE MOTTE, France — Lance Armstrong will be fined for failing to sign in before Monday’s third stage of the Tour de France. Breakaway riders attack at start of 3rd Tour de France stageMARSEILLE, France — The third stage of the Tour de France is under way, with breakaway riders attacking right from the start of the ride from Marseille to La Grande Motte. Armstrong plays it safe in scorching 2nd stage of Tour de France
Britain’s Mark Cavendish wins 2nd stage of Tour de France; Armstrong finishes safely in packBRIGNOLES, France — Britain’s Mark Cavendish won the second stage of the Tour de France in searing heat Sunday, with seven-time champion Lance Armstrong finishing safely in the trailing pack. Swiss rider Cancellara in yellow jersey for Tour de France’s 2nd stageMONACO — Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland was wearing the race leader’s yellow jersey as 180 cyclists rode in the second stage of the Tour de France. Second stage of Tour de France gets underwayMONACO - The second stage of the 2009 Tour de France got underway Sunday in the principality of Monaco, with Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara wearing the leader’s yellow jersey and race favourite Alberto Contador in second place. Armstrong has solid performance in first stage of Tour de France won by Swiss rider CancellaraMONACO — Lance Armstrong put in a solid performance in his comeback at the Tour de France on Saturday, finishing the first stage ahead of 170 riders many years younger and a respectable 10th behind winner Fabian Cancellara. No rush: For now, Taylor Phinney content to sit home and watch the Tour unfoldTaylor Phinney woke up early Saturday, settling in to watch the Tour de France prologue from his couch in Boulder, Colo. Armstrong has solid performance in first Tour de France stage won by Swiss rider CancellaraMONACO — Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong went out early and put up a solid time in the opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, then was upstaged by Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland. Armstrong takes early lead in first-stage time trial as 96th Tour de France gets under wayMONACO — Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong has taken the early lead in the first-stage individual time trial of the Tour de France. 96th Tour de France begins in Monaco with seven-time champion Armstrong on comebackMONACO — Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong began his comeback at the Tour de France on Saturday by briefly taking the lead in the first-stage time trial in Monaco. Return of ‘Le Boss’: Armstrong set to begin Tour de France comeback with time trial in MonacoMONACO — The Tour de France is ready for another edition with Lance Armstrong, and Saturday’s opening stage may show whether he’s ready to challenge for another title. French minister says Armstrong will be ‘particularly monitored’ for doping during TourPARIS — France’s sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be “particularly monitored” for doping during the Tour de France. Belgian sprinter Boonen cleared to ride in Tour de France after ban is liftedMONACO — Sprint star Tom Boonen of Belgium has been cleared to compete in the Tour de France after winning his appeal of a ban for testing positive for cocaine. French minister says Lance Armstrong will be ‘particularly monitored’ for doping at TourPARIS — France’s sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be “particularly monitored” in anti-doping checks at the Tour de France this year. Older, mellower Armstrong more likely to conquer French hearts at TourMONACO — For all of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France victories, he still hasn’t won the hearts of the French. That may be about to change. Tour de France riders undergo pre-race blood tests, part of biological passport programMONACO — Cycling’s governing body says all 180 riders expected to start the Tour de France — plus one — have undergone planned pre-race blood tests. Injured climber Dan Martin to miss Tour de France with knee injury, replaced by MaaskantMONACO — Mountain specialist Dan Martin will miss the Tour de France with a knee injury. He will be replaced in the Garmin-Slipstream team by Dutch rider Martijn Maaskant. Can Lance Armstrong clinch his eighth Tour de France?
AP Interview: His ambition still burning, an older Armstrong eyes another Tour de France crownPARIS — Lance Armstrong believes he can win an eighth Tour de France title, well aware his aging legs are not as strong as they used to be. He is also willing to put such ambitions aside if it means helping teammate Alberto Contador win. 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong says he’s ready for secondary role this timePARIS — Lance Armstrong says he’s capable of winning an eighth Tour de France but is ready, if necessary, to put his ambitions on hold for teammate and rival Alberto Contador. Astana looks to Armstrong for needed redemptionPARIS - Kicked out of the 2007 Tour de France and then banned from the 2008 edition because of doping, Kazakhstan’s Astana team are looking to redeem themselves with a resounding victory in this year’s race. The wheel turns for suspected dopers with officials to test targeted riders at Tour de FrancePARIS — When the Tour de France starts Saturday, some cyclists may as well wear targets on their backs. Austrian cyclist Christian Pfannberger’s positive EPO test confirmed by “B” sampleVIENNA — Cyclist Christian Pfannberger’s positive doping test for EPO has been confirmed by a backup “B” sample, the Austrian anti-doping agency NADA said Monday. French anti-doping head guarantees fair treatment for Armstrong at Tour de FrancePARIS — When Lance Armstrong and France’s anti-doping agency were at odds last spring over a surprise doping test, the seven-time Tour de France champion’s return to the Tour appeared to fade. Armstrong’s return brings buzz to Tour de France bracing for next round in doping fightPARIS — France’s anti-doping crusaders are stockpiling needles for testing blood and cups for sampling urine, and two new books on Lance Armstrong have just been released in France. Lance Armstrong takes back seat to Alberto Contador in Astana lineup for Tour de FrancePARIS — Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong will return to the Tour de France in the unfamiliar role of support rider after his Astana team chose 2007 winner Alberto Contador as its leader for the race. Astana announces Tour de France roster around Alberto Contador and Lance ArmstrongPARIS — Astana announced its lineup for the Tour de France on Thursday, with its challenge built around 2007 winner Alberto Contador as its leader and seven-time champion Lance Armstrong. Jerri Nielsen, cancer-stricken doctor rescued from South Pole in 1999, dies in Mass. at 57BOSTON — Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, who diagnosed and treated her own breast cancer before a dramatic rescue from the South Pole a decade ago, has died after the disease recurred. She was 57. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, cancer-stricken doctor rescued from South Pole, dies in Mass. at 57BOSTON — Dr. Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, who diagnosed and treated her own breast cancer before a dramatic rescue from the South Pole, has died at age 57. Team says Spain’s Alejandro Valverde won’t race in Tour de FrancePARIS — Top-ranked cyclist Alejandro Valverde’s team says the Spanish rider will not compete in the Tour de France because of a doping ban in Italy. Man faces 3 years in prison for stealing Lance Armstrong’s bike during Tour of CaliforniaSACRAMENTO — A Sacramento man is facing prison for stealing Lance Armstrong’s bicycle while the seven-time Tour de France winner was competing in California. Lance Armstrong wins 1-day Nevada City Classic in Northern Calif.NEVADA CITY, Calif. — Lance Armstrong won the Nevada City Classic on Sunday night, holding off teammate Levi Leipheimer in the challenging one-day race in the Sierra Nevada foothills. |