Nocentini defends yellow jersey, 13th stage of Tour de France begins

July 26th, 2009 Tour finale begins, Contador cruises toward winPARIS — Overall leader Alberto Contador is cruising with the pack in a triumphant roll toward Paris in the 21st and final stage of the Tour de France. The mostly flat 101.9-mile course from Montereau-Fault-Yonne to the Champs-Elysees on Sunday is likely to end in a sprint.

July 25th, 2009 Contador keeps yellow jersey at TourMONT VENTOUX, France — Alberto Contador has all but locked up the Tour de France title, keeping the yellow jersey after a punishing mountain ride in the next to last stage. The final leg is Sunday, a ceremonial ride into Paris.

July 19th, 2009 15th stage of Tour de France under wayPONTARLIER, France — Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong is facing a tough test as the first Alpine stage of the Tour de France has gotten under way between Pontarlier and the Swiss ski resort of Verbier. Fourth-placed Armstrong was 8 seconds behind overall leader Rinaldo Nocentini as riders set out Sunday on the 128.9-mile 15th stage.

July 18th, 2009 Russia's Ivanov wins Tour stage; spectator diesBESANCON, France — Serguei Ivanov of Russia has won the 14th stage of the Tour de France. The day's ride was marked by the death of a fan who was hit by a police motorcycle escorting the cyclists.

July 18th, 2009 Armstrong drops to 4th at Tour; spectator diesBESANCON, France — Lance Armstrong dropped one spot to fourth place Saturday at the Tour de France during a stage shadowed by the roadside death of a woman hit by a police motorcycle. Serguei Ivanov of Russia won the 14th stage and Armstrong's former teammate George Hincapie rose to second.

July 17th, 2009 Haussler wins stage; Armstrong likely stays 3rdCOLMAR, France — Heinrich Haussler of Germany has won the rainy 13th stage of the Tour de France in a solo breakaway, with Lance Armstrong appearing set to remain third overall. Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy seemed likely to retain the yellow jersey following the chilly, wet ride from Vittel to Colmar.

July 16th, 2009 Nocentini in yellow jersey on Tour's 12th stageTONNERRE, France — Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy wore the yellow jersey as riders started the 12th stage of the Tour de France, with British sprinter Mark Cavendish going for a third straight stage win. Astana team rivals Alberto Contador and seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong were in second and third place, respectively, heading into Thursday's 131.4-mile trek from Tonnerre to Vittel, which features six small hills.

July 16th, 2009 Earpiece ban overturned at Tour de FranceVITTEL, France — The earpiece ban at the Tour de France was overturned Thursday, and riders will again be able to race with electronic radio equipment. The decision was announced by the International Cycling Union as Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy wore the yellow jersey to begin the 12th stage of the Tour.

July 15th, 2009 Cavendish wins 11th Tour stage, Armstrong in 3rdSAINT-FARGEAU, France — Mark Cavendish has won the 11th stage of the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong remains in third place overall. Cavendish sealed his second straight stage win and fourth of the Tour on Wednesday.

July 15th, 2009 VATAN, France — Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy was wearing the yellow jersey as riders headed out on the 11th stage of the Tour de France, a largely flat route again favoring sprinters. Nocentini held a lead of six seconds over Alberto Contador and was eight seconds clear of seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong at the start of Wednesday's 119.3-mile trek from Vatan to Saint-Fargeau.

July 14th, 2009 Nocentini defends lead in Tour's 10th stageISSOUDUN, France — Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy set off in the yellow jersey Tuesday, with Tour de France organizers banning rider earpieces for this stage and forcing cyclists to devise tactics without radio instructions from team cars. The flat, 121-mile course from Limoges and Issoudun favored sprinters, meaning the overall standings were not expected to change significantly.

July 14th, 2009 LIMOGES, France — Roberto Nocentini of Italy set off in the yellow jersey Tuesday as cyclists rode without earpieces to prevent easy communication with team cars in the 10th stage of the Tour de France. The flat, 120.9-mile trek between Limoges and Issoudun favors sprinters.

July 11th, 2009 ANDORRA LA VELLA - The eighth stage of the 2009 Tour de France got underway Saturday in the city of Andorra la Vella, in Andorra, with Italian Tour novice Rinaldo Nocentini wearing the race leader's yellow jersey. The 176.5km course to Saint-Girons in France takes the 176 riders left in the race over three mountains, two of them rated category 1 in difficulty, and is ideal for a long breakaway by riders with little hope of winning the Tour but eager to grab a stage victory.

July 8th, 2009 Armstrong just off lead as Tour's 5th stage beginsCAP D'AGDE, France — Lance Armstrong was trailing race leader Fabian Cancellara by a fraction of a second as Tour de France riders left for the fifth stage along the Mediterranean coast. Breakaway riders are expected to shine in Wednesday's 122-mile ride from Le Cap d'Agde to Perpignan, though the finale could also involve a sprint.

July 5th, 2009 Cancellara in yellow for Tour'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. Seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, prerace favorite Alberto Contador and other possible title contenders are likely to ride conservatively Sunday in the 116.2-mile stage from Monaco to Brignoles.