Alberto Contador leads, Lance Armstrong in 3rd place as 19th 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 26th, 2009 Alberto Contador wins Tour de France againPARIS — Alberto Contador won the Tour de France for a second time Wednesday, and Lance Armstrong capped his return to the race with an impressive third-place finish. Mark Cavendish of Britain collected his sixth stage win of this year's Tour in a sprint after the 101.9-mile course ride from Montereau-Fault-Yonne to the Champs-Elysees.

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 24th, 2009 Contador keeps Tour lead; Cavendish wins stageAUBENAS, France — Alberto Contador stayed in command at the Tour de France with two days of racing left while teammate Lance Armstrong remained in third place as a daunting mountain climb awaits. Mark Cavendish of Britain captured Friday's 19th stage in a sprint finish.

July 24th, 2009 Bourgoin-Jallieu,FRANCE - The 19th stage of the 2009 Tour de France began Friday in the city of Bourgoin-Jallieu with most riders thinking about Saturday's decisive stage and Lance Armstrong already looking forward to next year. The 178-km stage to Aubenas includes only one difficulty, a gently sloping 14-km climb, and is regarded as a chance to rest up by the riders after Wednesday's gruelling day in the Alps and Thursday's difficult time trial around Lake Annecy.

July 23rd, 2009 Contador wins time trial; Armstrong in 3rd placeANNECY, France — Alberto Contador has won the final time trial in the Tour de France, and Lance Armstrong moved up a spot to third place overall. Contador now looks all but assured of his second Tour victory after increasing his overall lead in Thursday's 18th stage.

July 23rd, 2009 Armstrong vies for podium in Tour's 18th stageANNECY, France — The 18th-stage time trial is under way at the Tour de France, with Lance Armstrong needing a comeback if he wants a place on the podium when the race ends Sunday in Paris. Alberto Contador has a comfortable grip on the yellow jersey, and the fourth-place Armstrong is looking to overcome brothers Andy and Frank Schleck, who bumped the Texan from second a day earlier.

July 22nd, 2009 Schleck wins 17th stage; Contador leads TourLE-GRAND-BORNAND, France — Alberto Contador has finished second in the 17th stage of the Tour de France as the overall leader moved closer to victory. Frank Schleck won Wednesday's stage as the Tour left the Alps, while Lance Armstrong finished more than two minutes back and dropped from second to fourth overall after the 105-mile ride from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Le Grand-Bornand.

July 21st, 2009 Contador in yellow as 16th stage of Tour startsMARTIGNY, Switzerland — Tour de France leader Alberto Contador and second-place teammate Lance Armstrong have started on the 16th stage of the race, which goes into the Swiss Alps. The pack is heading on a 98.8-mile ride from Martigny to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, France, via Italy and up the Grand-Saint-Bernard and Petit-Saint-Bernard passes.

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 17th, 2009 Armstrong still in 3rd as Tour's 13th stage beginsVITTEL, France — Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy wore the yellow jersey Friday to lead the other Tour de France riders out of the spa town of Vittel under rainy skies to Colmar in the race's 13th stage. The 124.3-mile stage through the rolling Vosges hills of eastern France features three big climbs including the category-1 Col du Platzerwasel.

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 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 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.

June 30th, 2009 AP Interview: Armstrong set for Tour support rolePARIS — 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. Contador and Armstrong will ride for the Astana team at the three-week race that starts Saturday.