Contador keeps lead in punishing mountain stage to all but lock up Tour de France title

September 3rd, 2009 PARIS — Two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has decided to pull out of the cycling world championships later this month in Switzerland. Contador, who won his second Tour title in July, is not in top shape and doesn't want to prevent another rider from competing at the worlds, spokesman Jacinto Vidarte said Thursday in an e-mail.

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 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 all but locks up Tour de France crownMONT VENTOUX, France — Alberto Contador all but sealed his second Tour de France title Saturday, keeping the yellow jersey after a punishing mountain ride in the next to last stage. And almost certain to join him on the podium is Lance Armstrong.

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 24th, 2009 Contador leads as 19th stage of Tour beginsBOURGOIN-JALLIEU, France — Alberto Contador looks poised for overall victory as Tour de France riders have set off on a relatively flat 19th stage. Lance Armstrong has a tenuous hold on third overall, though he isn't expected to lose ground during Friday's 110.6-mile trek from Bourgoin-Jallieu to Aubenas in eastern France.

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 Annecy,FRANCE - The 18th stage of the 2009 Tour de France, a crucial individual time trial, got under way Thursday in the Alpine city of Annecy when Yauheni Hutarovich of Belarus rolled down the starting ramp. The 40.5km course around the Lake of Annecy contains a 3.7km climb at an average gradient of 6 per cent and is made to order for riders such as Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, who won the shorter time trial that opened the Tour on July 4.

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 16th, 2009 Tonnerre,FRANCE - The 12th stage of the 2009 Tour de France got underway Thursday with sprinters looking at one of their last chances for a stage win before the race heads into the Alps. The 211.5-km course includes six modest climbs, the most difficult of which is rated Category 3 and comes 40 km from the finish line in the spa resort of Vittel.

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 10th, 2009 Feillu wins 7th Tour stage in PyreneesARCALIS, Andorra — Brice Feillu of France has won the seventh stage of the Tour de France in a solo breakaway. It was not immediately clear who would take the yellow jersey from Fabian Cancellara, who trailed far behind the main pack.