British cycling team Sky to join Pro Tour races; no decision yet on Armstrong’s new team

September 9th, 2009 British road race team unveils first membersLONDON — A British road racing team that hopes to produce a Tour de France champion within five years has unveiled its first six riders. The team, backed by the BSkyB broadcasting network and called Team Sky, is managed by British performance director Dave Brailsford.

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.

August 24th, 2009 Vinokourov returns to Astana after doping banLONDON — All apparently is forgiven. Alexandre Vinokourov is returning to Astana two years after his positive test for blood doping forced the team to withdraw from cycling's premier event and caused it to be banned from the race in 2008.

August 4th, 2009 Vinokourov returns to cycling in FranceCASTILLON-LA-BATAILLE, France — Cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov has raced for the first time since his two-year doping ban ended last month, completing the Castillon-La-Bataille criterium race in France. The 35-year-old Kazakhstan rider competed in the 28-mile race Tuesday.

July 23rd, 2009 Armstrong announces new team for next year's TourANNECY, France — Lance Armstrong and RadioShack are forming a new cycling team that will compete in next year's Tour de France. The seven-time Tour winner, who returned to cycling after 3½ years of retirement, also said Thursday he expects to take part in running and triathlon events for Team RadioShack beginning in 2010.

July 21st, 2009 Armstrong finds new sponsor for AstanaBOURG-SAINT-MAURICE, France — Lance Armstrong says he's found a new American sponsor to back Astana next year. He won't say if he will stay with the team or start his own squad.

July 9th, 2009 GERONA, Spain — Tour de France riders have set off on the sixth stage as cycling's premiere race dips into Spain for two days. The 177 riders are heading southwest along the Mediterranean on a 112.8-mile course along plains, the coast and a few small hills from Gerona to Barcelona.

July 3rd, 2009 Armstrong under doping watch at Tour de FrancePARIS — France's sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be "particularly monitored" for doping during the Tour de France. The seven-time Tour winner has come out of retirement to ride in cycling's showcase.

July 3rd, 2009 Tom Boonen cleared to ride in TourMONACO — 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. The French Olympic committee's arbitration panel handed down the decision Friday, a day before the Tour is set to start in Monaco.

June 25th, 2009 Astana team announces Tour de France lineupPARIS — 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. In a glitzy presentation on its Web site, the Kazakh team said the two stars will be backed by past Tour podium finishers including Andreas Kloeden of Germany and American Levi Leipheimer.

June 19th, 2009 Armstrong earns spot on Astana's Tour teamLance Armstrong will be on Astana Cycling's final nine-rider roster for the Tour de France next month. Armstrong, a seven-time Tour winner, will be joined on the team by three-time Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador, Andreas Kloden, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia.

June 18th, 2009 Belgian rider Boonen banned from Tour de FrancePARIS — Tour de France organizers banned former world champion Tom Boonen from next month's race after the Belgian rider tested positive for cocaine for the second time in less than year. The 28-year-old Boonen's latest positive test came in April.

June 18th, 2009 Armstrong's Astana team solves financial woesBRUSSELS — Lance Armstrong's Astana team appears ready to participate in the Tour de France after reaching an agreement with its Kazakh backers to solve financial problems that have plagued the team this year. Astana riders have held repeated protests since April over debts owed by the Kazakh Cycling Federation, putting the team's participation in the Tour in doubt.

June 3rd, 2009 Astana cleared to race after giving proof of fundsAIGLE, Switzerland — Cycling's governing body cleared Astana to race Wednesday after Lance Armstrong's team guaranteed its immediate finances. The International Cycling Union said Astana provided proof it has funds in time to compete in the five-day Tour of Luxembourg starting Wednesday.

May 29th, 2009 Armstrong's Astana team still in doubt for TourAVELLINO, Italy — Lance Armstrong's financially strapped Astana team will likely survive for another few weeks, but it's unclear if it will make it to the Tour de France. The International Cycling Union had set a Sunday deadline for the team to straighten out its financial situation or risk suspension.