Lotto Belisol’s Lars Ytting Bak of Denmark cycles on his way to winning the 155-km 12th stage from Seravezza to Sestri Levante of the Giro d’Italia, May 17, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham SESTRI LEVANTE, Italy, May 17 – Denmark’s Lars Bak took his first Grand Tour stage win at the age of 32 […]

Movistar’s Francisco Alberdi Ventoso (R) of Spain sprints to win the 166 km ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia from San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone, May 14, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham FROSINONE, Italy (Reuters) May 14 – Spain’s Francisco Ventoso won the ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Monday in a […]

Colnago-CSF Inox’s Domenico Pozzovivo celebrates on the podium after winning the 229-km eighth stage from Sulmona to Lago Laceno of the Giro d’Italia, May 13, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham LAGO LACENO, Italy (Reuters) May 13 – Italian climber Domenico Pozzovivo claimed an impressive solo win in Sunday’s mountainous finale at Lago Laceno, while […]

Miguel Rubiano Chavez of Colombia celebrates on the podium after winning the 209-km (130-mile) sixth stage from Urbino to Porto Sant’Elpidio of the Giro d’Italia, May 11, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) PORTO SANT’ELPIDIO, Italy, May 11 (Reuters) – Colombian Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez won stage six of the Giro d’Italia from Urbino to Porto Sant’ElPidio on […]

Team Sky rider Mark Cavendish of Britain holds his daughter Delilah Grace as he celebrates on the podium after winning the 209 km (130 mile) fifth stage from Modena to Fano of the Giro d’Italia, May 10, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham FANO, Italy, May 10 (Reuters) – World champion Mark Cavendish celebrated the […]

Garmin-Barracuda rider Ramunas Navardauskas of Lithuania celebrates on the podium as he wears the leader pink jersey after the team time trial 33.2-km fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia in Verona May 9, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham VERONA, Italy, May 9 (Reuters) – Ramunas Navardauskas became the first Lithuanian to lead the Giro […]

Radioshack Nissan Trek riders Andy (L) and Frank Schleck (R) of Luxembourg attend the team’s official presentation in Esch-sur-Alzette, January 6, 2012. (REUTERS/Thierry Roge) By Alasdair Fotheringham HERNING, Denmark (Reuters) – Luxembourg’s Frank Schleck cancelled his holiday plans to take part in the Giro d’Italia but the Radioshack rider said he had no regrets at […]

French John Gadret (AG2R La Mondiale) rides during the individual uphill time trial in stage 16 of the 93rd Giro d’Italia, from San Vigilio di Marebbe to Plan de Corones, on May 25, 2010 in Plan de Corones. (Luk Beines/AFP/Getty Images) By Klaus, Special to Universal Sports | cyclinginquisition.com It feels like it was a […]

BRESCIA, Italy, May 26 – As soon as Vincenzo Nibali took to the saddle of a racing bike he began to represent Italian cycling’s dream of a future world champion. Sunday’s Giro d’Italia victory fulfilled the hopes of a nation that had been waiting and watching since Nibali won the Tour of Spain in 2010 […]

(Reuters) – Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali all but sealed overall victory in the Giro d’Italia after battling through a snowstorm and sub-zero temperatures to take his second stage win of the race deep in the Dolomite mountains on Saturday. His helmet, bike and race clothes caked in snow, Nibali raised first his right arm and then […]

(Reuters) – Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali took a major step towards overall victory in the Giro d’Italia on Thursday after powering to his first stage win during this year’s race in an individual uphill time trial. Nibali more than doubled his overnight advantage over his closest overall pursuer, Australia Cadel Evans, from one minute 26 seconds […]

COL DU GALIBIER, France (Reuters) – Italian Vincenzo Nibali successfully contained his rivals’ attacks on the Giro d’Italia’s toughest high mountain stages on Sunday to take a big step towards overall victory. Nibali finished seventh in the stage, won by compatriot Giovanni Visconti, to retain the overall lead one minute 26 secones ahead of Australia’s […]

CHERASCO, Italy, May 17 – A series of small but challenging climbs late on Friday’s stage of the 2012 Giro d’Italia could not stop Britain’s Mark Cavendish taking his fourth stage win and second in two days. Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali remained overall leader but it was sprinter Cavendish who stole the show again after compatriot […]

(Reuters) – Britain’s Mark Cavendish racked up the 100th win of his career on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday but Bradley Wiggins’s hopes of overall victory were in tatters when he lost time on the main bunch. Tour de France champion Wiggins, who has been suffering from a chest infection, was dropped in the […]

May 15 (Reuters) – Lithuania’s Ramunas Navardauskas gave Garmin-Sharp a boost with a solo summit finish win on stage 11 the day after team leader Ryder Hesjedal lost all hope of repeating last year’s overall Giro d’Italia success. Navardauskas, who was part of a long-distance break of 20 through the Dolomite mountains, shed his closest […]

Benat Intxausti of Spain wears the pink jersey of the overall leader as he sprays sparkling wine on the podium after completing the seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from Marina San Salvo to Pescara, Friday, May 10, 2013. Australian rider Adam Hansen won the hilly and rainy seventh stage […]

Britain’s Bradley Wiggins, center, pedals in the pack during the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia, from Policastro Bussentino to Serra San Bruno, Italy, Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Enrico Battaglin of Italy sprinted to the stage victory, while compatriot Luca Paolini retained the overall leader’s pink jersey. (AP Photo/Fabio Ferrari) By Alasdair Fotheringham SERRA SAN […]

Italy’s Luca Paolini crosses the finish line to win the third stage of the Giro d’Italia from Sorrento to Marina di Ascea, Italy, Monday, May 6, 2013, and gain the pink jersey of leader of the race. Paolini, who rides for Katusha, broke away toward the end of the final descent to complete the 222-kilometer […]

Sky team cyclists pedal on their way to winning a team time trial, in the second stage of the Giro d’Italia, in the southern Italian island of Ischia, Sunday, May 5, 2013. Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins powered the Sky team to victory and moved into second place overall, while his Italian teammate Salvatore […]

Bradley Wiggins (GBR), left, and Christopher Froome (GBR) during stage twenty of the 2012 Tour de France in Paris. (Frederic Mons/Presse Sports via US PRESSWIRE) By Julien Pretot PARIS, April 29 (Reuters) – Team Sky were facing a public relations dilemma on Monday as Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins appeared at odds over who would […]

 No. 7: Cycling Phenom Taylor Phinney Dons the Maglia Rosa Universal Sports Staff Picks: Did you miss a day of “12 in ’12″? CLICK HERE to view all previously released 2012 moments. Taylor Phinney pulled on the very first maglia rosa of the 2012 Giro d’Italia and became the first American to wear the pink jersey […]

By Julien Pretot LONDON, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Last year’s Giro d’Italia winner Michele Scarponi has been handed a three-month retroactive ban for visiting banned sports doctor Michele Ferrari, his team said on Wednesday. Lampre team media officer Andrea Appiani told Reuters in a text message that Scarponi’s ban started on Oct. 1, meaning that […]

LONDON, Dec 10 (Reuters) – Twice Tour de France champion Alberto Contador’s Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank team were granted an automatic spot for the top cycling races of 2013, at the expense of world number one Joaquim Rodriguez’s Katusha team on Monday. “The request from the team Katusha for registration in the first division has been […]

Italian rider Michele Scarponi gets ready prior the nineth166km stage of the Giro d’Italia going from San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone on May 14, 2012 in San Giorgio del Sanno. (Luk Beines/AFP/GettyImages) PARIS, Nov 6 (Reuters) – Last year’s Giro d’Italia winner Michele Scarponi has been suspended by his Lampre team for visiting banned […]

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme presents the itinerary of the 2013 Tour de France cycling race during a news conference in Paris, October 24, 2012. The 100th Tour de France route, with 21 stages, features three time trials, will start from June 29, 2013 in Porto-Vecchio in Corsica, take l’Alpe d’Huez’s 21 hairpins twice […]

Radioshack Nissan Trek rider Frank Schleck of Luxembourg reacts after crossing the finish line of the 166 km ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia from San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone, May 14, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) Courtesy of http://www.tourofbeijing.net Two-time Tour de France runner up Andy Schleck will make the trip to China for the […]

Kenyan Riders’ team members pose for a photograph at their camp in Iten, Rift Valley province of Kenya April 2012. Fascinated by the notion of turning the world’s most gifted long distance runners into kings of the saddle, Nicholas Leong packed up his life in Singapore and moved to Kenya’s Rift Valley. It mattered little […]

BMC Racing Team rider and world champion Philippe Gilbert of Belgium waves at the start of the 251km (155,96 miles) Tour of Lombardy (Giro di Lombardia) from Bergamo to Lecco, September 29, 2012. Gilbert crashed out and was unable to finish the race. (REUTERS/Stringer) Sept 29 (Reuters) – Joaquim Rodriguez became the first Spaniard to […]

Team Saxo Bank rider and leader of the race Alberto Contador of Spain cycles during the 21st stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Cercedilla and Madrid, September 9, 2012. (REUTERS/Miguel Vidal) By Alasdair Fotheringham MADRID, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Spain’s Alberto Contador reinforced his status as the world’s leading stage-race […]

Radioshack-Nissan rider Daniele Bennati (L) of Italy crosses the finish line to win the 18th stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Aguilar de Campoo and Valladolid, September 6, 2012. (REUTERS/Miguel Vidal) By Alasdair Fotheringham VALLADOLID, Spain, Sept 6 (Reuters) – Italy’s Daniele Bennati of the RadioShack-Nissan squad ended a run […]

Katusha Team rider and leader of the race Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez (C) of Spain, Team Saxo Bank rider Alberto Contador (R) of Spain and Movistar Team’s Alejandro Valverde of Spain cycle the 16th stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Gijon and Valgrande-Pajares Cuitunigru, September 3, 2012. (REUTERS/Miguel Vidal) By Alasdair […]

Team Saxo Bank rider Alberto Contador of Spain cycles during the 16th stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Gijon and Valgrande-Pajares Cuitunigru, September 3, 2012. (REUTERS/Joseba Etxaburu) By Alasdair Fotheringham COMILLAS, Spain, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Spain’s Alberto Contador said on Tuesday he would pull out all the stops in […]

Omega Pharma-Quickstep rider Dario Cataldo of Italy cycles during the 16th stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Gijon and Valgrande-Pajares Cuitunigru, September 3, 2012. (REUTERS/Joseba Etxaburu) By Alasdair Fotheringham CUITU NEGRU, Spain, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez edged closer to the Tour of Spain title after finishing third […]

Katusha Team rider and leader of the race Joaquim “Purito” Rodriguez of Spain crosses the finish line to win the 14th stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Palas de Rei and Puerto de Ancares, September 1, 2012. (REUTERS/Miguel Vidal) By Alasdair Fotheringham ANCARES, Spain, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Joaquim Rodriguez […]

BMC Racing Team rider Stephen Cummings (R) of Britain cycles during the 13th stage of the Tour of Spain “La Vuelta” cycling race between Santiago de Compostela and Ferrol, August 31, 2012. (REUTERS/Miguel Vidal) By Alasdair Fotheringham FERROL, Spain, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Britain’s Steven Cummings, who has had a season full of thrills and […]

Mark Cavendish (GBR) and Bradley Wiggins (GBR) lead during the rest day of the 2012 Tour de France. (Frederic Mons/Presse Sports via US PRESSWIRE) LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) – Bradley Wiggins believes team mate Mark Cavendish has to leave Team Sky to advance his career, the Tour de France winner and Olympic time trial champion […]

Bradley Wiggins (GBR) races at Box Hill during the men’s cycling race. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) – Tour de France winner and Olympic time trial champion Bradley Wiggins will race in his home Tour of Britain next month. The Tour of Britain has long been viewed as a minor stage […]

Spanish cyclists Movistar Team celebrate on the podium after winning the 16.5 kilometer (10.25 mile) first special chrono stage of the Spanish Vuelta cycling race that finished in Pamplona, northern Spain, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) By Alasdair Fotheringham PAMPLONA, Spain, Aug 18 (Reuters) – Local favorites Movistar got a rousing reception after […]

U.S. cyclist Tejay van Garderen, right, is flanked by Taylor Phinney as he waves before the the Men’s Road Cycling race at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) By Steve Keating July 28 (Reuters) – As the pack flashed past Buckingham Palace and turned onto the finishing stretch […]

By Mark Meadows TOMBLAINE, France, July 7 (Reuters) – Giro d’Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal was among a string of injured riders to quit the Tour de France on Saturday following a series of nasty crashes. In total 17 riders have so far withdrawn after a brutal first week at the world’s greatest race, with FDJ-Big […]

Riders receive medical assistance after a collision during the sixth stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race between Epernay and Metz, July 6, 2012. (REUTERS/Joel Saget) By Gilles le Roc’h METZ, France, July 6 (Reuters) – Peter Sagan sealed the first week of his maiden Tour de France with his third stage victory […]

Mark Cavendish of Britain, right with yellow helmet, crosses the finish line ahead of Andre Greipel of Germany, left, and Matthew Harley Gross of Australia, right, to win the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 207.5 kilometers (129 miles) with start in Vise and finish in Tournai, Belgium, Monday July 2, […]

Sky’s Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, reacts after winning the 64th Dauphine cycling race, at the finish line of the last stage Morzine-Chatel, in Chatel, French Alps, Sunday, June 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) By Julien Pretot PARIS, June 27 (Reuters) – All the stars are aligned as Bradley Wiggins gears up to become the […]

Canadian rider Ryder Hesjedal gets ready for the start of the 18th stage of the Giro d’Italia cycling race going from San Vito di Cadore to Vedelago on May 24, 2012. (LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images) June 21, 2012 – Team Garmin-Barracuda today announced its much-anticipated 2012 Tour de France roster. The squad is headlined by recent […]

PARIS, June 4 (Reuters) – Former world champion Thor Hushovd of Norway will skip next month’s Tour de France because he is not fit enough for a three-week race, his BMC team said on Monday. Hushovd, who is also expected to be one of Briton Mark Cavendish’s chief rivals in the Olympic road race in […]

Farnese Vini-Selle Italia’s Andrea Guardini of Italy celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 149-km Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia from San Vito di Cadore to Vedelago, May 24, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham VEDELAGO, Italy , May 24 (Reuters) – Up-and-coming Italian Andrea Guardini inflicted a surprise defeat on […]

Radioshack-Nissan Frank Schleck of Luxembourg arrives before the start of the 166-km 9th stage of the Giro d’Italia from San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone, May 14, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) PLAN DEI RESINELLI, Italy, May 20 (Reuters) – RadioShack Nissan manager Johan Bruyneel said he was “disappointed” by team leader Frank Schleck of Luxembourg’s decision […]

Team Sky rider Mark Cavendish (2nd R) of Britain sprints to win the 121-km 13th stage from Savona to Cervere of the Giro d’Italia May 18, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham CERVERE, Italy, May 18 (Reuters) – British world champion Mark Cavendish won his third bunch sprint of this year’s Giro d’Italia and the […]

Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela’s Roberto Ferrari of Italy celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 255-km 11th stage from Assisi to Montecatini Terme of the Giro d’Italia, May 16, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham MONTECATINI TERME, Italy, May 16 (Reuters) – Unheralded Italian team Androni Giocattoli upset the big favorites for a second […]

Katusha Team rider Joaquim Rodriguez of Spain is embraced by his teammate and compatriot Alberto Losada after winning the186-km 10th stage of the Giro d’Italia from Civitavecchia to Assisi, May 15, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham ASSISI, Italy, May 15 (Reuters) – Spanish overall contender Joaquim Rodriguez used his trademark uphill surge to blast […]

Astana Pro Team’s Paolo Tiralongo celebrates on the podium after winning the 205-km seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia from Recanati to Rocca di Cambio, May 12, 2012. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo) By Alasdair Fotheringham ROCCA DI CAMBIO, Italy, May 12 – A last-minute lunge for the line at the Rocca di Cambio summit finish earned Italian […]

The breakaway group rides through a tunnel during Stage 7 of the Tour of California cycling race on Saturday, May 21, 2011, in Los Angeles County, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA, May 11 (Reuters) – The Tour of California, the most prestigious annual cycling race in the United States, gets underway on […]

Team Sky rider Mark Cavendish of Britain smiles at the start of the 206km (128 miles) second stage of the Giro d’Italia in Herning, Denmark, May 6, 2012. Cavendish won the stage while Taylor Phinney of the U.S. retained the leader’s pink jersey. The 95th Giro d’Italia started in Herning Denmark, and will finish in […]

BMC rider Taylor Phinney of the U.S. celebrates as he wears the lead rider’s pink jersey on the podium after winning the opening time trial of the Giro d’Italia in Herning May 5, 2012. Phinney was quickest over the 8.7 km time trial through the streets of Herning in Denmark. The 95th Giro d’Italia starts […]

MADRID, April 3 (Reuters) – Alberto Contador will not appeal to the Swiss Federal Court against the two-year ban given to him for failing a dope test in his victorious 2010 Tour de France campaign. The Spaniard, who was given a retroactive ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in February, has always […]