International sports, Tour de France cycling
Brussels, Belgium (GenevaLunch) - Fabian Cancellara kept the leader’s yellow jersey at the end of the first full day’s racing of the 2010 Tour de France. The Swiss world and Olympic champion finished with the pack in a chaotic finish that featured a number of crashes. Because these took place in the final three kilometres the riders keep their times at the time the crashes occur. Italian Alessandro Petacchi won the sprint but Cancellara still has an overall 10-second lead from German rider Thomas Martin and Briton David Millar.
Earlier in the race a golden retriever had caused a pile-up which left a number of riders injured. Several complained about the dangerous conditions caused mainly by the large crowds and narrow roads.
Links to other sites: Tour de France, New York Times
Video, Danish TV2
Annecy, France (GenevaLunch) - Alberto Cantador, who was already in the Yellow Jersey, underlined his dominance by winning the individual time trial around Lake Annecy, not far from Geneva. His Astana teammate Lance Armstrong could only manage 16th position, losing one minute 30 seconds. Cantador now heads the Tour by four minutes 11 seconds from Andy Schleck followed by Armstrong with Bradley Wiggins another 11 seconds back in fourth.
Bourg-St-Maurice, France (GenevaLunch) - The seven-time winner of the Tour de France admitted that he had little chance of overhauling teammate Alberto Cantador as the race enters the final five stages. Tuesday’s stage from Martigny in Switzerland to Bourg-St-Maurice via the Saint Bernard pass into Italy saw a number of attacks and a nasty accident to German rider Jens Voigt who suffered severe wounds when he slid on his face after going over the handlebars.
Besancon, France (GenevaLunch) - The 14th stage of the Tour de France was overshadowed by the death of a 61-year-old woman who was struck by a police motorcyclist as she crossed the road during the passage of the race. It is the first death of a race spectator since 2000. The accident took place near Wittelsheim. Two other spectators, injured when the bike slid into them, were taken by helicopter to a hospital in Mulhouse.
Central France (GenevaLunch) – Isle of Man sprinter Mark Cavendish took his fourth stage win for the Columbia team and regained the sprinters’ Green Jersey. The overall lead was unchanged with Italian Rinaldo Nocentini reaining the Yellow Jersey, six seconds ahead of Astana leader Alberto Contador with teammate and rival Lance Armstrong two seconds further back. The Yellow Jersey is likely to change owner in the next few days.
Details, Le Tour de France
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss Olympic Champion Fabian Cancellara won the Tour de Suisse, coming in first in the final day time trial in Bern. Cancellara won gold in the time trial and bronze in the road race in the Beijing Olympics. He is not considered likely to win the Tour de France, which starts 4 July but could well take the yellow jersey in the first stage time trial in Monte Carlo. Details, swissinfo
