.
Alberto Contador
(Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images)
Contador is the first Spaniard to win since Miguel Indurain in 1995.
Tour Truths
Cycling couldn't escape its history at this year's Tour. If it wants a promising future for Alberto Contador and others, it needs a little more truth. Bonnie DeSimone
 

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Vinokourov fired by Astana after positive test
Alexandre Vinokourov has been fired by the Astana team following his positive test for blood doping during the Tour de France, the team announced Monday.

Rasmussen denies doping, vows to race in 2008
Michael Rasmussen denied using performance-enhancing drugs and did not rule out competing in next year's Tour de France.

DeSimone: Heavy symbolism in final Tour stage
Cyclists are rolling into Paris on Sunday, and perhaps symbolic of their doping-tainted Tour, they ride by the Chatenay-Malabry lab where tests are conducted.

Julich Diary: Time trial will give us the Tour winner
While most days at the Tour didn't turn out the way we expected, we're still going to have the time-trial showdown we wanted.

Tour de France chief calls on UCI chief to resign
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DeSimone: Rasmussen fails to be open in this very public Tour
Professional cycling is in public spaces. It's chaotic and edgy, thrilling and petty, full of arcane etiquette, rife with ego and political infighting, and often dysfunctional -- never more so than in the past 48 hours.


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Landis lawyers to defend Vinokourov, Astana team
Alexandre Vinokourov and his Astana team, forced out of the Tour de France after Vinokourovs initial positive test for a banned blood transfusion, have retained the two lawyers defending 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis against doping charges.

DeSimone: Will Contador become the accidental Tour-ist?
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Cyclist Wiggins says '07 Tour 'null and void'
British cyclist Bradley Wiggins declared this year's Tour de France "null and void" after he was unwittingly caught up in the doping scandals that have rocked the race.

Kreidler: Is anyone really shocked over recent Tour drama?
Michael Rasmussen's dismissal was a devastating blow to cycling and the Tour de France, but are the recent events really that shocking?

Danes stunned by Rasmussen's exit from Tour
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Italian cyclist Moreni fails doping test at Tour
Doping again overshadowed racing at the Tour de France on Wednesday when an Italian rider was thrown out for failing a drug test, detained by police and had his hotel searched.

Julich Diary: Vinokourov news is hard to take
Another one of Bobby Julich's cycling friends has become mired in controversy at the Tour de France, and this one is hard to take.

DeSimone: Vinokourov news stuns cycling's "Honest Guy"
When word got out that Alexandre Vinokourov had tested positive for a blood transfusion, cyclists weren't immune to the familiar news. Just ask David Millar.

Vinokourov tests positive for banned transfusion
Tour de France rider Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion after winning last weekend's time trial, prompting his Astana team to pull out of the race Tuesday and police to raid the team hotel.

Danish Olympic officials back Rasmussen ban
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UCI prez: Bad for cycling if Rasmussen wins
The head of cycling's world governing body says it would be bad for the sport if current Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen goes on to win the race.

Four Tour teams undergo 'routine' customs check
Customs officials stopped and searched vehicles of at least four Tour de France teams during Monday's 15th stage.

Head of UCI wants apology from Tour director
Cycling chief Pat McQuaid wants an apology from Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme for a late-night telephone call in which Prudhomme allegedly asked him f he was trying to "kill the Tour de France."

DeSimone: Rasmussen drama just creates more questions
Michael Rasmussen was at the center of another Tour de France controversy Friday and the latest allegations created more theater, and questions, in France.

DeSimone: Who will now be the leader in the mountains?
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Julich Diary: Ready for the mountains? It's all 'Bull'
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Julich Diary: If Rasmussen is at fault, why was he at the Tour?
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Tour rider Sinkewitz asks for test of 'B' sample
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Julich Diary: More doping? I just don't get it
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Lance to talk cancer with presidential candidates
Lance Armstrong is pushing his cancer fight into presidential politics.

Tour organizers get race back on German TV
Tour de France organizers ASO have leased the German TV rights for this year's race to Sat 1 and Pro Sieben, the group said on Thursday.

DeSimone: Team CSC also leading way off the road
Team CSC already is making its mark at the Tour, but the club also is leading a strong cause off the road as young South African riders take on France.

Admitted doper Zabel ready to return green jersey
German rider Erik Zabel will give back his green jersey from the 1996 Tour de France if asked to by the race organizers, a Milram team spokesman said Saturday.

Spanish cyclist Freire pulls out of Tour de France
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Armstrong keeping in touch with ex-teammates
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Tour de France stage breakdown
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Zandio knocked out of Tour with broken collarbone
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Tour gets all 189 riders to sign anti-doping pledge
All the riders on the start list for the Tour de France have signed the UCI's anti-doping charter and will be allowed to take part in Saturday's prologue.

Cycling Union reports clean riders ahead of Tour
All 189 riders who underwent blood tests ahead of the start of the Tour de France on Saturday showed negative results, the International Cycling Union said.



 
THE STAGES
Prologue: July 7, 7.9km individual time trial
London -- Winner: Cancellara
Stage 1: July 8, 203km
London to Canterbury -- Winner: McEwen
Stage 2: July 9, 168.5km
Dunkirk to Ghent, Belgium -- Winner: Steegmans
Stage 3: July 10, 236.5km
Waregem to Compiègne -- Winner: Cancellara
Stage 4: July 11, 193km
Villers-Cotterêts to Joigny -- Winner: Hushovd
Stage 5: July 12, 182.5km
Chablis to Autun -- Winner: Pozzato
Stage 6: July 13, 197.5km
Semur-en-Auxois to Bourg-en-Bresse -- Winner: Boonen
Stage 7: July 14, 197.5km
Bourg-en-Bresse to Le Grand Bornand -- Winner: Gerdemann
Stage 8: July 15, 165km
Le Grand Bornand to Tignes -- Winner: Rasmussen
Rest Day: July 16
Tignes
Stage 9: July 17, 159.5km
Val d'Isere to Briançon -- Winner: Soler
Stage 10: July 18, 229.5km
Tallard to Marseille -- Winner: Vasseur
Stage 11: July 19, 182.5km
Marseille to Montpellier -- Winner: Hunter
Stage 12: July 20, 178.5km
Montpellier to Castres -- Winner: Boonen
Stage 13: July 21, 54km
Albi-Albi (individual time trial) -- Winner: Vinokourov
Stage 14: July 22, 197km
Mazamet to Plateau-de-Beille -- Winner: Contador
Stage 15: July 23, 196km
Foix to Loudenville-le-Louron -- Winner: Vinokourov
Rest Day: July 24
Pau
Stage 16: July 25, 218.5km
Orthez to Gourette-Col d'Aubisque -- Winner: Rasmussen
Stage 17: July 26, 188.5km
Pau to Castelsarrasin -- Winner: Bennati
Stage 18: July 27, 211km
Cahors to Angouleme -- Winner: Casar
Stage 19: July 28, 55.5km
Cognac to Angouleme (individual time trial) -- Winner: Leipheimer
Stage 20: July 29, 130km
Marcoussis to Paris-Champs-Elysées -- Winner: Bennati



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