Video: Hincapie wins in Aspen on USA Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 2

Vuelta a Espana - Team Preview, Part 1

AG2R La Mondiale

One of only two French teams, in the race, AG2R will be looking to show what they couldn’t, in this year’s Tour de France. Nicolas Roche will be looking to improve on his seventh place, from last year, but his lacklustre year could play against him. Joining him will be Guillaume Bonnafond, Dimitri Champion, Cyril Dessel, Steve Houanard, David Le Lay, Lloyd Mondory, Mathieu Perget and, the only other non-French rider, Matteo Montaguti. It is unlikely that the French team will really trouble the top GC positions, but they could gain another top-ten placing.

The Best Australian Cyclist?: Cadel Evans

Cadel Evans became the first Australian and the first rider from the Southern Hemisphere to win the Tour de France, after he beat Andy Schleck by over a minute.

Evans was born 14 February 1977 in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia to Paul Evans and Helen Cocks. His surname comes from his paternal grandfather, who was Welsh, and was given the name Cadel, after three Welsh kings. He lived with both of his parents, until his teenage years when his parents divorced, when he moved with his mum to Melbourne.

Video: 2011 Tour de France - Stage 20 Cadel Evans interview

Video: 2011 Tour de France - Stage 20 Cadel Evans in yellow

TdF: Hushovd beats Boasson Hagen in to Gap on stage 16

Thor Hushovd made it a brace of victories, after beating compatriot Edvald Boasson Hagen in the Sprint to Gap on stage 16.

Hushovd enjoyed the benefit of a lead-out man, in Ryder Hesjedal, with the Canadian the only remaining member of the original breakaway. Boasson Hagen looked to go to the left, of his more experience compatriot, but changed his mind. It seems the change in mind lost him the chance to take his second stage, of 2011.

The Norwegian pair set out to catch Hesjedal, who was out front with Mikhail Ignatyev, and used their impressive descending skills to catch the Garmin-Cervelo rider. Hushovd hasn’t had much to brag about in his usual hunting ground of the sprint, but a second victory in the rainbow jersey will prove a good enough replacement.

Tdf: Rui Costa holds it together for victory as Thor Hushovd stays in yellow

Rui Alberto Faria da Costa put in a massive effort to hold off a looming peloton, to win the first mountain stage.

Costa was the remaining rider from a nine man breakaway, which formed after 9km of racing, and had room to celebrate, despite the main bunch closing in. With 5km left there were only four riders left in the bunch, including Tejay Van Garderen, Cyril Gautier and Christophe Riblon.

TdF: Cadel Evans holds off a closing Alberto Contador to take Stage 4

Cadel Evans claimed his first stage of the 2011 Tour de France on the Mûr-de-Bretagne, by the smallest of margins over Alberto Contador.

It nearly wasn’t to be for the Australian, who had to change bikes with 15 kilometres to go and had to be paced back on by his team, after problems with his rear wheel. The peloton caught the breakaway, which had been away from the start, with just over 3 km to go. With that job dealt with, it was the GC contenders who took to the front and began to play mind games with each other.

Garmin-Cervelo victory put Hushovd in yellow

Thor Hushovd claimed the yellow jersey, after his Garmin-Cervelo team edged out Cadel Evan’s BMC.

The American team completed the route in 24 minutes and 38 seconds, only 4 seconds ahead of BMC. Team Sky rounded off the top three on the same time as BMC and Leopard Trek, in fourth. Hushovd’s teammate David Millar is equal on time with the Norwegian, but as Hushovd crossed the line in front of Millar in stage one, he is the one to don the jersey.

Andy Schleck is in a better position than most of his rivals, with he and his brother, Frank, only four seconds down on Hushovd. Leopard Trek owe much of their performance to, the two time Olympic time-trial champion, Fabian Cancellara, who took several turns on the front. Team Sky’s performance means Geraint Thomas keeps the young rider’s jersey, also on the same time as his teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen. The British team had the edge on the American team at the first split, but slid back over the second half of the course.

2011 Tour de France Teams Named, Part One

The 22 Tour de France teams have been revealed with a few big names left out of the race so here is a little background on the ones that made it in and the big favourites from the team.

Astana
The Kazak team dominated the tour with Alberto Contador taking the overall GC for the third time in his career. Alexander Vinokorov also took a stage of his own to give the team its only stage win over the three weeks. This year should be much more difficult after losing so many good riders over the winter break and Vino will be their best bet for success.