Christophe Ena / AP
A spectator wrapped in the Spanish flag sprays water on stage winner Alejandro Valverde of Spain as he climbs towards Peyragudes during the 17th stage of the Tour de France, Thursday, July 19.
Spain's Alejandro Valverde gets a chance to cool off with the help of a spectator. Valverde won the 17th stage of the Tour de France, Thursday, after returning from a two-year doping ban. The overall leader of the race, Britain's Bradley Wiggins, finished in third. Read the full story on NBCSports.com.
Related links:
Stephane Mahe / Reuters
The pack of riders cycles during the 15th stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race between Samatan and Pau, on July 16.
Laurent Rebours / AP
Stage winner Pierrick Fedrigo of France celebrates on the podium of the 15th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 158.5 kilometers (98.5 miles) with start in Samatan and finish in Pau, France, on July 16.
AP reports -- Pierrick Fedrigo of France won Monday's 15th stage of the Tour de France by leading a two-man final breakaway, as Bradley Wiggins kept the overall lead as he kept with his rivals in the main pack far behind.
The 158.5-kilometer (99-mile) route from Samatan to Pau had a mostly flat layout, but teams with strong sprinters didn't try to chase down the breakaway riders.
Slideshow: 2012 Tour de France
Joel Saget / AFP - Getty Images
The pack rides past a field of sunflowers during the seventh stage of the 2012 Tour de France.
Joel Saget / Pool via Reuters
Team Saxo Bank rider Jonathan Cantwell of Australia lies on the ground after a fall during the fifth stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race between Rouen and Saint-Quentin on Thursday.
Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
Tyler Farrar of the USA riding for Garmin-Sharp is the last rider to cross the finish line after he was involved in a crash in the last three kilometers of stage five.
AP reports that Andre Greipel won the 196.5-kilometer 5th stage of the Tour de France:
The barreling pack overtook three breakaway riders with barely 100 meters left, and Greipel wheeled out in front a split-second ahead of Matt Goss of Australia, who was second, as Juan Jose Hadeo of Argentina took third. Mark Cavendish was fifth.
Like Greipel's sprint-finish victory a day before, a late crash marred the race, and he counted himself "lucky" to avoid the spill two days in a row.
•Sign up for the msnbc.com Photos Newsletter
Christophe Ena / AP
The pack passes a church in Rouen during the start of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 196.5 kilometers (122 miles) with start in Rouen and finish in Saint-Quentin, France, July 5.
Lionel Bonaventure / AFP - Getty Images
The leading man, Spain's three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador (C) punches a fan dressed up as a doctor as he climbs Alpe d'Huez in the109,5 km and nineteenth stage of the 2011 Tour de France cycling race run between Modane Valfrejus and Alpe d'Huez ski resort, southeastern France, on July 22.
I've always wondered how the cyclists in the Tour de France put up with the obnoxious fans running along the road during the grueling mountain climbs. I thought it's just part of the sport, until last Friday. Somehow, we missed this amazing moment in PhotoBlog TDF posts and the Week in Sports Pictures.
Today, the Court of Arbitration for Sport postponed until November a hearing on Alberto Contador's doping violation in last year's Tour.
Ian Langsdon / EPA
BMC team rider Cadel Evans of Australia celebrates his overall victory with his teammates after the 21st and final stage of the 98th Tour de France, July 24.
Read the full story here.
Laurent Cipriani / AP
Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador of Spain, leading in the climb towards Alpe d'Huez, right, looks back to see stage winner Pierre Roland of France, left, and Samuel Sanchez of Spain, center, close the gap during 19th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 86 miles starting in Modane Valfrejus and finishing on Alpe d'Huez in France on July 22.
Bryn Lennon / Getty Images
Cadel Evans of Australia and Team BMC racing leads Pierre Rolland of France and Team Europcar during stage nineteen of the 2011 Tour de France from Modane Valfrejus to Alpe-d'Huez on July 22 on the Col du Galibier, France
Koen van Weel / EPA
Leopard Trek team riders Andy Schleck (left) and Frank Schleck (center) together with BMC team rider Cadel Evans climb the Alpe d'Huez during the 19th stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Modane and Alpe-d'Huez, France on July 22.
Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA
Andy Schleck of Luxembourg celebrates on the podium with the leader's yellow jersey after the 19th stage of the Tour De France cycling race between Modane and Alpe-d'huez, France on July 22.
Related content:
Nicolas Bouvy / EPA
BMC team rider Cadel Evans of Australia, Europcar team rider Thomas Voeckler of France, Europcar team rider Pierre Rolland of France, Liquigas-Cannondale team rider Ivan Basso of Italy, cycle in the Alps during the 18th stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Pinerolo in Italy and Col du Galibier, France, 21 July 2011.
Lionel Bonaventure / AFP - Getty Images
Luxembourg's fans cheer on stage winner Luxembourg's Andy Schleck climbing Galibier pass (2.645 meters) in the 200,5 km and eighteenth stage of the 2011 Tour de France cycling race run between Pinerolo and Galibier Serre-Chevalier ski resort on July 21, 2011. This year is the celebratation of the centenary of the first crossing of the Galibier pass by a cyclist on July 1911 during the Chamonix/Grenoble stage of the Tour.
Laurent Cipriani / AP
Johnny Hoogerland of The Netherlands sprays himself with water as he climbs Izoard pass during the 18th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 200.5 kilometers (124.6 miles) starting in Pinerolo, Italy, and finishing on Galibier pass, Alps region, France, Thursday July 21, 2011.
Stefano Rellandini / Reuters
Europcar rider Thomas Voeckler of France reacts at the finish line during the 18th stage of the Tour de France 2011 cycling race from Pinerolo to Le Galibier-Serre Chevalier July 21, 2011. Voeckler, who finished fifth, keeps the leader's jersey.
Stage 18 saw Andy Schleck get within striking distance of the yellow jersey, as prior Tour winner Alberto Contador effectively lost the race. Full story.
Bert Hardy / Getty Images
18th August 1951: Cyclists competing in the Tour de France riding through the French Alps.
Tomorrow's stage 18 of the Tour de France is a killer that includes two "out of category" climbs and the highest finish elevation in Tour history at 8,678 feet. The New York Times has an excellent story on the rich history of the race in the Alps.
Previous PhotoBlog Tour de France posts.
Pascal Rossignol / Reuters
Leopard-Trek riders pedals during the 17th stage of the Tour de France 2011 cycling race from Gap to Pinerolo, northern Italy, on Wednesday.
Koen Van Weel / AFP - Getty Images
Dutch Rabo rider Laurens ten Dam is covered with blood after he crashed descending from the Col d'Agnes mountain pass on July 16 during the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycling race from Saint-Gaudens to Plateau de Beille. The Dutch rider finished the stage with gauze wrapped around his face to cover his bloodied nose.
This year's Tour de France has seen an unusual amount of crashes, as we PhotoBlogged last week.
Christophe Ena / AP
Thomas Voeckler of France puts the overall leader's yellow jersey back on after removing an undergarment as he climbs in the pack towards Col de la Porte pass during the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 104.7 miles starting in Saint Gaudens and finishing in Plateau de Beille, Pyrenees region, France, Saturday July 16, 2011.
NBC Sports.com reports:
PLATEAU DE BEILLE, France - Belgian rider Jelle Vanendert won the 14th stage of the Tour de France, and French cyclist Thomas Voeckler retained the race leader's yellow jersey on Saturday. Full report . . .
E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS