2014 tour de france

For stage 4 of the 2014 Tour de France, we scored a ride in the No. 1 Mavic car, which was assigned to cover the day's main breakaway. This was a good place to be given that the day's route was mostly flat, making it perfect for a long escape. With the 2015 race season well underway, it's time...

Could the use of performance enhancing drugs last far longer than originally suspected? The notion that athletes who serve bans for doping should be regarded as having paid their penance and allowed to return to their respective sport has taken a hit following the publication of new research...

Andy Schleck (right) and brother Frank entertain the media on the lead-up to the 2014 Tour de France. Andy Schleck crashed on stage 3, dropped out the next day, and never raced again. One of pro cycling's most enigmatic careers has come to an abrupt end. After nine years of up and down results...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Used to be pro bike racers had one race bike. Cobbles, climbs, time trials, flats - didn't matter. One bike. Maybe swap on some wider tires for really rough days. Or mount a pair of TT bars for the race of truth. Today, choice is the name of the game...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Don't expect change to come right away, but we do see a day when the pro peloton will be populated with disc brake-equipped road bikes. Photo by Graham Watson Consider this hypothetical situation: It's the waning moments of a critical mountain stage...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 The 2014 Tour de France wrapped up with another stage win for German Marcel Kittel, and the official crowning of overall champion Vincenzo Nibali. Here's a look at the sights and scenes as captured by photographer Graham Watson. See stage 21 results...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 German Marcel Kittel scores his fourth stage win at the 2014 Tour de France. Photo by Graham Watson Marcel Kittel took a come-from-behind sprint victory on the final stage of the Tour de France Sunday, overtaking Norwegian Alexander Kristoff on the...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Évry to Paris Champs-Élysées Sunday, July 27th / 137.5 km / Flat Stage The final stage of the 2014 Tour de France traces a familiar path into the City of Light and on to the famed Champs-Élysées. This is normally a day for the sprinters and we don't...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Tomorrow's finale in Paris will be a day for the sprinters and a victory lap for Vincenzo Nibali as the Italian on Team Astana added to his impressive overall lead with a fourth place finish in today's individual time trial--the only one in this year's...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Omega Pharma-Quick Step's Tony Martin put in a dominant performance in the 2014 Tour's only time trial to take the stage 20 win. Photo by Graham Watson German specialist Tony Martin bested the field in dominating style to take the win in stage 20's...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Bergerac to Périgueux Saturday, July 26th / 54 km / Time Trial The one and only time trial in this year's race, this 54km roller from Bergerac to Périgueux will decide the final order of second and third on the podium. Our pick: Give the stage win to...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 After losing its GC leader Andrew Talansky to multiple crashes and injury, then watching breakaway rider Jack Bauer get caught 10 meters from the finish line, Garmin-Sharp finally got some good news. Lithuanian Ramunas Navardauskas launched away from...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Garmin-Sharp's Ramunas Navardauskas wins stage 19 of the 2014 Tour de France. Photo by Graham Watson After losing its GC leader Andrew Talansky to multiple crashes and injury, then watching breakaway rider Jack Bauer get caught 10 meters from the...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Maubourguet Pays du Val d'Adour to Bergerac Friday, July 25th / 208.5 km / Flat Stage A long, flat day in the saddle looks perfect for a sprint finish - or a successful breakaway. You just never know, especially at this late stage of the race. And...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Chris Froome and Alberto Contador left the Tour de France long ago, but it appears Vincenzo Nibali is still competing against the two pre-race favorites. On a day when Nibali could have just followed wheels, he chose instead to attack midway up the...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Astana's Vincenzo Nibali grabbed his fourth stage win at this year's Tour de France on Thursday. He now has a 7-plus-minute lead over second place. Photo by Graham Watson Chris Froome and Alberto Contador left the Tour de France long ago, but it...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 With a small glimmer of hope at making the final podium in Paris, Tejay van Garderen headed into the Pyrenees aboard the BMC Team Machine SLR01, the Swiss bike maker's top end race bike. It's a lightweight, stiff, climbing machine, designed especially...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Pau to Hautacam Thursday, July 24th / 145.5 km / Mountain Stage Another testing day in the Pyrenees, this time the bunch faces the Tourmalet (17.1km, 7.3% average gradient) and then a summit finish atop Hautacam (13.6km, 7.8%). Look for a large...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Contador who? Team Tinkoff-Saxo may have lost its GC leader, but it continues to impress at the Tour de France. On Wednesday, Rafal Majka snagged his second stage win of this year's Tour a day after teammate Michael Rogers got one of his own. Majka...

Stages: 123456789101112131415161718192021 Rafal Majka wins stage seveteen of the 2014 Tour de France Photo by Graham Watson Contador who? Team Tinkoff-Saxo may have lost its GC leader, but it continues to impress at the Tour de France. On Wednesday, Rafal Majka snagged his second stage win...