Check out the leading Tour de France contenders.
Bradley Wiggins's Tour de France challenge ended before it even started on Friday when the defending champion was ruled out of Team Sky's selection for next month's race because of injury and illness.
A look at the main Tour de France contenders ahead of Saturday's first stage, a 14-km individual time trial in Duesseldorf:
Team Sky sports director Steven de Jongh has quit after three years following his admission that he took a banned substance earlier in his career, the British team said on Monday.
Members of the British cycling team Sky will be sacked unless they sign a document saying they have never doped, the team said.
Bradley Wiggins was 120 km away from becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France after he outclassed the rest of the bunch in the penultimate stage, a 53.5-km time trial to Chartres on Saturday.
Briton Mark Cavendish snatched his 21st Tour de France stage win when he prevailed in a bunch sprint at the end of a 207.5-kilometres ride.
The 22-year-old Bernal, the youngest rider to win the race in 110 years, gave Team Ineos --formerly Team Sky -- their seventh title in the last eight editions.
Manchester City announced a hugely lucrative naming rights deal with Etihad Airways on Friday which will see their City of Manchester Stadium immediately renamed the Etihad Stadium.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) has asked several national federations to investigate doping-related allegations made by disgraced rider Floyd Landis.
Makes us wonder how these cyclists don't fall short of breath as they pedal to the finish line. Here's a glimpse of the tricky but beautiful terrain that outlines the Tour de France...
Chris Froome has one more mountainous hurdle to overcome to claim a second Tour de France title after Friday's 19th stage in which had 30 seconds chopped off his lead as Vincenzo Nibali claimed a controversial victory.
Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong made a low key return to the Tour de France on Thursday when the American cancer survivor set off on a charity ride that follows the route of this year's race.
Spain's Gorka Izagirre took second place and Yates finished third, 15 seconds behind.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
The overall standings remained unchanged at the top with Thomas leading defending champion Froome by one minute 39 seconds and Dutchman Tom Dumoulin by 1:50.
The seventh stage of the Tour de France burst into life at the finish on Friday as Marcel Kittel claimed his third victory in this year's edition, pipping Edvald Boasson Hagen to the line in the final sprint.
Chris Froome seized early control of the Tour de France, the 2013 champion snatching the yellow jersey after a crash-marred third stage won by Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez on Monday.
Chris Froome showed again he will attack his rivals on every terrain as the Briton extended his overall lead in the Tour de France with a surprising move in Wednesday's 11th stage, which was won with panache by world champion Peter Sagan.
Michael Matthews completed his set of grand tour victories when he prevailed in the 10th stage of the Tour de France at the end of a royal breakaway on Tuesday.
Bradley Wiggins has backed Chris Froome to emulate his 2012 Tour de France and Olympic time trial double success but felt his former Sky team mate's task is more difficult as next month's Games are in Rio de Janeiro.
German Marcel Kittel was once again a cut above as he claimed his fifth victory in this year's Tour de France, winning the 11th stage in emphatic style on Wednesday.
Alberto Contador will cement his status as the best grand tour rider of the modern era if he emerges as the winner of the Big Four's battle royale at the Tour de France -- the most highly anticipated race in decades.
German Marcel Kittel claimed his fourth victory in this year's Tour de France when he powered to an impressive Stage 10 win in a bunch sprint on Tuesday as Briton Chris Froome retained the overall lead.
Chris Froome moved closer to a maiden Tour de France title with an awe-inspiring victory on top of the intimidating Mont Ventoux, pulling away from his rivals in brutal fashion seven kilometres from the finish on Sunday.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Wednesday defended the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) system after some athletes' confidential medical data was leaked by a group of Russian hackers, shedding light on potential abuse.
Chris Froome got a brutal reminder of the unpredictable nature of the Tour de France when he crashed to the ground in Sunday's second stage, recovering to finish with torn shorts as German Marcel Kittel powered to victory at the end of a huge sprint.
World champion Peter Sagan claimed his third 2016 Tour de France stage victory when he pipped Alexander Kristoff on the line at the end of the 16th stage, a 209-km ride from Moirans-en-Montagne on Monday.
British journeyman Stephen Cummings earned South African team MTN-Qhubeka a landmark victory on Mandela Day when he spoiled a French party to take a surprise win in the 14th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday.
Frenchman Romain Bardet timed his final effort perfectly to win the 12th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, setting up a thrilling second half of the three-week race as defending champion Chris Froome showed a rare sign of weakness.
And, since, pictures speak more than words, Rediff.com brings you images from these sporting events and others that made headlines in the week gone by.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Mark Cavendish claimed his 30th Tour de France victory and fourth in this year's race when he left sprint rival Marcel Kittel trailing at the end of the 14th stage on Saturday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
Andre Greipel confirmed he was the sprint king at this year's Tour de France when the German outpowered his rivals to win the 15th stage on Sunday.
Greg van Avermaet, one of cycling's nearly men, enjoyed a rare victory when he claimed the 13th stage of the Tour de France on Friday with a late burst of speed in an uphill finale.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday.
Slovakian Peter Sagan elbowed Mark Cavendish off balance as the Briton was trying to force his way between him and the safety barrier, and Cavendish was sent crashing heavily.
Alexis Vuillermoz earned the French their first victory on this year's Tour de France, his final kick proving too hot to handle for the big guns in the eighth stage on Saturday.
Tour de France leader Tony Martin abandoned the race on Thursday after breaking his collarbone.
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