Cadel Evans became Australia’s first world road race champion with a superb solo win in Mendrisio. The 32-year-old attacked with four kilometres remaining, putting in a titanic effort on the final climb of the day to take the rainbow jersey ahead of Russian Alexandr Kolobnev and Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez who finished second and third respectively. Home favourite and world time-trial champion Fabian Cancellara, who had seen numerous attacks pegged back, finished fifth just behind Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez.

L’australiano Cadel Evans scatta sull’ultima salita e taglia da solo il traguardo di Mendrisio: secondo il russo Aleksandr Kolobnev, terzo lo spagnolo Joaquim Rodriguez. Il neo iridato: “Questa giornata è una risposta a tutti i piazzamenti”.

Italy’s Tatiana Guderzo, bronze medallist at last year’s Olympic Games, won the women’s road race at the World Cycling Championships. The 25-year-old broke away from the field on a climb with just over 12 kilometres remaining in the 124.2-km race and sped away to win in three hours 33.25 minutes, 19 seconds ahead of her closest rival. Marianne Vos of the Netherlands, winner in 2006 at the age of 19, pipped Noemi Cantele and Kristin Armstrong in a sprint for second place.

Tatiana Guderzo conquista il Mondiale con uno scatto vincente sulla penultima salita, bravissima Noemi Cantele a proteggere la fuga. “Ho coronato un sogno grazie alla squadra che mi ha aiutato tantissimo. Abbiamo dimostrato di essere unite e il gruppo paga”. Tra gli Under 23, oro al francese Sicard davanti al colombiano Batancur e al russo Silin.

Astana’s Alberto Contador claimed his second yellow jersey at the Tour de France as Mark Cavendish became the first Briton to win the final stage on the Champs-Elysees. Cavendish, riding for Columbia-HTC, underlined his status as the fastest sprinter in the world by streaking away from his rivals to win by a huge margin. Contador finished 4′19″ ahead of Saxo Bank’s Andy Schleck in the overall standings, with Contador’s team-mate Lance Armstrong taking the final place on the podium on his return to cycling following three years away from the sport.

Il britannico Cavendish colleziona a Parigi il sesto successo in volata imponendosi nell’ultima tappa con irrisoria facilità. Lo spagnolo Contador festeggia la seconda vittoria nella Grande Boucle dopo quella del 2007; sul podio Andy Schleck e Armstrong. Pellizotti maglia a pois.

lberto Contador virtually secured his second Tour de France crown after the race’s 20th and penultimate stage won by his fellow Spaniard Juan Manuel Garate on Saturday. On the third and final summit of the race the 2007 champion proved imperial as his main rival Andy Schleck, of Saxo Bank, launched a series of attacks with his brother Frank on the 21.1km climb to the legendary summit of Mont Ventoux. Schleck began the day in second at 4min 11sec behind Contador and despite his efforts he will go into Sunday’s final stage to Paris with the same deficit after finishing with Contador 38sec behind Garate.

Vince Garate. Nella salita finale Andy Schleck prova a staccare la maglia gialla, ma lo spagnolo Contador risponde a tutti gli attacchi e conquista virtualmente la vittoria finale. Armstrong ipoteca il podio, Nibali è settimo. Pellizotti fa sua la maglia pois. Domani passerella finale a Parigi.

Britain’s Mark Cavendish claimed his fifth stage at this year’s Tour de France, winning the 19th stage in Aubenas in a bunch sprint. With the summit of the second category Col de l’Espinet just 16km from the finish, the stage looked ideal for a breakaway. A 20-man escape group did form early in the 178-kilometre leg from Bourgoin-Jallieubut but with 11 teams yet to win a stage in this year’s race, they were chased down by an active peloton.

Nella 19ª tappa del Tour de France vince il britannico Cavendish allo sprint su Hushovd e Ciolek. Tentativo del campione del mondo Ballan, ripreso a 1600 metri dal traguardo. Pellizotti, conferma matematica della maglia a pois, Wiggins e Kloden perdono 4”. Domani il Ventoux.

Alberto Contador won the 18th stage of the Tour de France, a 40.5km time trial in Annecy, to stretch his lead on general classification to over four minutes. The Spaniard, peerless in the mountains, was also the fastest of the peloton against the clock with a time of 48 minutes 30 seconds.

Lo spagnolo dell’Astana vince la cronometro di Annecy battendo uno specialista come Cancellara. Terzo il russo Ignatiev. Più indietro Wiggins, Kloden, Armstrong e Andy Schleck, che fa meglio del fratello Franck e mantiene il secondo posto in classifica. Nibali a oltre 2′.

Frank Schleck won the 17th stage of the Tour de France in the ski resort of Le Grand Bornand as Alberto Contador cemented his grip on the yellow jersey. With five mountain passes during the 169.5km Alpine stage it was seen as a pivotal day of the race and 2007 champion Contador responded with a commanding performance, coming home sandwiched between Frank and Andy Schleck, the two brothers from Luxembourg.

Nel tappone alpino, diciassettesima frazione del Tour, il lussemburghese Franck Schleck vince davanti allo spagnolo in maglia gialla Contador e al fratello Andy, che corre da padrone e gestisce la situazione senza problemi. Bravo Nibali, quarto davanti ad Armstrong.

Mikel Astarloza of Euskaltel-Euskadi won the 16th stage of the Tour de France, coming home alone in Bourg St Maurice. The Basque rider attacked a lead group of four with two kilometres remaining and crossed the line six seconds ahead after the 159km trek in the Alps from Martigny. Sandy Casar was second and fellow Frenchman Pierrick Fedrigo came home third. Alberto Contador, in a league of his own in Sunday’s first Alpine stage when he took the overall leader’s yellow jersey, finished in a group of 18 riders, 59 seconds back.

Nella 16ª tappa del Tour non cambia la classifica generale, con Contador in giallo e Armstrong secondo. Al basco la vittoria di tappa, l’italiano della Liquigas manca il successo parziale ma fa incetta di punti per la maglia a pois.

Alberto Contador stamped his authority on the Tour de France with a summit-top stage 15 victory at Verbier to take the leader’s yellow jersey. The Spaniard attacked his rivals on the first-category climb to the Swiss ski resort before riding to a superb solo win ahead of Andy Schleck of Saxo Bank. Contador’s Astana team-mate Lance Armstrong finished the 207km stage in ninth place, one minute 35 seconds behind the Spaniard, and is now second in the general classification at 1:37.

Con uno scatto nella salita finale, lo spagnolo Contador stacca tutti e vince la 15ª tappa strappando la maglia gialla all’italiano Nocentini. Ottimo Nibali (terzo). Armstrong perde 1′34″ e ammette: “Ho sofferto, Contador è il più forte. Sono felice di essere suo gregario”.

Russia’s Sergei Ivanov (Katusha) won stage 14 of the Tour de France on a day when American George Hincpaie came within five seconds of the yellow jersey. On a day for veterans, 34-year-old Ivanov continued his fine season with a powerful solo win after breaking clear from his fellow escapees with 10 kilometres of the 199km stage left to ride. It was the Russia’s second Tour stage victory and added to Ivanov’s win in the Amstel Gold spring classic earlier this year.

George Hincapie, in fuga col vincitore e altri dieci, è a lungo leader virtuale: alla fine recupera 5′ e 20″, ma resta dietro di 5” dall’italiano Nocentini. L’ultimo trionfatore dell’Amstel Gold Race Ivanov trova l’allungo vincente a 10 km dal traguardo.