Cycling

Riders and staff of Bahrain Victorious have had their homes searched by French police just days before the Tour de France. The team said in a statement they will “co-operate in all procedures”. But they added “the timing of this investigation is aimed at intentionally damaging the team’s reputation”. They had hotel rooms searched following

Mark Cavendish will not ride the Tour de France, despite equalling the all-time record for stage wins last year. Cavendish, 37, had been hopeful of selection after winning the British road race title on Sunday, as well as several other races this season. But it was always in doubt as his Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl team

Mark Cavendish won his second British National Road Championship title and first since 2013 after edging a three-way sprint to the line. Cavendish, 37, held off the challenge from under-23 rider Sam Watson and Alex Richardson over the 201km course around Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. He is set to miss the Tour de France

Ethan Hayter defended his time trial title on the opening day of the British National Road Championships. The elite men’s category podium was the same as last year’s event, with Daniel Bigham and James Shaw finishing second and third respectively. Team Ineos Grenadiers rider Hayter completed the 44.2km course in Scotland in 50 minutes 38.53

Britain’s Chris Froome will contest this year’s Tour de France, but his Israel Premier Tech team say there are aiming only for stage wins. But the 37-year-old has struggled to regain the form he had at Team Sky. “I’ve worked exceptionally hard this year and I’m looking forward to giving it my all,” said Froome.

Cycling team Ineos Grenadiers have joined forces with marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge to launch a cycling academy in Kenya. The Ineos Eliud Kipchoge Cycling Academy will be set up at the renowned Kaptagat camp, where Kipchoge’s running training centre is located. Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said the company wanted to help Africa’s

Julian Alaphilippe will return to competition at the French Championships road race on Sunday, say his Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team. The Frenchman, who turned 30 on 11 June, resumed training last month. At the time he said he hoped to participate at the Tour de France, which begins on 1 July in Copenhagen. Alaphilippe’s team-mate

Geraint Thomas feels he has nothing to prove in the 2022 Tour de France, but says he is “no less hungry” for victory. Thomas, 36, was something of a surprise winner of the recent Tour de Suisse, prompting speculation over what role he will play for Team Ineos Grenadiers on next month’s Tour. “I am

Geraint Thomas has become the first Briton to win the Tour de Suisse after finishing second on the final day time trial in Vaduz. The 36-year-old 2018 Tour de France winner was well ahead of his main general classification rivals as Remco Evenepoel won on stage eight. Belgian Evenepoel completed the course in 28 minutes

Geraint Thomas is favourite to win the Tour de Suisse after finishing fifth on the penultimate stage, won by Frenchman Thibaut Pinot. Pinot produced a strong climb to win stage seven by 25 seconds from Oscar Rodriguez. But Colombian Sergio Higuita is the new overall leader and is two seconds ahead of Thomas. The Welshman

Race leader Aleksandr Vlasov and Olympic mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock have withdrawn from the Tour de Suisse following positive Covid tests. Three entire teams – UAE Team Emirates, Alpecin-Fenix and Bahrain-Victorious – also pulled out for the same reason. And EF Education-EasyPost withdrew four riders, including Rigoberto Uran and Briton Hugh Carthy. In total,

The mother of Emily Bridges has accused cycling’s world governing body of “moving goalposts” after it toughened its rules on transgender eligibility. On Thursday, the UCI announced it was doubling the period of time before a rider transitioning from male to female can compete in women’s races. It means that 21-year-old Bridges will not be

Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, has toughened its rules on transgender eligibility by doubling the period of time before a rider transitioning from male to female can compete. Previous regulations required riders to have had testosterone levels below five nanomoles per litre (nmol/L) for a 12-month period prior to competition. The UCI has changed the

Adam Yates has been forced to withdraw from the Tour de Suisse after testing positive for Covid. The Team Ineos Grenadiers rider was sitting 10th overall in the race but returned a positive lateral flow test after experiencing mild symptoms. Yates, 29, is the only rider from the team to be withdrawn ahead of stage

Stephen Williams retained the lead of the Tour de Suisse as Daryl Impey claimed a surprise win on stage four. Impey, 37, edged out Michael Matthews in a photo finish at the end of the 191km stage from Grenchen to Brunnen. It was the South African’s first World Tour win since his victory on stage

Five-time Olympic gold medallist Laura Kenny has been named in Team England’s 35-strong squad for the Commonwealth Games. Matt Walls, the Omnium champion at Tokyo 2020, and Olympic silver medallist and world omnium champion Ethan Hayter are also included. Double Paralympic champion Steve Bate and Paralympic silver medallist Sophie Unwin are included. Evie Richards, a

Stephen Williams held onto the Tour de Suisse lead as ex-world champion Peter Sagan celebrated his first win of 2022 on stage three in Grenchen. The Slovak, 32, held off challenges from Bryan Coquard and Alexander Kristoff as the 177km stage ended. After his first win for nine months, Sagan said: “It’s nice to be

Great Britain’s Bethany Shriever has won a bronze medal at the BMX Racing World Cup in the Netherlands. The 23-year-old, who won gold at Tokyo 2020, finished in 35.464 seconds. Switzerland’s Zoe Claessens took gold in Papendal with a time of 34.593secs, and home rider Laura Smulders won silver in 35.054. In the men’s event