At least one company is benefiting from the global economic crisis: Netherlands-based bicycle maker Accell said on Wednesday it expected higher than expected 2008 profits owing to rising sales.

`Cycling remains popular in economically adverse times,` Accell Group chief executive Rene Takens said in a statement.

At least one company is benefiting from the global economic crisis: Netherlands-based bicycle maker Accell said on Wednesday it expected higher than expected 2008 profits owing to rising sales.

`Cycling remains popular in economically adverse times,` Accell Group chief executive Rene Takens said in a statement.

PARIS, Oct 21, 2007 (AFP) - A foreign truck driver with a forged license faces possible deportation after running over a user of Paris' new self-service bike system, the first fatal crash involving the scheme, officials said Sunday.

The victim, a woman in her sixties, died after being knocked off her rented bike on Thursday night in the southeastern 12th district of Paris.

WASHINGTON, Sept 13, 2007 (AFP) - The Lance Armstrong Foundation set up by the former Tour de France champion to battle cancer is suing an animal charity over dog and cat collars which resemble its yellow wristbands.

Armstrong, a cancer survivor, launched the yellow bands during the 2004 Tour bearing the words 'Livestrong.' They became an instant success, and selling at a dollar a piece, have turned into a huge money-spinner for his foundation.

PARIS, Sept 11, 2007 (AFP) - The United States' third largest city, Chicago, may soon adopt a rent-a-bike scheme similar to the one launched this summer in Paris, mayor Richard M. Daley said during a trip to the French capital Tuesday.

The Democrat mayor, himself a cyclist, said he was 'greatly impressed' with the Paris network of self-service bicycles, which has clocked up more than 3.7 million rides since its launch in mid-July.

LONDON, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) - London Mayor Ken Livingstone is looking into the possibility of introducing a public bike hire scheme along the lines of one in Paris to promote more sustainable forms of transport, he said Thursday.

'I have seen the Paris Freedom Bike scheme and discussed it with the Mayor of Paris (Bertrand Delanoe). It clearly works and is highly popular,' he said in a statement.

'I have asked transport officials in London to study the Parisian and similar schemes in order to draw up proposals for a scheme which would meet the needs of London.'

PARIS, Aug 7, 2007 (AFP) - A French sports scientist has claimed the famous Tour de France cycling race could be won without doping, adding that cynics ought not to discount top individual performances as evidence of cheating.

Spaniard Alberto Contador's victory in the doping-tainted race on the Champs-Elysees in Paris just over a week ago is shrouded with suspicion even though he was cleared after being named in the Operation Puerto blood-doping scandal in Spain.

BOGOTA, Aug 5, 2007 (AFP) - A doping test on Colombian cyclist Libardo Nino during last month's Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro has shown up positive for banned blood-boosting drug EPO.

Nino, who won silver in the individual time-trial event in the Games and is currently taking part in the Tour of Colombia, protested his innocence.

'It's very tough for me,' said Nino. 'Nevertheless I'm not going to be hiding myself away.

ROME, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Results of the second stage of the Brixia Tour on Friday which was split into two half stages, an 81.5km ride from Esine Plerno to Breno followed by a 98.4km ride from Pian Camuno to Borno.

2nd stage

1st half stage

1. Giovanni Visconti (Italy) in 1hr 41min 19sec, 2. Fabio Baldato (Italy) s.t., 3. Antonio D'Ainello (Italy) s.t., 4. Davide Rebellin (Italy) s.t., 5. Daniele Pietropoli (Italy) s.t.

2nd half stage

ANGOULEME, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Frenchman Sandy Casar picked himself up after crashing into a stray dog to finally end his victory drought on the Tour de France, winning the 18th stage over 211 km here on Friday.

Discovery Channel's Alberto Contador retained the yellow jersey with a 1min 50sec lead on Australian Cadel Evans, and 2:49 on his American teammate Levi Leipheimer.

BERLIN, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme wants to stop working with the International Cycling Union (International Cycling Union) on next year's race, it will be reported here on Saturday.

'One should not make the Tour de France organisers responsible for everything,' said Prudhomme in an explosive interview with German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

'Just like in every sport, there is an international organisation in cycling, but despite all the respect it warrants, it does nothing.

ANGOULEME, France, July 25, 2007 (AFP) - International Cycling Union (International Cycling Union) chief Pat McQuaid has played down fears that cycling could be axed from the Olympic Games.

A senior European IOC member told AFP on Wednesday, speaking under anonymity, that the troubled sport risks being ejected from the Games because of the consistent spate of drug scandals.

However, International Cycling Union chief McQuaid said Friday that was not on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) agenda.

MARSEILLE, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Disgraced Tour de France cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov has invested over a million euros in a rehabilitation centre for athletes, it was claimed on Friday.

French daily newspaper Le Parisian on Friday reported that the project involves the renovation of an hotel.

It was bought at the end of 2006 and will be a 'top-of-the-range establishment', said Grasse town secretary, Danielle Dominichine.

Le Parisien also reported that the Kazakh rider will invest 1.3 million euros in the project aimed at top level athletes.

ANGOULEME, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Ahead of Saturday's crucial time trial on the penultimate stage of the Tour de France, Australian Cadel Evans knows that whatever he has done in the past will count for little.

To add to the pressure of the 55.5km challenge, which will decide who wins this year's yellow jersey, Evan's Spanish rival Alberto Contador is primed to race the time trial of his life.

ANGOULEME, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Class standings from the 18th stage of the Tour de France, a 211km ride from Cahors to Angouleme on Friday:

Points:

King of Mountains:

Team overall:

1. Discovery Channel 258h27:02.

2. CSC at 16:12.

4. Rabobank 28:01.

5. Euskaltel 39:07.

6. Saunier Duval 1h30:53.

MANCHESTER, England, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - British Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins believes the drug-tainted Tour de France has lost all credibility as the race struggles from one crisis to another.

Wiggins' Cofidis team were withdrawn from the race after team-mate Cristian Moreni failed a drugs test and was questioned by police.

'No-one has faith in who is wearing the yellow jersey,' said the 27-year-old Wiggins.

'This year's Tour has lost all credibility. It's null and void as far as I am concerned this year.

ANGOULEME, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Factfile on Sandy Casar after his win in the 18th stage of the Tour de France, a 211km run from Cahors to here on Friday.

Name: Sandy Casar

Place of birth: Mantes-la-Jolie

Nationality: French

Height: 179cm

Weight: 63kg

Teams: fdjeux.com (2000-2004), Fran?aise des Jeux (since 2005)

Tour de France record

Appearances: 6

Stage wins: 1 (2007)

Best overall ranking: 16th (2004)

Other victories

Route du Sud (2005)

BRUSSELS, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Two Belgium punters have started legal proceedings after being left out of pocket when Astana retired from the Tour de France following their leader Alexandre Vinokourov's positive dope test.

The duo, who placed bets of 100 euros and 25 euros on Astana's German rider Andreas Kloden, are suing the Kazakh team, Tour organisers ASO and also plan to pursue Vinokourov if his positive test for blood doping is confirmed.

Their lawyer, Christophe Bleret told AFP on Friday: 'The interest for them is not money, it's symbolic.

COPENHAGEN, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - A bitter Michael Rasmussen on Friday accused his Rabobank team manager of 'stealing' what he regarded as certain victory in the Tour de France.

And the embattled Danish cyclist has enlisted the services of a lawyer after being dramatically kicked out of the Tour when wearing the leader's yellow jersey and sacked by Rabobank over a row about missed drug tests.

'I was really in control of the race, but he (Rabobank manager Theo De Rooy) stole victory from me,' Rasmussen told Danish daily Politken on Friday.

PAU, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Spain's Alberto Contador will wear the Tour de France's yellow jersey at the start of Friday's stage, after the previous race leader was sacked by his own team in a row over doping tests.

No rider wore the emblematic yellow jersey designating the overall leader Thursday, after the Rabobank team sensationally withdrew Denmark's Michael Rasmussen on suspicion of doping.

On Thursday the Dutch outfit's manager, Theo de Rooy, said Rasmussen, was not only out of the Tour but had also been sacked from the team.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - The question as to how the race for the Tour de France yellow jersey would have panned out without the participation of suspected drugs cheats may never be known.

All Cadel Evans knows is that he has to overcome a deficit of 1min 53sec to race leader Alberto Contador, and keep the Spaniard's Discovery Channel teammate Levi Leipheimer from taking 56secs off him, to win the coveted yellow jersey.

NEW YORK, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - The doping scandals wreaking havoc on the 2007 Tour de France should come as no surprise, three-time Tour champion Greg LeMond told AFP on Thursday.

In a dramatic few days on the crisis-hit race, long-time race leader Michael Rasmussen of Denmark has been sensationally turfed out by his own Rabobank team.

France`s number one team Cofidis pulled out after it was revealed that Italian Cristian Moreni had tested positive for testosterone while Astana have also left the race following favourite Alexandre Vinokourov`s dope test failure.

PAU, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - The Tour de France temporarily lost its emblematic yellow jersey Thursday -- a victim of the latest in a string of doping scandals that have taken the sheen off the world`s greatest cycle race.

The jersey was absent at the start of the 17th stage after the race leader, Denmark`s Michael Rasmussen, was sensationally withdrawn by his own Rabobank team on Wednesday on suspicion of doping.

PARIS, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - World anti-doping body, WADA, on Thursday upped the stakes in the Tour de France`s battle to save its damaged credibility by calling for a high-level summit to discuss the doping crisis.

WADA president Dick Pound admitted he was concerned by developments in the Tour this week which have seen yellow jersey Michael Rasmussen axed from the race and long-time favourite Alexandre Vinokourov fail a test for blood doping.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - The International Cycling Union (UCI) on Thursday confirmed that pre-Tour de France favourite Alexandre Vinokourov has tested positive for blood doping.

An `A` sample taken from the Astana team rider after his victory in the race`s time trial on the 13th stage revealed the presence of 'two distinct blood populations'.

That suggested Vinokourov had injected the blood from a compatible donor to boost his performance in the race against the clock.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Germany`s Jens Voigt led the criticism of the drugs cheats who have plunged this year`s Tour de France into a new doping crisis.

Voigt, who had claimed his first ever stage win here in 2001, came fourth and last from a leading four-man breakaway after a long, hard 188.5km race from Pau to here on Thursday as the peloton finally waved goodbye to the Pyrenees.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Top French cycling team Cofidis have sacked Italian Cristian Moreni, who tested positive for testosterone at the Tour de France.

Moreni admitted after his positive control that he had used the banned hormone to improve his performance.

Cofidis and all their riders pulled out of the race on Wednesday after it was announced that Moreni had tested positive following the 11th stage to Montpellier that was won by South African Robert Hunter.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Italy`s Daniele Bennati attempted to put racing back on the agenda of the crisis-hit Tour de France on Thursday, claiming his first win on the race after a tough 188.5km ride from Pau to here.

In the absence of ejected race leader Michael Rasmussen, who was sacked over doping suspicions by his Rabobank team on Thursday, Spaniard Alberto Contador pulled on the race`s yellow jersey.

Contador was quick to insist that he was drug-free.

LONDON, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - British sport bosses want to bring the Tour de France back to London despite the doping scandals that have tarnished the event.

The Tour has been plunged into chaos this week as race leader Michael Rasmussen was sacked by his Rabobank team and thrown out of the race.

The Danish rider`s exit came hot on the heels of positive drug tests for Alexander Vinokourov and Cristian Moreni.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Spaniard Alberto Contador brushed off queries over his credibility as a clean, potential Tour de France winner after pulling on the race`s yellow jersey on Thursday.

A day after Denmark`s Michael Ramsussen exited the race in disgrace, Contador took over and has three days in which to defend his lead ahead of the final stage in Paris on Sunday.

PAU, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Disgraced Cofidis rider Cristian Moreni of Italy was released from police custody on Thursday after being detained since Wednesday, announced the Pau county prosecutor.

Moreni was arrested in south western French town of Pau for questioning after the Italian failed a doping control on July 19 which subsequently led to the rider and his team to withdraw from the Tour de France.

'Moreni has been released as from 1530 local time,' said Erick Maurel, 'The first wave of hearings is over.'

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Standings from the 17th stage of the Tour de France, a 188.5km ride from Pau to Castelsarrasin on Thursday:

10. Sebastien Chavanel (FRA/FDJ) 9:37.

16. Sébastien Hinault (FRA/C.A) 9:39.

19. Xavier Florencio (ESP/BOU) 9:39.

20. Alberto Contador (ESP/DIS) 9:39.

25. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR/LIQ) 9:39.

29. Paolo Longo Borghini (ITA/BAR) 9:39.

30. Christophe Rinero (FRA/SDU) 9:39.

35. Yaroslav Popovych (UKR/DIS) 9:39.

39. Benoît Vaugrenard (FRA/FDJ) 9:39.

ROME, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Davide Rebellin of the Gerolsteiner team, won the first stage of the four-day Brixia Tour on Thursday, a 157.4 kilometre ride in northern Italy from Brescia to Toscolano Maderno.

The 35-year-old defending champion edged out fellow Italian Paolo Bailetti for his first victory since April when he won the Fleche Wallonne Belgian classic.

Friday`s second stage is split into two half-stages, an 81.5km ride from Esine Plerno to Breno followed by a 98.4km ride from Pian Camuno to Borno.

ROME, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Thursday lodged an appeal against the decision to clear Alessandro Petacchi of doping by Italy`s Cycling Federation (FCI).

Italian sprinter Petacchi escaped punishment from the FCI on Tuesday despite being charged with doping by CONI on July 4.

CONI had recommended to the FCI that Petacchi be banned from cycling for 12 months after a urine sample he gave at the Giro D`Italia on May 23 showed an unusually high level of salbutamol, a substance primarily used to treat asthma.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Italy`s Daniele Bennati, of the Lampre team, won the 17th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, a 188.5km ride from Pau to here.

In the absence of ejected race leader Michael Rasmussen, who was sacked over doping suspicions by his Rabobank team on Thursday, Spaniard Alberto Contador pulled on the race`s yellow jersey.

Contador began the stage with a 1min 53sec lead on Australia`s Cadel Evans in the general classification, and the deficit stayed that way after a rare breakaway managed to go all the way to the finish line.

CASTELSARRASIN, France, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - Australia`s Cadel Evans suggested Thursday he has always harboured doubts over the sporadic performances of Denmark`s Michael Rasmussen, who was thrown out of the Tour de France by his Rabobank team on Wednesday.

After a week of their suspicion being aroused over four missed random doping controls, his Dutch outfit finally cracked after learning that Rasmussen had been in Italy in June, and not in Mexico as he had claimed.

Rabobank first threw the Dane off the race, then sacked him on Thursday.