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Greipel edges out Cavendish to prevail
German Andre Greipel pipped bitter rival Mark Cavendish to win the 10th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday.
German Andre Greipel pipped bitter rival Mark Cavendish to win the 10th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday.
Greipel, who was working for Cavendish at HTC-Highroad until last year but never got along with him, outsprinted Cavendish to give his Omega Pharma Lotto team a welcome victory. The win comes two days after team leader Jurgen van den Broeck, who was targeting a podium finish, pulled out of the race injured after a crash.
France's Thomas Voeckler of the Europcar team retained the overall leader's yellow jersey after spending the day safely in the main bunch.
Fabian Cancellara, Dutchman Robert Gesink and American Levi Leipheimer were involved in an early crash but survived to reach the finish line.
In the final stretch, Cavendish launched his sprint a little early allowing Greipel to beat him on the line.
Dope offence
Russian Alexandr Kolobnev, who withdrew after testing positive for a diuretic, has denied any wrongdoing, saying he did not know where the banned substance came from.
"Yesterday, during the rest day it was reported the laboratories had found a substance, hydrochlorothiazide," Kolobnev said in a statement. "I do not know where it comes from."
On Monday, French police searched his hotel room but "found nothing suspicious", according to the 2004 and 2010 Russian champion. "I have not been fired," he said. If the B sample turns out to be positive, however, Kolobnev would be sacked from his team, Katusha.
Hydrochlorothiazide, though not a performance-enhancer, can be used to mask the use of performance-enhancing drugs, and is banned by WADA.
