Tour de France 2012: Great Britian's Bradley Wiggins Collects Country's First Victory

As expected Sunday, Great Britain's Bradley Wiggins held on and collected his first Tour de France crown as he crossed the finish line of the event's final stage as the rider with the fastest overall time. Wiggins' victory, the countries first ever, was all but cemented on Saturday, when he dominated the final time trail.

Wiggins finished 3 minutes, 21 seconds ahead of teammate and second-place finisher Christopher Froome. Vincenzo Nibali of Italy came in third place as he was 6:19 off the pace. This was the first time since 1984 that teammates from the same country finished 1-2.

Overall, Wiggins collected two stages victories that helped give his country seven stage wins. Britain's Mark Cavendish finished with three victories, his last coming on Sunday, while both Froome and David Millar each earned victories.

Stick with this StoryStream for recaps, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to Podium Cafe.

2012 Tour de France, Stage 20: Route, TV Schedule, Live Updates And More

On June 30, British rider Bradley Wiggins could only dream of being crowned the champion of the 2012 Tour de France. Now, 23 days later, that dream is a reality. Wiggins has essentially wrapped up the title, leading teammate and fellow Brit Christopher Froome by 3:21. The only thing standing in his way is Stage 20, the final stage of the tour.

Stage 20 is a mostly flat 130 kilometer course taking riders from Rambouillet to the Champs Élysées in Paris. Mark Cavendish won the last three Stage 20 races, but he has struggled at this year's Tour de France and might be more vulnerable than usual.

Stage 20 will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. A recap of the 2012 Tour de France will be shown on NBC at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Tour de France Live is also available on the computer and on various mobile apps.

Stick with this StoryStream for recaps, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling head over to Podium Cafe.

2012 Tour de France, Stage 19: Bradley Wiggins Secures Unofficial Overall Win

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) will become the first British cyclist to ever win the Tour de France, securing the victory by dominating Stage 19 of the 2012 Tour. Wiggins is a time trial specialist and took full advantage of the race's three time trials to build a nearly insurmountable lead over his rivals. His teammate Christopher Froome was second on the stage and will be second on the podium, while third in the stage goes to Rabobank's Luis Leon Sanchez.

With a time trial heavy race, 2012 was Wiggins' best chance at winning the Tour. He finished second in the opening time trial and completely rode away with the mid-race and final time trials. His opponents tried to overcome him in the mountains, but with the help of Froome and the rest of Team Sky Wiggins was able to meet or exceed every attack. Stage 20 will see a sprint finish and not impact the General Classification standings, so the final podium will be Wiggins, Froome, and Team Liquigas-Cannondale's Vincenzo Nibali.

Stick with this StoryStream for recaps, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling head over to Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012, Stage 19: Preview, TV Schedule, Watch Online And More

Stage 19 of the 2012 Tour de France is a 53.5km time trial that runs from Bonneval to Chartres. If Bradley Wiggins (Sky) can hold on to the yellow jersey until the end of the day, he'll have locked up his place in history as the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France. The odds on that look good: Wiggins came in second in the opening time trial and dominated the mid-race time trial, using it to put two minutes into 2011 Tour winner Cadel Evans (BMC). Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) is the closest rival to Wiggins, currently 2:41 behind. Nibali lost 2:07 to Wiggins in the mid-race TT, a course shorter than Saturday's by more than 10km. He'll need Wiggins to come up wildly short and to ride the race of his life if he wants a chance to take the yellow jersey.

Television coverage of the event is provided by the NBC Sports Network and begins at 8 a.m. ET. Online coverage comes via Tour de France Live, subscription required.

Stick with this StoryStream for results and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, check out Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012, Stage 18 Results: Mark Cavendish Wins, Bradley Wiggins Retains Overall Lead

The 18th stage of the Tour de France has concluded and the winner in the 138-mile stage, which stretched from Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde, was won by Britain's Mark Cavendish of Team Sky.

Cavendish's Team Sky worked very well together in Friday's stage and helped set him up to win his second stage of the Tour de France, and this one was won with a sprint. This stage win was his 22nd of his career. With about a mile left, Cavendish broke away from his team and was able to sprint past six other riders to win by a few bike lengths.

The overall standings did not change as Cavendhish's teammate Bradley Wiggins still has the overall lead and has a 2:05 lead over teammate Christopher Froome with Italy's Vincenzo Nibali being 2:41 back and in third place.

Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012, Stage 18: TV Coverage, Route And More

The 2012 Tour de France leaves the mountains for good and heads back to relatively flat land for Stage 18 on Friday. Sprinters will compete for 65 points in the green jersey competition, though it is all but impossible for anyone to catch Peter Sagan at this point. There are a few Category 4 climbs sprinkled throughout the 222.5-kilometer ride from Blagnac to Brive-la-Gaillarde, though nothing like the massive climbs of the last two days.

Bradley Wiggins is still your overall leader, as has been the case since Stage 8. Teammate Christopher Froome is 2:05 is in second place. American Tejay Van Garderen is in fifth place at 8:30 off the lead.

Stage 18 will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. It will also be shown on Tour de France Live, available online with a subscription.

For updated standings, visit http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/standings.

Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012: Thomas Voeckler Wins Stage 16, Bradley Wiggins Keeps Yellow Jersey

Thomas Voeckler won Stage 16 of the 2012 Tour de France on Wednesday. The win was the second of the Tour for Voeckler who also won Stage 10.

Voeckler finished the 122.4-mile stage from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon 1'40" ahead of Chris Anker Sørensen. Bradley Wiggins rode close to his competition for the overall lead and retained the yellow jersey. Wiggins is 2'05" ahead of Team Sky teammate Chris Froome.

Top American rider Tejay van Garderen is now sixth overall and 7'55" back of Wiggins. His BMC teammate Cadel Evans fell to seventh place. Van Garderen is still in first place in the young riders classification. He actually increased his lead over Thibault Pinot to 3'48" after Stage 16.

Full standings for the Tour de France can be found at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Tour de France 2012, Stage 16: TV Coverage, Route And More

After a few flat stages and a day of rest, the 2012 Tour de France enters the treacherous Pyrenees beginning with Stage 16 on Wednesday. The 197-kilometer ride features two Category H climbs, the highest level of difficulty for any rider, as well as two Category 1 climbs in the final 60 kilometers. Riders will descend from the Col de Peyresourde directly into what should be a speedy finish.

Bradley Wiggins will enter his ninth stage wearing the yellow jersey as the Tour's overall leader. He remains 2:05 ahead of Sky Procycling teammate Christopher Froome. Tejay Van Garderen is still the top-ranked American in seventh place overall and 6:57 off the lead.

Stage 16 will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. It will also be shown on Tour de France Live, available online with a subscription.

For updated standings, visit http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/standings.

Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012: Pierrick Fedrigo Wins Stage 15, Bradley Wiggins Retains Yellow Jersey

France's Pierrick Fedrigo was victorious in Stage 15 of the 2012 Tour de France on Monday, outsprinting American rider Christian Vande Velde to the finish line. Fedrigo also won this stage in 2010.

Thomas Voeckler was third and Nicki Sørensen was fourth, both riders were 12" behind the leader. Dries Devenyns finished fifth 21" behind Fedrigo.

Bradley Wiggins kept the yellow jersey and the overall lead after Stage 15 from from Samatan to Pau. Wiggins' lead over Chris Froome is 2'05". After Froome, Vincenzo Nabali, Cadel Evans and Jurgen Van Den Broeck round out the top five of the overall standings.

American Tejay van Garderen is seventh overall but leads the young riders classification by 1'54".

Full standings for the Tour de France can be found at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

2012 Tour de France, Stage 15: Route, TV Schedule, Live Updates And More

After averaging over 200 kilometers in their last three stages, riders on the 2012 Tour de France have to be relieved to only be riding 158.5 kilometers for Stage 15's trek from Samatan to Pau on Monday. The riders will get a rest Tuesday, before going through more treacherous climbs Wednesday with the start of the Pyrenees. Monday's stage features only a few moderate climbs, all compacted within the final 50 kilometers of the ride.

Bradley Wiggins will wear the yellow jersey as the leader in the overall classification. He finished over 15 minutes off the lead Sunday after suffering a punctured tire thanks to tacks some fans had thrown into the road. The tacks affected approximately 30 riders, but didn't affect the top of the leaderboard much. Wiggins still leads by 2:05 over Sky Procycling teammate Christopher Froome. Tejay Van Garderen is still the top-ranked American in seventh place at 6:57 off the lead.

Stage 15 will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. It will also be shown on Tour de France Live, available online with a subscription.

For updated standings, visit http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/standings.

Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012: Luis Leon Sanchez Wins Stage 14, Bradley Wiggins Retains Yellow Jersey

Luis Leon Sanchez took the 118.7-mile Stage 14 from Limoux to Foix on Sunday at the 2012 Tour de France. Sanchez won comfortably and finished 47" ahead of his competition.

While Sanchez did not struggle on Sunday, other riders had to put up with punctures caused by carpet tacks which were tossed on the road by spectators. Cadel Evans had three punctures on the day but remained fourth overall after Stage 14.

Bradley Wiggins maintained the yellow jersey after Stage 14 and holds a lead of 2'05" over Chris Froome. Vincenzo Nabali is still in third at 2'23" behind Wiggins. Jurgen Van Den Broeck is fifth.

American Tejay van Garderen still leads the young riders classification and has an advantage of 1'54" over Thibault Pinot. Van Garderen is seventh overall and trails Wiggins by 6'57".

Full standings for the Tour de France can be found at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Tour de France, Stage 14: Route, TV Schedule, Live Updates And More

Sunday morning marks the start of Stage 14 of the 2012 Tour de France. Germany's Andre Greipel took Stage 13, narrowly defeating Peter Sagan. Great Britain's Bradley Wiggins remains in first place overall, 2:05 ahead of fellow Brit Christopher Froome.

Stage 14 is a 191 kilometer course filled with mountainous terrain. It takes riders from Limoux to Foix, France, and promises to challenge even the most experienced of riders.

Vincenzo Nibali of Italy has been mentioned as a potential frontrunner in Stage 14. He currently sits in third place overall, 2:23 behind Wiggins.

Stage 14 will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. It will also be shown on Tour de France Live, available online with a subscription.

For updated standings, visit http://tourdefrance.nbcsports.com/standings.

Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, head over to SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.

2012 Tour de France, Stage 13: Route, TV Schedule, Live Updates And More

Stage 13 of the 2012 Tour de France is a 217km trip from Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Le Cap d’Agde, and while the stage looks like a flat run built for a sprint finish, some late features might lead to a different result. The route runs down the coastline, and the winds off the water can always split the peloton. There's also a Category 3 climb late in the race, which would offer another opportunity to break things up.

If either of those factors split things up, a well-timed breakaway or a determined GC contender who has slipped in the rankings could make a strong play for the stage win. Team Sky and overall leader Bradley Wiggins will need to spend a good amount of time at the front of the race, making sure they don't get caught napping.

Television coverage of the event starts at 8 a.m. on the NBC Sports Network. Streaming coverage is available via NBC Sports, subscription required.

Stick with this StoryStream for results, updates and more from the 2012 Tour de France. For all things cycling, check out SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.

Tour de France 2012: David Millar Wins Stage 12, Bradley Wiggins Keeps Yellow Jersey

David Millar won Stage 12 of the 2012 Tour de France on Friday by outsprinting Jean-Christophe Peraud.

Millar's win in the 140.4-mile stage from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay-Davézieux did not allow anyone to catch overall leader Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins still has a 2'05" lead on second-place rider Chris Froome. Vincenzo Nabali is 2'23" behind the leader and Cadel Evans' ninth-place finish on Friday has him 3'19" behind Wiggins.

American rider Tejay van Garderen is 6'57" off the lead in seventh place overall. Van Garderen still leads the young rider classification. He is 1'54" ahead of Thibault Pinot, who is 10th in the overall classification.

Stage 13 will be a 134.8-mile ride from Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Cap d'Agde. The stage will end by the Mediterranean Sea.

Full standings for the Tour de France can be found at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, please be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Tour de France 2012, Stage 12: TV Coverage, Route And More

Stage 12 begins the turn away from the Alps towards the Pyrenees at the 2012 Tour de France. The 226-kilometer ride from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davézieux is the longest of the Tour. The ride features two big climbs, the Col du Grand Cucheron and Col du Granier, in the first 80 kilometers. The rest of the stage is essentially flat land, giving the sprinters plenty of room to leave their mark.

Bradley Wiggins still leads the general classification. He strengthened his grasp of the yellow jersey Thursday, and now leads his own teammate, Christopher Froome, by just over two minutes.

The NBC Sports Network will again carry a live broadcast of the race, starting at 6:30 a.m. Eastern. Online coverage will stream live at Tour de France live (subscription required).

Complete standings are available at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, please be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Tour de France 2012: Pierre Rolland Wins Stage 11, Bradley Wiggins Extends Overall Lead

Pierre Rolland took the 92-mile Stage 11 from Albertville to La Toussuire-Les Sybelles on Thursday at the 2012 Tour de France. Rolland bested Stage 8 winner Thibault Pinot by 55". Chris Froome finished third on Thursday and moved into second place overall. Vincenzo Nabali finished fifth in Stage 11 and moved up to third in the overall classification. Yellow jersey holder Bradley Wiggins was right behind Nabali and increased his overall lead to 2'03".

Cadel Evans lost valuable ground on Thursday and dropped from second to fifth overall. Denis Menchov, who was fifth overall before Stage 11, is now in 16th place after a a bad day in the mountains.

American rider, and Evans' BMC teammate, Tejay van Garderen is now seventh overall and 6'57" behind Wiggins. Garderen leads the young rider classification and is is 1'54" ahead of Pinot.

Full standings for the Tour de France can be found at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, please be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

2012 Tour de France, Stage 11: Route, TV Schedule, Live Updates And More

The Tour de France rolls along on Thursday as riders gear up for a second day of grueling mountain riding in Stage 11. On Wednesday, cyclists completed the nearly 200 km Stage 10, the first foray into the French Alps. Thomas Voeckler won the previous stage, and Bradley Wiggins still has the gold jersey.

Stage 11 starts in the town of Albertville and across 148 km with not a flat stretch to be seen. It ends with an uphill ride to La Toussuire. Along the way, riders will face four climbs, and despite being shorter than the previous stage, it more than make up for its length in difficulty.

The NBC Sports Network will again carry a live broadcast of the race, starting at 8 a.m. Eastern. Fans can also watch it online via live stream at Tour de France live, which does require a subscription. Complete standings are available at NBCSports.com.

Check out the video below for a more in-depth look at Stage 11.

For more on the Tour de France, please be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Tour de France 2012: Thomas Voeckler Wins Stage 10, Bradley Wiggins Still Has Overall Lead

Thomas Voeckler was able to conquer the Col du Grand Colombier on Wednesday and won Stage 10 of the 2012 Tour de France.

Voeckler finished 3" ahead of Italy's Michele Scarponi to grab the polka dot jersey for best climber. Bradley Wiggins held onto to the yellow jersey after the stage and leads Cadel Evans by 1'53". Chris Froome is 2'07" behind Wiggins while Vincenzo Nabali is 2'33" back. Denis Menchov is in fifth place and is 3'02" behind Wiggins.

American Tejay van Garderen is back in the top ten and trails the leader by 5'31". Van Garderen leads the young riders in this year's tour by 25" over second place Rein Taaramäe.

Full standings for the Tour de France can be found at NBCSports.com.

For more on the Tour de France, please be sure to check out our blog Podium Cafe, SB Nation and SB Nation Philly for all the latest news and updates.

Tour de France 2012: Stage 10 Preview, Col du Grand Colombier Lies Ahead On Wednesday

Bradley Wiggins will lead the riders at the 2012 Tour de France into Stage 10 on Wednesday. The riders will have a tough climb up the Col du Grand Colombier ahead of them.