When Michael Phelps lost his first major individual competition in four years at the World Championships in Rome it was a defeat which could help define the sport for decades to come. Paul Biedermann finished ahead of Phelps, who won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games, with a new world record in the 200-meter freestyle - but the win was marred with controversy. Biedermann was wearing the Arena X-Glide polyurethane suit, considered faster than Phelps' Speedo LZR Racer, ...

Lance Armstrong has hit back at Tour de France winner Alberto Contador by describing the Spaniard's latest criticism of him as "drivel" on his Twitter feed. The obvious tension between the Astana teammates dominated the headlines during the three-week stage race, with rumors rife of a division within the set-up. Contador eventually proved the stronger of the two riders, winning his second Tour in three years with seven-times winner Armstrong taking third place. But on his return to Madrid ...

Tour de France winner Alberto Contador has launched a stinging attack on Astana teammate Lance Armstrong after returning as a hero to his native town of Pinto near Madrid. Contador told a news conference that relations between the two riders were tense throughout the race, making the atmosphere very difficult for the team as a whole. Although not giving specific reasons why, Contador admitted the situation has affected his relationship with the American. "My relationship with Lance Armstrong is non-existent. ...

The woman who made the 911 call that led to the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. never referred to black suspects when she called authorities for what she thought was a potential break-in. Police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, released the 911 phone call Monday. In the call, Lucia Whalen reports seeing "two larger men, one looked kind of Hispanic, but I'm not really sure, and the other one entered, and I didn't see what he looked like at ...

Alberto Contador has been crowned Tour de France champion for the second time in three years, as Mark Cavendish won his sixth stage of this year's race with victory in the 21st and final stage, finishing in the center of Paris. Briton Cavendish again proved he has no equal in the bunch sprints by powering away from his rivals, after being giving a perfect lead-out by Columbia teammate Mark Renshaw, to add the 'blue riband' sprinters stage on the Champs-Elysees ...

World champion Lewis Hamilton romped to a morale-boosting first Formula One victory of 2009 as his would-be successor Jenson Button again failed to finish on the podium at Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix. Hamilton, benefiting from his McLaren's improved KERS system after a poor start to the season, took command after pole-sitter and race leader Fernando Alonso had to retire. Two-time world champion Alonso was left frustrated after the right-front tire on his Renault came off during the 13th lap and ...

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has announced that he will race for a new U.S.-based team next year. The legendary Texan cyclist will form a new franchise in partnership with American electronics retailer RadioShack. The 37-year-old made his cycling comeback this year with the Kazakhstani Astana team to raise awareness about cancer through his LiveStrong Foundation charity. His title hopes in this year's Tour faded further when he lost another 90 seconds to leader and teammate Alberto Contador ...

Alberto Contador maintained his 97-second lead over Astana teammate Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France as Mikel Astarloza claimed his first stage victory on Tuesday. Astarloza, captain of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team, finished six seconds clear of Sandy Casar and Pierrick Fedrigo after breaking free near the end of the 159-kilometer 16th stage from Martigny to Bourg St Maurice. Contador was near the head of the 17-man peloton in 10th place, 59 seconds back from his fellow Spaniard, with seven-time ...

Japan dissolved its lower house of parliament Tuesday ahead of general elections in August. The move was not unexpected. On July 13, Prime Minister Taro Aso said he would dissolve the lower house of the Diet some time this week. Elections for new lawmakers will be held on August 30, said Jun Matsumoto, the chief Cabinet spokesman, at the time. The beleaguered prime minister has faced increasing pressure from within his party, the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), ...

An eco-friendly French boat is hoping to successfully cross the perilous Arctic sea passage that links the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific. "Le Mangier" is attempting to navigate the icy, unpredictable Northern Sea Route, a 6,000 mile passage that skims the northern coast of Siberia. It is a trip that only a handful of leisure boats in history have successfully completed. Not only that, the modified tug boat is also attempting to do it ecologically. The boat's crew is ...