Tour de France Field Prepares for Alps

DIGNES-LES-BAINS, France, July 19 -- Tour de France riders approached the Alps focused more on racing and less on the fallout of three scandals over drug use. Three-time world champion Oscar Freire of Spain closed in on the sprint title by winning Saturday's 14th stage, while Australia's Cadel Evans kept the leader's yellow jersey in the doping-battered race for a fifth straight day. Evans, who was runner-up last year, knows his clutch on the yellow jersey is about to be challenged -- notably by Team CSC, which has two strong climbers who are within 1 1/2 minutes of him. "Tomorrow the challenges to my yellow jersey will begin. I have to play a smart race," said Evans, adding that his Silence Lotto team has tried to save the energy of riders who could escort him up the Alpine climbs. "We don't have the strongest team for the... [read full story]