Federal prosecutors dropped their investigation of Lance Armstrong on Friday, ending a nearly two-year effort aimed at determining whether the seven-time Tour de France winner and his teammates participated in a doping program.

Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde says his strong performance in Tour Down Under has relieved some of the pressure after returning from a two-year doping ban.

Three-time Tour de France points winner Robbie McEwen would happily trade one of his green jerseys for the Olympic glory that eluded him, the experienced Australian sprinter said on Tuesday.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it plans to publish its verdict in Alberto Contador's doping case on Feb. 6.

A two-day 'festival of cycling' will be the first large scale event to use the Olympic Park when it reopens in 2013 after this year's Games, London mayor and keen pedaller Boris Johnson announced on Thursday.

Australia's Simon Gerrans won the Tour Down Under for the second time Sunday, giving newly formed Australian GreenEDGE its first victory in a World Tour event.

Spain's Alejandro Valverde made an emotional return from a two-year doping ban by winning the fifth and longest stage of the Tour Down Under on Saturday, closing in on overall victory in the first event of the 2012 World Tour.

The International Cycling Union's appeal to have Russian rider Alexandr Kolobnev banned for doping at the 2011 Tour de France will be heard next month.

Andre Greipel announced himself as a potential threat to sprint-king Mark Cavendish when the German claimed another impressive victory in the third stage of the Tour Down Under in Australia on Thursday.

Unheralded Australian William Clarke won the second stage of cycling's Tour Down Under on Wednesday, defying the peleton in one of the boldest individual breakaways in the history of the World Tour event.

German Andre Greipel won the opening stage of the Tour Down Under cycling as three riders and a spectator were taken to hospital following a crash on Tuesday.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will issue its decision on Alberto Contador's doping case in about two weeks following delays prompted by questions about the panel's independence.

Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador is one of the cyclists who have been called to testify in the trial of seven people linked to the Operation Puerto doping scandal.

German sprinter Andre Greipel won the 31-mile Down Under Classic on Sunday. It's a prelude to the Tour Down Under cycle race that is the first event of the UCI World Tour.

Italy's Ivan Basso has confirmed he will bid for a third Giro d'Italia title this year.

Spanish Vuelta organizers unveiled a 2012 route that favors climbers in a race confined to the north of the country.

This year's Vuelta a Espana looks tailor-made for climbers like Alberto Contador with a lot of mountain top finishes, five-times Tour de France winner and Pamplona native Miguel Indurain said on Wednesday.

Lawyers working to prove that Alberto Contador doped at the 2010 Tour de France came "very close" to walking out in protest at his hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, The Associated Press has learned.