"I suffered to get this result," said Contador, before hoisting the victor's cup, the Arc de Triomphe looming spectacularly in the background. "I don't have words to express what I feel."

Off to one side, Lance Armstrong applauded and then, without much fanfare, headed toward the exit.
"I need a cold beer," he said when asked his thoughts at the finish line.

Rarely has the emergence of a sport's newest superstar dovetailed so neatly with the departure of the last one.
Contador held off a next-to-last day challenge from Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, his runner-up for a second consecutive year, draining much of the drama from the 20th and final stage. Denis Menchov of Russia was third overall.
Armstrong completed his last Tour in 23rd place, 39:20 behind Contador, his former teammate and rival. Armstrong's crash-filled journey was a far cry from the third-place finish he posted in 2009 on his return from a four-year retirement.

Schleck vows he'll win the yellow jersey one day. That promise could produce the next great Tour rivalry, The high-drama point in the race came in Stage 15. Wearing the yellow jersey, Schleck mounted an attack against Contador on a Pyrenean climb. Suddenly, Schleck's chain came undone, and he pedaled in vain. Contador sped ahead, and by the stage finish, had taken yellow and 39 seconds on Schleck — his margin of overall victory.

Lance Armstrong said his hopes of Tour de France victory are finished after he struggled in the Alps and was caught up in three crashes during an eighth stage won by Andy Schleck of Luxembourg on Sunday.
World champion Cadel Evans of Australia took the yellow jersey at the end of the stage, with overnight leader Sylvain Chavanel — like Armstrong — falling behind the top contenders on the tough La Ramaz climb.
The Texan crossed the finish line nearly 12 minutes behind Schleck after the 117.4-mile run from Station des Rousses to the Morzine-Avoriaz ski resort.
"My Tour is finished," said Armstrong, who holds a record seven Tour victories and is riding in what he says will be his last try in cycling's showcase event. The 38-year-old plunged to 39th place overall.
Armstrong said he had a "very, very bad day," but will continue the three-week race that ends July 25 in Paris.
Schleck showed he's one of the world's best climbers by surging to the head of the pack with less than a mile left and winning a two-man sprint ahead of Samuel Sanchez of Spain.
Schleck, the Saxo Bank team leader, clocked 4 hours, 54 minutes, 11 seconds, while Sanchez had the same time.
Dutch rider Robert Gesink was third, 10 seconds back — as were defending champion Alberto Contador of Spain, and Evans.
Armstrong was 11:45 back, in 61st place.
Evans, a two-time Tour runner-up, leads Schleck by 20 seconds overall and Contador by 61 seconds. Schleck was runner-up last year.
Armstrong is 13:26 back, having begun the day in 14th place, 3:16 behind Chavanel.
With about 12 miles to go, shortly after La Ramaz, Armstrong was held up by a rider who crashed in front of him. Though the Texan did not fall, he was slow to get back on his bike, showing exasperation at his third mishap.
Earlier, with less than 32 miles to go, Armstrong tumbled to the asphalt while trying to negotiate a roundabout along with the pack. His team quickly got him another bike and he returned to the race with the back of his jersey and his bib numbers torn.

April 24-25 - Rabbit Valley Rally - Fruita, CO -TT and XC
May 15-16 - Chalk Creek Stampede -Nathrop, CO - XC, STXC, 4X, DS
June 5-6 - Chile Challenge - Angel Fire, NM - XC, DH, 4X, SD
June 26-27 - Wildflower Rush - Crested Butte, CO - XC, DH, 4X, SD
July 10-11- Blast the Mass - Snowmass Village, CO- XC, STXC, DH, DH, SD
August 7-8 - Keystone Revival - Keystone, CO - XC, STXC, DH, SD
August 22-23 - Full Tilt in Telluride - Telluride, CO - XC, HC, DH, 4X
September 4-6 - Winter Park Pursuit - Winter Park, CO - XC, STXC, DH, 4X, SD
September 10-12 - Fall Classic - Breckenridge, CO - STXC, TT, XC
Want to know more? Visit the series web site at www.racemsc.com