Stage 18 start time: Friday 11:05 CET (2:05 AM PDT);  Earliest live video: 14:00 CET (5:00 AM PDT);  Approximate finish: 16:30 CET (7:30 AM PDT).

VeloNews: Valverde (Movistar) escaped from a breakaway on the hors categorie Port de Balès and rode to the Tour’s final summit finish alone. It was the Spaniard’s fourth career victory on the race, and his first since 2008.

VeloNation: Danish attacker rushed to Toulouse and may not start tomorrow’s stage.

VeloNews: Kristin Armstrong went three-for-three Thursday at the Cascade Classic, while Luis Amaran took a win of his own and the yellow jersey in the stage 2 time trial at the Cascade Classic.

VeloNation: Emma Johansson holds onto overall lead as Specialized-lululemon dominates stage wins.

CyclingNews: Races & Results.
Tour de France - June 30 - July 22 (Stages & Results),
Cascade Cycling Classic - July 17 - 22 (Stages & Results),
Thüringen Rundfahrt der Frauen - July 16 - 22 (Stages & Results),
Tour de Pologne - July 10 - 16 (Stages & Results),
Giro d'Italia Femminile June 29 - July 7 (Stages & Results),
2012 Olympic Games - July 28 - August 12 (Races),
Vuelta a España - August 18 - September 9 (Stages),
More...

TwistedSpoke: Tejay van Garderen was the only BMC hire that made sense last year in their wild spending spree.

PodiumInsight: Aggressive from the start of stage 2 at the Tour de l’Abitibi, the USA National team was rewarded for its efforts when TJ Eisenhart outsprinted Olivier Miclette (Equipe du Québec) to win not only the stage but take over the brown leader’s jersey at the 44th edition of the UCI Men junior 17/18 race yesterday.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Superb ride feel and easy speed put Michelin back into the top tire charts."

CyclingNewsAsia: Most riders are willing to spend the big bucks on a top end bike or a top-notch helmet, but many overlook cycling sunglasses as an essential accessory for our sport.  Most cycling veterans will tell you that glasses are a worthwhile investment for amateurs and professionals alike.

BikeRumor: For 2012, Kryptonite is dropping a new chain lock with the same color scheme as their Evolution locks. The Evolution Series 4 comes wrapped in a nylon sleeve to prevent bike scratchage. The chain itself is constructed of 3t manganese steel with 10mm six sided chain links. It’s special because the end link secures the chain to a deadbolt to provide extra protection. Three keys come with, one rockin’ a push button LED light.

CyclingFans: Thursday's Tour de France Stage 17 departs Bagnères-de-Luchon at 12:55pm CET (6:55am U.S. Eastern) and is expected at the finish at Peyragudes at around 5:00pm CET (11:00am U.S. Eastern).  Tour de France live streaming video should get underway at around 12:45pm CET (6:45am U.S. Eastern).

Coverage News...

InnerRing: Each stage is analyzed, each jersey is explained and once more information is available there will be full list of riders and other content that’ll be updated every day so you can dip in and out during the next few weeks.

CyclingNews: Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) had a terrible start to his Tour de France this year, but the American sprinter is slowly healing from his injuries and now hoping that he can return to being competitive on the final day of the race, the legendary run into the Champs-Elysées in Paris.

PodiumCafe: We have borne witness to several incredible acts of selfless team riding in this year's Tour de France.

CyclingNews: Andy and Fränk Schleck are said to have signed for next season with Team Astana, according to Luxembourg media – assuming, of course, that Fränk is not banned for doping. Financial details remain to be worked out, according to lessential.lu, which also disclosed details of the Schlecks' contracts with Leopard SA, which runs the RadioShack-Nissan team.

CyclingNews: Johan Bruyneel received the “phone call every sports director hates to receive,” and he subsequently had to inform Fränk Schleck of his positive test. The RadioShack-Nissan sport director says that while he believes in Schleck's declaration of innocence, “at the moment there's really nothing more to say on Frank's situation.”

PodiumCafe: Has any cycling symbol provoked more ambivalence than the polka-dot jersey of the Tour de France?

Peloton: Nothing demonstrates more clearly the cruelty of the Tour de France than the fall of a champion. When a champion, especially a defending champion, has a bad day like Cadel Evans had on Wednesday, all the world is looking on.

PEZ: What a difference a day makes. Yesterday he looked feisty but today the last big chance for Vincenzo Nibali to have a crack at Wiggins, or even to try to take second from Froome, failed to come to anything after he himself was dropped by the Sky pair. Froome was the strongest guy in the race and let everyone know, and a certain Spaniard with a certain past managed to turn back the clock and bring home the stage win.

Bicycling: Boost comfort and power by dialing in the perfect seat position.

road.cc: The best road, time trial and track wheels in the range.

BikeRadar verdict: 4 out of 5 stars. "Predictable braking and super-light responsiveness at an affordable price."

VeloNation: Final decision will be taken after he resumes racing in the Tour de Wallonie.

PEZ spoke to Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank's Michael Morkov on the first rest day about his tenure in 'poids' - the red on white polka dots of the king of the mountains jersey which he made his own during Week 1 at Le Tour.

InnerRing: Christian Prudhomme is an optimist, a romantic and a dreamer. When the Tour de France route was unveiled last October the message from the race organiser was a race where the long time trials and a shortage of climbing would incite the climbers into daring raids, offering Alpine theatre and Pyrenean panache.

TwistedSpoke: Lets give clairvoyant credit to RadioShack-Implosion-Nissan-Trek manager Johan Bruyneel for predicting the final outcome. In a strange, altered universe kinda way.

VeloNews: Transponders are used for timekeeping and scoring. Each rider has one on his race bike. Spare bikes don’t get them, so if a rider gets a bike change it’s important for the team’s director to check that his rider was scored correctly. Fortunately, bike changes are pretty rare.

Cyclismas: It’s been wonderful to see the great debate on women’s cycling gathering pace over the last few weeks. More people are putting the effort and time into entering the discussion on the future of the sport and offer opinions on what’s going wrong (and right) with the sport today.

BikeRadar: A sad part of having a nice bicycle – or even a not so nice bicycle – is that there is a chance someone might steal it. While a good lock will help deter would-be thieves, it won’t actually help get a stolen bicycle back. Registration of your bicycle, engraving your name in the frame or creating other identifiable marks on the bike can help if the police or authorities recover the bicycle.

VeloNation: No title defence for Beijing champion as fractured metacarpal prevents proper braking.

BicycleRetailer: Wheel out Specialized’s sizzling red electric Turbo and it quickly attracts a crowd of dealers tossing out questions, voicing opinions and, in general, wanting take it for a spin.

VeloNews: Vincenzo Nibali showed Wednesday that if he can’t wrestle the maillot jaune away from Bradley Wiggins, he is determined to go down fighting in this Tour de France. He unloaded his rounds yesterday at Wiggins and Chris Froome (Sky) on the final climb, but failed to hit his intended target.

BikeRumor: SwissStop just sent word about their new Black Prince brake pads for carbon rims, taking over the top rung from their Yellow King compound.

road.cc: The changes to the Prevail make it Specialized's best ever helmet. If you're after a seriously light, well ventilated and comfortable helmet with easy adjustment, you won't go far wrong with the Prevail.

CyclingNews: The UCI announced today the provisional suspension for Rasa Leleivyte (Vaiano-Tepso) after the Lithuanian rider returned a positive A-sample for EPO in an out-of-competition control taken on June 12.