Tour De France 2012 Standings: Updated Results, Leaders, Times and More

The Tour de France is the most prestigious bicycle race on the planet, and it returns on Saturday for the 99th year in its glorious history.

The amount of endurance, strength, stamina and mental toughness needed to win this epic race is extraordinary. There are 20 stages in this race, with each of them taking up an entire day. The total distance of the event is an astonishing 3,497 km.

The cyclists will have to overcome a course that includes lengthy plains and mountainous inclines. Stage 13 is the longest of the competition at 226 km long.

Watching the cyclists compete for the yellow jersey and battling the difficult course is very exciting, even if you don't follow cycling that much.

Check back to this article every day of the competition for updated standings, times, and more from the Tour de France.

When: Saturday, June 30 through Sunday, July 22

Where: Liège to Paris

Watch: NBC Sports Network

Live Stream: NBC

Stages: For a complete breakdown of all 20 stages, click here.

Leaderboard (Last Updated Sunday, July 22 at 1:25 p.m. ET)

2012 Tour de France Champion: Bradley Wiggins

Stage 20 - Conclusion

Place	Cyclist	Overall Time
1	Bradley Wiggins	87:34:47
2	Christopher Froome	+ 3:21
3	Vincenzo Nibali	+ 6:19
4	Jurgen Van Den Broeck	+ 10:15
5	Tejay Van Garderen	+ 11:04
6	Haimar Zubeldia	+ 15:41
7	Cadel Evans	+ 15:49
8	Pierre Rolland	+ 16:26
9	Janez Brajkovic	+ 16:33
10	Thibaut Pinot	+ 17:17

Update: Sunday, July 22 at 1:25 p.m. ET by Luis Batlle

It's officially over and in the books.

Throughout the Tour it was Bradley Wiggins dominating the competition, and he did just enough to close the deal in Stage 20 and earn the 2012 crown in Paris.

In spite of finishing 54th in the final stage, Wiggins had the quickest overall time of 87:34:37. Not to mention, he played a key role in helping Sky Procycling teammate Mark Cavendish to win Stage 20.

Wiggins now becomes the first British champion in this prestigious event's history. His teammate Christopher Froome finished second place and three minutes and 21 seconds behind Wiggins. It was a remarkable feat for Wiggins and a moment to remember for the sport with its first British champion.

Job well done, Wiggins.

--End of Update--

Update: Sunday, July 22 at 9:30 a.m. ET by Luis Batlle

Just one stage remains at the 2012 Tour De France and Wiggins continues to dominate the competition.

The overall lead for Wiggins now stands at three minutes, 21 seconds. He has increased his lead by over a minute after Stage 19, as he is now poised to win a title at this year's competition.

Wiggins took Stage 19 in what was a relatively close finish. He was followed by 27-year old talent Froome and an impressive performance from Luis-Leon Sanchez. The Spanish stud is currently in 64th place overall, yet he came up with a big-time performance in the second-to-last stage.

Another notable was last year's winner Cadel Evans, who currently sits at seventh overall in 2012. He finished just 52nd in the 19th stage, and as a result dropped from sixth to seventh place in the standings.

The 2012 Tour has been as enticing as any, yet Wiggins clearly has the edge in this one and is set to win his first Tour de France title.

Update: Saturday, July 21 at 10:15 a.m. ET by Scott Carasik

Place	Cyclist	Overall Time
1	Bradley Wiggins	83:22:18
2	Chris Froome	+ 2:05
3	Vincenzo Nibali	+ 2:41
4	Jurgen Van Den Broeck	+ 5:53
5	Tejay Van Garderen	+ 8:30
6	Cadel Evans	+ 9:57
7	Haimar Zubeldia	+ 10:11
8	Pierre Rolland	+ 10:17
9	Janez Brajkovic	+ 11:00
10	Thibaut Pinot	+ 11:46

The Tour is almost nearing it's end and Bradley Wiggins is holding onto the Yellow Jersey. Team Sky is leading the Tour's top two spots with the second place Froome also a member. If Wiggins and Froome can hold onto the top two spots, it will be the first time in history that a Briton has won the Tour de France.

Paul Heyward of The Telegraph has noted that the achievement would be one of the greatest moments in all of British Sports. He even quoted Sir Chris Hoy's thoughts on this:

"

Sir Chris Hoy, the monarch of the track, had a nibble at this. “I have to pinch myself when I switch on the TV and I see Bradley in the yellow jersey and going well on the mountain stages,” Hoy said.

"

The British should be exited that they hold a decent lead ahead of the rest of the field. Wiggins and Froome will be able to give England their first Tour de France champion in the history of the event.

Update: Friday, July 20 at 3:40 p.m. ET by Mike Hoag, Jr.

Stage 18 at the Tour de France on Friday was won by Bradley Wiggins’s Team Sky teammate and fellow Englander Mark Cavendish, who finished the stage with a time of four hours, 54 minutes and 12 seconds.

This is the 22^nd stage victory for Cavendish, tying him with Lance Armstrong for the fourth most stage victories in Tour de France history.

Cavendish may be overshadowed by Wiggins who is be atop the podium in Paris, but there is no denying, even from Wiggins, that Cavendish is the fastest sprinter in the world.

"And once again he showed, if there was any doubt, that he is the fastest man in the world," Wiggins said via ESPN.

Wiggins is now in the driver seat to win the 2012 Tour de France. No one else is even close heading into the final stage. With this victory Wiggins will become the first British champion of the race in its 99-year history. 

Leaderboard (Last updated Thursday, July 19 at 5:55 p.m. ET)

Stage 17 - Conclusion

Place	Cyclist	Overall Time
1	Bradley Wiggins	78:28:02
2	Christopher Froome	+ 02:05
3	Vincenzo Nibali	+ 02:41
4	Jurgen Van Den Broeck	+ 05:43
5	Tejay Van Garderen	+ 08:30
6	Cadel Evans	+ 09:57
7	Haimar Zubeldia	+ 10:11
8	Pierre Rolland	+ 10:17
9	Janez Brajkovic	+ 11:00
10	Thibaut Pinot	+ 11:46

Update: Thursday, July 19 at 5:53 p.m. ET by Nicholas Goss

Stage 17 at the Tour de France on Thursday was won by Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde, who finished the stage with a time of four hours, 12 minutes and 11 seconds.

"

Spain's Alejandro Valverde wins stage 17 of Tour de France. Bradley Wiggins retains yellow jersey #SSN

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 19, 2012"

Wiggins has now had the yellow jersey for 11 days, and is well-positioned to finish the race strongly and become the first Tour de France champion from Great Britain in the 99-year history or the competition.

Thursday's stage was only 143km long, which was the shortest one since the stage nine time trial ten days ago.

Stage 18 on Friday is 222.5km long and will feature a flat terrain for the cyclists as they make a final push up the standings.

Update: Tuesday, July 17 at 4:58 p.m. ET by Nicholas Goss

The cyclists were able to use Tuesday as a day of rest, with the last five stages set for the next five days, culminating with Sunday's race to the finish line in Paris.

When the cyclists get back to racing, they will be challenged by stages 16 and 17, both of which feature difficult mountainous terrain. These are the two hardest stages of the Tour de France.

Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain has kept the yellow jersey for quite a few stages now, and if he can get by stages 16 and 17 with the yellow jersey, he won't be beaten.

Update: Monday, July 16 at 8:05 a.m. ET by Jessica Isner

A chaotic and strange turn of events afflicted the Tour de France during Sunday's 14th stage. 

A large number of tacks and small nails were found strewn along the track, causing multiple drivers to crash or suffer punctures in their tires, according to the Independent's Alasdair Fotheringham. 

The Associated Press called the incident "a day of sabotage" that targeted overall leader Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins came through the stage unscathed, retaining his lead.  

At least 30 riders suffered the consequences of the sabotage, according to the AP, including current fourth-place rider and defending champion Cadel Evans, who was forced to wait three times for extra assistance. 

The Independent reports that rider Robert Kiserlovski broke his collarbone after skidding off the road because of the incident, which the French police are currently investigating. 

Update: Friday, July 13 at 2:48 p.m. ET by Jessica Isner

We have a crash update from the 12th stage at the Tour de France. According to the Agence France-Presse, Frenchman David Moncoutie—participating in his final Tour—was involved in a crash on Friday and is bowing out of the race. 

The AFP reports that Moncoutie crashed on a bend within the first 80 kilometers of the treacherous 226-kilometer 12th stage, the longest of the Tour de France. 

Update: Thursday, July 12 at 5:05 p.m. ET by Nicholas Goss

Bradley Wiggins finished 6th in Stage 11 on Thursday but will keep the yellow jersey as the leader of the Tour de France for at least another day.

Pierre Rolland of France improved to 9th overall in the standings as a result of his Stage 11 victory with a time of 4:43:54. He was able to keep a steady pace throughout the mountainous terrain of Stage 11.

Stage 12 will be Friday through a hilly terrain and is 216km in length. Wiggins and Christopher Froome, who is in second place, both have the opportunity to become the first ever British cyclist to win the Tour de France.

Update: Wednesday, July 11 at 4:50 p.m. ET by Sam Quinn

Frenchman Thomas Voeckler won 194.5 kilometer Stage 10 of the 2012 Tour de France, but it was Bradley Wiggins who remained atop the standings by finishing 13th, 00:03:16 behind Voeckler.

The arduous stage took riders from Macon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, forcing the field to climb the Grand Colombier pass measuring 17.4 kilometers.

The 12 percent gradients made the climb particularly difficult, but nowhere near as testing as Thursday's stage will be. The 148-kilometer Stage 11 boasts two of the most strenuous climbs in all of cycling, as well as an uphill finish.

Vincenzo Nibali, who finished 15th in the stage and currently sits in fourth place overall, wasn't too happy with Wiggins after the race and made it known to the media (per The Telegraph):

"

Wiggins looked at me at the finish and I really did not like the way he did it. He also gestured with his hand in an unpleasant way. But I’m speaking about respect, about tradition. We are not footballers.

"

Wiggins did not provide a response to Nibali's comments.

Don't miss Thursday's Stage 11, stretching from Albertville to La Toussuire - Les Sybelles.

News Update: Wednesday, July 11 at 7:56 a.m. ET by Jessica Isner

Even after being sidetracked by a devastating crash on Friday in the sixth stage of the Tour de France, Ryder Hesjedal expects to be ready for the Olympics. 

Gord Fraser, coach of Canada's national road cycling team, told The Globe and Mail that his rider is optimistic that he'll be ready when the time comes to race in London: "He’s pretty upbeat, he’s pretty optimistic that he’ll be 100 percent real soon."

In Friday's crash, Hesjedal sustained a bruise on his left hip and knee, and though he completed the stage, he was so far off the lead that he withdrew from the Tour de France. He was one of the favorites to win, but now he'll turn his sights to the Olympics instead. 

The London 2012 road race takes place on July 28, and the time trial will be held on August 1. 

News Update: Monday, July 9 at 4:20 p.m. ET by Sam Quinn

Bradley Wiggins padded his lead by winning Stage 9, an individual time trial that spanned 41.5 kilometers (25.8 miles) from Arc-et-Senans to Besancon, France. Wiggins opened up nearly a two-minute gap between him and his nearest competitor, defending champion Cadel Evans.

The 32-year-old Brit finished the time trial in 00:51:24, 00:01:43 ahead of Evans.

Evans was a bit of a disappointment in Stage 9, but anybody will look subpar against Wiggins in time trials such as this. His deficit isn't small, but the yellow jersey certainly isn't out of reach just yet.

Wiggins' fellow Team Sky member, Christopher Froome, moved into third place by finishing just 35 seconds behind the current leader. Froome won Saturday's Stage 7, which bodes well for Wiggins chances, as having a teammate towards the front of the pack always helps.

Competitors are dropping like flies in this year's rendition of cycling's greatest race. After starting with 198 riders, the Tour has lost 20 men due to illness or injuries.

The field gets a quick break on Tuesday before starting back up on Wednesday where it will ride from Macon to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine.

News Update: Friday, July 6 at 3:38 p.m. ET

Ryder Hesjedal and American Tom Danielson were the unfortunate victims of a mass crash at the Tour de France on Friday. 

Per Reuters' Mark Meadows' description, the Garmin-Sharp team was "left in tatters, with shirts and skin layers ripped to shreds." Hesjedal's teammate David Millar told Meadows that the crash was the worst he's ever been involved in. 

After the crash, Danielson was taken to the hospital with collarbone, hip and elbow injuries, according to CBSSports.com. He was one of three participants to withdraw from the race because of the collision. 

Hesjedal was also involved in the crash about 30 kilometers from the finish, and after finishing in 108th place, he may withdraw, according to Meadows. He finished more than 13 minutes after stage winner Peter Sagan.

CBSSports.com also reports that Johan Van Summeren was hospitalized with a concussion.

Garmin director Allen Peiper told Meadows that his hopes of a win at the Tour have essentially been decimated. 

News Update: Sunday, July 1 at 2:40 p.m.

There has been a crash at the Tour de France, the first of this year's race.

"

Video: Cameraman causes crash - Tour de France Stage 1: cyclingfans.com/node/5421 #tdf

— Pete Geyer (@cyclingfans) July 1, 2012"

There were injuries as a result of the crash, according to Jose Been of Eurosport News. He has also reported an injury to cyclist Tony Martin.

"

Update on Tony Martin who crashes after 11km. Doctor: "He has a sore wrist and some contussions on his leg" #TDF12

— José Been (@TourDeJose) July 1, 2012"

These crashes are scary to watch because these cyclists can suffer serious injuries as a result. Hopefully the participants that did suffer injuries don't have to withdraw from the competition.

Prediction

Cadel Evans is an experienced Tour de France competitor and will be looking defend his title from last year. Evans can become the first repeat champion of the event since Lance Armstrong won his seventh consecutive crown in 2005. My prediction is that the Australian will have another strong performance in France and add to his legacy by winning the competition for the second year in a row.

Follow @NicholasGoss35