Costa is World Champion

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Portugal's Rui Costa won a rain-soaked men's road race at the World Championships in Tuscany after Britain's Chris Froome withdrew.

Costa, 26, took the lead just yards from the finish as he beat Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez by a bike-length in seven hours, 25 minutes, 43 seconds.

Spaniard Alejandro Valverde took bronze, narrowly ahead of Italy's Vincenzo Nibali.

Tour de France champion Froome quit with more than 80km left.

"This has been a big dream of mine for a long time. I still can't believe I'm the world champion," said Costa, who broke down in tears on the podium.

Heavy rain caused multiple crashes early in the race, with none of the eight-strong British team, which included former Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins and ex-world champion Mark Cavendish, making it over the finishing line.

"The conditions are the same for everyone; we've got no excuse. We just weren't there," Froome, who was attempting to become the first man in 24 years to win the Tour and world road race in the same year, told BBC Sport.

"It's a big disappointment, especially having made it such a big objective, but with these conditions it just wasn't meant to be.

"The first three laps on the circuit, there were crashes everywhere. It's rained solidly all day. After three laps the split started happening and I looked around and realised I didn't have any team-mates left and it wasn't going to happen.

"Given we've come up empty-handed, we'll have to go back to the drawing board [ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016]."

Froome's withdrawal meant Geraint Thomas was the only Briton left riding, but he also pulled out shortly after.

"It was just carnage out there," Thomas told BBC Sport. "I saw five or six crashes out in front of me.

"Once you're in that back half, you're kind of destined to get dropped. We all committed to try and get Froome there, but it wasn't meant to be."

Cavendish, the 2011 world champion, led the peloton and helped keep Britain in contention for much of the first 106km after the race left Lucca.

However, as soon as the race hit the first of 10 laps around Florence, featuring two significant climbs, the Italian squad took over the pace-setting and Cavendish fell away.

Wiggins, who had been expected to support Froome in the latter stages of the race, was always near the back of the peloton and soon retired along with Cavendish.

The punishing 16.5km circuits, coupled with the horrendous weather conditions, were taking their toll with riders dropping out at an average of around 15 a lap.

Poland's Bartosz Huzarski, who broke away with four other riders early in the race, held on to the lead for around 240km.

He was finally caught with a little over 25km remaining, by a group of 40 riders that included defending champion Philippe Gilbert and fellow pre-race favourites Peter Sagan of Slovakia and Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara.

However, the trio were unable to respond when Italy's Michele Scarponi, Rodriguez and Nibali attacked on the final 4.3km climb to Fiesole , eventually finishing in a group 34 seconds behind Costa.

Rodriguez rode away from Giro d'Italia champion Nibali, who had crashed on an earlier descent, but was unable to open a significant advantage on the final ascent of the 600m-long Via Salviati.

Costa broke clear of Nibali and Valverde to catch Rodriguez with one kilometre remaining, before making the decisive move in a laboured sprint to become the first Portuguese world champion.

"Losing like this is stupid," said a tearful Rodriguez. "Winning is all that matters so this medal doesn't mean anything to me right now.

"We (Spain) had the numbers; we were the strongest; we should not have lost."

Also in the British team were Ian Stannard, Josh Edmondson, Steve Cummings and Luke Rowe, who replaced Jonathan Tiernan-Locke.

Tiernan-Locke withdrew on Thursday for what he claimed was a lack of form, but it was revealed on Sunday that the UCI, the sport's governing body, is investigating a potential discrepancy in his "biological passport data".

Race result:

1. Rui Costa (Por) 7:25:44"

2. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) ST

3. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) +15"

4. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita)

5. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) +31"

6. Peter Sagan (Svk) +34"

7. Simon Clarke (Aus)

8. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz)

9. Philippe Gilbert (Bel)

10. Fabian Cancellara (Swi)

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Martin Wins Third Road Race

Sir Bradley Wiggins missed out on a first road world title as Germany's Tony Martin took a third consecutive time trial gold with a commanding ride in Florence.

Wiggins, 33, overhauled Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara in the final third of the 57.9km course to win silver - as he did in the 2011 Championships.

But Martin had built a lead from the start and came in 46.09 seconds ahead.

"I knew it would be close but Tony was on a different level," said Wiggins.

"I just aimed to be the quickest from A to B as possible.

"Performance manager Rod Ellingworth was telling me the checkpoints but, with all the noise in the last 20 minutes, I was oblivious to everything, and was just trying to get home.

"It is an honour to be on the podium with those two guys. It will be something to show the grandkids."

After his Giro d'Italia campaign faltered amid crashes and illness and fellow Briton Chris Froome supplanted him as Tour de France champion, Wiggins had hoped to crown a strong finish to the year before his return to track cycling next season.

The 33-year-old completed a commanding victory in the Tour of Britain on Sunday, but ultimately Martin's power and his experience of the Florence course, gained during Omega Pharma-QuickStep's team victory earlier in the event, proved too great to overhaul.

Wiggins had beaten Martin en route to time trial gold at London 2012, but, having recovered from the fractured scaphoid that disrupted his Olympic preparation, the German was always in command of the race.

Martin had a lead of 13 seconds on Cancellara through the first checkpoint at 24.1km and extended that advantage to 28 seconds by 42.3 km.

While Wiggins eventually overhauled Cancellara, Martin remained well out of reach and his jubilant team started celebrating as he entered the home straight.

Three-time British time trial champion Alex Dowsett had beaten Wiggins in the Giro d'Italia time trial, but had been well off the pace in the corresponding Tour of Britain stage last week, and struggled home in 41st.

The rest of the top five was completed by Wiggins' Team Sky colleague Vasili Kiryienka of Belarus and American Taylor Phinney.

British Olympic silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead will attempt to go one better in Saturday's women's road race, before Froome, supported by Wiggins, leads Britain's charge in the men's race on Sunday. Both are live on BBC television and online.

Time trial result:

1. Tony Martin (Ger) 1:05:36.65

2. Bradley Wiggins (GB) at 46 seconds

3. Fabian Cancellara (Swi) at 48"

4. Vasili Kiriyenka (Bel) at 1:26"

5. Taylor Phinney (USA) at 1:08"

Selected others:

13. Nicolas Roche (Ire) at 3:13"

41. Alex Dowsett (GB) at 5:47"

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Wiggins Wins Tour of Britian

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Sir Bradley Wiggins added the Tour of Britain title to his collection after sealing an emphatic victory in London.

Wiggins, who won the Tour de France and Olympic time trial last year, had led since winning the third stage and began stage eight with a 26-second advantage.

British road race champion Mark Cavendish won the concluding stage, his third stage win in this year's race.

But Wiggins, 33, negotiated the 10-lap 88km course along the Thames to retain his place at the top of the standings.

Following a remarkable 2012 in which he was also knighted and voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, the Briton has been blighted by fitness problems this year.

He had to pull out of the Giro d'Italiabecause of a chest infection and was unable to defend his Tour de France crownbecause of illness and injury.

Wiggins' victory is a second successive home win in the event after Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, who did not compete this year, won it in 2012.

"I said I wanted to win it. It is pressure for the whole week," said Wiggins, who finished safely in the bunch and now turns his attentions to Wednesday's Road World Championships time-trial in Italy.

"Until you cross the line you just don't know. It's all right to think it's a bit of a ceremony round London, but it certainly isn't.

"You cross the line, you're pumped up. It's relief that you've finished and fulfilled it for your team and your team-mates."

After a near-perfect leadout from Omega Pharma-QuickStep team-mate Alessandro Petacchi, Cavendish sprinted away from Sam Bennett and Elia Viviani in a flat-out dash to the finish at Whitehall and claimed the concluding stage in the Tour of Britain for a third successive year.

"This race is thriving. The amount [of spectators] is something I didn't think we'd see," said the 28-year-old, who now has a record 10 stage victories in the event.

And Simon Yates, the British Under-23 team rider who completed a successful day for the home nation by placing third overall, said: "The crowd was unreal. The noise all the way round was deafening."

Stage eight result:

1. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma Quick Step - 1hr 47min 22sec

2. Sam Bennett (Ire) An Post-Chainreaction - same time

3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling - same time

4. Matteo Pelucchi (It) IAM Cycling - same time

5. Chris Opie (GB) Team UK Youth - same time

6. Evaldas Siskevicius (Lit) Sojasun - same time

7. Sacha Modolo (It) Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox - same time

8. Alessandro Petacchi (It) Omega Pharma Quick Step - same time

9. Enrique Sanz (Sp) Movistar Team - same time

10. Blaz Jarc (Slo) Team NetApp-Endura - same time

Final general classification:

1. Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky - 29 hours 45 minutes 22 seconds

2. Martin Elmiger (Swi) - IAM Cycling - at 26 seconds

3. Simon Yates (GB) - Great Britain - at 1 min 3 seconds

4. David Lopez (Sp) - Team Sky - at 1 min 8 seconds

5. Jack Bauer (NZ) - Garmin - at 1 min 13 seconds

6. Sergio Pardilla (Sp) - Team MTN - at 1 min 16 seconds

7. Ian Stannard (GB) - Team Sky - at 1 min 34 seconds

8. Sebastien Reichenbach (Swi) - IAM Cycling - at 1 min 42 seconds

9. Michal Golas (Pol) - Omega Pharma Quick-Step - at 1 min 46 seconds

10. Marcel Wyss (COL) - IAM Cycling - at 1 min 57 seconds

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Froome Joins Wiggins

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Tour de France winner Chris Froome has been named in the Great Britain team for the Road World Championships in Italy, which start on Sunday.

Froome joins Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in an eight-strong squad, with Wiggins also involved in the time trial with Alex Dowsett.

Junior world champion Lucy Garner, Lizzie Armitstead, Katie Colclough and Nikki Harris make up the women's team.

Emma Pooley has declined a place in the squad to focus on her PhD studies.

British Cycling performance director Sir Dave Brailsford said: "We have real strength and depth in the team, and it's a real boost for us to have two Tour de France winners, along with high-calibre support from the likes of Cav, Geraint, Steve and Ian.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what Lizzie can do out on the Worlds course given her great form - and I'm confident that Lucy, Katie and Nikki can give her the support she needs.

"We've got some great opportunities across the board."

Men's Elite Road Race: Mark Cavendish, Steve Cummings, Josh Edmondson, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas, Jon Tiernan Locke, Sir Bradley Wiggins.

Men's Elite Time Trial: Alex Dowsett, Sir Bradley Wiggins.

Women's Elite Road Race: Lizzie Armitstead, Katie Colclough, Nikki Harris, Lucy Garner.

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Cavendish Wins Stage Three

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Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory in an exciting end to the Tour of Britain's fourth stage.

Team Sky's British duo Bradley Wiggins and Ian Stannard remain first and second in the overall standings after finishing in the main bunch.

Cavendish surged past stage one victor Elia Viviani of Cannondale and Steele Von Hoff of Garmin Sharp for the win.

He said: "I am really happy about the super job of the guys in the team, who stayed with me the entire day."

A breakaway group of 11 riders was clear for much of the 190.9km stage from Stoke-on-Trent o Llanberis in the Snowdonia National Park.

With only 1km remaining, however, they were swallowed up by the chasing pack, setting up a thrilling finish.

Cavendish's Omega Pharma-Quickstep team helped work him into a promising position, sitting on the wheel of Alessandro Petacchi for the final leadout, and no-one could catch him once he surged ahead.

"Fortunately we had the entire day with Iljo (Keisse) in the break, so we didn't have to ride behind," added Manxman Cavendish, whose 25 stage wins in the Tour de France is bettered only by Eddy Merckx (34) and Bernard Hinaut (28).

"On the last climb, I have to say I was at the limit, but the guys stayed with me and brought me back. They showed a big commitment.

"That is why I did my best in the sprint. Even Petacchi, who was still suffering from the crash of a couple days ago, wanted to be there. He really led me out in the final. He put me in the best position for the sprint. Now we are looking forward to the next stages."

Wiggins defended his gold jersey with a 37-second advantage over Stannard.

He said: "It always looks easier than it is but it was tough out there. There was a lot of wind and cold weather but the boys did an incredible job.

"They rode all day to keep the gap at about three or four minutes, and then on the final climb, Ian took it up and did a really impressive job. The attacks started coming but I was always riding just a little bit within myself.

"I knew the run-in as well because [Team Sky boss] Sir Dave Brailsford lived in this town and it's another day ticked off because there are no easy days in the Tour of Britain."

Stage five, a 177.1km ride from Machylleth, Powys, to Caerphilly, takes place on Thursday.

Wiggins added: "I recce'd it last week and it's a tough one with two ascents of Caerphilly. Everyone knows it and it's become a bit of a legendary stage now on the Tour of Britain, but my legs are alright.

"It's surprising how much a 15km time trial can take out of you so I'm always glad to get the day after a time trial out of the way and get back on the road bike."

The eight-stage, 1,045.4km race finishes in London on Sunday.

Stage result:

1 Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 4hrs 45mins 42secs,

2 Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling at same time

3 Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at same time

4 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling at same time

5 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar Team at same time

General classification:

1 Sir Bradley Wiggins (GB) Sky Procycling 16 hours, 11 minutes, 36 seconds

2 Ian Stannard (GB) Sky Procycling at 37 secs

3 Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling at 47 secs

4 Jack Bauer (Nzl) Garmin-Sharp at 55 secs

5 Alex Dowsett (GB) Movistar Team at 57 secs

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Sir Bradley Leads Honours List

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Stars of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been recognised in the New Year Honours list.

Double Olympic champion Mo Farah, plus heptathlete Jessica Ennis, rower Katherine Grainger and cyclist Victoria Pendleton have each been made a CBE. They all won gold in London.

Paralympic athlete David Weir, who won four gold medals at the 2012 Paralympics, becomes a CBE.

Bradley Wiggins and Ben Ainslie are knighted. Sarah Storey is made a dame.

GB cycling performance director Dave Brailsford and rowing chief David Tanner also receive knighthoods.

Britain's remarkable sporting year is reflected in a list dominated by athletes and coaches from the London Games.

Farah, 29, completed the 5,000m and 10,000m double in August, while Ennis claimed victory in the heptathlon. Grainger, 37, won gold at her fourth attempt, having taken silver in Sydney, Athens and Beijing.

Pendleton retired on a high after adding a gold and a silver to the gold medal she won in Beijing four years ago.

Weir's achievements saw him shortlisted for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year award after a year in which he won four Paralympic gold medals to add to his two from Beijing. The 33-year-old also won his sixth London Marathon.

Dressage star Charlotte Dujardin and cyclists Jason Kenny and Laura Trott, who all won double gold at London 2012, have received OBEs, as has Andy Murray, who won the Olympic men's singles title before adding a maiden Grand Slam at the US Open.

Paralympic dressage star Sophie Christiansen, who won three golds in the summer, and swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who was shortlisted for BBC Sport's Personality of the year after winning two golds, a silver and bronze at London 2012, also get OBEs.

Simmonds, 18, said the award was the perfect way to round off a remarkable 2012 for her and her ParalympicsGB team-mates.

"It's been a great honour to be included in the list, which caps an amazing year for me personally and for British sport," she said.

In total, 29 athletes from ParalympicsGB have been recognised in the New Years Honours list following their achievements in the summer. Britain won a total of 120 medals, 34 of them gold, in London.

Tim Hollingsworth, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association, said: "Their performances on the field of play not only received rapturous applause from the crowds at London 2012 and viewers of the TV coverage - many of whom were experiencing Paralympic sport for the first time - but the 11 days of sport that we witnessed this summer also gripped the nation and changed many peoples' perception of disability sport.

"It is fitting that so many of our gold medallists are offered some of the highest tributes possible, which reflect not only their sporting talent but also the sheer hard work and dedication that they put into preparing for their home Games."

Other London 2012 gold medallists appointed MBEs include boxers Nicola Adams, Luke Campbell and Anthony Joshua. GB boxing coach Robert McCracken, who also trains super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch, also gets an MBE.

Triathlete Alistair Brownlee, taekwondo star Jade Jones and shooter Peter Wilson are also recognised.

Rowers Katherine Copeland, Helen Glover, Alex Gregory, Heather Stanning, Sophie Hoskin, Hannah Watkins, kayaker Ed McKeever and canoeist Etienne Stott, are also among those appointed MBE.

Gymnast Louis Smith, who won team bronze and individual silver at the Games, is made an MBE, a week after becoming the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing champion.

"To receive this honour is out of this world and something I never would have dreamt of as I grew up in the sport of gymnastics," said the 23-year-old Smith.

"This year has been like no other for so many reasons. I wasn't sure it could get any better but to be awarded an MBE is the icing on the cake and without a doubt the proudest moment of my life."

A number of coaches also become MBEs, including Malcolm Brown (triathlon), Ian Coley (shooting), Will Connell (equestrian), Paul Hall (gymnastics), David Howlett (sailing), Paul Thompson (rowing) and Robin Williams (rowing).

OLYMPIANS IN NEW YEAR HONOURS

Knighthood: 

Ben Ainslie - sailing, Bradley Wiggins - cycling

CBE: 

Katherine Grainger - rowing, Jessica Ennis - athletics, Mo Farah - athletics, Victoria Pendleton - cycling

OBE:

Charlotte Dujardin - equestrian, Jason Kenny - cycling, Andy Murray - tennis, Laura Trott - cycling

MBE: 

Nicola Adams - boxing, Tim Baillie - canoeing, Laura Bechtolsheimer - equestrian, Scott Brash - equestrian, Alistair Brownlee - triathlon, Steven Burke - cycling, Luke Campbell - boxing, Peter Charles - equestrian, Katherine Copeland - rowing, Helen Glover - rowing, Alex Gregory - rowing, Carl Hester - equestrian, Philip Hindes - cycling, Sophie Hosking - rowing, Jade Jones - taekwondo, Anthony Joshua - boxing, Peter Kennaugh - cycling, Dani King - cycling, Mary King - equestrian, Ben Maher - equestrian, Ed McKeever - canoeing, Joanna Rowsell - cycling, Greg Rutherford - athletics, Louis Smith - gymnastics, Heather Stanning - rowing, Etienne Stott - canoeing, Anna Watkins - rowing, Peter Wilson - shooting.

PARALYMPIANS IN NEW YEAR HONOURS

Dame: 

Sarah Storey - cycling

CBE:

David Weir - athletics

OBE:

Sophie Christiansen - equestrian, Ellie Simmonds - swimming

MBE: Jessica-Jane Applegate - athletics, Natasha Baker - equestrian, Danielle Brown - archery, Mickey Bushell - athletics, Hannah Cockroft - athletics, Mark Colbourne - cycling, Josef Craig - swimming, Deborah Criddle - equestrian, Aled Davies - athletics, Neil Fachie - cycling, Jonathan Fox - swimming, Heather Frederiksen - swimming, Oliver Hynd - swimming, Helena Lucas - sailing, Craig MacLean - cycling, Nigel Murray - boccia, Jonnie Peacock - athletics, Josie Pearson - athletics, Pam Relph - rowing, Naomi Riches - rowing, James Roe - rowing, David Smith - rowing, Lily van den Broecke - rowing, Sophie Wells - equestrian, Richard Whitehead - athletics.

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Leeds Host Start of 2013 Tour

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The Tour heads through Yorkshire on 5 and 6 July, before moving south for a third stage, finishing in London.

The race last visited the UK in 2007, when London hosted a prologue ahead of a road stage from the capital to Canterbury, attracting two-million spectators.

Yorkshire beat off the challenge of bids from Florence and Edinburgh to host the prestigious event.

How did Yorkshire win Tour bid?

Not long ago the idea Yorkshire could host the Tour de France may have seemed fanciful in the extreme.

The region faced serious international competition from the likes of Barcelona, Berlin, Venice and Scotland.

So how did Yorkshire persuade the French to bring the Tour to the north of England?

Much of the credit must go to the tourism body Welcome To Yorkshire. Among the many tactics they employed to sway the tour's organisers in favour of Yorkshire was a stunning promotional film highlighting the dramatic Yorkshire landscape.

However, Edinburgh remains in the running to host the Grand Depart at a future date.

It will be the fourth time the Tour has visited Britain after previous visits in 1974 and 1994.

Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, hosted the 2010 Grand Depart, while the 2012 race started in Liege in Belgium and next year's 100th race will begin in Corsica.

Full details of the route will be announced at a news conference in Leeds and Paris on 17 January.

Leeds will host a festival of cycling and the arts to coincide with the arrival of the Tour.

British Cycling president Brian Cookson said: "Like every other cycling fan, I am thrilled the world's biggest bike race is coming back to this country.

"The huge numbers who turned out to support the 2007 Grand Depart and the London 2012 road races show the passion we have for cycling.

"I'm sure Yorkshire will give the 2014 Tour de France a welcome which will stand out in the race's rich history."

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, the agency behind the county's bid, said: "Today is a proud day for everyone involved in the bid and the county as a whole.

"We are honoured that the race organisers have selected Yorkshire to be the host location of the 2014 Grand Depart.

"It will mean that, less than two years after hosting the Olympics, the British public can look forward to another of the world's biggest sporting events coming to the country.

"I am in no doubt they will come to Yorkshire in their millions, lining the length and breadth of the route to cheer on the champions of world cycling and our home grown British heroes."

Race director Christian Prudhomme added: "Since the resounding success of the Grand Depart in London in 2007, we were very keen to return to the United Kingdom.

"Bradley Wiggins's historic victory last July and the enormous crowds that followed the cycling events in the streets of London during the Olympic Games encouraged us to go back earlier than we had initially planned."

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