Paris-Tours

Defending champion repeats after dusty day on gravel and road, beating Edward Theuns and Sam Bennett.

Former Omloop Het Nieuwsblad champ and Paris-Roubaix podium-finisher to end 17-year career at Paris-Tours.

Race officials confirmed Thursday that retiring star Gilbert will be part of a deep start list for the autumn French classic on October 9.

Here's the news making headlines for Sunday, October 10.

Sunweb goes one-three on the podium as Nieuwenhuis takes third at one of pro cycling's oldest races.

The Belgian attacked from the bunch with over 50km to go and rode solo to the line to take his second senior Paris-Tours.

The Dutch sprinter took another win Saturday to give him more victories than anyone else in the WorldTour — for now

Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors) won Paris-Tours on Sunday ahead of Søren Andersen (Team Sunweb), Quick-Step Floors put four riders in the top-10.

Gaviria gets creative at Paris-Tours, jumping clear of the pack with 500 meters to go to surprise his rival speedsters and take the victory

IAM Cycling, folding after four years in the pro peloton, will ride its final race at Paris-Tours this Sunday

Greg Van Avermaet is well positioned in the final, but a flat takes him out of the battle with Matteo Trentin and Tosh Van der Sande

Results from the final classic of the season, Paris-Tours, which sees Matteo Trentin win from a three-man break

One of the oldest races in Europe, Paris-Tours should be an exciting finale to the European racing calendar on Sunday.

Results from the 2014 edition of Paris-Tours

Jelle Wallays and Thomas Voeckler, survivors of an early break, battled for the victory in Paris-Tours

Results from the 2013 Paris-Tours

The Argos-Shimano speedster takes the final classic of the season in convincing style, while Garmin's Farrar just misses a podium finish

Results from the 2012 Paris-Tours

Mercato proves fastest of a three-man break as Argos' Degenkolb launches a late bid that misses by meters

Sprinters like John Degenkolb and puncheurs like Greg Van Avermaet are favorites for this weekend's Paris-Tours

Paris-Tours

• 1. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel), BMC Racing Team, 5:21:43
• 2. Marco Marcato (Ita), Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:02
• 3. Kasper Klostergaard Larsen (Den), Saxo Bank-Sungard, at 0:15
• 4. Ian Stannard (Gbr), Team Sky, at 0:15
• 5. Laszlo Bodrogi (Fra), Team Type 1, at 0:15

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) won a sprint finish to claim the Paris-Tours cycling classic on Sunday.

BOURGES, France (AFP) — Recently crowned cycling world champion Mark Cavendish will not take part in Thursday's Paris-Bourges race, organizers announced on Wednesday.

PARIS (AFP) - Paris-Tours organizers ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) have invited Mark Cavendish to become the first world road race champion to compete in the French sprinters' classic next month.

Graham Watson captures Óscar Freire's victory at the 2010 Paris-Tours.

(Click headline for full results)

• 1. Oscar Freire, Rabobank, 233km in 4:52:54
• 2. Angelo Furlan, Lampre-Farnese, same time
• 3. Gert Steegmans, Team Radioshack, s.t.
• 4. Klaas Lodewijck, Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, s.t.
• 5. Yukiya Arashiro, Bbox Bouygues Telecom, s.t.

UPDATED: The Rabobank speedster out-kicks Angelo Furlan and Gert Steegmans.

Belgian Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) on Sunday won Paris-Tours for the second straight year. Gilbert beat compatriot Tom Boonen and Slovenia's Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) in a three-man dash for the line in the 230km semi-classic. Italian Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) finished fourth with Spaniard Oscar Freire fifth, some 20 seconds off the leading trio. For Gilbert the win brought a measure of revenge after Boonen pipped him to the Belgian championship in June.