Former Italian rider Luca Gelfi found dead in his bicycle shop after apparently committing suicide. The 42-year-old, who won two stages of the 1990 Giro d'Italia, was suffering from depression, media reported.

Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy is knighted in the New Year Honours list, as Bradley Wiggins and Ben Ainslie become CBEs, Rebecca Adlington is appointed OBE and Lewis Hamilton becomes an MBE.

British Olympic hero Chris Hoy admits he is still coming to terms with receiving a knighthood in the New Year's Honours list.

Mark Cavendish is set for even bigger things in 2009, according to Isle of Man cycling team manager Gary Hinds.

Olympic time trial champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland will race in May's Giro d'Italia.

Italian rider Leonardo Piepoli faces a two-year ban after testing positive for the banned blood-boosting drug erythropoietin at the Tour de France, the Italian Olympic Committee say.

British Cycling wins more plaudits as Shane Sutton is named coach of the year at the UK coaching awards.

Olympic and world champion Nicole Cooke says her new team will compete on the international circuit next year, despite lacking a sponsor.

Athletics and cycling see huge increases in grass-roots funding as part of Sport England's plans to get one million more active by the 2012 Olympics.

A Belgian court finds former world champion Johan Museeuw and nine others guilty of doping offences, sentencing the ex-cyclist to a suspended jail term and a fine.

Spain's 2006 Tour de France champion Oscar Pereiro will join Lance Armstrong in competing in the Tour Down Under in Australia next month.

The 2009 Giro d'Italia will begin with a team time trial in Venice and finish in Rome rather than Milan.

Great Britain's Peter Kennaugh finishes second in the men's points race at the Track World Cup in Colombia.

Scottish cycling star Chris Hoy beats Lewis Hamilton and Rebecca Adlington to win the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

The British Olympic cycling team pick up the BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year prize while coach David Brailsford wins the Coach of the Year honour.

Cyclist Chris Hoy wins the Sports Personality of the Year 2008 award for his triple-gold performance at the Olympics in Beijing. Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton is second, with swimmer Rebecca Addlington third.

Pictures from the BBC awards ceremony at Liverpool's Echo Arena

The "man v machine" race between Chris Hoy and Lewis Hamilton at Wembley is cancelled because of safety fears.

The leader's pink jersey at the centenary 2009 Giro d'Italia will be designed by Dolce and Gabbana. "Sport is part of our fashion," Domenico Dolce says.

The 2010 Tour de France will start in Rotterdam with a 9km time-trial course.