Tour De France Stage 7 Results

Stage 8 of the Tour de France can be summoned up in three words: mountains, mountains, mountains.

The 176.5-kilometer stage will have the remaining 176 riders climb three times from the center of the Andorra-la-Vielle to Saint-Girons.

But while three climbs does not seem like such a hard day for the boys on the tour, the professional cyclist will earn their pay as two of the climbs are category 1 with the third climb ranked as a category 2.

Top Stage 7 Results:

1 Brice Feillu (Agritubel)
2 Christophe Kern (Cofidis)
3 Johannes Fröhlinger (Milram)
4 Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2R La Mondiale)
Egoi Martínez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step
Iván Gutiérrez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana 3:26
Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto 3:48

GC Standings after Stage 7:

* 1. Rinaldo Nocentini Ag2r-La Mondiale in 25:44:32
* 2. Alberto Contador Astana in 25:44:38
* 3. Lance Armstrong Astana in 25:44:40 at 00:08
* 4. Levi Leipheimer Astana in 25:45:11 at 00:39
* 5. Bradley Wiggins Garmin - Slipstream in 25:45:18 at 00:46
* 6. Andréas KlÖden Astana in 25:45:26 at 00:54
* 7. Tony Martin Team Columbia - Htc in 25:45:32 at 01:00
* 8. Christian Vande Velde Garmin - Slipstream in 25:45:56 at 01:24
* 9. Andy Schleck Team Saxo Bank in 25:46:21 at 01:49
* 10. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas in 25:46:26 at 01:54
* 11. Jérôme Pineau Quick Step in 25:46:42 at 02:10
* 12. Maxime Monfort Team Columbia - Htc in 25:46:53 at 02:21
* 13. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank in 25:46:57 at 02:25
* 14. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas in 25:47:12 at 02:40
* 15. Carlos Sastre Cervelo TestTeam in 25:47:24 at 02:52
* 16. Johannes FrÖhlinger Team Milram in 25:47:26 at 02:54
* 17. Franco Pellizotti Liquigas in 25:47:35 at 03:03
* 18. Cadel Evans Silence - Lotto in 25:47:39 at 03:07
* 19. Egoi Martinez Euskaltel - Euskadi in 25:47:42 at 03:10
* 20. Kim Kirchen Team Columbia - Htc in 25:47:48 at 03:16

Source - Examiner.com

NBA Summer League Las Vegas 2009 , NBA Summer League Scores

Basketball fans, take that word "dead period" out of your mouth.

Yes, the championship has been handed out, and the 2009-2010 regular season is still a twinkle in our eyes, but the NBA's top youths are playing right now.

No, this ain't no And 1 Streetball demo.

The 2009 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is ready to tip off!

That’s right, we finally get a chance to see Blake Griffin take it to Hasheem Thabeet. Or better yet, Griffin will also be squaring off against his older brother, Taylor.

If you want to see the action live (or On Demand) you can slide David Stern a cool $15 and get your fill over the next nine days.

Here's a quick preview of all the teams participating in the Las Vegas Summer League.



Chicago Bulls


Cleveland Cavaliers


Dallas Mavericks


Denver Nuggets


Detroit Pistons


Golden State Warriors


Houston Rockets


Los Angeles Clippers


Los Angeles Lakers


Memphis Grizzlies


Milwaukee Bucks


Minnesota Timberwolves


NBA D-League


New Orleans Hornets


New York Knicks


Oklahoma City Thunder


Phoenix Suns


Portland Trail Blazers


Sacramento Kings


San Antonio Spurs


Toronto Raptors


Washington Wizards

Official Website of 2009 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas - http://www.nba.com/summerleague2009/<>br

Force India stands firm over motorhome

Force India is confident that its dispute with the supplier of its motorhome will be resolved in its favour, despite an attempt by the contractor to have the motorhome impounded by German police at the Nurburgring this morning.

The team said it would continue discussions with the contractor but would not be backing down.

"The Force India Formula 1 team today received a visit from legal representatives accompanied by uniformed personnel who demanded that the team's motorhome be vacated as they wished to seize the team's property," said a team statement.

"This dispute with the contractor has been ongoing since last season and pertains to the quality of construction of the motorhome and its functionality.

"The contractor decided to take matters into their own hands without due notice and process and approached a local German court who were presented with highly disputable facts.

"Force India will resolve matters during the weekend with the contractor but will fiercely contest the wrongful claims made by them before the local German Court if no amicable settlement is achieved."

source - autosport.com

German GP: Friday 10th July 2009 Press Conference

A question to you all. Obviously the pace of development is very important in Formula One at the moment. Can you give us an indication of the pace of development and the new parts that you have brought to this particular race?
Pat Symonds: Well, as always the emphasis is on an aerodynamic development. The pace is high but it needs to be high for us as we try and catch the guys at the front. We have got a lot of new parts here. We have got a new front wing, a new engine cover. We have got modifications to the floor. The pace is relentless and it needs to be because when people like Red Bull put sort of 0.6 of a second on the car at Silverstone, it just makes it that much harder for us all to catch up.

Paddy Lowe: Actually we have pretty much the same package that Pat has just described although we have got a completely new floor and new front wing and top body. Yes, the same and it has been for some years now absolutely relentless. To give an example, the package we brought here, we accelerated that by more than a fortnight to get it here in time. I know of a guy that worked a machine 36 hours non-stop, without sleep, early this week on our floor. But that is the spirit of Formula One and the great competition that we have.

Sam Michael: Actually, listening to what the other guys have been saying it sounds like we are all doing the same thing. We have got a new engine cover, front wing and diffuser modifications as well. I think it is relentless but it is good for Formula One. The racing has been unbelievably close in terms of lap times, probably a lot more so than what I expected it to be with such a big rule change because all the cars are still in an early stage of development relative to the cars we finished with last year. We know how much pace we are putting on our car at every race. I would say on average you are having to put on 2 to 2.5 tenths every race just to stay where you are. That tells you everyone is developing very hard. I think that will continue all year. I don't think it will be the same as last year as some teams gave up early to concentrate on their new cars. This year really I think everyone will be developing to the last grand prix as 95 per cent of it should carry over to next year's car, so I think that development race is going to go all the way through.

Adrian Newey: Yeah, I feel a bit left out having put a fairly major update on the car for Silverstone. We have actually got very little here apart from a new, what we call, pod vane which is the vertical vane at the front of the side pod but other than that the car is the same as at Silverstone. On average the pace is ve0.

Source - PitPass.com

Sheffield United defender Kyle Naughton transferred to Everton

Sheffield United have accepted a bid from Premier League side Everton for defender Kyle Naughton, BBC Radio Sheffield understands.

The Blades turned down an offer of £3.5m in June but a fee, believed to be around £5m, has now been agreed.

The 21-year-old full-back has been at Bramall Lane since the age of eight, coming through the same youth system as Everton centre-half Phil Jagielka.

Naughton is due to discuss terms with the Merseyside club on Monday.

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton makes come back

Controversial Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton could make a surprise return for the Magpies in a pre-season friendly against Shamrock Rovers on Saturday.

Barton's Newcastle career looked to be over after his sending off at Liverpool in May led to a dressing-room bust-up with caretaker manager Alan Shearer.

The 26-year-old was suspended but with Shearer's future at the club unclear, Barton has returned to training.

The former Manchester City player has been linked with a move to Birmingham.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is still trying to sell the club leaving the future of some players uncertain. Barton, who has played once for England, was a controversial figure at City before joining Newcastle for £5.8m in 2007.

He has started only 26 matches for the Tyneside club, with another six appearances off the bench.

In July last year, Barton received a four-month suspended sentence for assaulting Ousmane Dabo in a training-ground incident while both players were at City.

Barton was banned by the FA for 12 matches - six of which were suspended - and fined £25,000 after admitting a violent conduct charge in relation to the Dabo incident. He also spent two months in prison after admitting assault and affray.
Source - BBC.co.uk

Dhoni stars in India's victory in 3rd ODI

India dodged the showers to eke-out a workmanlike six-wicket victory over West Indies in the rain-hit third One-day International on Friday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

India take an unbeatable 2-1 lead the four-match series with the final match to be contested on Sunday at the same venue.

Chasing a revised target of 159 from 22 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis Method following a near hour-long stoppage for rain during their chase, India hit the jackpot with one ball to spare.

"It was close because every time we tried to get away from them, the rain kept coming and Duckworth-Lewis came into the picture," said India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose unbeaten 46 from 34 balls shepherded his side over the threshold.

"Overall, I am quite happy with the performance."

India were put on the path to glory, when their openers Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir shared 95 in 12.1 overs for the first wicket.

Karthik hit the top score of 47 from 43 balls, and Gambhir made 44 from 38 balls before they were dismissed within three overs of each other to leave India 108 for two in the 16th over.

India also lost Yuvraj Singh for two and Rohit Sharma for 11, but India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni held his nerve, and helped his side navigate the closing overs to take them over the threshold.

India required 11 from the final over, and Dhoni hit a six off the second ball from Jerome Taylor over mid-wicket, before Yusuf Pathan hit the winning run, when he stabbed a short, rising ball into square cover, and scampered a single.

Earlier, Ramnaresh Sarwan stroked 62 to lead West Indies to 185 for seven.

Sarwan struck five fours and a six from 58 balls, after India sent West Indies in to bat, and the home team tried to maintain the intensity, after the weather failed to cooperate, and reduced their innings to a maximum of 27 overs.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle supported with 27, Runako Morton scored 22, and Darren Bravo made 21 to keep the momentum going.

Ashish Nehra led India's bowling with three for 21 from five overs, and Harbhajan Singh captured two for 25 from five overs.

"The weather played a big part in the outcome, but there is nothing that we could have done about it," said Gayle.

"I thought we started pretty well in the batting, but we fell off a bit towards the end, and then they got off to a good start, and we tried to pull it back.

"It came down to the last over, and we have to give credit to Dhoni for the way he batted, and took his side home."

Play started two hours and five minutes late because of the weather, but then a couple more stoppages for rain forced the final reduction in the number of overs.

India were put on their heels by Gayle with typically robust batting before rain forced the players of the field.

Nehra made the breakthrough for India, when Gayle was caught behind in the fourth over, but then another shower sent the players scampering.

On resumption, India tried to keep a lid on the West Indies' scoring, but Sarwan added 51 with Morton, and 47 with Chanderpaul to keep the home team going.

When Gautam Gambhir's throw from square leg to keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, ran Sarwan out in the 21st over, West Indies were 135 for four.

India were then put under further pressure, when the Bravo brothers - Darren and Dwayne - added 44 for the fifth wicket before West Indies lost three wickets for 16 runs in the last two overs.

There were two changes for India with Ishant Sharma and Abhishek Nayar replacing Praveen Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja, but West Indies were - predictably - unchanged.

India won the high-scoring opening ODI by 20 runs last Friday at Sabina Park in Jamaica, and two days later, West Indies rebounded to secure an eight-wicket victory in a low-scoring second ODI at the same venue.

Friday's victory means that India are now in pole position to formalise a rare ODI series victory in the Caribbean before embarking on a much-anticipated two-month break from the game.

Source - Cricbuzz.com