SAINT-ETIENNE, France -- Because of dopings ravages on cycling, its natural for suspicion to fall on Vincenzo Nibali, who led the Tour de France on Thursday for a 10th time in 12 stages. Charles Tapper Cowboys Jersey . But Nibali says the sport has changed, doping cases have become rare, and "this theme belongs to the past." The Italian has had a praiseworthy, almost unbreakable lock on the yellow jersey, yet he will be looking over his shoulder more on Friday. The great race enters two days in the Alps that feature uphill finishes, starting with the hardest climb that the peloton has faced so far. Off the roads, Nibali said he expected questions about doping, a scourge of much of the last generation, for whom performance-enhancers such as blood-booster EPO or human growth hormone, and methods like blood-doping were common. Many cycling experts say the sport has greatly cleaned up its act. On Thursday, the Sky team, which has won the last two Tours, sacked British cyclist Jonathan Tiernan-Locke after he was banned for an irregular biological passport. He was not a Tour rider, but few would say the Tour peloton was totally clean. Dopings shadow remains at the Tour, among team staffers, and even a rider or two. Nibalis team, Astana, was kicked out of the 2007 Tour after its star rider Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for banned blood transfusions. He served his ban, returned to racing, and won gold at the London Olympics. Vinokourov is now Astanas general manager. Rider Michele Scarponi who, like Nibali, won the Giro dItalia and was racing in this Tour, was given a three-month ban in 2012 for seeing banned physician Michele Ferrari, a longtime adviser of Lance Armstrong. Nibali says Astana has changed. "Ive chosen Astana for the possibility to build a group that I can trust to bring me at a competitive level for important races like the Giro, the Tour and the (Spanish) Vuelta," he said. "There have been many mistakes in cycling in the past, by many riders, but they belong to the past," Nibali said. "We now have a biological passport, out-of-competition controls, controls at home ... "Nobody can say that cycling hasnt changed. Nowadays, there is an isolated case. Theres always the possibility that an idiot does something stupid ..." Nibali, a native of Messina, Sicily, nicknamed the "Shark of the Strait" after the Strait of Messina, is trying to become only the sixth rider in history to win all three Grand Tours of France, Italy and Spain. He would also be the first Italian to win the Tour since Marco Pantani in 1998. The late Pantani was convicted in Italy of doping offences during his career. Giuseppe Martinelli, a cycling guru who worked with Pantani for years before they fell out, is an Astana manager. "Thanks to him," Nibali said of Martinelli through a translator, "I became closer to the Astana team that has invested a lot in an Italian group in order to regain credibility." To succeed Pantani, Nibali is keeping an eye out on other race contenders: Richie Porte of Australia trails by 2 minutes, 23 seconds, and Alejandro Valverde of Spain was third, 2:47 back. The mostly flat 185.5-kilometre (115.5-mile) course from Bourg-en-Bresse to Saint-Etienne in southeastern France was well suited for a possible sprint finish and thats how it was won by Alexander Kristoff, a Norwegian specialist with Katusha. American rider Andrew Talansky pulled out before the stage due to back pain from two previous crashes. A day earlier, the Garmin-Sharp leader rode for hours and finished last. Stage 13 will put riders legs under the most strain yet. The 197.5-kilometre (123-mile) trek begins in Saint-Etienne and will crescendo: It first covers a mid-sized climb and the Category 1 Palaquit pass, and finally an 18-kilometre (12-mile) ascent to Chamrousse -- one of cyclings hardest climbs. "Im sure our rivals will try to attack but on the other hand, if I can gain some seconds, Ill go for it," the race leader said. "Ill have to evaluate the strength of my adversaries and consider every race situation." The race has 10 more days. Cedric Thornton Jersey . Liriano pitched in and out of trouble in his duel with Josh Beckett, and Ike Davis homered to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Friday night. Brandon Carr Cowboys Jersey . Nevada Athletic Commission Chairman Francisco Aguilar said Friday the two welterweights will face unannounced pre-fight testing handled by collectors certified by the World Anti-Doping Agency.FORT WORTH, Texas - Adam Scott has a Texas slam to go with that No. 1 world ranking he will get to keep for now. Scott capped his first week as the top-ranked player with a comeback victory Sunday at Colonial. He made a 7-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff to beat Jason Dufner and become the first player to win all four PGA Tour events played in the Lone Star State. "Thats a pretty good slam to start with," Scott said. "Ill see if I can find some kind of other slam eventually in my career." Only days after officially overtaking the injured Tiger Woods for No. 1, Scott bogeyed four of his first nine holes in the opening round at Hogans Alley. Then midway through the final round, the 2013 Masters champion had a double bogey that dropped him three strokes off the lead. "It was a great week, I mean, no matter what," he said. "Its another experience, learning experience on how golf is, to get off to such a poor start on Thursday, and kind of claw my way back day to day. ... Its so satisfying in so many ways to get it done." Scott looked like a No. 1 player with consecutive birdies in the playoff against Dufner, who won the PGA Championship last year. "Its a good feeling, and maybe some validation," Scott said. Scott and Dufner both parred No. 18 to start the playoff before matching birdies at the 17th hole. Dufner hit his approach pin high on 17 to 4 1/2 feet, but Scott drained a 14-foot birdie before he even putted. Dufner, who made a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 18 in regulation, slid a 40-footer past when he and Scott played the 18th hole for the second time during the playoff. Scott then made his 7-footer for his 11th PGA Tour victory, to go along with 13 international titles, only 5 1/2 weeks after the 33-year-old Australian got married. "Its tough to beat him. Hes a great player. Its tough to concentrate, hes so good looking, too," Dufner said. "I thought maybe I could sneak one in there on 17, but he topped me." Scott and Dufner both shot 4-under 66 to finish att 9 under, the highest winning score at Colonial since 1999. Roger Staubach Cowboys Jersey. They started the final round part of a seven-way tie for 11th place, but only two strokes behind a quartet of leaders. Along with $1,152,000 and the traditional plaid jacket for winning Colonial, Scott became the only player to win at Colonial, the Byron Nelson Championship, San Antonio and Houston. There are 13 other players with victories at three of those four, including Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Nick Price. About 30 minutes after Dufner made his long birdie at No. 18 in regulation to get to 9 under, Scott made a closing par after just missing a 31-foot birdie chance. It was just less than an hour later when the two went back to No. 18 to start the playoff. The 11th playoff in Colonial history was the first since 2009, and the longest since Jim Colbert beat Fuzzy Zoeller on the sixth extra hole in 1983. Nicholas Thompson (66) and Freddie Jacobson (67) tied for third at 8 under. David Toms, in the final group, led at 9 under when he made his turn, but made three bogeys over the next five holes. Toms shot a closing 70 to finish at 7 under, a stroke ahead of Jimmy Walker, No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings. With four birdies and a three-putt bogey in his first six holes, Scott was already at 8 under. His only other three-putt at Colonial was from 17 feet at No. 9, dropping him to 6 under. Dufner, who was also second at Colonial two years ago, gave up a stroke when he missed a par putt from less than 3 feet at the 615-yard 11th hole. When his 12-foot birdie chance at the 440-yard 12th slid a half-foot past the cup, Dufner stood momentarily and stared at the ball before tapping in his par. Scott caught up with consecutive birdies on those same holes, pitching to 9 feet at No. 11 before hitting his approach at No. 12 to 4 feet. He got to 9 under with a 39-foot birdie putt at the 453-yard 14th. "I didnt want to let this one slip," Scott said. "So I played hard and I was really happy with where my game was at." Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '
