Cycling
Giro d’Italia route presented to the top cyclists
MILAN – Giro d’Italia officials put together a balanced route for next year’s race, which they hope will attract some of the best riders in the world to the Italian Grand Tour.
Organizers revealed the 21-stage route on Monday at a presentation at the Milan Expo in the presence of numerous cyclists, including reigning champion Alberto Contador, new world champion Peter Sagan and former winners Vincenzo Nibali and Ivan Basso.
The route for the 2016 Giro includes four days in the high mountains and seven medium mountain stages. There are also seven legs for sprinters, two individual time trials and a team one.
The 99th edition of the famous race will take the riders from Apeldoorn in the Netherlands to Turin, via the south of Italy, over a total of 2,102 miles from May 6-29.
Golf
Opening matches for Presidents Cup made
INCHEON, South Korea – Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson battled at Chambers Bay in the U.S. Open. They will be partners in South Korea at the Presidents Cup.
Spieth and Johnson will be in the anchor match of foursomes Thursday against Danny Lee of New Zealand and Marc Leishman of Australia when the Presidents Cup begins at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
Spieth had a successful partnership with Patrick Reed at the Ryder Cup last year, and Johnson and Matt Kuchar won both their team matches at the 2012 Ryder Cup. Now they’ve swapped. Kuchar will be with Reed in the second of five matches against Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace of South Africa.
U.S. captain Jay Haas said Spieth and Johnson wanted to play together. He said whatever Spieth wants, Spieth gets.
MLB
New Yorker stuck in traffic, misses key practice
NEW YORK – Matt Harvey missed the New York Mets’ mandatory workout Tuesday at Citi Field and apologized to the team for arriving late.
The star pitcher did not give a reason for his absence when he spoke to reporters about 15 minutes after the workout ended. He did not take questions.
Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters Harvey called and said he got stuck in traffic.
New York will opens its NL playoff series against the Dodgers on Friday night in Los Angeles. Harvey is scheduled to start Game 3 at Citi Field next Monday.
Good news for sluggers: Lower wall at Marlins Park
MIAMI – The Miami Marlins have decided to alter their outfield wall and give hitters a better chance to homer in the spacious ballpark.
The Marlins still want a park that favors pitchers, team president David Samson said Tuesday. But the wall will be lowered and perhaps moved closer to home plate for the 2016 season.
In the four years since Marlins Park opened, only 412 homers have been hit. That’s the second-lowest total in the majors to 411 homers at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.
The Marlins are consulting with an architect about the changes, which will come with Marlins Park scheduled to host the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby in 2017.
WNBA
Fowles, Lynx pull out tense Game 2 to even Finals
MINNEAPOLIS – Sylvia Fowles had 21 points and nine rebounds, and the Minnesota Lynx evened the best-of-five WNBA Finals at one game apiece with a 77-71 victory over the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night.
Fowles made 10-of-13 shots and Maya Moore added 19 points and eight boards for the Lynx, who are looking for their third championship in the last five years.
Associated Press
