Cycling
A new leader stakes his claim at the Vuelta
CORTALS D ENCAMP, Spain – Mikel Landa of Spain raced ahead to climb the final ascent alone and win the 11th stage of the Spanish Vuelta in the Pyrenees on Wednesday, while Italy’s Fabio Aru finished second to claim the overall race leader’s jersey.
Ian Boswell of the United States finished third in a tough 138-kilometer run from Andorra La Vella to Cortals d’Encamp.
Landa chose his moment at the foot of the Cortals d’Encamp summit and quickly built a lead of two minutes from the pursuing group which contained Aru and Nelson Oliveira.
Tour de France winner Chris Froome fell shortly after the beginning of a mountain stage containing four category-one summits and appeared to injure his knee.
However, despite looking troubled and shaking his head frequently while on the four steep category one climbs in the stage, the British rider recovered sufficiently to finish the day in 15th place overall – 7 minutes, 30 seconds behind Landa.
Rogers gets 2004 Olympic bronze 11 years later
LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The IOC says Australian cyclist Michael Rogers has received his Olympic bronze medal 11 years after the Athens Games.
Rogers placed fourth behind winner Tyler Hamilton of the United States, who was stripped of the gold in 2012 for doping.
Three-time world champion Rogers says the medal “adds something tangible to my great memories.”
Hamilton admitted in 2011 to doping throughout his career. He was a key witness in the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency case against Lance Armstrong’s teams.
The redistributed Athens gold medal went to Viatcheslav Ekimov of Russia, a long-time Armstrong teammate at U.S. Postal.
American Bobby Julich, who took silver, admitted to doping after USADA published its verdict.
College Football
Man charged with theft of O.J. Simpson Heisman
LOS ANGELES – A man arrested in connection with the theft of a copy of O.J. Simpson’s Heisman Trophy more than 20 years ago from the University of Southern California pleaded not guilty Wednesday to receiving stolen property.
Lewis Eugene Starks Jr., 56, of Apple Valley, was arrested Monday, nearly nine months after prosecutors said he tried to sell the long-lost prize.
The trophy, a Simpson jersey and a plaque were stolen from a display case in a burglary at the university in 1994 while Simpson was awaiting trial in the killings of his ex-wife and her friend Ron Goldman. He was acquitted of murder the following year.
The Heisman, awarded to the most outstanding college football player, was a duplicate given to the university in 1968.
Simpson’s own trophy was seized under a $33.5 million judgment after a civil court jury found him liable for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Goldman.
Golf
Euro Tour makes exception for McIlroy’s injury
VIRGINIA WATER, England – Rory McIlroy will be able to compete in the Race to Dubai even though he will fall short of the minimum 13 tournaments required by the European Tour.
Keith Pelley, the new chief executive of the European Tour, says he consulted with McIlroy and medical officials before agreeing to make an exception for the world’s No. 1 player.
McIlroy missed two months this summer because of an ankle injury. He missed three events on the European schedule – the Scottish Open, British Open and Bridgestone Invitational.
He has played nine European events. Players are required to play 13 to be eligible for the Race to Dubai.
Associated Press
