Cycling
American takes the lead at Criterium du Dauphine
PRA-LOUP, France – French rider Romain Bardet won the fifth stage of the Criterium du Dauphine after an impressive solo attack Thursday, while American Tejay van Garderen finished second to take the overall lead.
The relatively short but steep stage – a replica of the 17th stage of this year’s Tour de France – featured two category-2 climbs either side of a sharp ascent up Col d’Allos.
Bardet, who finished sixth on last year’s Tour, attacked near the top of col d’Allos and extended his lead in the descent.
Tour champion Vincenzo Nibali and Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde cracked on the last climb up Pra-Loup.
Van Garderen finished 36 seconds behind Bardet, while 2013 Tour champion Chris Froome was 40 seconds back in third place.
Golf
Clinical rounds open LPGA and Champions Tour majors
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Ryan Palmer, Brooks Koepka and Greg Owen each shot 6-under 64 on Thursday for a three-way tie atop the leaderboard after the opening round of the St. Jude Classic.
ATZENBRUGG, Austria – Gregory Bourdy of France carded a bogey-free 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead on a warm and sunny opening day of the Lyoness Open on Thursday.
HARRISON, N.Y. – South Korean Jenny Shin shot a bogey-free, 7-under 66 on Thursday for a one-stroke lead after the opening round at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the second major of the season.
BELMONT, Mass. – Bernhard Langer shot four birdies on the final five holes to tie a course record with a 6-under-par 65 in the first round of the Senior Players Championship on Thursday.
Soccer
Judge orders Chuck Blazer plea agreement unsealed
NEW YORK – A judge ordered federal prosecutors to unseal the plea agreement between former FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer and the U.S. government.
The New York Times, ABC, Daily News, Newsday and Bloomberg all asked last week that the plea agreement be unsealed.
U.S. District Judge Raymond J. Dearie stayed his order until Monday, giving prosecutors time to unseal the agreement or say they intend to appeal his decision.
He also gave the government until Friday to apply to redact any portion of the agreement.
Blazer, the former No. 2 official of soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, forfeited over $1.9 million at the time of his 2013 guilty pleas to racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, tax evasion and other charges.
NFL
Eagles brass move on from another Pro Bowl player
PHILADELPHIA – Chip Kelly dismissed another productive player.
Two people with direct knowledge of the situation said the Philadelphia Eagles released two-time Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis on Thursday. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t publicly disclosed the transaction.
Mathis had missed all voluntary practices this spring because of a contract dispute. He was due to earn $5.5 million this year and $6 million next year, but now becomes a free agent.
Kelly, who assumed full control of personnel decisions after his second season as head coach, has overhauled a roster that went 10-6 two years in a row. He traded 2013 Pro Bowl quarterback Nick Foles, two-time All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy and didn’t re-sign Pro Bowl wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.
Associated Press
