Cycling
DOHA, Qatar – German cyclist Tony Martin won a record-tying fourth men’s time trial title at the Road World Championships on Wednesday.
Martin finished the 40-kilometer course in 44 minutes, 42.99 seconds. He was more than 45 seconds quicker than defending champion Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus, who took silver. Jonathan Castroviejo of Spain was third in 45:53.90.
Martin joins Fabian Cancellara in winning the time trial title four times, after victories in 2011, ’12 and ’13. He was also second to Bradley Wiggins in 2014.
DOHA, Qatar – The northern English county of Yorkshire will host cycling’s road world championships in 2019.
The International Cycling Union made the announcement on Wednesday, during the 2016 road worlds in Doha.
Yorkshire hosted the opening two stages of the Tour de France in 2014 – Leeds-Harrogate, York-Sheffield – and has also staged the three-day Tour de Yorkshire since 2015. Racing will take place across the county during the 2019 road worlds.
The British government is investing $29.35 million in the 2019 event, $18.35 million of which will be used to develop 27 purpose-built cycle-sport facilities across Britain.
The next two road world championships will be held in Bergen, Norway, and Innsbruck, Austria.
The UCI also announced that Berlin, Germany, will host the Track World Championships in 2020.
MMA
LAS VEGAS – Ronda Rousey will return to the UFC on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, fighting Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title.
UFC President Dana White confirmed Wednesday that Rousey will be in the main event of UFC 207 at T-Mobile Arena.
Rousey (12-1) hasn’t fought since November 2015, when Holly Holm stunned the previously unbeaten champion with a second-round knockout at UFC 193 in Melbourne, Australia.
Rousey became one of the world’s most popular female athletes and the UFC’s biggest mainstream star during her meteoric rise through mixed martial arts. The former Olympic judo competitor became the first UFC women’s champion in late 2012, with her talent compelling White to create a women’s bantamweight division in his promotion.
NHL
OTTAWA, Ontario – Auston Matthews is already doing the trick for the Toronto Maple Leafs – and then some.
The No. 1 overall pick became the first player to score four goals in an NHL debut during the second period against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.
Matthews scored on his first four shots of the game.
ENGLEWOOD – The Colorado Avalanche signed forwards Gabriel Bourque and Rene Bourque to one-year contracts after they were invited to camp on a professional tryout.
The Bourques, who are not related, add depth to a forward crew that already includes Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene.
Gabriel Bourque was limited to 22 games last season with Nashville after suffering an upper-body injury on Nov. 27. He had one goal.
Rene Bourque brings a wealth of experience having suited up in 660 career games with Chicago, Calgary, Montreal, Anaheim and Columbus. The 34-year-old played in 49 games with the Blue Jackets last season and scored three goals.
Associated Press
