Auto Racing
INDIANAPOLIS – Rookie Spencer Pigot was released from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway medical center after becoming the first driver to crash during Indianapolis 500 practice this year.
The American, who drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, spun as he went through the first turn and slammed into the outside wall before the car came to a stop between the first and second turns Wednesday.
But when the back of the Honda car appeared to start lifting, the car came back to the ground – unlike last year when three cars went airborne during practice on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval. Series officials have added new safety measures and they appeared to work.
Cycling
ASOLO, Italy – Diego Ulissi won a three-way sprint to take his second victory in this year’s Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, while Bob Jungels held onto the overall leader’s pink jersey after the 11th stage.
Launching a late attack to catch the leaders, Ulissi then edged Andrey Amador and Jungels at the line.
Riding for the Lampre team, Ulissi clocked nearly five hours over the 141-mile route from Modena to Asolo, which was mostly flat until a hilly finale.
Ulissi also won the fourth stage, while this was his sixth victory overall at the Giro and the 21st of his career.
UTRECHT, Netherlands – Marianne Vos will have an opportunity to defend her road race gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
The Dutch cycling superstar has struggled with injuries the past two years, putting her selection for her nation’s four-member Olympic team in doubt. But Vos has been impressive so far this season, displaying much of the same form that carried her to gold four years ago in London.
Vos, who also won a track cycling gold medal at the Beijing Games, will be joined on the powerhouse Dutch squad by Anna van der Breggen, Ellen van Dijk and Annemiek van Vleuten.
MLB
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Fredi Gonzalez brought two bottles of wine and knocked on the hotel room door of Atlanta general manager John Coppolella for a late-night bull session.
Gonzalez also brought his personal spoiler alert – that he knew he was out as manager of the Braves and had found out not by pink slip, but an automatically generated email.
Gonzalez received an email Monday that had been sent from the team’s travel agency that informed him his flight for the next day had been booked from Pittsburgh to Atlanta. Whoops. The Braves were scheduled to play in Pittsburgh through Thursday night.
Gonzalez confirmed the expected news – and embarrassing logistic gaffe – with Atlanta’s traveling secretary then went to talk with Coppolella. They ordered some pizza and dissected the misery of this season’s Braves.
NCAA
NEW YORK – As many as 50 class-action lawsuits contesting how the NCAA, major college football conferences or individual schools handled concussions will be filed in the coming months by former players seeking damages for lingering brain injuries and ailments.
The first batch of six lawsuits was filed Tuesday. Chicago-based attorney Jay Edelson says the next wave will likely be filed within the next two weeks.
The former football players claim problems ranging from loss of memory and cognitive function to dementia.
Associated Press
