Cycling
Australian wins 5th Vuelta stage; Dumoulin gains lead
ALCALA DE GUADAIRA, Spain – Caleb Ewan of Australia charged to the front in the final hundred yards to win the fifth stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Wednesday, while Tom Dumoulin did enough to pass Colombian Esteban Chaves for the overall lead.
Dumoulin gained the leader’s red jersey by finishing five spots ahead of Chaves as the peloton crossed the line, enough for a one-second lead heading into Thursday’s stage at the three-week Vuelta.
The 21-year-old Ewan got past favorite John Degenkolb of Germany in the closing stages of the mostly flat 103.9-mile leg from Rota to Alcala de Guadaira to secure his first major victory in 3 hours, 57 minutes and 28 seconds.
Tour de France winner Chris Froome of Britain gained some ground on the leaders but is 35 seconds back.
Thursday’s sixth stage will take riders from Cordoba to Sierra de Cazorla in a 124.4-mile leg which has no significant climbs but also no flat sections.
Horse Racing
American Pharoah ready to race again at Saratoga
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Triple Crown winner American Pharoah has arrived at Saratoga Race Course, walking off a horse van and into his new surroundings for a few days before running in the Travers Stakes.
American Pharoah left California on Wednesday morning, arrived at the airport in Albany, New York, about 2 p.m., and was met at the barn on the Saratoga backstretch by more than 100 fans, reporters and the mayor of Saratoga. A police escort accompanied the van from Albany to the Spa.
A fan left a dozen roses in a vase on a table in the courtyard by American Pharoah’s barn.
The first Triple Crown winner in 37 years is the 1-5 favorite in a 10-horse field for the Travers on Saturday. He is trained by Bob Baffert.
If American Pharoah starts, the Travers purse will increase $350,000 to $1.6 million, with the winner earning $850,000.
NFL
Union still in dispute over Peterson suspension
MINNEAPOLIS – The NFL Players Association remains at odds with the league regarding Adrian Peterson’s suspension, despite the resumption of the running back’s career with the Minnesota Vikings more than two months ago.
NFLPA and NFL lawyers traded arguments Wednesday in front of U.S. District Judge David Doty on the union’s contempt of court motion that was filed in May. NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler told Doty such a move was necessary to push the league to send Peterson’s appeal back to arbitration, as ordered by Doty in February.
Soccer
Doyle heads home the winner for struggling Rapids
COMMERCE CITY – Kevin Doyle headed in the winner in the 79th minute, and the Colorado Rapids beat the Houston Dynamo 2-1 on Wednesday night for their first home victory since July 11.
Colorado (7-9-9) hasn’t lost to Houston (8-10-8) since 2009, winning five of the nine meetings.
It is the Rapids’ second consecutive win in the midst of a last-place season.
Doyle climbed over a defender to head home Sean St Ledger’s chipped cross. St Ledger started the sequence by running down a loose ball at the baseline and just got a foot on it before it went out of bounds.
Both teams were whistled for hand balls in the box in the first half, resulting in two penalty-kick goals.
Colorado’s Vicente Sanchez started the scoring in the 20th minute after Alex touched the ball during a slide at the edge of the area. It was Colorado’s first penalty kick conversion of the season.
Associated Press
