Cycling
Quintana keeps his Giro lead with four stages to ride
VITTORIO VENETO, Italy – Stefano Pirazzi won the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, the first professional victory of his career, while Nairo Quintana retained the overall leader’s pink jersey.
Pirazzi made his move with little more than a kilometer remaining and edged out Jay McCarthy and Tim Wellens in a sprint at the end of the 127-mile stage from Sarnonico to Vittorio Veneto.
The peloton crossed the line 15:36 behind Pirazzi as the top overall standings were unchanged. Quintana remained 1:41 ahead of fellow Colombian Rigoberto Uran and 3:21 ahead of Cadel Evans, with Pierre Rolland only five seconds further back.
The race will end Sunday in Trieste, Italy.
Golf
Woods still not ready to play, withdraws from U.S. Open
DUBLIN, Ohio – Tiger Woods withdrew from the U.S. Open as he recovers from back surgery that has kept him out of golf for nearly three months.
Woods said on his website Wednesday he is physically unable to play golf at a high level. The announcement was not a surprise. Woods said a week ago while promoting the Quicken Loans National tournament at Congressional that he still has not taken a full swing with a golf club.
Woods had microdiscectomy surgery March 31. He last played a tournament at Doral on March 9.
The U.S. Open will be the sixth major that Woods has missed because of injuries, and it will be the second time in the last four years he has missed the U.S. Open.
Also in jeopardy for Woods are the British Open in July, the PGA Championship in August and the Ryder Cup in September.
Horse Racing
Triple Crown hopeful gallops usual two miles at Belmont
NEW YORK – Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome has galloped his usual 2 miles at Belmont Park, and new horses are lining up to challenge his Triple Crown bid in the Belmont Stakes.
Assistant trainer Alan Sherman said the chestnut colt looked strong Wednesday.
California Chrome will try to become racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 36 years when he runs in the Belmont on June 7.
The field for the 1½-mile race added three horses: Matterhorn, Matuszak and Medal Count, who was eighth in the Derby. Matterhorn and Matuszak are newcomers to the Triple Crown trail.
Other probables are Derby runner-up Commanding Curve, Commissioner, Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin, Samraat, Tonalist and Wicked Strong, who was fourth in the Derby. Kid Cruz, eighth in the Preakness, is a possibility. Samraat was fifth in the Derby, while Commissioner and Tonalist are newcomers to the Triple Crown races.
NFL
Prosecutor says Hernandez killed over a bump at the bar
BOSTON – A spilled drink prompted former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez to stalk the stranger who accidentally bumped into him at a Boston nightclub then open fire on his car, killing him and a second man, prosecutors said Wednesday.
“I think I got one in the head and one in the chest,” Hernandez said to a friend as they fled the scene in a sports utility vehicle, prosecutors told the court at the former star’s arraignment.
Hernandez, already charged with killing another man last year, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to seven charges – including two counts of first-degree murder – in the 2012 shooting that killed Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. A third man was wounded.
Hernandez, 24, was released by the Patriots last summer after he was charged in the June 17 killing of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd, who was dating a sister of Hernandez’s fiancee. Lloyd’s body was found in an industrial area near Hernandez’s home in North Attleborough.
Hernandez will continue to be held without bail. He is due back in court June 24 for a scheduling hearing.
Associated Press
