Cycling
Frenchman Bouhanni wins stage 4 of Paris-Nice race
ROMANS-SUR-ISERE, France – French rider Nacer Bouhanni outpaced his rivals in a sprint finish to win the fourth stage of the Paris-Nice race on Thursday, while Australian Michael Matthews retained the overall lead.
Matthews beat Bouhanni in controversial circumstances on Tuesday’s second stage when Bouhanni was penalized for deviating from his line in the final sprint.
Bouhanni held off Belgian rider Edward Theuns and Andre Greipel of Germany to win the 195.5-kilometer (121-mile) trek from Julienas to Romans-sur-Isere at the foot of the Vercors mountain range in the Alps of southeastern France.
Matthews leads Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands by 14 seconds overall, with Patrick Bevin of New Zealand 19 seconds back in third place.
The standings are set for a shakeup on Friday, when Stage 5 takes the peloton up the famed Mont Ventoux, one of the most feared climbs on the Tour de France.
Golf
Howell III shares the lead; Spieth stumbles
PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Charles Howell III read on a website that the Masters is a month away, and the Augusta native played Thursday like he wanted to be there.
Howell played bogey-free and picked up two key birdies in a 4-under 67 that gave him a share of the lead with Keegan Bradley and Ken Duke in the Valspar Championship.
Masters champion Jordan Spieth went the other direction. He made five bogeys in his opening seven holes and never recovered for a 76. Spieth needed a low round Friday to make the cut.
Uihlein leads by a shot after 1st round in Thailand
HUA HIN, Thailand – Peter Uihlein hit nine birdies and a bogey in an 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over Pelle Edberg on Thursday in the first round of the Thailand Classic.
The American started his round on the 10th hole with two straight birdies before losing a stroke on the 12th. He went on to card seven more birdies at the Black Mountain Golf Course.
NFL
AP sources: Jets sign Forte, Robinson, Powell
NEW YORK – Two people familiar with the decisions say the New York Jets have agreed in principle to sign free-agent running backs Matt Forte and Khiry Robinson, and re-sign running back Bilal Powell.
After spending his first eight NFL seasons in Chicago, Forte will likely replace the departed Chris Ivory as the starter in the Jets’ backfield. Forte, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, ranks second in Bears history to Hall of Famer Walter Payton in several categories, including yards rushing.
Robinson, coming off a broken leg suffered last November, rushed for 766 yards and eight TDs in three seasons with New Orleans. Powell set a career high with 47 receptions for 388 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Tennis
Racket sponsor backs Sharapova despite test
KENNELBACH, Austria – Maria Sharapova’s racket supplier says it is planning to extend its sponsorship deal despite the five-time Grand Slam champion admitting to failing a doping test.
Head CEO Johan Eliasch says Sharapova has made “a manifest error” by her continued use of meldonium after it became a banned substance this year, but adds there is no “evidence of any intent by Maria of enhancing her performance or trying to gain an unfair advantage.”
Nike, TAG Heuer and Porsche suspended their commercial ties with Sharapova after she revealed her use of the drug for medical reasons Monday.
Associated Press
