Cycling
Belgian bags Stage 4; Catalonia has new leader
PORTE AINE, Spain – Belgian rider Thomas de Gendt won the mountainous fourth stage of the Tour of Catalonia while Nairo Quintana took the overall lead after surpassing his title rivals in the Pyrenees on Thursday.
De Gendt got the win for his Lotto Soudal team after finishing the 107-mile route from Baga to Porte Aine that featured two special-category summits in just under five hours.
Quintana was next, over a minute later, after dropping Alberto Contador and Chris Froome among the other favorites, to take the lead from Daniel Martin.
Golf
Park leads final event before first LPGA major
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Inbee Park shot a 5-under 67 on Thursday for a share of the lead in the Kia Classic, the final event before the major ANA Inspiration next week in Rancho Mirage.
The second-ranked South Korean player rebounded in her afternoon round after missing the cut last week in the Founders Cup in Phoenix. She played the back nine at Aviara in 4 under, making her final birdie on the par-5 17th.
Morning starters Brittany Lang, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Ai Miyazato matched Park at 67.
NFL
Griffin III a new member of the Dawg Pound
CLEVELAND – The Browns signed free-agent quarterback Robert Griffin III, who hasn’t been the same since his dazzling rookie season in Washington.
Griffin didn’t play a snap in 2015 and was recently released by the Redskins. The Browns met with RG3 last week and will now give him a chance to resurrect his career and win their starting job.
Cleveland has started 24 quarterbacks since 1999 and the team is expected to take a one with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft. That rookie – possibly California’s Jared Goff or North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz – will compete with Griffin, the second selection in 2012.
A dual threat with his arm and legs, Griffin led the Redskins to the NFC East title in his first season before seriously injuring a knee in the playoffs.
Wentz hopes his attention rubs off on teammates
FARGO, N.D. – Top-flight NFL draft prospect Carson Wentz naturally owned the spotlight at North Dakota State University’s pro day, but the Bison quarterback hopes there were a few rays left for his teammates.
Wentz was one of about a dozen players who performed in front of pro scouts Thursday at the Fargodome. The Bismarck, North Dakota, native unofficially completed 62-of-65 passing attempts in a half-hour drill that had him throwing balls to receivers running a variety of routes.
Wentz says he was happy with his performance and the opportunity to mark off the last box in a pre-draft season that has included the Senior Bowl, NFL combine and pro day. He says he was “most excited” about the possibility of the added attention benefiting his NDSU teammates.
Soccer
Dutch soccer great Cruyff dies at age 68
AMSTERDAM – Dutch soccer great Johan Cruyff, who revolutionized the game with the concept of `Total Football,’ died at 68.
Joaquin Munoz of the Cruyff Foundation in Barcelona said he died as a result of lung cancer.
The three-time European player of year won three European championships with Ajax and one with Barcelona as a coach.
The world-record transfer fee Barcelona paid for Cruyff in 1973 was a milestone in the commercialization of sport.
His instinctive genius for how a move would develop earned him the label “Pythagorus in boots.”
Associated Press
