Cycling
Top Movistar riders make their plans known
MADRID – Nairo Quintana says his focus this season is winning the Tour de France, while Movistar teammate Alejandro Valverde will compete in the Giro d’Italia for the first time.
Quintana will “concentrate on the Tour”, in which he has twice been runner-up, before riding at the Olympics and the Spanish Vuelta.
Valverde’s first Grand Tour of the season will be the Giro, followed by the Tour and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
The 35-year-old Valverde says “at this moment in my career either I do the Giro or later it will be too difficult.”
Movistar presented its 2016 team on Wednesday, which includes signings Dani Moreno of Spain, Colombian Carlos Betancur, and Portuguese rider Nelson Oliveira.
NBA
Bradley matches a high, Celtics down Nuggets
BOSTON – Avery Bradley matched his season-high with 27 points, and the Boston Celtics earned their fourth consecutive victory with a 111-103 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. russe
Kelly Olynyk added 17 points and seven rebounds. Isaiah Thomas finished with 16 points and five assists.
Boston took a 15-point lead into the fourth quarter thanks to a last-second 3-point play by Olynyk to end the third.
Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton led Denver with 23 apiece.
The Nuggets lost for the fourth time in five games.
NFL
From third round to first round at the Pro Bowl
WAHIAWA, Hawaii – Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was selected with the first pick in the Pro Bowl Draft.
Wilson was chosen Wednesday by Michael Irvin, who is serving as a Pro Bowl legend captain opposite fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.
Rice took New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning with his first pick.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones went with the third pick to Team Irvin, and Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack was drafted by Team Rice with the fourth pick.
Thirty-four players – mostly linemen – were pre-drafted Tuesday for the NFL’s all-star game. Forty-eight players will be drafted or assigned Wednesday. The Pro Bowl will be played Sunday at Aloha Stadium.
Skiing
Big blow dealt to an American skiing great
Olympic and world giant slalom champion Ted Ligety says he tore the ACL in his right knee during a training crash Wednesday in Oberjoch, Germany.
The 31-year-old from Utah used Facebook to post a video of his wipeout. He wrote: “We all know ski racing is a dangerous sport, but I always thought I could avoid a season ender.”
It’s been a rocky season for Ligety, who is sixth in the GS standings – a discipline he usually dominates. His only podium finish in the GS this season was a win in Austria three months ago.
Tennis
Serena back in another Grand Slam final
MELBOURNE, Australia – Serena Williams gave another reminder of her dominance in women’s tennis with a 6-0, 6-4 win in the Australian Open semifinals against Agnieszka Radwanska, who is soon to move to the No. 3 ranking.
Six-time champion Williams has never lost a semifinal or final at the Australian Open.
The first set was no contest, over in 20 minutes. Williams hit 18 winners. Radwanska had one.
The second set was closer, with Radwanska holding serve three times and breaking Serena’s powerful serve once. But the 34-year-old Williams lifted again to finish it off, winning the last eight points of the match and closing with three aces.
Associated Press
