Cycling
43-year-old Jens Voigt sets the historic Hour Record
GRENCHEN, Switzerland – Jens Voigt set a new mark in cycling’s historic Hour Record, racing 31.7 miles around a velodrome.
Ending his career with a record attempt one day after his 43rd birthday, the German rider beat the 30.8-mile mark of Ondrej Sosenka in 2005.
Voigt passed the Czech Republic rider’s distance with almost 1½ minutes left.
The Hour Record previously was held by cycling greats Jacques Anquetil, Fausto Coppi and Eddy Merckx.
The Trek Factory Racing rider holds two cycling records, after this year equaling the mark of starting the Tour de France 17 times.
Golf
Woods next swing coach? That could be Woods himself
JUPITER, Fla. – The next swing coach for Tiger Woods might be Tiger Woods.
Woods posted a blog on his website Thursday saying there was no “hard-and-set” rule on finding a new swing coach.
Woods parted way with Sean Foley last month after two years. He only completed 25 rounds this year because of a back injury that required surgery. He is not playing until the Hero World Challenge in December.
Soccer
Despite losses at the top, Germany remains No. 1
ZURICH – World Cup winner Germany remained No. 1 in the FIFA rankings despite losing to second-place Argentina in a friendly rematch of their final this month.
Colombia climbed one place to No. 3, even though it lost to Brazil in a friendly, and traded places with the Netherlands, which lost both its matches this month.
Belgium remained at No. 5.
Costa Rica is ahead of Mexico and the United States, with the three CONCACAF nations grouped from Nos. 15-17.
U.S. women defeat Mexico 12-0 in final two tuneups
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Hope Solo extended her shutout record to 73, and Tobin Heath, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Amy Rodriguez scored to help the United States’ women’s soccer team beat Mexico 4-0 in an exhibition game Thursday night in chilly conditions.
Hometown hero Abby Wambach played the second half in the Americans’ final exhibition game before World Cup qualifying. The crowd started chanting “We Want Abby! We Want Abby!” in the 30th minute, and the Rochester native took the field after halftime. The entrance to Sahlen’s Stadium was renamed “Wambach Way” in 2012.
The U.S. also beat Mexico 8-0 on Saturday night in Utah. The Americans are 29-1-1 against Mexico and extended their home winning streak to 86.
Chivas USA might sit out ’15, then again, it could fold
NEW YORK – Chivas USA might not play in 2015 and perhaps longer, a decision that won’t be made until a new owner takes over the Major League Soccer team.
The league hopes to have a schedule by late fall. With the addition of New York City and Orlando, MLS will have 20 or 21 teams next year, depending on whether Chivas USA plays.
Chivas USA was formed in 2004, and MLS announced in February it had assumed operation of the team from Angelica Fuentes and Jorge Vergara, who have controlled the Mexican club Chivas Guadalajara since 2002.
Tennis
Britain again will host the U.S. in Round 1 of Davis Cup
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Britain will host the United States in a first-round rematch in next year’s Davis Cup.
Led by Andy Murray, Britain upset the Americans – playing without John Isner – 3-1 last year in San Diego.
The two sides were drawn Thursday to face each other again in the World Group opening round March 6-8.
Associated Press
