International Capsules: Contador closes in on 3rd Tour title in 4 years
COL DU TOURMALET, France (AP) — Alberto Contador never wavered.
Under a blistering attack from Andy Schleck, the Spaniard tightened his grip on a third Tour de France title in four years by matching every acceleration his rival threw at him during the ride up a fabled Pyrenean climb in Thursday's 17th stage.
Schleck delivered on his promise to ride well on the last mountain of this year's race.
It just wasn't enough to shake Contador.
Schleck set a punishing pace up the last 6 miles on the ascent of the Col du Tourmalet, but the Spaniard shadowed him wheel-to-wheel the whole way. In the end, Schleck won the 108.1-mile trek from Pau by a half bike-length, but failed in his bid to take the yellow jersey from Contador and gain time on his rival ahead of Saturday's time trial.
"I did short accelerations really many times, it was the only possibility I had to try to drop him," Schleck said. "But he was too strong."
The Tourmalet was the last of three tough climbs in the stage made in cool temperatures under a drizzle and fog. Frenzied fans — including some near-streakers — ran alongside the duelists on the ascent, at least once seeming to irk Schleck. On the second climb, the Col du Soudor, a flock of sheep strayed into the road, causing some riders to swerve, brake and stop, though no one crashed.
With only three days of racing left before Sunday's finish in Paris, and two of the stages unlikely to alter the top of the standings, the two men knew that Thursday's leg was crucial.
Schleck had vowed to make an all-out effort.
On the Tourmalet, he repeatedly turned around, at times speaking to Contador or trying to catch his gaze in an attempt at mind games. The Spaniard never took the bait.
"I wanted him to pass, I wanted to be behind and attack him, but of course, he's very smart, and I knew that he only had to stay in my wheel," Schleck said. "I think Alberto did the right thing, he's a great professional."
Every time Schleck made a burst, Contador was right there, dancing lightly side to side up out of his saddle in a smooth rhythm.
Contador did what he needed to, and appeared to slow at the end, leaving Schleck to win his second stage this Tour, in 5 hours, 3 minutes, 29 seconds.
"He was really so strong and at the end, the sprint for me was not the most important thing," said Contador, who finished in the same time to remain in front by 8 seconds. "Today, the most important thing for me was not to lose time."
The wild card now is Saturday's 32.3-mile time-trial, a discipline in which Contador excels. Schleck said before Thursday's stage that he'd need to pick up a minute on Contador to have a chance of victory.
It was a day of scaled-down and revised expectations.
"I changed my mind when I crossed the finish line today," Schleck said. "We will see in the time trial."
"My dad always used to say that the one who did a good time trial, he fell off the bike when he finished," Schleck said, "and that's what I plan to do on Saturday."
Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong, who finished 4:12 behind the leading duo in 17th place, again revised down his hopes at the Tour.
At the start of the three-week race, the 38-year-old Texan had hoped to be a contender in his last Tour. That aspiration vanished in the debut in the Alps in Stage 8, when crashes slowed him down three times and he lagged in the climbs.
Then, Armstrong began angling for a stage victory.
His last big chance for that came in Tuesday's 16th stage, but he came up short in a final sprint among breakaway riders to finish sixth.
After Thursday's final mountain day, his expectations came down again. Asked what the chances were now of winning a stage, Armstrong replied: "Slim to none."
He's now focused on making sure his RadioShack squad maintains its lead in the team general classification.
"The most important thing was that we stay ahead in the team GC, and that's what we did," Armstrong said. He's in 23rd place overall — 37:58 behind Contador.
By finishing more than a minute ahead of everybody else, Schleck and Contador gave themselves a cushion for their drive to the Champs-Elysees podium.
They're now poised for the same 1-2 finish they had last year.
While 8 seconds is minimal, it seems Contador would have to have a bad day Saturday, Schleck an incredible one, or the Spaniard would have to crash for the Luxembourger to take the yellow jersey.
"It is possible to lose it at any time. Andy is very strong and you can expect him to do a really good time trial," Contador said. "But the situation today of course is very good."
"I still have to reach Paris, and it won't be easy," he said.
There are strong time-trial riders behind them, but the nearest contender — Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Samuel Sanchez of Spain — isn't considered one of them and he's 3:32 back in third.
Among those to watch will be Denis Menchov, a Russian on the Rabobank squad, who's fourth — 21 seconds back of Sanchez. They will be battling for third on the podium, or ready to pounce if Contador or Schleck should falter.
Schleck, who's shown himself adept at fanning race drama, says he shouldn't be counted out yet.
"I'm sure I'll do a good time trial," he said. "I can see the yellow jersey in front of me, and I really want it, and I'm not going to give up until Paris."
In the meantime, sprinters are likely to step up during Friday's 18th stage, a mostly flat 123-mile ride from Salies-de-Bearn to Bordeaux.
French see proof of cleaner race in 6 stage wins
COL DU TOURMALET, France (AP) — French riders have excelled at the Tour de France with six stage victories this year, and some believe they are taking back their race because of improved anti-doping measures.
Tour competitors from France — whether by pride about keeping the race clean or out of fear about tough French laws aimed to prevent doping — have long had a reputation as among the cleanest riders in the pack.
France's Bernard Thevenet, who won the Tour in 1975 and 1977 and is still involved in pro cycling, says French riders increasingly believe the "cycling at two speeds" between clean riders and those who cheat is ending.
The International Cycling Union is conducting hundreds of blood and urine tests at the Tour this year, and "independent observers" brought in by the World Anti-Doping Agency are on hand to make sure UCI testers carry them out properly.
The UCI also has touted its biological passport program, which is designed to monitor riders' body chemistry profiles over the long term to look for fluctuations that could indicate doping.
"The French rider thinks these controls are very tight, very effective," Thevenet said in an interview before Thursday's 17th stage from Pau to Le Col du Tourmalet. "It's really bearing fruit now. So at the start, they believe they're equal with the others."
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who rode along in a trailing car for the stage, was delighted to see the fight against doping paying off.
"It makes me happy because it shows that everything that has been committed for cycling and the Tour de France, by the Tour's directors, to fight doping and make sure there's one and not two races, it's working," Sarkozy said on France-2 TV through the car's window.
"It's really promising for the future."
Doping scandals have plagued the Tour in recent years — notably from 2006 to 2008 — though no positive tests were turned up at last year's race.
"They don't feel diminished like they did before," Thevenet said of the French riders. "Before, they felt inferior because they felt like something was different."
Gerard Guillaume, doctor for French team Francaise des Jeux, told daily newspaper Le Figaro it was "obvious" that anti-doping measures are beginning to work.
"For a long time, the idea was that (French riders) didn't train enough, that they were bad riders, but they don't do it any more or less than before," Guillaume said in the newspaper. "So the explanation lies elsewhere — those who are in the front aren't running on the same fuel anymore."
Despite the stage wins by Christophe Riblon, Sandy Casar, Pierrick Fedrigo, Thomas Voeckler and Sylvain Chavanel — who had two — the French still aren't contenders for the Tour title.
The highest-placed French rider after Thursday's stage was John Gadret, who was 17th overall — 17 minutes, 59 seconds behind race leader Alberto Contador of Spain.
"They're taking back their Tour, but let's face it, now we're waiting for the French rider who's capable of being on the podium," Thevenet said. "For the moment, we just don't have it.
"Still, six stage wins, that's well beyond what we could've hoped for."
It has been 25 years since five-time Tour champion Bernard Hinault became the last Frenchman to finish in the yellow jersey — and 1997 was the last time there were six French stage victories in the race.
French riders also hold five of the top six spots in the classification for the polka-dot jersey, given to the Tour's best climber, with Anthony Charteau and Christophe Moreau battling it out.
"What bothers me is seeing that I'm the second-highest placed French rider," said 39-year-old Moreau, when asked about whether he was hopeful for the next generation. "We have good one-day stage riders, but no one for the general classification — that's sad."
-- Jamey Keaten
Notebook: Armstrong and Sarkozy: 2 old men on bikes
COL DU TOURMALET, France (AP) — Lance Armstrong characterized the meeting as "two old guys who like to ride bikes" after French President Nicolas Sarkozy joined him at the top of the legendary Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees mountains.
The seven-time Tour de France champion said they talked about the possibility of swapping jobs after the 17th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday.
"He could become president, I can't become a champion," Sarkozy said.
Armstrong said he didn't foresee a political campaign in his future.
"I think I'm a week away from a very private life," said Armstrong, who is competing in his final Tour.
Sarkozy praised Armstrong for contributions to cycling and overcoming cancer. He mentioned French former Tour champion Laurent Fignon, who is working as a commentator while battling lung cancer.
"It's a life lesson," he said of Armstrong. "Beyond the debate, I admire the performance of the man. It's a great thing to see a guy who has won the Tour seven times prepared to ride 35 or 40 minutes back."
Armstrong responded: "That's very, very nice."
Asked what regrets he might have, he said: "I wish I was younger and faster."
ROOMMATE FOR A CHAMPION: Most riders share rooms when they're racing, but when you're the champion you get to choose. Lance Armstrong hasn't had one for a long time, but he will for the final nights.
No, it's not because he's 25th overall. It's because this is a special 10-year-old roommate.
"My eldest son Luke has stayed on, and we're going to put him to work for my team — and he's going to be my roommate. The first roommate I've had on any Tour in seven years," Armstrong said. "I'm on the small bed tonight."
-- Naomi Koppel
Armstrong playing it safe by hiring defense lawyer
NEW YORK (AP) — Lance Armstrong says hiring a criminal defense lawyer in the face of a federal investigation for possible fraud and doping violations is merely a matter of protecting himself.
"Obviously, you need some legal counsel on this. ... I wouldn't read anything into it," the seven-time Tour de France champion said after finishing 17th in the 17th stage of this year's race. "I'm 100 percent confident that there will be a satisfactory resolution for me."
The Texan hired Bryan D. Daly, a former federal prosecutor based in Los Angeles who is a partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton.
"This is the United States of America. You can't prosecute somebody for something they didn't do — normally," Armstrong said. "But along the way, you've got to protect yourself."
The investigation was spurred by accusations from Floyd Landis, Armstrong's former teammate on the U.S. Postal team, in a series of e-mails sent to cycling and doping officials this spring.
Armstrong has denied the allegations and questioned Landis' credibility. Landis was stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping.
"You know, I think anybody involved should have legal protection, and know their rights and know what's truly best for them," Armstrong said. "It's safe to say that I will have representation here, just to be safe."
Tour de France Glance
COL DU TOURMALET, France (AP) — A brief look at Thursday's 17th stage of the Tour de France:
Stage: The 17th took the riders on a 108-mile ride from Pau to the peak of the Col du Tourmalet, a stage recognized as the highlight of this year's race.
Winner: Andy Schleck of Luxembourg won in 5 hours, 3 minutes, 29 seconds, but with his rival Alberto Contador of Spain on his shoulder. Third is Joaquin Rodriguez of Spain.
Yellow Jersey: Contador holds on to his 8-second lead, and that should be enough to guarantee him overall victory in Paris on Sunday.
Quote of the Day: "It's a life lesson. Beyond the debate, I admire the performance of the man. It's a great thing to see a guy who has won the Tour seven times prepared to ride 35 or 40 minutes back." — France President Nicolas Sarkozy on Lance Armstrong.
Next stage: After four days of hanging on at the back, the sprinters are expected to come to the fore for Friday's 18th stage, a 123-mile virtually flat ride from Salies-de-Bearn to Bordeaux. It will be the last chance for the sprinters to test their legs before the Champs-Elysees.
Swimming
Former USA Swimming VP back on judges list
A former USA Swimming vice president who complained about the organization's handling of sexual abuse cases was reinstated to the list of potential referees at major international events by an arbitrator.
Mike Saltzstein, a vice president from 2000-06, had initially claimed he was removed from the officials list after going public in April with his criticism of USA Swimming, which is dealing with accusations that it failed for years to address improper relationships between coaches and underage athletes.
The American Arbitration Association found the decision to drop Saltzstein from consideration as a deck official was actually made before he weighed in on the sexual abuse issue.
But arbitrator James R. Holbrook found that Saltzstein's rights were violated under the Amateur Sports Act, calling the decision to drop him from the list "arbitrary" and "capricious."
Edward Williams, Saltzstein's New York-based attorney, called it a landmark ruling in protecting the rights of judges, referees and other officials.
Saltzstein served as a technical official at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The arbitrator ordered USA Swimming to immediately notify FINA, the international governing body, that Saltzstein was back in consideration for future meets, which might include next year's world championships or the London Games in 2012.
Williams said he learned shortly before this week's arbitration hearing that his client was removed from the list after a meet official passed along "scurrilous hearsay" in a telephone call to the chairman of the committee that submits a list of potential referees from the U.S.
"They never gave Mike a chance to respond. He got no notice, no opportunity to be heard," Williams said. "This is the first time, to my knowledge, that an official has actually invoked the authority of the Sports Act."
Saltzstein said the ruling reaffirms the rights of everyone involved in the Olympic movement. He also feels like many support his desire to change the culture within USA Swimming.
"Coaches who I know and respect have told me this was the right fight at the right time," he said. "Around the world, many have written in the last 24 hours to say, 'Congratulations, well done, we look forward to seeing you.'"
USA Swimming issued a statement maintaining that Saltzstein was not singled out after he proposed a list of reforms the governing body should adopt immediately to deal with sexual abuse. The scandal has stretched all the way to the former director of the national team, Everett Uchiyama, who was banned for life for a relationship he had with a female swimmer beginning at age 14.
"The arbitrator's decision in this case was not in any way based on Mr. Saltzstein's original complaint that USA Swimming retaliated against him because of his position on USA Swimming's response to allegations of sexual misconduct by swimming coaches," the organization said. "In fact, during the hearing, (Saltzstein) withdrew his retaliation claim after his counsel admitted that they had put on no evidence of retaliation."
USA Swimming still faces an August arbitration hearing over the complaint filed by Indiana coach Ken Stopkotte, who claimed he was removed as the head of an all-star team after he discussed an alleged culture of sexual abuse for ABC's "20/20" news magazine.
The biggest changes could come at the group's September convention in Dallas. Saltzstein said he plans to be there to push for a stronger stand against sexual abuse.
"Yes, I plan to introduce legislation to the floor. Yes, I do intend to vociferously and forcefully argue this is a duty, responsibility and obligation of USA Swimming," he said. "You can't just count gold medals and hurt young children. You have to protect the children and win gold medals."
-- Paul Newberry
Track & Field
Oliver wins 110-meter hurdles but no world record
MONACO (AP) — David Oliver won the 110-meter hurdles in a failed attempt at the world record while fellow American Tyson Gay matched the season's second-best time of 19.72 seconds in winning the 200 at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Thursday.
Oliver, on a newly refurbished track and with a slight tail wind, topped the meet record in 13.01.
The Olympic bronze medalist won ahead of fellow American Ryan Wilson, who finished in 13.13. Jamaican Dwight Thomas was third in 13.29.
"I ran well under pressure," said Oliver. "Every time I race now people expect the world record to be beaten."
Last week in Paris, Oliver clocked 12.89, 0.02 seconds short of Dayron Robles' world record.
"Tonight I beat the stadium record and I'm happy with that," said Oliver, who didn't face much competition after Robles pulled out of the meet because of leg pains. The two are not expected to go head-to-head before the London meet on Aug. 14.
"I'm a winner and I am always looking to improve myself and to see my name at the top of the list," Oliver said. "I want to be a champion."
Gay, who headlined the sprints in Monaco in the absence of world record-holder Usain Bolt, got off to a strong start and held off Jamaican Yohan Blake's surge in the closing meters to set a meet record.
Blake was second in 19.78, and American Wallace Spearmon third in 19.93.
"The problems I had earlier this season are now behind me," said Gay, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury then bounced back with a win over Asafa Powell in the 100 at Gateshead this month.
"The new track in Monaco is super fast, this result is a combination of the track and my speed," Gay said. "I'm very tired now."
Also winning were American Carmelita Jeter in the 100 meters, Jermaine Gonzalez of Jamaica at 400, Kenyan Silas Kiplagat at 1,500 and Alysia Johnson of the United States at 800.
Jeter improved her personal best this season to win in 10.82 seconds, ahead of Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown, who finished second in 10.98.
Campbell-Brown was returning to competition for the first time since the Eugene, Ore., meet on July 3, where she set the fastest time this year in 10.78 ahead of third-placed Jeter.
"I'm very satisfied with the way the race went," said Jeter, who also won in Lausanne and Gateshead. "When I race the way I did tonight and execute my technique as I should, no one can beat me."
Gonzalez ran the fastest 400 this year in 44.40, beating fellow Jamaican Ricardo Chambers and Christopher Brown of the Bahamas.
Gonzalez beat the previous season best of 44.49 set by American Jeremy Wariner in Paris, where the Jamaican had to be content with second place.
American men swept the 400 hurdles, with Bershawn Jackson winning in 47.78 seconds despite a late charge from Angelo Taylor, who finished 0.01 seconds behind. Justin Garmin was third in 48.65.
"I knew I could beat Taylor but I did not expect him to start that fast," Jackson said.
Jamaican Kaliese Spencer won the women's race in 53.63 ahead of Natalya Antyukh of Russia and American Sheena Tosta.
World silver medalist Lashinda Demus of the United States, who was looking for her fourth Diamond League victory, took an excellent start and looked set for an easy win before she stuttered on the last hurdle and ended fourth in 54.54.
"I don't know what happened on that last hurdle," Demus said. "I guess I was going so fast that I messed up."
Kiplagat upset race favorite Augustine Choge to win the 1,500 and establish a best world mark this season in 3:29.27, the 10th-best time in the event.
Kiplagat shattered his personal record of 3:34.28 by more than five seconds.
"I knew I was in great shape, I knew I could run fast," Kiplagat said. "The race was perfect. The pacemakers did a great job and the weather conditions were perfect."
Amine Laalou of Morocco was second in 3:29.53, and Choge third in 3:30.22.
World champion Yargelis Savigne won the triple jump with a mark of 49 feet, 6¼ inches, setting a season's best.
-- Samuel Petrequin
Slovak shot putter faces lifetime ban for doping
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovak shot putter Milan Haborak faces a lifetime ban for a second doping offense.
Haborak tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol in an out-of-competition screening.
It was his second doping offense after testing positive for the banned hormone chorionic gonadotropin in 2004, which earned him a two-year ban.
IAAF rules call for a lifetime ban after a second doping violation.
Slovak athletics federation head Maria Mracnova said Thursday the national body was expected to rule on Haborak's case in two weeks.
The 37-year-old Haborak is Slovakia's outdoor record holder with a 2004 throw of 20.87 meters.
Olympics
Olympic body freezes salaries for senior managers
LONDON (AP) — The Olympic group responsible for building the venues for the 2012 London Games says its senior managers will not receive a pay increase this year.
The Olympic Delivery Authority said Thursday it will also defer a proportion of bonuses eligible to directors until after the games.
ODA chief executive David Higgins recently topped a list of the highest paid public officials in Britain with a salary of $595,000.
ODA chairman John Armitt says "all directors will be voluntarily taking a pay freeze."
The total amount spent by the ODA on permanent staff in 2009-2010 came to $33 million.
The ODA also announced the completion of the Olympic Stadium's roof covering.
Youth Olympic flame dress rehearsal goes smoothly
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) — Greek officials have conducted a full dress rehearsal for the lighting of the Olympic flame that will burn at the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore next month.
Standing in front of the 2,600-year-old Temple of Hera, an actress dressed as an ancient priestess used a concave mirror to light a silver torch with the sun's rays Thursday.
Hundreds of tourists visiting the site where the Ancient Olympics were held from 776 B.C. to 393 A.D. stood in the intense heat to witness the ceremony.
The actual lighting ceremony, to be attended by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, will take place Friday. If clouds disrupt the lighting of the torch, Thursday's flame will serve as backup.
The Youth Olympics will be held from Aug. 16-26.
Figure Skating
Kim, Kwan team up for skating duet in South Korea
GOYANG, South Korea (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Kim Yu-na says she is excited to skate again with her childhood idol, five-time world champion Michelle Kwan.
Kwan is back in South Korea for the third time in less than a year to join Kim, known at home as "Queen Yu-na," for the "All That Skate" show, which opens Friday in Goyang, north of Seoul.
"We're having a blast!" Kwan told reporters Thursday during a break from rehearsal. "I'm having a great time skating with Yu-na."
They'll be joined by a raft of Olympic medalists, including American Sasha Cohen, pairs skaters Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany, and ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto of the United States.
Luge
USA Luge team to open training camp Friday
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Former women's world champion Erin Hamlin and three-time Olympian Tony Benshoof are among 14 athletes who will be part of USA Luge's season-opening training camp starting Friday.
It'll be the first camp overseen by five-time Olympian Mark Grimmette, who retired from sliding a month after the Vancouver Games and is now USA Luge's sport program manager.
Vancouver Olympians Julia Clukey, Chris Mazdzer and Christian Niccum are expected to be part of the camp as well, as is 2006 Turin Games competitor Courtney Zablocki, among others.
Grimmette will be assisted by three-time Olympian Duncan Kennedy and Bill Tavares, who is transitioning over from a long stint with the U.S. bobsled team.
