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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

LA PLANCHE DES BELLES FILLES SKI STATION, France -- Bradley Wiggins gave Britain its first Tour de France leader in 12 years on Saturday, wresting the yellow jersey from Fabian Cancellara after being helped by a powerful escort in the races mountain debut. In the Tours first big shake-up, the Sky squad was dominant up the first summit finish to allow Christopher Froome to win the seventh stage from Tomblaine to La Planche des Belles Filles ski station. The 199-kilometre trek into the Vosges range went a long way toward shaping the three-week race as experts predicted before the start -- a showdown between Wiggins and defending champion Cadel Evans. In a five-rider breakaway group on the final climb, Evans tried an attack just before the super-steep climb in the last kilometre -- but Froome beat him by two seconds as Wiggins hugged close to the Australians back wheel. After the finish, compatriots Wiggins and Froome hugged, with Wiggins becoming the first Briton since David Millar in 2000 to wear the yellow jersey. Cancellara, the Swiss time-trial specialist who had worn the jersey since winning the opening prologue a week ago, is 1 minute, 52 seconds behind Froome -- but more importantly 1:50 back of Wiggins. The Sky leader, who began the day seven seconds behind Cancellara in second place overall, leads Evans by 10 seconds. Vincenzo Nibali of Italy was fourth to climb to third overall, 16 seconds behind. "Its a great day for the team, we won the stage and took the yellow jersey," said Wiggins. "This is my first time in the yellow jersey. Its incredible -- its been a dream of mine since I was a kid." Giro dItalia champion and Victoria native Ryder Hesjedal pulled out of the race before the start of the stage after being injured in a multi-rider crash Friday. Wiggins has more breathing room than Cancellara had, with only five riders within a minute of his time -- including Denis Menchov of Russia, who won the 2009 Giro and Spanish Vuelta in 2005 and 2007. The Swiss rider, by contrast, had had 22 riders within 48 seconds of his time before Saturdays ride. Wiggins, a three-time Olympic track gold medallist , became the pre-race favourite after winning the Paris-Nice, Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine stage races earlier this year. With two time trials and more climbing days in the Alps and Pyrenees still to come, Wiggins played down speculation that he mightve taken the lead too early with the finish in Paris on July 22. "You cant get too cocky in this race and choose when you take the yellow jersey. Id much rather be in yellow than in hospital -- like half the peloton," he said, referring to crashes on Friday that forced at least 12 riders to quit the race. Wiggins crashed out of the 2011 Tour because of a broken collarbone and said he felt "lucky" he has been trouble-free this year. Froome was part of the Team Sky phalanx that powered up the final climb. With most rivals falling away, the Kenyan-born Briton overcame Evans late surge to burst ahead to the finish. "He was really strong. He controlled the last two to three kilometres well," Evans said of Froome. "I thought I could anticipate it thanks to the turn and gain some speed to launch the sprint -- but he had the legs and overtook me." The 35-year-old Australian senses hes in for a challenge from Sky. "With Wiggins on a team like that, its going to be difficult," Evans said. Froome, who took the polka-dot jersey as the Tours best climber, said he was surprised Evans couldnt keep pace. The Australian was puffing and his face glistening with sweat as he crossed the finish. "I kept waiting for him to go, but he never really went. To me that says one thing -- that he didnt have the legs," Froome said. "It really wasnt a big acceleration that I put in. I went for it and just coasted toward the line. "Hopefully hes not holding anything back, and hes not going to surprise us in the next few days," Froome said. "I think that he and Bradley looked to be quite on par." Wiggins said he is focusing on Evans. "You saw it today, Cadel never gives up," Wiggins said. The stage marked the first of three summit finishes in this 99th Tour edition. Nimbler mountain specialists seized the limelight after a first week dominated by sprinters across the flatter regions of Belgium -- where the race began June 30 -- and northern France. The final ascent, at 5.9 kilometres, was relatively short as far as the Tours biggest climbs go. But it was steep, with a gruelling 14-per cent gradient in the last 500 metres. Seven riders broke away from the pack after 15 kilometres and held the lead until the start of the final climb. Team Sky then pressed the pelotons pace before overtaking. The three-week race takes riders on another bumpy ride Sunday, with seven climbs in the 157.5-kilometre course from Belfort to Porrentruy. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale . -- Eastern Washington receiver Brandon Kaufman has decided to skip his senior season and make himself eligible for the NFL draft. Cheap Jerseys Supply . Nadal and Novak Djokovic advanced to the final of the $3.145 million event with straight-set wins Saturday in a star-studded pair of semifinals. http://facialhairstyleshq.info/cheapjerseys.html . It was the 42nd-ranked Haases second career title in as many finals. The Dutchman took control of the match after an hour-long rain delay at 1-1 in the second set. Kohlschreiber, who is now 4-3 in career finals, will move into the top 20 for the first time when ATP rankings are updated Monday. DETROIT -- This is what the Toronto Blue Jays have apparently been reduced to: 45-year-old Omar Vizquel trying to steal second in the ninth inning of a one-run game. Vizquel was caught by Alex Avilas strong throw for the final out Wednesday night, and the Blue Jays lost 3-2 to the Detroit Tigers. Toronto has scored three or fewer runs in six straight games. In fairness, Vizquel had been successful on his other three steal attempts this year -- and Detroit closer Jose Valverde doesnt hold runners well. But right now, it seems as though nothing is going right offensively for the Blue Jays. "Were struggling to score runs, so were trying to manufacture something with two outs," manager John Farrell said. "Valverde has a slow release, so we were going to go after him even with medium-speed runners. Were trying to force Avila into making a perfect throw, and he did. You just tip your cap on that one." Detroits Anibal Sanchez (2-3) allowed one earned run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out six and walked two, leaving with the tying run on third base. Detroits bullpen closed it out with Valverde pitching the ninth for his 25th save in 29 chances and 100th save as a Tiger. Aaron Laffey (3-5) allowed two earned runs and five hits in six-plus innings. He walked three and struck out two. "Ive been working really hard on keeping my arm high and getting on top of my sinker, and it absolutely paid off today," Laffey said. "I felt really good out there." The Blue Jays are still without slugger Jose Bautista, who has been out since mid-July with a left wrist injury. Hes expected to rejoin the team Friday. Sanchez and Omar Infante both came to Detroit from Miami in the same trade last month, and each played an important role Wednesday. Infantes triple in the fourth was Detroits first hit of the game, and he came home on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. Sanchez settled in nicely in what may have been his best outing with the Tigers. The right-hander allowed 12 runs in his previous two starts but stayed mostly oout of trouble against Toronto.dddddddddddd "His stuff was really electric, probably as crisp as its been since we got him," Avila said. "He looked great, using all his pitches. He had real good life on his fastball." Jeff Bakers RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0, but the Blue Jays came back with an unearned run in the sixth. Rajai Davis walked, stole second and went to third on Sanchezs error on a pickoff throw. He eventually scored on Edwin Encarnacions single. But the Tigers didnt have a monopoly on poor defence. Toronto shortstop Adeiny Hechavarrias error allowed Austin Jackson to reach in the bottom of the inning. He was sacrificed to second and came in to score on Prince Fielders single. Davis throw home from left field nearly had Jackson, but the ball scooted away from catcher Jeff Mathis as Jackson slid home. "I thought Aaron threw the ball really well," Farrell said. "We had an error in one inning and missed a bang-bang play at the plate, and that puts you on the short end of a 3-2 scoreline." Hechavarrias sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 3-2, and Sanchez left the game after that. Brayan Villarreal got Davis to ground out to end that threat. In the eighth, Detroits Joaquin Benoit allowed a walk and a single, and an error put runners on second and third with two out. Yorvit Torrealba hit a flyball to centre for the third out. Vizquel had a pinch-hit single before being thrown out to end it. NOTES: Toronto 1B David Cooper left in the sixth with a jammed neck. He is day to day. Mathis came in to catch and Torrealba went to first, playing there for the first time in his career. ... Laffey pitched three hitless innings to start the game. Hes holding hitters to a .176 average the first time through the order. ... Torontos Colby Rasmus went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Hes in an 0-for-26 slump. ... Detroits Justin Verlander (12-7) starts Thursday against Torontos J.A. Happ (2-1). Verlander threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays last year. ' ' ' 

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