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■ Cycling
Paolo Savoldelli wins sprint
Italy's Paolo Savoldelli won a two-way sprint in the mountains Thursday to take the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia. Savoldelli edged countryman Ivan Basso in the final meters of the 150km trek to win in 4 hours, 13 minutes, 43 seconds. Basso, however, claimed the overall leader's pink jersey from Danilo Di Luca. It is Basso's first career pink jersey. The Italian rider returned to the Giro after a five-year absence and a third-place finish in the 2004 Tour de France. Defending champion Damiano Cunego took a beating as he finished six minutes behind the winner, possibly blowing his chances of a repeat in the Italian cycling marathon. Two-time Giro winner Gilberto Simoni, Cunego's teammate, placed third, 21 seconds back. Di Luca ended up fourth, about one minute behind, losing the pink jersey after four days. Basso, Savoldelli, Simoni and Di Luca broke away as the road climbed to a 1,600m high peak in the Dolomite mountains.

■ Soccer
Vladimir Putin thanks CSKA
Russian President Vladimir Putin says soccer team CSKA's UEFA Cup victory will provide a significant boost to all Russian sports. Putin sent a congratulatory telegram to CSKA coach Valery Gazzayev on Thursday, the day after the Moscow team beat Sporting Lisbon 3-1 to win the cup -- the first European title for a Russian team. "I am sure that this achievement will serve as a serious stimulus for the development of soccer and sports in general in our country," Putin said, according to a statement released by the Kremlin press service. The win "was a wonderful gift to millions of fans and to all of Russia."

■ Rugby
Philip O'Reilly arrested
New Zealander Philip O'Reilly has been suspended from Japan's national team and domestic rugby competition after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting three people in a street fight. The Sanyo Electric rugby club has indefinitely suspended the 24-year-old forward and has also decided to call off its own games and practice sessions. Team director Yoichiro Furuse will step down from his post to take responsibility. According to investigators, O'Reilly was arrested around 2:30am Tuesday in Tokyo's Roppongi district, a famous nightlife area popular with Japan's foreign community. O'Reilly was arrested for allegedly beating up three people, including a 26-year-old staff member of a nightclub, but has denied hitting anyone.

■ Auto Racing
Indy 500 session cancelled
Rain cancelled Thursday's practice session at the Indianapolis 500, during a week that was already shortened because there were no practices scheduled for Monday or Tuesday. It is the third time this month that rain has shortened practice or qualifying. Last Saturday's first qualifying session was rained out. Practice the day before was also cut short because of rain. The final two days of this month's time trials are set for Saturday and Sunday. Teams have just four more days to practice -- the three remaining days this week and May 27, Carb Day. The race is May 29. Wednesday's practice session was unusually busy, in part, because of the forecast.

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