CYCLING
Van Avermaet wins title
Belgian rider Greg van Avermaet won the Tirreno-Adriatico title by one second on Tuesday, 39 years after compatriot Roger de Vlaeminck. The final 10.1km time trial was won by Fabian Cancellara of Trek-Segafredo, with BMC Racing Team’s Van Avermaet more than 30 seconds back in 24th place, but crucially still only seven seconds behind Peter Sagan. Tinkoff’s Sagan finished second in the overall classification behind Van Avermaet, who benefited from Sunday’s mountainous stage — a 178km ride from Foligno to Monte San Vicino — being canceled because of snow. Van Avermaet says triumphing by “one second is not a lot, but it’s enough for me to win. It was not my best time trial today, but I’m happy that this one second is my side.”
FOOTBALL
Ebner aims for rugby spot
Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots special teams player Nate Ebner has been drafted into the US seven-a-side rugby set up with the aim of securing a spot in the team’s Olympic squad, it was confirmed Tuesday. Ebner, a talented schoolboy rugby player who recently signed a two-year contract extension with the Patriots, is to train with the US team at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, southern California, a statement said. “We are excited and looking forward to Nate joining the program and working with the squad,” USA Rugby Men’s Sevens head coach Mike Friday said. “We are aware of Nate’s rugby background from his high-school and college days and this was the key to him being in a position to compete with the current squad. He is in great shape and we will be able to condition him over the next six to eight weeks to be more aligned with rugby and work with him to get him up to speed on his skills and tactical understanding.” Ebner played rugby while studying at Ohio State.
ATHLETICS
Lupu to miss indoors
Former European indoor 800m champion Nataliya Lupu of Ukraine will miss this week’s world indoor championships in Portland over her use of meldonium, the same substance which led to tennis star Maria Sharapova’s positive test at the Australian Open. The Ukrainian track and field federation said Lupu withdrew from the championships, which begin today, after the World Anti-Doping Agency “raised concerns about the use of meldonium.” It was not immediately clear if Lupu, who won European indoor gold in 2013 and world indoor silver the year before, had been suspended from competition. In a statement on the federation Web site, Lupu says she had used meldonium for 15 years for medical reasons with doctors’ prescriptions. She says she stopped taking the drug in November last year, two months before it was officially banned.
HORSE RACING
Horse wears Harris Tweed
Veteran race horse Morestead upped the style stakes for this year’s Cheltenham Festival by modeling the word’s first Harris Tweed suit designed for a race horse. Complete with a flat cap and tie, Morestead wore the three-piece suit alongside champion jockey A.P. McCoy. Bookmaker William Hill commissioned former Alexander McQueen apprentice Emma Sandham-King with making the suit, which took four weeks to make and used up more than 18m of tweed. Britain’s Cheltenham Festival, a horse racing event held each year in the western English county of Gloucestershire, started on Tuesday.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely