Tue, Feb 26, 2008 page19

• Sports Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  ■ CYCLING

  Leipheimer wins Tour

  Levi Leipheimer won the Tour of California for the second straight year on Sunday, beating Britain's David Millar by 49 seconds in the eight-day, 1,050km race. Leipheimer, third in last year's Tour de France, led the event for the final five days, finishing in 29 hours, 24 minutes, 32 seconds. He finished in the main pack on Sunday in the rainy final stage, about a minute behind winner George Hincapie. Hincapie, who was a teammate of Lance Armstrong in each of his seven Tour de France titles, won the 150km road race from Santa Clarita to Pasadena in 3:50:57. Leipheimer earned US$17,000 for his overall title as well as additional stage and team prize money from the race's US$150,000 purse.

  ■ BASEBALL

  Francona gets extension

  Terry Francona was rewarded for managing the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships in four years when the team gave him a three-year contract extension through 2011 on Sunday. The deal includes club options for 2012 and 2013, which would give him a full decade as manager if the team exercises them. Francona guided the Red Sox to World Series sweeps of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004, their first title in 86 years, and the Colorado Rockies last year. He succeeded the fired Grady Little when he signed a three-year contract in December 2003. Francona later received a two-year extension through the 2008 season. "The ballclub showed a lot of trust in me, which I don't take lightly," Francona said. "I'm honored."

  ■ RUGBY UNION

  Nel, Potgieter, Burger cited

  Center JP Nel and No. 8 Dewald Potgieter of the Super 14 champion Bulls were to appear at a judiciary hearing yesterday following citings from Friday's loss to the Canterbury Crusaders. Nel was cited for a swinging arm and substitute Potgieter for a spear tackle in second-half incidents of the 54-19 defeat. In other bad news for the Bulls, winger Marius Delport reportedly had to leave the field after halftime with a groin injury that could sideline him for some weeks. Delport was to undergo tests yesterday. Stormers flanker Schalk Burger was also to appear before a judiciary yesterday after being cited for showing dissent to a touch judge in the Super 14 on Saturday. Burger joined a fracas in the Stormers-Sharks match at Durban and was reported by touch judge Willie Roos and yellow-carded by referee Kelvin Deaker. But as Burger walked off the field he gesticulated at Roos, implying that Roos should open his eyes.

  ■ CRICKET

  Warne on playing with Smith

  Former Australia legspinner Shane Warne was taken aback when he heard he'll soon be playing alongside his cricketing nemesis South Africa captain Graeme Smith in the Indian Premier League (IPL). "I won't tell you what my first impression was," a smiling Warne said yesterday of the player he's had a number of verbal jousts with during matches. "When you play against people and you're both playing for your country you might not see eye to eye, and I haven't seen eye to eye with Graeme about a lot of things," he said. "In a funny sort of way I'm actually looking forward to it, so it'll be interesting to see how he ticks and hopefully he can help me out with a few of the younger players in the side," Warne said. "We're playing together in the same side where we haven't got along well over the years, but hopefully we might get along as teammates." Warne and Smith will play for the IPL's Jaipur franchise.
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