The Tour de France starts Saturday in Normandy, with the first stage running
from Mont Saint-Michel to Utah Beach.
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most likely be fought out by the sprinters, but the big prize is the yellow
jersey -- maillot jaune -- for the overall winner when the race ends in Paris on
July 24.Here are the Top 10 contenders to win the 103rd Tour.Chris
FroomeNationality: British Team: Team Sky (U.K.) Date of birth: May 20, 1985
(31) Race number: 1 Best Tour results: 1st: 2013, 2015; 2nd: 2012Strength: As a
two-time champion, Froome knows how to win and has learned from past experience.
He has terrific power-to-weight ratio for climbing and is also strong in time
trials, especially on the routes set out for the two races against the clock in
this years Tour. Has an exceptionally strong team -- he says possibly the
strongest Sky have ever picked for a Tour.Weakness: Has had a tendency to fall
ill in the last week of races. That is not uncommon for any Tour rider, but for
one leading, it is a tenuous and potentially race-costing situation. Froome has
been able to mask illness, but his rivals will now be looking closer for signs
they may have otherwise missed -- especially Nairo Quintana, who left his run
too late last year.Nairo QuintanaNationality: Colombian Team: Movistar (Spain)
Date of birth: February 4, 1990 (26) Race number: 11 Best Tour results: 2nd:
2013, 2015Strength: A pure climber whose danger for Froome was shown on last
years last mountain stage to Alpe dHuez, where he beat the Briton by 1 minute,
20 seconds. Crucially, he is now a far better time trialist, too. A
tough-as-teak leader whose team is one of the strongest and totally devoted to
him.Weakness: Potential inattentiveness or weak spots. This arguably cost him
the Tour last year. He lost 1 minute, 28 seconds to Froome on Stage 2 (which was
more than the 1:12 margin by which he lost the Tour) and another 1:04 on Stage
10 in the Pyrenees. He said he has since trained to avert a repeat.Alberto
ContadorNationality: Spanish Team: Tinkoff (Russia) Date of birth: December 6,
1982 (33) Race number: 31 Best Tour results: 1st: 2007, 2009; 4th: 2013; 5th:
2015, 2011Strength: Contador is one of the most credentialed grand tour riders
with seven wins in three-week races, including two Tours, so he knows what it
takes. He is also one of the most aggressive riders in the sport, unafraid to
attack over and over in a bid to crack his rivals. His sheer hunger to win and
endure pain is relentless, even when his back is against the wall.Weakness: He
denies age is catching up with him, but signs are that younger riders are still
coming up, which will make life tougher. He may love to attack, but does he have
the knockout punch in him? His team is also not of the calibre of Sky or
Movistar, so he may find himself outnumbered in the Pyrenees and Alps. Also, he
comes into the Tour off a cold.Richie PorteNationality: Australian Team: BMC
Racing Team (U.S.) Date of birth: January 30, 1985 (31) Race number: 91 Best
Tour results: 19th: 2013; 23rd: 2014Strength: Facing his first opportunity to
ride as an overall contender -- as BMC co-leader with American Tejay van
Garderen. A strong climber and time trialist. Fresher and fitter than ever from
slow boil to his July peak. Inside knowledge of former teammate Froome. Strong
team, with four in BMCs lineup who helped Australian Cadel Evans win the 2011
Tour.Weakness: Lack of experience as a Tour team leader, and vulnerability to
suffer a bad day through illness or even mishap that can see him lose too much
time to remain in contention. As BMCs two-pronged attack with van Garderen may
be a strength, it could be costly if the two riders dont have clarity over
priorities by the third week. Team Skys inside knowledge of Porte could work
against him, too.Fabio AruNationality: Italian Team: Astana (Kazakhstan) Date of
birth: July 3, 1990 (25) Astana Race number: 21 Best Tour results: Tour
debutStrength: Super climber, inspired by his Tour debut. Showed what he can do
in last years Giro dItalia, winning two mountain stages to finish second
overall, and the Vuelta a Espana, which he won. Maybe not the best of time
trialists, but he can hold his own on his day. In Vincenzo Nibali, he also has
an excellent teammate to tap into for support work and advice.Weakness: Lack of
experience at the Tour, from the sheer madness of the race and all that is
around it to the pressure that comes with expectations. Vulnerable in time
trialling, and the danger of Nibali finding himself better placed despite saying
he is racing to help Aru after winning this years Giro.Tejay van
GarderenNationality: American Team: BMC Racing Team (U.S.) Date of birth: August
12, 1988 (27) Race number: 99 Best Tour results: 5th: 2014, 2012 (1st in young
rider classification in 2012)Strength: Not generally an attacking rider, but
still a great climber who can follow the pace up front on mountains well and
limit losses when the attacks begin. Also knows what its like in the top overall
classification with two fifth-place finishes. With Porte as co-leader, the
pressure will not always be on him. Like Porte, has a strong, experienced team
to help.Weakness: While he can defend under attack, he lacks winning kick to go
when racing for overall classification (his mountain stage win in the Tour de
Suisse with a solo move on the last climb to finish came after he fell out of
overall contention). As with Porte, for all the positives of their
co-leadership, it could still be problematic if there is not clarity come the
third week.Thibaut PinotNationality: French Team: FDJ (France) Date of birth:
May 29, 1990 (26) Race number: 121 Best Tour results: 3rd: 2014; 10th: 2012;
16th: 2015Strength: Has developed into a climber who is able not only to follow
the best, but to beat them. That reflects his growing strength as well as his
confidence as an overall contender. As with a previous weakness of descending,
he has improved his time trialling, with time trial wins in this years Criterium
International and Tour de Romandie.Weakness:?Has to deal with the pressure that
any cyclist touted as potentially the first French winner since Bernard Hinault
in 1985 faces. His team has for the first time selected a team devoted to him,
but has it the experience let alone ability to provide the support he will need
to maximize his chances?Vincenzo NibaliNationality: Italian Team: Astana
(Kazakhstan) Date of birth: November 14, 1984 (31) Race number: 22 Best Tour
results: 1st: 2014; 3rd: 2012; 4th: 2015; 7th: 2009Strength: Nibalis ability as
a grand tour racer is beyond reproach. He is one of best climbers and descenders
and is also excellent on the flatter and hillier courses. His desire to attack
is akin to Contadors. Will be buoyed by winning the Giro dItalia. Also, he will
also have no pressure on him to win, as his role is to help Aru. But if Aru
fails, he has nothing to lose.Weakness: His freshness after racing so hard in
the Giro that finished on May 29. It is now generally thought that the Giro-Tour
double is not possible. His support role aside, if Aru falls short and he
becomes Plan B, will he have the strength to pull it off? Relative to his
strengths, time trialling is one area he is less credentialed in.Romain
BardetNationality: French Team: Ag2r (France) Date of birth: Nov. 9, 1990 (25)
Best Tour results: 6th: 2014; 9th: 2015; 15th: 2013 Race number: 41Strength:
Excellent climber who, like Bardet, has fed off the growing confidence gained
from his development as a Tour racer since his sixth-place finish in 2014 when
his teammate Jean-Christophe Peraud placed second. Other pluses are his race
intelligence and knowing he can overcome adversity, as he did last year from a
problematic start to win the 18th stage.Weakness: Time trialling is his Achilles
heel against the ilk of his Tour rivals. That is not to mean he cant limit his
losses or that he is downplaying the importance of time trialling. But what he
does lose in the discipline is costly for any rider that wants to make the
podium or win. Not a fan of flat stages, and also reportedly does not back up
from rest days so well.Dan MartinNationality: Irish Team: Etixx-QuickStep
(Belgium) Date of birth: August 20, 1986 (29) Best Tour results: 33rd: 2013;
35th: 2012; 39th: 2015 Race number: 185Strength: A rider with super climbing
ability, attacking instinct and a huge engine. Can read a race well, especially
toward the pointy end of a race. He is becoming well experienced as as a grand
tour rider, of which this Tour will mark his 10th start in one of cyclings three
three-week races.Weakness: Time trialling is an area he must work on with a view
to the future. However, his deficiencies here will be limited by the two time
trials courses this year suiting him. Has had his fair share of crashes and
health setbacks. He can ill afford them over a race as long and intense as the
Tour.
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. The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to
look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the
honour sunk in. LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw left with a lead in the seventh
inning and the bases loaded. After the bullpen faltered, veterans Chase Utley
and Andre Ethier rescued the Dodgers.Utley singled home the tiebreaking run with
two outs in the eighth, and Los Angeles avoided elimination Tuesday with a 6-5
victory over the Washington Nationals that forced a deciding Game 5 in their NL
playoff.Kenley Jansen worked the ninth for a save, one day after giving up four
late runs during Los Angeles loss in Game 3.I got out there and focused and
fought, he said.Game 5 is Thursday in Washington, with 20-game winner Max
Scherzer set to pitch for the Nationals.Man, this is going to be a heck of a
ballgame, Scherzer said. The effort from both sides over the first four games
has been incredible. Great pitching, great hitting, defense, everything.Dodgers
manager Dave Roberts said he will use left-hander Rich Hill and rookie Julio
Urias, but did not announce which one will start.If anyone gives up on this
team, they havent seen us play a whole lot this year, Roberts said, and it
starts with what Clayton did -- short rest and leaving it all out there.
Everyone fed off that.After failing to close out the Dodgers on the road,
Washington will get one more chance Thursday to win a playoff series for the
first time since the franchise relocated from Montreal. NL East champions in
three of the past five years, the Nationals were unable to advance during their
two previous trips to the postseason.Thats why we fought so hard for the
home-field advantage, manager Dusty Baker said. This year, its coming to
fruition.Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who turned to
Kershaw on three days rest to salvage their season.The score was tied 5-all with
two outs in the eighth when Andrew Toles got hit by a pitch from loser Blake
Treinen. Ethier followed with a single to left and Utley singled to right,
scoring Toles from second for a 6-5 lead.Trailing 5-2 in the seventh, the Nats
had runners on first and second against Kershaw with two outs. The crowd chanted
Kershaws name as he and Bryce Harper battled through eight pitches before Harper
drew a walk.Man, thats what baseball is all about right there: a matter of will,
Baker said. Kershaw was on empty. We knew it. They knew it. Everybody knew
it.Harpers walk loaded the bases and chased Kershaw, who walked off with his
head down. He sat alone in the dugout with his head resting on his right
hand.Kershaw was outstanding, Baker said. Thats one of the best performances Ive
seen, especially on three days rest.But the Dodgers bullpen nearly gave the game
away.Pedro Baez came in and hit Jayson Werth with his only pitch, forcing in a
run to make it 5-3. Baez got booed off the field.Daniel Murphys single off Luis
Avilan dropped between Toles and Joc Pederson in left-center field, scoring two
runs to tie it at 5. Avilan also heard boos.Joe Blanton, who earned the win,
retired Anthony Rendon on a swinging strikeout to end the inning.Our bullpen has
been uunbelievable, Kershaw said.
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been doing all season. Hes been through a lot in his career but he came in and
shut them down.Desperate to avoid another early playoff exit, the Dodgers went
with Kershaw, their three-time Cy Young Award winner who won Game 1 last Friday
despite going just five innings and allowing three runs.This time, he was
charged with five runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 11 --
equaling his second-best postseason total -- and walked two.The left-hander was
limited to 149 innings while compiling a 1.69 ERA during the regular season. He
missed 2 1/2 months with a mildly herniated disk in his back.Kershaw opened the
game by giving up a leadoff single and a walk before Murphys RBI single.The
Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning on Gonzalezs two-run shot
that scored Justin Turner, who was hit by a pitch from Joe Ross.Werths RBI
single tied it 2-all in the third.Los Angeles again answered in the bottom of
the inning, with Kershaw getting the rally going with a double to left field. He
slid into second and clenched his fists in a rare show of emotion.Kershaw scored
on Turners single with two outs. Pederson got hit by a pitch from Ross with the
bases loaded, forcing in TurnerRoss made his postseason debut for the Nationals,
giving up four runs and three hits in 2 2/3 innings, equaling the shortest
playoff start in the history of the Montreal-Washington franchise. The
23-year-old right-hander struck out three and walked two. He hasnt pitched more
than four innings since coming off the disabled list on Sept. 18.LOOK OUT!Five
players were hit by pitches, including four Dodgers, which set a single-game
franchise playoff record. Of the quartet, two ended up scoring. Werth was the
lone Nationals player to get hit.There have been 11 hit batters in the series, a
postseason record.No one on either side is trying to hit anybody with everything
on the line right now, Scherzer said. Thats just baseball being played at its
highest.TRAINERS ROOMNationals RHP Stephen Strasburg experienced discomfort in
his right elbow during a bullpen session Monday at Dodger Stadium. He threw 30
or 31 pitches instead of the scheduled 35. Strasburg has been out since tearing
the pronator tendon in his elbow on Sept. 7.Baker said Strasburg was throwing
the ball very good and hes not concerned about the pitchers progress. Strasburg
has said he would try to return this season if the Nationals advance to the
NLCS.SHORT RESTKershaw started a game on three days rest for the fourth
consecutive postseason.CANT CLOSE `EM OUTBaker has lost eight consecutive
postseason games when his team would have advanced with a victory. Thats the
longest such streak in major league history, according to ESPN Stats &
Info.ELIMINATION GAMESThe Dodgers improved to 12-15 in postseason elimination
games since moving to Los Angeles.
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