Herzlich Wilkommen » -33-3) only goal while Matthew

PLA DADET, France -- On the last of four Pyrenees ascents, Rafal Majka winked at a French TV camera and tugged playfully at a motorcycles antenna. Even this late in the Tour de France, the Polish rider made winning look easy as he took Stage 17 on Wednesday. For Vincenzo Nibali, the second ride in the mountains on Frances border with Spain was more serious. "The Shark" nibbled yet more seconds away from several of his closest challengers, and the yellow jersey that he has worn for all but two days of the race seemed to fit just a little more tightly ahead of the finish Sunday in Paris. Nibali was even businesslike with his own prime minister, imploring him not to get too ahead of himself in celebration. "Its true that I received a text message from Matteo Renzi, who invited me to Chigi Palace to celebrate my victory," the cautious Sicilian said about the premiers official residence. "I replied that only after winning -- if I do so -- Ill be able to say that Ill be present." The 124.5-kilometre (77-mile) trek Wednesday was the shortest stage in this years Tour. It covered three hard Category 1 ascents from Saint-Gaudens and a final push up to Pla dAdet ski station above the town of Saint-Lary-Soulan. Majka, who also won Stage 14 in the Alps, again showed hes the best climber in this Tour and tightened his grip on the polka dot jersey awarded to the races King of the Mountains. Giovanni Visconti got the action going on the last climb with a solo breakaway with about nine kilometres (5 1/2 miles) left, but could not hold off Majka. Visconti, who also is Sicilian, was second, 29 seconds back, and Nibali was third, 46 seconds behind. With a last Pyrenean day ahead Thursday, Majka could ensure that he takes the red-dot jersey home. His closest rival for it when the stage started was Spains Joaquim Rodriguez, who swatted the air in frustration at Majka when the Pole broke away on the last climb. Majka said he felt "comfort" in the last five kilometres in part because hed been saving up energy a day earlier by riding easier. He finished in a bunch 24 1/2 minutes behind Australian teammate Michael Rogers, who won Stage 16. By Wednesday, "I felt really, really good in the last climb," Majka said, after tapping his chest, thrusting his arms skyward and shouting in joy at the victory. "For me, when there are a lot of climbs, its the best." There was a time when seemingly effortless victories smacked of something more sinister at the Tour: the use of performance-enhancers. Few know the scars of cyclings doping past more than Majkas own manager at the Tinkoff-Saxo Bank team, Bjarne Riis. Once a national hero in Denmark after winning the 1996 Tour, he admitted to using blood-booster EPO more than a decade later -- and was vilified for it. He laid low for a while, but then returned to the pro cycling world. "I promised Bjarne today that I would win the stage," said Majka. The echoes of doping resonated Wednesday on the grassy Pyrenean mountainside: The last times that Saint-Lary-Soulan hosted Tour stage finishes were in 2001 and 2005 -- won by Lance Armstrong and teammate George Hincapie. Those wins were later stripped because of doping. Their names have been crossed out in the official Tour history book. Cycling has made great strides in fighting doping with enhanced blood and urine testing, along with the biological passport program, but few experts would claim that the peloton today is entirely clean. Nibali, who has called himself a "flag-bearer of anti-doping", made his latest case to become the first Italian to win cyclings showcase race in 16 years -- since Marco Pantani, who was once convicted for doping. Nibali gained just under a minute on four of his closest rivals. Second-placed Alejandro Valverde of Spain, who made a valiant recovery on the last ascent to avoid even more damage, now trails by 5 minute, 26 seconds. The exception was Jean-Christophe Peraud of France, who hugged closely on the leaders back wheel and finished fourth. With his performance, the 37-year-old Frenchman made it an even closer race for the podium spots. He is fourth overall, 6:08 behind Nibali, but just eight seconds slower than fellow Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, in third. American Tejay van Garderen, in sixth, also lost about a minute to Nibali and trails by 10:19. It came a day after his hopes for a podium spot were dealt a big blow when he lost several minutes to the other aspirants for a top-three finish in Paris. "Yesterday was a pity, it was an off day," the BMC leader said. A podium spot is still possible, he added, "but it will be hard." Stage 18s finale in the Pyrenees takes the pack on a 145.5-kilometre (90-mile) loop from Pau to Hautacam, featuring two ascents that are so hard that they defy cyclings ranking system -- one of them an uphill finish. Then its a flat stage heading northward Friday before an individual time-trial a day later, and then whats likely to be the largely ceremonial ride for the yellow jersey in Stage 21 on Sunday to the Champs-Elysees in Paris for the finish of the races 101st edition. While well-positioned to be in yellow then, Nibali was still attacking Wednesday. "I preferred to go and gain a few more seconds and to be even more serene, just in case something could happen," he said. Air Max 270 Sale Australia . Cavaliers shooting guard Craig Ehlo makes a solid play on the ball, but still Jordan hits the amazing shot. Air Max 270 Online Australia .Before a raucous sellout crowd, the Hawks won for the 29th time in 31 games to extend their Eastern-best record to 36-8.As usual, pretty much everyone chipped in.Four starters were in double figures and backup point guard Dennis Schroder led a spurt at the start of the fourth quarter that helped the Hawks pull away. http://www.airmax270cheapaustralia.com/. Price also posted the longest shutout sequence since 1960 at 164:19 minutes. He stopped a combined 55 shots in Canadas final two games and 70 of 71 shots in Canadas three elimination games, allowing only a breakaway goal to Lauris Darzins of Latvia. For his efforts, Price was named best goalkeeper by the tournament directorate. Prices outstanding play is marred only by the extremely strong defensive play of Canadas top six defencemen; Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester. Air Max 270 Online Shopping . Anderson shook off some unusually poor shooting and hit two clutch 3-pointers in overtime that carried the New Orleans Pelicans to a 111-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. Air Max 270 Wholesale Australia . The game was the first of two international friendlies that Canada is playing during the international break, with the second game against Slovenia set for Tuesday in Celje. Canada looked uncomfortable defensively throughout the game, and every free kick that came into Canadas penalty box looked like ending up in the back of the net.LONDON, Ont. -- Matt Rupert had two goals and an assist and brother Ryan Rupert scored once and set up two more as the London Knights doubled up the Ottawa 67s 6-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Gemel Smith, Max Domi and Brett Welychka also scored for the Knights (41-12-5), who extended their win streak to six games, while Josh Anderson tacked on three assists. Tyler Hill, Travis Konecny and Erik Bradford replied for the 67s (20-33-4). Jake Patterson made 23 saves for London as Ottawas Liam Herbst turned aside 57-of-62 shots in a losing cause. --- GENERALS 3 FRONTENACS 2 KINGSTON, Ont. -- Joe Manchurek broke a 2-2 deadlock at 6:59 of the third period as Oshawa edged the Frontenacs. Scott Laughton and Cole Cassels also scored for the Generals (37-16-5). Darcy Greenaway and Conor McGlynn scored for Kingston (32-21-4), which lost for the first time in three outings. Daniel Altshuler made 33 saves for Oshawa while Matt Mahalak stopped 22 shots for the Frontenacs. --- WHALERS 3 STING 2 SARNIA, Ont. -- Alex Nedeljkovic made 31 saves as the Whalers handed Sarnia its 11th loss in a row. Connor Chatham had a goal and an assist for Plymouth (23-29-6) while Yannick Rathgeb and Danny Vanderwiel scored the others. Davis Brown and Connor Schlichting supplied the scoring for the Sting (15-37-6). Sarnias Taylor Dupuis stopped 28-of-31 shots in a losing cause. --- STORM 6 SPITFIRES 4 GUELPH, Ont. -- Robby Fabbri and Kerby Rychel each had a goal and three assists as the Storm earned their seventh win in a row by downing Windsor.dddddddddddd Zack Mitchell scored once and set up two more for Guelph (45-9-3) and Stephen Pierog, Ryan Horvat and Nick Ebert each scored once. Brody Milne, Slater Koekkoek, Christiano DiGiacinto and Brady Vail scored for the Spitfires (34-22-3), who lost their fourth in a row. Justin Nichols made 21 saves for the Storm as Windsors Alex Fotinos stopped 30-of-36 shots in defeat. --- ATTACK 3 RANGERS 1 KITCHENER, Ont. -- Brandon Hope made 47 saves, including 21 in the third period, as Owen Sound defeated the Rangers. Holden Cook, Kyle Platzer and Brayden Rose scored for Owen Sound (26-24-7). Nick Maygar recorded Kitcheners (22-33-3) only goal while Matthew Greenfield stopped 19 shots in defeat. The Attack went 1 for 2 on the power play as the Rangers failed to score on either of their chances with the man advantage. --- PETES 4 STEELHEADS 0 MISSISSAUGA, Ont.-- Anthony Stefano had two goals and an assist as Peterborough blanked the Steelheads. Stephen Nosad had a goal and an assist for the Petes (26-27-5) while Nick Ritchie scored once. Peterboroughs Andrew DAgostini only had to make 15 saves for his fifth-career shutout. Spencer Martin stopped 36-of-40 shots for Mississauga (21-33-4), which dropped its fourth game in a row. --- The Ontario Hockey League announced that Fridays game between the Erie Otters and Sudbury Wolves was postponed due to unsafe ice conditions. The game has been rescheduled for Feb. 24 in Sudbury. ' ' '