Footballs World Cup. A Super Bowl ring. The tiny Ashes urn in cricket. And, of course, the yellow jersey. No list of the most famous trophies in sports can be complete if it doesnt include that gaudy shirt from the Tour de France -- and British speedster Mark Cavendish aims to get his hands on the first one this year. Over the next three weeks, 21 of them will be distributed at the 100th Tour. None will be more important than the last one -- worn by the overall winner on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on July 21: Many pundits believe that will be either Britains Chris Froome or two-time Tour champion Alberto Contador of Spain. But it would be a mistake to reduce the Tour to a two-horse race. Multiple heartbreaks, crashes and other dramas await over the meandering 3,404-kilometre (2,110-mile) trek along wind-swept sea sides, through flat plains and Alpine and Pyrenean mountain punishment, and even to a medieval island citadel in the English Channel. The first story could be written by Cavendish: the "Manx Missile" is a favourite to win the mostly flat Stage 1 over 213 kilometres (132 miles) from Porto Vecchio to Bastia in the race debut on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on Saturday. The Briton, whose muscle, timing and accelerations make him the finest sprinter of his generation, has already won other coveted prizes in his sport. In 2011, he won both the green jersey given to the best Tour sprinter and the rainbow-striped jersey awarded to cyclings road-race world champion. The yellow jersey, however, has eluded his grasp. "Its not just one of the most iconic symbols in cycling, its one of the most iconic symbols in the world of sport," Cavendish said. "To be able to wear that for at least a day in your life, its a thing to make any riders career. Its a thing you dream about when youre a child. It would be a beautiful thing." Cycling could use some beautiful things. This is the first Tour since Lance Armstrong was stripped of his record seven victories for doping, which he finally admitted to on U.S. cable TV after years of denials that were exposed as lies by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Despite millions spent on fighting drug use in the peloton, blasts from cyclings checkered past keep on coming: Ahead of this race, French media reported that a Senate investigation into the effectiveness of doping controls pieced together evidence that a urine sample provided by long-beloved French rider Laurent Jalabert contained EPO, cyclings designer drug, at the Tour of 1998. Tour organizers will be hoping the racing drama of the next three weeks will push such miseries to the background. In the traditional pre-race presentation, the 22 teams took a stage one after the other Thursday in Porto Vecchio, with its idyllic mountain backdrop on Frances "isle of beauty." Hundreds of fans clapped politely, as white yachts stuck up like teeth from the shimmering blue Mediterranean. Contador predicts an action-packed race in this comeback year for him. The 30-year-old Spaniard was stripped of his 2010 Tour title and missed out last year over a doping ban. He could be the biggest danger for Froome. Both riders excel in mountain climbs that feature heavily this year. But Contador said there would be more to this Tour than simply their rivalry. "This year wont just be the story of two riders; well have more actors in this film," he said. "This year will see more action than in past years," he added. Of Froome, he said: "I would have no motivation to be here if I thought I couldnt beat him." Among longer-shot contenders are 2011 Tour winner Cadel Evans of Australia -- though at 36, his legs arent the freshest -- and his young BMC teammate Tejay Van Garderen of the United States, plus Spaniards Alejandro Valverde of Movistar and Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha. Bradley Wiggins, the 2012 Tour winner and a Sky teammate of Froome, is sitting out this year due to injury. Last year Froome was more impressive than Wiggins in the mountains, but that race was more heavily weighted to time trials -- Wiggins specialty -- than in this years edition. Like Wiggins last year, Froome has had a nearly flawless run-up to the Tour: the 28-year-old Kenyan-born Briton won four of five races he started. He said hes confident, but not fond of the "favourite" moniker. "Its an absolutely privilege for me to be in this position," he said, but "there is a certain amount of pressure that comes with it." "Coming in as the race favourite sets that precedent of people looking to beat you ... so it definitely opens doors that people may be ganging up," he said, acknowledging the possibility that Valverde, Contador and Rodriguez might form a Spanish alliance against him. Contador is high in Froomes mind. "I dont think we have seen Contador at his best yet," he said. "His goal was never to perform well at any of the races building up to the Tour, but then to come to the Tour at his absolute best. I believe hell be here at his best -- and thats what well expect." Andy Schleck, who inherited the 2010 title stripped from Contador for testing positive for the muscle-building drug clenbuterol, said this years mountainous course would have suited him under normal circumstances. But hes coming off a rough year -- including a crash injury to his lower back that kept him out last year. The Luxembourg rider considers himself an "outsider" -- not a favourite. The race spends three days on Corsicas winding, hilly roads. It then sets off on a clockwise run through mainland France along the Mediterranean, into the Pyrenees, then up to Brittany and the fabled Mont-Saint-Michel island citadel before a slashing jaunt southeastward toward the Alps before the Paris finish. "The Tours always full of surprises," said Garmin-Sharp team director Jonathan Vaughters, insisting his American squad could have contenders like Ryder Hesjedal of Canada and Andrew Talansky of the United States. "The easy answer is: Yes, its Chris Froome vs. Alberto Contador -- but I think were going to try and make the answer not as easy." . -- Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick shot a second-round 69 to take the lead after 36 holes and former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and Chad Pfeifer, who lost his left leg above the knee serving in Iraq, are among several players in contention in the American Century Championship tournament on Saturday. .K. Subban has picked the right time of the year to go on an offensive tear.
http://www.broncosrookiestore.com/.com) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years in Thursdays battle at Staples Center. .com) - Former New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya is joining the Major League Baseball Players Association staff as a senior advisor to executive director Tony Clark. . The third-seeded Bouchard, from Westmount, Que., was coming off a semifinal appearance at the French Open. She took the opening set before the unseeded American came back for the 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory.EDMONTON -- Chris Driedger stopped 38 shots, including 22 in the final period, as the Calgary Hitmen edged the host Edmonton Oil Kings 3-2 on Saturday in Western Hockey League action. Elliott Peterson, Connor Rankin and Kenton Helgesen supplied the scoring for the Hitmen (43-15-7), who are 11-0-1 in their last 12 games. Greg Chase assisted on all three. Edgars Kulda and Mitchell Moroz scored for the Oil Kings (44-16-3), who now trail Calgary by two points for top spot in the Eastern Conference. Tristan Jarry turned away 31-of-34 shots for Edmonton. --- RAIDERS 4 ICE 2 PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. -- Leon Draisaitls goal at 3:04 of the third period was the difference as the Raiders doubled up Kootenay. Dakota Conroy, Reid Gardiner and Carson Perreaux also scored for Prince Albert (30-30-5) while Draisaitl tacked on an assist for a two-point night. Zach McPhee and Levi Cable scored for the Ice (37-24-4) and Landon Peel set up both goals. Nick McBridge made 25 saves for the Raiders as Mackenzie Skapski turned aside 23-of-27 shots for Kootenay. --- BRONCOS 7 HURRICANES 4 SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. -- Julius Honka scored twice and Graham Black had a goal and two assists as the Broncos toppled Lethbridge. Dillon Heatherington, Colby Cave, Andrew Johnson and Jake DeBrusk also scored for Swift Current (32-24-9). Carter Folk, Lenny Hackman, Jamal Watson and Michal Holub supplied the scoring for the Hurricanes (12-50-5), who dropped their ninth straight contest. Landon Bow made 26 saves for the Broncos. Jonny Hogue started in net for Lethbridge, but was pulled after allowing three goals on 10 shots in 13 minutes of action. Teagan Sacher stopped 28-of-31 shots in 45 minutes of relief. --- WHEAT KINGS 8 BLADES 5 SASKATOON -- Jayce Hawryluk scored twice and added three assists as Brandon handed the Blades their fifth loss in a row. Ryan Pulock, Eric Roy, John Quenneville, Chad Robinson, Tim McGauley and Quintin Lisoway also scored for the Wheat Kings (31-26-8). Nick Zajac had a pair of goals for Saskatoon (16-44-5) and Ryan Graham, MacKenzie Johnston and Connor Sanvido each scored once. Brandons Curtis Honey made 30 saves for the win. Troy Trombley gave up eight goals on 38 shots for the Blades. --- PATS 7 WARRIORS 3 MOOSE JAW, Sask.-- Dmitry Sinitsyn had two goals and two assists and Morgan Klimchuk also scored twice as Regina downed the Warriors. Chandler Stephenson, Kyle Burroughs and Dyson Stevenson also scored for the Pats (37-23-6) and Colby Williams chipped in with three assists. Sam Fioretti andd Brayden point had a goal and an assist each for Moose Jaw (17-39-9) and Tanner Eberle scored once.dddddddddddd Reginas Daniel Wapple made 26 saves for the win while Zach Sawchenko turned away 23-of-30 shots for the Warriors. --- TIGERS 7 BLAZERS 1 MEDICINE HAT, Alta. -- Curtis Valk and Trevor Cox both had two goals and two assists as the Tigers handed Kamloops its fourth straight loss. Cole Sanford, Steven Owre and Anthony Ast also scored for Medicine Hat (41-22-3) and Miles Koules chipped in with three assists. Matt Bellerive scored the lone goal for the Blazers (13-48-5) while defenceman Matt Thomas was a team-worst minus-4. Nick Schneider made 30 saves for the Tigers as Bolton Pouliot gave up seven goals on 37 shots. --- ROYALS 2 COUGARS 1 PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. -- Patrik Polivka made 31 saves as Victoria slipped past the Cougars Jack Walker and Axel Blomqvist scored for the Royals (45-17-4), who are 9-1-0 in their last 10 games. Prince George (26-34-8) got its lone goal from Todd Fiddler. Ty Edmonds turned aside 19-of-21 shots for the Cougars, who are on a three-game slide. --- ROCKETS 3 GIANTS 1 VANCOUVER -- Jordon Cooke stopped 32 shots as Kelowna defeated the Giants for its fourth win in as many outings. Rourke Chartier, Marek Tvrdon and Cole Linaker scored for the league-leading Rockets (52-9-4). Cain Franson gave Vancouver (30-26-10) a 1-0 lead midway through the first period before allowing three unanswered goals from Kelowna. Jared Rathjen stopped 25-of-28 shots in defeat. --- THUNDERBIRDS 4 WINTERHAWKS 1 KENT, Wash. -- Taran Kozun made 41 saves as Seattle halted Portlands 21-game winning streak. Justin Hickman, Branden Troock, Shea Theodore and Alxander Delnov scored for the Thunderbirds (39-19-6). Chase De Leo scored for the Winterhawks (47-13-5) while Corbin Boes stopped 31-of-35 shots in a losing cause. Portland last suffered defeat on Jan. 10th when it fell 3-2 in a shootout to Victoria. --- AMERICANS 3 CHIEFS 0 SPOKANE, Wash. -- Eric Comrie stopped all 34 shots his way as Tri-City blanked the Chiefs to end an eight-game losing streak. Parker Bowles, Brandon Carlo and Brian Williams scored for the Americans (28-29-8), who hold the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Eric Williams turned aside 26-of-29 shots for Spokane (36-23-6), which has already clinched a playoff position in the west. WHL leading scorer Mitch Holmberg failed to earn a point in his second straight outing for the Chiefs and remains with 107 points in 65 contests. ' ' '
