Dein erstes Forum » Tinkoff-Saxo Bank becomes the second

PLANCHER-LES-MINES, France -- Two-time champion Alberto Contador dropped out of the Tour de France on Monday after crashing during Stage 10, the second big withdrawal that blows the race wide open and ensures that cyclings greatest race will have a new champion this year. The 31-year-old Spaniard with Tinkoff-Saxo Bank becomes the second big favourite to drop out this year after defending champion Chris Froome of Britain crashed out in Stage 5. Before the race began this year, Froome and Contador were seen as the top two favourites to possibly win this year. In circumstances that a team spokesman could not immediately explain, Contador crashed about halfway through the 161.5-kilometre trek from Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles featuring four steep Category 1 climbs in the eastern Vosges mountains, the toughest stage so far this year. TV images showed thick streams of blood pouring from Contadors knee after the crash, his hip was scraped up, and the back of his jersey torn. Team director Bjarne Riis rushed over and bandaged the riders right knee. Contador then sat back down on grass bank and changed his left shoe as riders, weaved through the narrow gap between him and his bicycle. After several minutes, he got back in the saddle of a new bike, and three teammates who had dropped back escorted him to try to make up lost time as the peloton pulled away up the Col du Platzerwaswel mountain pass. The Spaniard rode for about another half-hour, clearly in pain, and finally stopped, got off, wiped his eyes and climbed into a team car. Contador began the stage in ninth place overall -- four minutes eight seconds back of race leader Tony Gallopin of France. The Spaniards withdrawal vaults Vincenzo Nibali atop the list of likely winners this year. The Italian has won the Spanish Vuelta and Italian Giro, and wore the Tour leaders yellow jersey for seven days until Gallopin took it on Sunday. Contador and Froome, along with 2010 Tour champion Andy Schleck, were the only three former Tour champions racing this year. Schleck dropped out before Stage 4 after sustaining an injury in yet another crash a day earlier., The last section of the final ascent up to Belles Filles features a punishing 20 per cent gradient that could shake up the pack and give a clearer indication of the contenders for overall victory of the three-week race on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on July 27. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap China . Under the deal, the Vikings will donate an undisclosed sum of money to five gay rights-related charities over the next five years. Kluwe said he wont receive any money as part of the settlement. "This will help a lot of people that really do need that help," Kluwe said. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Online .com Tours Nova Scotia Open. The 27-year-old Sloan, a former Texas-El Paso player from Calgary matched first-round leader Rodriguez at 10-under 132 on Ashburn Golf Clubs New Course. http://www.cheapairforce1.net/.com) - A top-10 showdown is on tap in at the McKale Center on Saturday, as the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the eighth-ranked Utah Utes in a key Pac-12 matchup. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet . – Team Canadas Brooke Henderson carded a 4-under 67 at Craigowan Golf and Country Club to jump into the lead at the Canadian Womens Amateur Championship on Wednesday. Nike Air Force 1 Clearance .The result meant Juventus will spend the winter break three points clear of Roma after the league leader beat Cagliari 3-1 on Thursday.Milan remained seventh ahead of the rest of the weekends fixtures, but was provisionally two points behind third-place Napoli in their duel for the final Champions League spot. After a somewhat calm first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Montreal Canadiens are gearing up for what is expected to be an intense second round matchup against the Original Six rival Boston Bruins. The Habs have won three of the four meetings against the Bruins this season but that doesnt mean much for the Habs. "They have so much playoff experience," said Canadiens forward Daniel Briere. "The Bruins have been to the Stanley Cup Finals twice in the past three years; winning once and losing to the Chicago Blackhawks last season. They are a team that knows what it takes to win. " Emotions are expected to play a key role in this series and the team that does a better job keeping them in check could possibly be the one that comes out on top. "Coming into this series, Im sure that is something we are going to talk a lot about," Briiere added.dddddddddddd "We need to be good at controlling our emotions and I expect the Bruins to do the same." The Canadiens have been able to get under the Bruins skin this season and forced them to play their style of game, but what has worked in the regular season doesnt automatically mean it will have the same result in the postseason. "The playoffs are a completely different game; we know we have a great challenge ahead of us. Were going to have to fight for everything," Josh Gorges told the media on Sunday. Now that the Canadiens know who theyll be facing in the second round, Michel Therrien has made a slight change to his line up at practice, opting to put the now healthy Travis Moen on the fourth line and replacing rookie Michael Bournival; a move to bring in more veteran presence against a very experienced Bruins team. ' ' '