Pogacar completes historic victory in Tour de France

Riding high on a performance for the ages, 21-year-old Tour de France rookie Tadej Pogacar cruised into Paris with the race leader's iconic yellow jersey Sunday, on his way to becoming the youngest post-war winner of the showpiece event that braved, and overcame, France's worsening coronavirus epidemic.

On the 21st and final stage, a traditional procession where only riders not in the running for the podium hare off at the end for the prestige of the stage victory, the Tour was celebrating multiple victories.

First and foremost, for Pogacar. He left the race breathless by snatching away the overall lead from Slovenian countryman Primoz Roglic at the last possible opportunity in a high-drama time trial on Saturday, the penultimate stage.

Pogacar earned $590,000 for winning the Tour.

The race left the start town of Nice on the Mediterranean three weeks ago — delayed because of the epidemic from its usual spot in July — unsure that it would be able to negotiate unscathed to the finish.

But none of the 176 riders who started, or the 146 finishers who raced into Paris, tested positive in multiple batteries of tests, validating the bubble measures put in place by Tour organizers to shield them from infection.

Pogacar is Slovenia's first winner, and Slovenia is the first country to lock up the top two spots since British riders Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome's 1-2 finish in 2012.

Australian Richie Porte rounded out the podium, at age 35, after his brilliant time trial Saturday that hoisted him from fourth to third overall.

Medunjanin’s corner kick goal lifts Cincinnati to MSL victory

Haris Medunjanin scored on a corner kick in the 85th minute to give FC Cincinnati a 1-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night.

Cincinnati (3-6-3) won for the first time since July 22 and snapped a fivematch road losing streak.

Medunjanin's corner kick sailed over goalkeeper David Jensen's head and hit the back post.

In other MLS action Saturday: Maynor Figueroa's scored his first goal of the season in the 69th minute and the Houston Dynamo overcame a two-goal deficit to tie Minnesota United 2-2. Minnesota next visits Mapfre Stadium to play the Crew on Wednesday for a rematch of their MLS is Back Tournament knockout meeting in July.

Lucas Cavallini's sliding goal between a pair of defenders in the 84th minute lifted the Vancouver Whitecaps past Real Salt Lake 2-1.

Juan Agudelo and Brek Shea each scored a goal in an early nine-minute span and Inter Miami beat Atlanta United 2-1. All three goals occurred within the first 11 minutes of play.

Franco Jara had two goals and Ryan Hollingshead scored the game-winner in the 86th minute in FC Dallas’ 3-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City 3-2. Dallas has won three straight to move within a point of second-place Kansas City in the Western Conference.

Seventeen-year-old Griffin Yow scored his first career MLS goal to help D.C. United salvage a 2-2 tie with Toronto

Borut Pahor, Slovenian president, after Tadej Pogacar raced past fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic on Saturday, flip-flopping the 1-2 finish for the alpine country in the Tour De France

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Sean Johnson had seven saves for his third shutout in the past four games and New York City FC played the New England Revolution to a scoreless tie.

Chris Mueller had a goal and an assist, Luis Carlos "Nani" Almeida da Cunha also scored, and Orlando City beat the Chicago Fire 4-1.

Diego Valeri scored twice, Yimmi Chara had a goal and an assist, and the Portland Timbers extended the San Jose Earthquakes’ winless streak to seven games with a 6-1 victory.

Halep, Djokovic advance to finals in Italian Open

Chasing her first title in Rome, topseeded Simona Halep reached her third Italian Open final after beating Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 Sunday to improve her record in tennis’s restart to 9-0.

Muguruza struggled with her serve and double-faulted on the final two points of the 2 hour, 16-minute match.

Halep will face second-seeded Karolina Pliskova in today’s championship match.

In the men’s bracket, Novak Djokovic advanced to the final with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Casper Ruud.

After fans had not been allowed in at the Foro Italico all week, 1,000 spectators were being admitted in for the semifinals and finals.

Harvick wins ninth Cup race of season before 30,000 fans

Feeding off one of the largest crowds at a sporting event during the pandemic, Kevin Harvick steamrolled his way into the second round of NASCAR'S Cup Series playoffs in a season championship that is clearly his to lose.

Harvick held off a charging Kyle Busch over the final 40 laps Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway for his career-best and Cup Series-high ninth victory of the season.

He did it in front of a sold-out crowd of 30,000 spectators, the most Bristol was allowed to admit and the largest crowd since March.

Denny Hamlin, considered the closest challenger to Harvick this year, closed out a sub-par opening round of the playoffs with a 21st-place finish. He has failed through three playoff races to crack the top 10.

Tour’s 1980 champion hit by car, suffers leg, arm fractures

On the same day the Tour de France reached its conclusion, its 1980 champion, Joop Zoetemelk, was hit by a car while riding his bike and hospitalized with leg and arm fractures, the French press reported.

The accident happened in the Seineet-marne region, east of Paris, where the 73-year-old Zoetemelk has lived for decades.

Toyota Gazoo No. 8 wins Le Mans endurance race

Toyota Gazoo’s No. 8 car comfortably won the 24 Hours Le Mans by five laps over Rebellion No. 1 on Sunday to secure a third straight victory in the prestigious French endurance race.

It was also a third consecutive win for Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi and Japan’s Kazuki Nakajima.

Brendon Hartley was the other driver, having replaced two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso.

Buemi and Hartley sat on the side of the car as Nakajima drove toward the podium. Hartley won for a second time after tasting success with the Porsche LMP Team in 2017.

The Swiss team’s Rebellion No. 1 finished one lap ahead of Toyota Gazoo’s No. 7, with Rebellion’s No. 3 finishing in fourth place.

From wire reports