GAVIRIA EARNS 2ND TOUR DE FRANCE STAGE VICTORY
FRANCE» Colombia’s Fernando SARZEAU, Gaviria won for the second time in four stages at the Tour de France on Tuesday, while Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet kept the leader’s yellow jersey.
Gaviria won Stage 4 after edging world champion Peter Sagan in a sprint finish to the flat 195-kilometer (121-mile) leg from La Baule to Sarzeau that started and finished on the Atlantic coast.
The 23-year-old Gaviria had already won Stage 1 — when he also edged Sagan — on his Tour debut for his Quick-Step team.
Defending champion Chris Froome of Sky finished safely in the pack with leader Van Avermaet.
NBA draft eligibility age likely to change.
VEGAS» Speaking after LAS the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting, commissioner Adam Silver said he thinks the league is ready to scrap the rule requiring players to be out of high school for a year before becoming eligible to enter the draft.
“I’m not here to say we have a problem,” Silver said. “And I love where the league is right now. But I think we can create a better system.”
Panthers’ statue of Richardson will stay.
N.C.» While new Carolina CHARLOTTE, Panthers owner David Tepper would like the focus to be on his plans for the team’s future, he cannot completely put the franchise’s sullied past behind him.
Tepper has to keep the prominent statue of Panthers’ founder Jerry Richardson outside of the stadium as part of the NFL-record $2.2 billion deal he agreed to in June after Richardson decided to sell the team in December amid reports of sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace.
Tepper said he’s “contractually obligated” to keep the 13-foot high statue of Richardson standing alongside two growling panthers where it is.
Lightning keeps forward Kucherov.
FLA.» The Tampa Bay Lightning TAMPA, signed forward Nikita Kucherov to an eight-year contract extension worth an average of $9.5 million in salary and annual bonuses.
The 25-year-old would have been a restricted free agent next summer with one year left on a deal that will pay him nearly $4.8 million for the 2018-19 season. Now he is set to stay with the Lightning through the 202627 as the team’s highest-paid player.
Italy to bid for 2026 Winter Games.
Italy will bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics despite having withdrawn two bids to host the Summer Games in Rome.
The Italian Olympic Committee said Cortina, Milan, and Turin have put themselves forward and the bid city will be decided on at its next meeting, on Aug. 1 or Sept. 10.
An evaluation committee of 11 people, including the president of the Italian ski federation and a CONI vice president, will carry out feasibility studies and draw up a report for the board.
Former UCLA player Knight dies.
PHOENIX» Authorities say former UCLA basketball player Billy Knight has died in Phoenix.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office hasn’t released a cause of death. Phoenix police say Knight’s body was found on a roadway early Sunday near downtown and there was no evidence of foul play.
The 39-year-old Knight was a guard/forward at UCLA from 19982002, averaging 14.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a senior.
Tide LB has surgery, is out indefinitely.
ALA.» Alabama TUSCALOOSA, linebacker Terrell Lewis had surgery to repair a torn knee ligament.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Lewis tore his right ACL last week while training. Saban said Lewis had successful surgery but that there’s no set time frame for the junior’s return.